CHAPTER VII 



THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN COOK 



In very remote times there lived in the island 

 of Hawaii a god named Lono or Olono, who 

 killed his wife in a fit of jealousy and who, fran- 

 tic with despair after this murder, left the 

 islands and ascended towards the unknown skies. 

 Before leaving them, he said to his worshippers, 

 "I shall return in the future to an island where 

 are to be found coconuts, pigs and dogs." 



The rumour had spread in the bay of Kara- 

 kakooa and in the neighbouring villages of 

 Kowrowa and Kakooa that Lono had returned, 

 and that he had assumed the features of the 

 strange chief who commanded the big ships. 

 Cook was thus received on the island of Hawaii 

 with divine honours. 



Two native chiefs, Pareea and Kaneena, 

 brought on board the Resolution a little old 

 man, very thin and ugly, called Koah, who be- 

 longed to the order of priests. Koah approached 

 Captain Cook with gestures of most profound 

 respect. He threw over his shoulders a piece of 

 red cloth which he had brought with him, and 

 presented him with a little pig, which he held 



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