CAPTAIN COOK.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 165, 17 June 1909, Page 5

CAPTAIN COOK.

By W. 8.. Te Koiti.

No VI.

After the cursory obvicw I have col*lated of this great man, whom it has been my devotion to worship from the day a Native of Waboo, in. the, Sandwich Group, and a sailor on a whaling ship, was left at our home an invalid, and during convalescence, expanded my boyish fancy with tales of the immortal navigator, together with incidents onchronicled by the historian, but perpetuated for a sacred tradition in the memories of an aboriginal people,who looked upon this first white intruder of their aeon-old seclusion, from the outer world, as a god. 1 say. after this inconsequent obvicw, any narrative, however casual, w»uld be wanting in honour to our illustrious dead, if it excluded the manner of his lamentable death.

Subsidiary to his mission of investigating the existence of a supposed Southern Continent in the Pacific Ocean be was instructed to verify or otherwise, a Northern open waterway along the icebound snore of America, from the Pacific into the Atlantic Ocean*, known then, and still, as the Northwest Passage. When, then, in the pursuit of this duty, he left our shores, and after a lengthened call at Tahiti and other islands of the Friendly Archipelago, sailed North, he discov -red another cluster of islands, which he of the loyal heart, ar.d to commemorate the liberality of his patron, and intimate friend. Lor J Sandwich, named the Sandwich Islands. For this man combined indomitable daring with an unselfish simple heart, to such a degree, that, whereas other navigators dedicated their various finds to some woman, or mistress, or saint, or themselves, our hero remembered bis King, the friends, who made his expeditions possible by liberal donation *,or the person who first saw land: As: Nick's Head, on the East Coast.froro Nicholas Young the cuddy boy, whose sharp eyes first distinguished it. And it is significant of the respect shown by our own cartographer* to his memory, that they have retained intact the names of promontories, bays, and straits, exactly as be gave them; even to such misspellings as Tolago Bay. Here, at the Sandwich Group, he established the same amicable intercourse be did elsewhere. He also enquired if their traditions contained allusions to whitemen.or that such bad pre-visited them: "Caoori (Kahore?). Ooc te matuatanga atua" (No. you are the first of the gods). He says:— "The very instant I leaped ashore, the collected body of the Natives all fell flat on their faces, and remained in that humble position till, by expressive signs. I prevailed upon them to ris»*. They then brought a great many small PIGS, which they presented to me ... . "And after remarking that the people here resembled the •'lndians'* of New Zealand, and thoroughly refitting and provisioning, he set forth upon his quest of the Northwest Passage. But when he arrived there, it was too late in the season to more than make an initial survey; upon which he returned to the Sandwich Islands, to await an earlier start, and . . . his death!

This part of the history is divided into two section*: The first, bis w journal ending with the unbounded friendship subsisting between his party and the islanders: the rest, including the death, is continued by Captain King, of the sitter ship Discovery. The death of the immemorial Captain originated in two separate cauess; and both can be traced to a disobedience of his rules. When he returned from bis northwest quest, the people welcomed bimagod rcvisitant: their "Orono," whose wish was their law. When he asked permission to land his sails for mendage, this was not merely granted, but the only level vacant spot to spread them being near their marai, their sacred place.wbere stood their great stone altar, upon which again stood wooden railings, falling into decay, was also cheerfully conceded to be utilised; but on condition that nothing be touched or removed. But the sailmakers, disregarding the proviso, including the Captain's injunctions that it be observed, used the railing for firewood. The discovery of this sacrilege alienated the favour of the priests and pcople.wbo now redoubled their pilfering propensities as a lawful recompense; and one making off with some booty in a canoe, was fired upon, not with birdshot, but a bullet, and killed. In the meantime another trouble arose on shore: Captains Cook and King, not knowing that a man lay shot in the canoe, nor that the booty bad been restored.ran along the beach to intercept it, and the dead man's companions. And the officer left in charge of the boat,wishing to show off his aothority, knocked down a chief with an oar; whereupon the Natives rushed the boat and made off with it, also, as lawful recompense. "When Captain Cook," writes King, "was informed of what had passed, be expressed much uneasiness, and we returned on board. 'I am , afraid,' said he 'that these people will , oblige me to use some violent mcas- ' uses; for they must not be left to im- [ agine that they have gained an advantage over us* The next morning I found the marines arming, and Captain Cook fowling his double-barrelled gun.... It had been his practice when anything of consequence was lost at any of the islands in this ocean, to get the King or principal chiefs on board, and keep them as hostages till it was restored. This method, which had been always attended with success, he meant to pursue on tic present oc- , •asion . . . Having called the launch he immediately marched into the I village, where be wa« received with the usual repect His next step was to find the King and his two sons who had been bis constant guests on board the Resolution ... They found the ok) man just awoke from sleep, and after a short conversation about the loss of the cutter, from which Captain Cook was convinced that he was in no wise privy to it, he invited him into the boat to spend the' day on board the Resolution. To this proposal the King readily consented, and immediately got op to accompany bim. "Things were in this prosperous train, the boys being already in the pinnace, and the rest of the party having advanced to the waterside, when an elderly woman /. the mother of the

boys. . . came after him, and, with tears and entreaties*, besought him not to go on board. At the same time two chiefs who came along with her, laid hold of him, ar.d insisting that he should go ro farther, forced him to sit down . . . The Natives who were collecting in prodigious numbers along tbc shore . . . began to throng round Captain Cock and their King, who all this time remained on the groond.with the strongest marks of terror and dejection in bis countenance; Captain Cook,not willing to abandon the object for which he bad come on shore, continuing to urge him . . .to proceed on beard . . . whilst the chief *, who stood around him interposed, at first with prayers . . but afterwards having recourse to foTce and violence, insisted on staying where he was. Captain Cook, therefore, finding that the alarm had spread too generally, Bnd that it was in vain to think of getting him off without bloodshed, at last gave up the point, observing to Mr Phillips, his Lieutenant of Marines, that it would be impossible to compel him to go on board,without the risk of killing a gTeat number of the inhabitant*. "Though the enterprise which had carried Captain Cook ashore, had now failed, and was abandoned, yet bis peron did not appear to be in the least danger, till an accident happened, which gave a fata! ram to the affair: The boats which bad been stationed across the bay, having fired, contrary to order, at some canoes that were attempting to get out. . . killed a chief «f the first rank. The news of this death arrived at the village where Captain Cook was, just as he left the king and was walking slowly towards the shore. The ferment it occasioned was very conspicuous; the women and children were sent eff; and the men put on their war mats, and armed themselves with spears and stones. One of the Natives, having in his bands a stone, and a long iron spiked spear . . came up to the Captain, flourishing his weapon, by way of defiance, and threatening to throw the stone. The Captain desired him to desist; but the man persisting ... he was at length provoked to fire a load of small shot. The man having his mat on, which the shot was not able to penetrate, this bad no other effect than to irritate and encourage them. Several stones were thrown at the marines, and one of the chiefs attempted to stab Mr Phillips with his spear, but failed in the attempt, and received from him a blow with the butt of bis musket. Captain Cook now fired his second barret, loaded with ball,and killed one of the foremost of the Na tives . . . What followed was a scene of horror and confusion. . . . Our unfortunate commander, the last time he was seen distinctly, was standing at tbc water's edge, and calling to the boats to cease fire and poll in. If it be true, as some who were present have imagined, that the marines and boatmen fired without bis orders, and that he was desirous of preventing further bloodshed, it is not improbable that his humanity, on this occasion proved fatal to him, for . . . having turned about to give his orders to the boats he was stabbed in the back, and fell with his face into the water. . . . Thus fell our great and excellent commander . . . How sincerely bis loss was f»*ll and lamented by those who bad so long found their general security in his skill and conduct, and every consolation under their hardships, in his tenderness and humanity, it is neither possible for me to describe; much less shall 1 attempt to paint the horror . . . and the universal dismay which followed so dreadful a calamity."

He died on the 14th February, 1779, at Oabu, one of the Sandwich Group, in the 51st year of bis age. and the zenith of his renown and glory; admired, mounted, and revered by all nations. He was married and had four children, who all died at various ages, the eldest at 31, drowned with his boat's crew, in the service of the Navy. The great Captain's wife outlived them all; and after beholding the tirbote of a nation to his roemory,passed silently away at the life-sated age of 94 years. He was not eaten as some drivelling idiots will assert For many years the Natives held an anniversary memorial tangi for his death; and none rrieved more for that calamity than those who slew bim. Young New Zealand, emulate your glorious, immortal, hcrodiscovcrcr's lifa THE EKfr