232 CAPTAIN COOK 



leave him his liberty in order to allow him to 

 help in the recovery of the fugitives. Once 

 more the energetic action of Cook produced the 

 desired results. Four days after their flight 

 from the ship the two deserters were returned to 

 the hands of Captain Clerke. 



While these events were taking place the 

 islanders had formed a conspiracy to carry off 

 Cook at the hour when he had his bathe. He 

 was in the habit of going alone and unarmed 

 every evening to the banks of a little river, where 

 he performed his ablutions. However, as soon 

 as Oreo's family had been made prisoners, he 

 had the prudence not to go out without being 

 accompanied by a small armed party. This pre- 

 caution would doubtless not have hindered the 

 execution of the plot which had been fixed for 

 November 26th, but on that particular evening 

 Cook did not take his usual bathe. 



On December 8th Cook called at Bolabola, 

 where he only remained a short time. 



The object of his visit was to secure on this 

 island an anchor which Bougainville had lost at 

 Tahiti, and which was in the possession of 

 Opoony, King of Bolabola. The latter agreed 

 to the transaction, and Cook received the coveted 

 anchor, which he proposed to employ as an 

 object of barter. 



Cook profited by his stay at Bolabola to col- 



