66 AVOYAGETO 



'779- and early the next morning, Koah came along-fide the Re- 

 v t l^i, folution, with a prefent of cloth, and a fmall pig, which he 

 on ay ' s ' defired leave to prefent to me. I have mentioned before, 

 that I was fuppofed, by the natives, to be the fon of Captain 

 Cook; and as he, in his life-time, had always fuffered 

 them to believe it, I was probably confidered as the Chief, 

 after his death. As foon as I came on deck, 1 queftioned 

 him about the body ; and, on his returning me nothing but 

 evafive anfwers, I refufed to accept his prefents; and was 

 going to difmifs him, with fome expreffions of anger and 

 refentment, had not Captain Clerke, judging it beft, at all 

 events, to keep up the appearance of friendfhip, thought 

 it more proper, that he fhould be treated with the ufual re- 

 fpecl. 



This treacherous fellow came frequently to us, during 

 the courfe of the forenoon, with fome trifling prefent c • 

 other ; and as I always obferved him eyeing every part c : 

 the fhip with great attention, I took care he fhould fee wtr 

 were well prepared for our defence. 



He was exceedingly urgent, both with Captain Clerke and' 

 myfelf, to go on fhore, laying all the blame of the deten- 

 tion of the bodies on the other Chiefs; and alluring us, that 

 every thing might be fettled to our fatisfaction, by a pcr- 

 fonal interview with Terrecoboo. However, his conduct 

 was too fufpicious to make it prudent to comply with this 

 requeft ; and indeed a fact came afterward to our know- 

 ledge, which proved the entire falfehood of his pretenfions. 

 For we were told, that, immediately after the action in 

 which Captain Cook was killed, the old king had retired 

 to a cave in the flecp part of the mountain, that hangs over 

 the bay, which was ticccfiiblc only by the help of ropes, 



i and 



