CHAPTER V.

The ships anchored in Kearakekua bay.-First interview with the natives.-Reverence with which they regarded Cook.-Tents erected for astronomical observations.-Ceremonies of the meeting of Cook with the old king.—Ledyard forms the project of ascending the high mountain in Hawaii, called by the natives Mouna Roa.-Description of his ascent, and cause of his ultimate failure.-The natives begin to show symptoms of uneasiness at the presence of the strangers, and to treat them with disrespect.-- Offended at the encroachment made on their Morai. Cook departs from Kearakekua bay, but is compelled to return by a heavy storm, that overtakes him, and injures his ships.— Natives receive him coldly.-They steal one of the ship's boats, which Cook endeavours to recover.-Goes on shore for the purpose.-Is there attacked by the natives and slain.—Ledyard accompanied him on shore, and was near his person when killed.-His description of the event.—Expedition sails for Kamtschatka, explores again the Polar seas, and returns to England.—Ledyard's opinions respecting the first peopling of the South Sea Islands.- Other remarks relating to this subject, founded on the analogy of languages, and manners of the people.-Characteristics of Ledyard's journal. —Estimation in which he held Captain Cook.

THE ships were several days among the islands, sailing in different directions, before a harbour was discovered, in which they could anchor with safety, and where water and provisions could be procured. At length they entered a commodious bay on the south side of Hawaii, extending inland about two miles

and a half, having the town of Kearakekua on one side, and Kiverua on the other. These towns contained fourteen hundred houses. The crowds of people that flocked to the shore, as the vessels sailed in and came to anchor, were prodigious. They had assembled from the interior and the coast. Three thousand canoes were counted in the bay, filled with men, women, and children, to the number of at least fifteen thousand, besides others that were swimming and sustaining themselves on floats in the water. The scene was animated and grotesque in the extreme. "The beach, the surrounding rocks, the tops of houses, the branches of trees, and the adjacent hills were all covered; and the shouts of joy and admiration, proceeding from the sonorous voices of the men, confused with the shriller exclamations of the women, dancing and clapping their hands, the oversetting of canoes, cries of the children, goods afloat, and hogs that were brought to market squeaking, formed one of the most curious prospects that can be imagined." But amidst this immense concourse, all was peace, harmony, hilarity, and good nature. Many of the natives were contented to gaze and wonder; others, by their noise and actions, gave more imposing demonstrations of

their joy and admiration; while others were busy in bartering away hogs, sweet potatoes, and such provisions as they had, for articles that pleased their fancy.

Cook's first visit to the shore was attended with a good deal of ceremony. Two chiefs, with long white poles as ensigns of their authority, made a passage among the canoes for his pinnace, and the people, as he was rowed along, covered their faces with their hands. When he landed, they fell prostrate on the beach before him, and a new set of officers opened a way for him through the crowd. The same expressions of awe were manifested, as he proceeded from the water's edge. "The people upon the adjacent hills, upon the houses, on the stone walls, and in the tops of the trees, also hid their faces, while he passed along the opening, but he had no sooner passed them, than they rose and followed him. But if Cook happened to turn his head, or look behind him, they were down again in an instant, and up again as soon, whenever his face was reverted to some other quarter. This punctilious performance of respect in so vast a throng, being regulated solely by the accidental turn of one man's head, and the transition being sudden and short, rendered it very difficult even for an

If he

individual to be in proper attitude. lay prostrate but a second too long, he was pretty sure not to rise again until he had been trampled upon by all behind him, and if he dared not to prostrate himself, he would stumble over those before him who did. This produced a great many laughable circumstances, and as Cook walked very fast to get from the sand into the shades of the town, it rendered the matter still more difficult. At length, however, they adopted a medium, that much better answered a running compliment, and did not displease the chiefs; this was to go upon all fours, which was truly ludicrous among at least ten thousand people." This confusion ceased, however, before long, for Cook was conducted to the Morai, a sacred enclosure, which none but the chiefs and their attendants were allowed to enter. Here he was unmolested, and the presents were distributed.

His first object was to procure a situation. on shore to erect tents, and fit up the astronomical instruments. A suitable spot was granted, on condition that none of the seamen should leave the place after sunset, and with a stipulation on the part of the chiefs, that none of their people should enter it by night. To make this effectual, the ground was marked out

by white rods, and put under the restriction of the tabu, which no native dared violate, being restrained by the superstitious fear of offending the atuas, or invisible spirits of the island. This caution surprised Cook a little, as he had not witnessed it among the natives of the other South Sea Islands. It appeared reasonable, and he consented to it, not foreseeing the mischiefs to which it would ultimately lead. Ledyard considers it the origin of all the disasters that followed. Restrictions were imposed, which could not be enforced; they were violated secretly at first, then with less reserve, and at last openly. The men in the tents were the first to transgress, by going abroad contrary to the agreement. The native women were tempted by them to pass over the prescribed limits, although they shuddered at the apprehension of the consequences which might follow such a disregard of the tabu. When they found, however, that no harm came upon them from the enraged atuas, their fears by degrees subsided. This intercourse was not such as to raise the Europeans in the estimation of the islanders. It was begun by stealth, and prosecuted in violation of the sacred injunction of the tabu; and as no measures were taken to prevent it, the chiefs naturally considered it an