p. 1 1 2 .
P - 113*
P. 113.
P- 114*
The Commanding Officer of. the Re folia* ion, which lay at leaft half'a mile
nearer the Spot than the Difcovery, alarmed at the repent of the mufquets,
gave orders for the great guns to be pointed and fired at ¡them; which appeared
to create 'much Slaughter and confufion. Mr. Phillips and his party of marines
were obliged to leap into the water; but feme -of them, -not being able to Swim,
were dragged aihore by the •natives, who foon difpatc-hed them.. The remaining
number with difficulty reached the boats. Their lieutenant was wounded
in the Shoulder ; the ferjeant in the neck, befides Which, he received a fevere
blow upon the head with a iftone; one of the privates had the point of a fpear,
which broke off, fixed under his left eye; and a corporal and three private
men were killed.
The Indians behaved with great refolotion and intrepidity daring the encounter,
and, notwithstanding a fevere fire was kept trp for fame time afterwards,
they maintained their ground, and as foon as-one fell another immediately
.Supplied his place. Finding it impoffible to recover the Captain’s body,
the boats ceafed firing, and made the belt o f their way on board.
At noon the Refolution’s mail, with the tents, obfervatorits, 6cc. were
brought on board, but not without another Ikirmifh. In the afternoon Mr.
King, fecond lieutenant of the Refolution, who was greatly efteemed by all
the principal people of the ifland, went on Shore with a flag of truce to -try if
the Captain’s body could be procured by fair -means.- Upon the approach of
the boats to the .Shore, the natives began to throw ftone-s; but when the flag
was hoifted they defiffed, and feveraJl came off in boats. The body being demanded,
forne told Mr. King that it-Should be brought off on the morrow,
and others faid-it was cut to pieces. As nothing further could be learned from
them, the boats returned..
The Ship's companies, exafperated to ¡the higheff degree at the lofs of their
Commander, and Still more enraged at the behaviour of the Indians, deiired
Captain Clerke’s permiffion to go on Shore, declaring that they would bring
off the body in fpite of every thing, and burn the town. This raffi request of
• theirs was, however, prudently denied.
On
On the 15th, in the evening, two of the natives came on board, one of P* i r5*
whom was recollected to have Shewn great attention to Captain Cook. Being
introduced into the great cabin, they untied a bundle, which, upon
examination, contained the fleihy part of a man’s thigh, the bone being taken
out. This, they faid, belonged to Captain Cook, and was all that remained of
him; the reft being burnt. As they had^brought o ff this by Stealth, they were
fearful of coming on board till it was dark, left they Should be obferved by any
o f their own people; and having ftaid till ten o ’clock, they returned to the
Shore,
On the 19th a .Chief c-mem bpard fhe Refpdutfon from Terriaboo to,inform p. I20.
Captain -Clerke, (who had mw taken the chief command) that he would bring
all the remaining bpftes of Captain Cook the next day. At the fame time he
requefted that they would enter Into a league of ;ffiendihip with iaiim, and lay-
all animofities afide, as he was very forry for the melancholy affair that had,
happened. This being agreed tp, the Chief departed very well f&tisfied.
The next .morning .the King came on bpard, -bringing with him two bundles p. 121.
of cloth, which contained the bones p f their unfortunate Commander. The upper •
part of the Skull, the fcalp with the hair fand ear«, the bones o f the thighs,
legs and arms, together with the hands on which was the fleih, were all that
remained: the ribs and vertebra he told «them were burned. They had out off
the long hair behind, which he faid was in the pofleffion o f Kommiahmaah a
Chief nearly Related to him. The hands had feveral jncifions m a loqgitudiLl
dire<ftior\, both upon the back and infide, and a quantity o f fait had .been rub-,
bed in, with a view, moil likely, .to prevent putrefaction.
In the afternoon .of the next day, being .Sunday the 2.1ft gf February, (the p. 122;
whole of thefe fad remains were committed to the deep, ¡with ail the bm om
due on fuch an occafion.
Thus fell the brave, the intelligent Captain Cook; whofe name will ever be
revered, both as an able and experienced navigator, and a judicious and humane
commander. And .whofe death muft rather be imputed, to a combination o f
circumftances, which could no more be prevented than forefeen, than to anv
premeditated ill will of the natives of Owhy’hee.