(JO COOK'S VOYAGE TO FEB. 



the body of Captain Cook ; and to declare war 

 against them, unless it was instantly restored. He 

 assured me this should be done as soon as possible ; 

 and that he would go himself for that purpose ; and, 

 after begging of me a piece of iron, with much 

 assurance, as if nothing extraordinary had happened, 

 he leaped into the sea, and swam ashore, calling out 

 to his countrymen, that we were all friends again. 



We waited near an hour, with great anxiety for 

 his return ; during which time, the rest of the boats 

 had approached so near the shore, as to enter into 

 conversation with a party of the natives, at some 

 distance from us ; by whom they were plainly given 

 to understand, that the body had been cut to pieces 

 and carried up the country ; but of this circum- 

 stance I was not informed till our return to the 

 ships. 



I began now to express some impatience at Koah's 

 delay ; upon which the chiefs pressed me exceed- 

 ingly to come on shore ; assuring me, that if I would 

 go myself to Terreeoboo, the body would certainly 

 be restored to me. When they found they could 

 not prevail on me to land, they attempted, under a 

 pretence of wishing to converse with more ease, to 

 decoy our boat among some rocks, where they would 

 have had it in their power to cut us off from the 

 rest. It was no difficult matter to see through these 

 artifices ; and I was, therefore, strongly inclined to 

 break off all further communication with them, when 

 a chief came to us, who was the particular friend 

 of Captain Clerke, and of the officers of the Dis- 

 covery, on board which ship he had sailed, when we 

 last left the bay, intending to take his passage to 

 Mowee. He told us, he came from Terreeoboo to 

 acquaint us, that the body was carried up the coun- 

 try ; but that it should be brought to us the next 

 morning. There appeared a great deal of sincerity 

 in his manner ; and being asked, if he told a false- 

 hood, he hooked his two fore-fingers together, 



