NEW ZEALAND AGAIN 203 



who, while protesting their own Innocence, told 

 him what had happened. The ten Englishmen 

 were sitting on the grass quietly eating a meal, 

 surrounded by several natives. Some of the 

 latter stole some bread and fish. They were 

 immediately beaten by the sailors. The New 

 Zealanders called for help to their compatriots 

 in the woods, who joined them at once. A regu- 

 lar battle took place, and as the islanders were 

 infinitely more numerous than their opponents, 

 they rapidly overcame them. 



Cook was not long In discovering the names of 

 the assassins, whose chief, Kahoora, had killed 

 with his own hand, it was said, Rowe, the Eng- 

 lish officer who commanded the Adventure's 

 party. 



Trusting to the Captain's word, Kahoora came 

 several times to see him, to the indignation of 

 Omal, who begged Cook to shoot the murderous 

 chief. One day when Kahoora was on board the 

 Resolution, Omal went up to Cook and said to 

 him: "There Is Kahoora, kill him!" As Cook 

 refused to accede to the bloodthirsty request, 

 Omal exclaimed reproachfully: "Why do you 

 not kill him? You assure me that in England 

 they hang the man who has killed another; this 

 savage has killed ten, and you refuse to reward 

 him with death I You know that many of his 

 fellow-natives desire It, and you know that it 



