THIRD VOYAGE 391 



all the bodies of our people, together with the bones of 

 the trunks, had been burnt ; that the limb bones of the 

 marines had been divided amongst the inferior chiefs ; and 

 that those of Captain Cook had been disposed of in the 

 following manner : The head to a great chief called Kahoo- 

 opeon, the hair to Maia-maia, and the legs, thighs, and 

 arms to Terreeoboo. 



" Between ten and eleven o'clock on the 20th, we saw a 

 great number of people descending the hill which is over 

 the beach, in a kind of procession, each man carrying a 

 sugar-cane or two on his shoulders, and bread-fruit, taro, 

 and plantains in his hand. They were preceded by two 

 drummers, who, when they came to the waterside, sat down 

 by a white flag, and began to beat their drums, while 

 those who had followed them advanced one by one ; and 

 having deposited the presents they had brought, retired in 

 the same order. Soon after, Eappo came in sight, in his 

 long feathered cloak, bearing something with great solem- 

 nity in his hands ; and having placed himself on a rock, 

 he made signs for a boat to be sent him. 



" Captain Clerke, conjecturing that he had brought the 

 bones of Captain Cook, which proved to be the fact, went 

 himself in the pinnace to receive them ; and ordered me to 

 attend him in the cutter. When we arrived at the beach, 

 Eappo came into the pinnace, and delivered to the Captain 

 the bones wrapped up in a large quantity of fine new cloth, 

 and covered with a spotted cloak of black and white 

 feathers. He afterward attended us to the Resolution, but 

 could not be prevailed upon to go on board ; probably not 

 choosing, from a sense of decency, to be present at the 

 opening of the bundle. We found in it both the hands of 

 Captain Cook entire, which were well known from a remark- 

 able scar on one of them, that divided the thumb from the 

 forefinger, the whole length of the metacarpal bone ; the 

 skull, but with the scalp separated from it, and the bones 

 that form the face wanting ; the scalp with the hair upon 

 it cut short, and the ears adhering to it ; the bones of both 

 arms, with the skin of the forearms hanging to them ; the 

 thigh and leg bones joined together, but without the feet. 

 The ligaments of the joints were entire ; and the whole 

 bore evident marks of having been in the fire, except the 

 hands, which had the flesh left upon them, and were cut 

 in several places, and crammed with salt, apparently with 

 an intention of preserving them. The scalp had a cut in 

 the back part of it, but the skull was free from any fracture. 

 The lower jaw and feet, which were wanting, Eappo told 

 us had been seized by different chiefs, and that Terreeoboo 

 was using every means to recover them. 



