1779*
February.
Tuefday q,
Wednefi 10..
Thurfday n*
gained, for the mere hopes o f m e eting w ith a b e tte r ; the
failu re o f w h ich migh t perhaps have le ft us without
refource.
W e therefore continued Handing on toward the land, in
order to g iv e the natives an opportunity o f releafing their
friends on board from their con fin em en t; and, at noon, bein
g within a mile o f the ihore, .a few canoes came o f f to us,,
but fo crowded w ith people, that there was not room in
them for any o f our g u e f t s ; w e therefore hollted out the
pinnace to carry them on ih o r e ; and the Mailer, who*
went with them, had diredtions to examine the South
coafts o f the bay fo r water j bu t returned without finding
any.
T he winds b e in g variable, and a current fetting itrong to.
the Northward, w e made b u t little progrefs in our return t
and at e igh t o’clo ck in the evening o f the gth, it began to.
b low ve ry hard from the South Eafi, w h ich obliged us to
d o fe r e e f the topfa ils! and at two in the morning o f the-
io th , in a heavy fquall, w e fou n d ourfelves el'ofe in w ith
the breakers, that lie to the Northward o f the Weil point o f
Owhyhee. We had juft room to haul off, and avoid them,
and fired feveral • guns to apprize th e Difcoyery o f the-
danger.
In the forenoon,, the weather was more moderate, and. a
few canoes came o ff to us, from w h ich w e learnt, that th e
late ftorms had done much m ifc h ie f ; and that feveral large
canoes had been loft. D u rin g the remainder o f the day, w.e
kept beating to w in dw a rd ; and, before night, w e w e r e
w ith in a mile Of the b a y ; but not choofing to.run on, while
it was dark, w e ftood o ff and on till d a y -ligh t next mo rn in g,
w hen we dropt anchor nearly in the fame place as before,
q C H A P ,
C H A P. III.
Sufpicious Behaviour o f the Natives, on our Return to
Karakakooa Bay.-— Theft on hoard the Difcovery, and
its Confequences.— The Pinnace attached, and the Crew
obliged to quit her.— Captain Cook’s Obfervations on the
Occafion.— Attempt at the Obfervatory.— The Gutter of
the Difcovery ftolen.— Meafures taken by Captain Cook for
its Recovery.— Goes on Shore, to invite the King on board.
— The King being flopped by his W ife, and the Chiefs, a
Contefl arifes.— News arrives o f one o f the Chiefs
being killed, by one o f our People.— Ferment on this Occafion.—
One o f the Chiefs threatens Captain Cook, and
is Jhot by him.— General Attack by the Natives.— Death
of Captain Cook. Account of the Captain s Services,
and a Sketch o f his Char abler.
\ \ T E were employed the w ho le o f the n th , and part o f p '779-
VV the I2th, in g e ttin g out the foremaft, and fending ^ “2 2 1 ,
it, with the carpenters, on ihore. Befides the damage Friday»"'
w hich the head o f the mail had fuftained, we found thé
he el exceedingly rotten, h a vin g a large hole up the middle
o f it, capable o f holdin g fo u r or five cocoa-nuts. It was
not, however, thought neceffary to ihorten it ; and fortunately,
the logs o f red toa-wood, w hich had been cut at
Eimeo, for anchor-ftocks, were found fit to replace the
fprung parts o f the fiihes. As thefe repairs were lik e ly to
E 2 take