THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN COOK 247 



ceremonial as on his journey to the morai: The 

 Hawaiians prostrated themselves on the ground 

 as he passed. The priests declared Tabu — that 

 is to say, sacred — the little camp which the Eng- 

 lishman had set up on shore. 



These native superstitions were manifested not 

 only in useless parades and curious processions, 

 but they had also a happy gastronomic result. 

 Every day the priests sent Cook, without even 

 asking for anything in return, pigs and vegeta- 

 bles in large quantities. When the Englishmen 

 asked Koah who was the personage who treated 

 their Captain so magnificently, he answered that 

 it was Kaoo, the High Priest, who was away 

 travelling with the King. 



As soon as Terreoboo, King of Hawaii and 

 the other islands, had returned from a visit 

 which he had made to the island of Mani, he 

 arrived with great pomp on board the Resolu- 

 tion. His train consisted of three canoes. He 

 and his chiefs were installed in the first of these. 

 All were clothed in rich robes, carried helmets 

 and feathers on their heads, and were armed 

 with long spears and daggers. The second canoe 

 carried the priests and their chief, the venerable 

 Kaoo. They brought with them gigantic idols 

 bedizened with red cloth. Pigs and vegetables 

 filled the third canoe. While the priests chanted 

 hymns, the three canoes paddled round the ships 



