THIRD VOYAGE 367 



While Captain Cook seems to have enjoyed the idea of 

 this discovery, little did he imagine that his labours were 

 so soon to be terminated at this disastrous place, which 

 will ever derive a disgraceful immortality from his sad fate. 

 Here his journal ends ; and as we have recorded the 

 principal events of his useful life, we shall detail the 

 melancholy circumstances which led to his lamented death, 

 preserving as nearly as possible the words of his amiable 

 coadjutor Captain King, whose account of the voyage now 

 commences. 



" Karakakooa Bay is situated on the west side of the 

 island of Owhyhee, in a district called Akona. It is about 

 a mile in depth, and bounded by two low points of land 

 at the distance of half a league from each other. On the 

 north point, which is flat and barren, stands the village of 

 Kowrowa ; and in the bottom of the bay, near a grove of 

 tall cocoa-nut trees, there is another village of a more 

 considerable size called Kakooa. This bay appearing to 

 Captain Cook a proper place to refit the ships, and lay in 

 an additional supply of water and provisions, we moored 

 on the north side. 



" As soon as the inhabitants perceived our intention of 

 anchoring in the bay, they came off from the shore in 

 astonishing numbers, and expressed their joy by singing 

 and shouting, and exhibiting a variety of wild and extrava- 

 gant gestures. 



" Among the chiefs that came on board the Resolution 

 was a young man called Pareea, whom we soon perceived 

 to be a person of great authority. On presenting himself to 

 Captain Cook, he told him that he was jakanee to the king 

 of the island, who was at that time engaged on a military 

 expedition at Mo wee, and was expected to return within 

 three or four days. A few presents from Captain Cook 

 attached him entirely to our interests, and he became ex- 

 ceedingly useful to us in the management of his countrymen, 

 as we had soon occasion to experience ; for we had not been 

 long at anchor, when it was observed that the Discovery had 

 such a number of people hanging on one side, as occasioned 

 her to heel considerably ; and that the men were unable 

 to keep off the crowds which continued pressing into her. 

 Captain Cook being apprehensive that she might suffer 

 some injury, pointed out the danger to Pareea, who im- 

 mediately went to their assistance, cleared the ship of its 

 incumbrances, and drove away the canoes that surrounded 

 her. 



" The authority of the chiefs over the inferior people 

 appeared, from this incident, to be of the most despotic 

 kind. A similar instance of it happened the same day on. 



