THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN COOK 249 



planking of the sides of the ships. Punishment 

 seemed of no avail. The chiefs themselves ap- 

 peared to encourage the thieves, who frequently 

 passed on to them the proceeds of their pilfering. 



Two incidents seemed to produce a deceptive 

 impression upon Cook's worshippers. The first 

 was the death of a gunner's mate, who, at the 

 request of the priests, was solemnly buried in the 

 morai. As the natives had thought that the 

 English were more or less supernatural and im- 

 mortal beings, this mortal end of one of them 

 could hardly fail to cause them an unpleasant 

 surprise. The other incident was due to Cook, 

 who, requiring wood to burn on board the ships, 

 ordered Lieutenant King to bargain with the 

 priests for the fencing which surrounded the 

 morai and had a sacred character. The latter 

 raised no objection, but they could hardly con- 

 sider the removal of the fence otherwise than an 

 act of sacrilege. 



After a time Terreoboo and his retinue of 

 chiefs began to ask the Englishmen frequently 

 when they meant to go. They seemed uneasy at 

 the formidable quantity of provisions which 

 Cook's divinity was costing the country. Some 

 of the islanders, seeing the Englishmen take on 

 board every day, besides the daily offering of the 

 priests, the pigs and vegetables which they had 

 bought, said on one occasion to Lieutenant King 



