TWO HISTORICAL NOTES IN REGARD TO CAPTAIN COOK. 49 



photographs are of course necessary to show the whole of it), and 

 if the pattern upon the club shows it to be of special interest, no 

 doubt we shall be favoured with some observations by the Curator 

 of the Australian Museum, an expert in regard to such objects. 1 



APPENDIX. 



A. Kippis — Narrative of the Voyages round the World performed by 

 Captain James Cook (1788) Edited and published by Bickers & Son, 1883, 

 p. 341. 



" Captn. Cook was making for the pinnace with his hand at the back 

 of his head to protect himself from the stones hurled. A native with a 

 large club or common stake gave him a blow at the back of the head," 



Account of the manner of Capt. Cook's death, by David Samwell, 

 Surgeon of the Ship Discovery. Printed in Kippis's Life of Cook. 

 • • • " At that time, it was to the boats alone that Captain Cook had 

 to look for his safety; for when the marines had fired, the Indians rushed 

 among them and forced them into the water, where four of them were 

 killed ; their lieutenant was wounded, but fortunately escaped, and was 

 taken up by the pinnace. Captain Cook was then the only one remaining 

 on the rock; he was observed making for the pinnace, holding his left 

 hand against the back of his head, to guard it from the stones, and carry- 

 ing his musket under the other arm. An Indian was seen following him, 

 but with caution and timidity; for he stopped once or twice, as if unde- 

 termined to proceed. At last he advanced upon him unawares, and with 

 a large club or common stake 2 gave him a blow on the back of the head 



1 Since the above was written, Mr. R. Etheridge, the Curator, has been 

 kind enough to favour me with the note below; I am further indebted to 

 to him for the critical note in regard to the inscription {infra). 



"The evidence as far back as Admiral Hunter is no doubt satisfactory, 

 but anterior to that is very weak ; Hunter may have obtained it in a 

 dozen different ways. I can find no trace of a Hawaiian club so orna- 

 mented, but both the form and sculpture is decidedly Fijian, Samoan or 

 Tongan, the last for choice. Cook, as you know was at Amsterdam 

 Island (Tonga), and it is on record that great intercourse went on between 

 the Tongans and Fijians. What is more probable than that the club 

 formed part of the Cook-Banksian Collection, taken home by the 'Adven- 

 ture.' It is on record that Mrs. Cook's house at Clapham was a veritable 

 museum, and there can be no question that specimens were given away 

 freely before her death." 



2 Note — I have heard one of the gentlemen who were present say, that the first 

 injury he received was from a dagger, as it is represented in the Voyage ; but from the 

 account of many others who were also eye witnesses, I am confident in saying, that he 

 was first struck with a club, I was afterwards confirmed in this, by Kairee Rea, the 

 priest, who particularly mentioned the name of the man who gave him the blow, as 

 well as that of the chief who afterwards struck him with the dagger. This is a point 

 not worth disputing about; I mention it, as being solicitous to be accurate in this 

 account, even in circumstances, of themselves, not very material. 



D— June 3, 1901. 



