The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-11-20
CAPTAIN COOK AND
THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

Honolulu, Nov. l7,---It il dan
geroCs thing for a mortal 10 become
a god---cvcn il it is only the god of a
heather nation. Captain James Cook,
ono of the most famous OF English
nayi&atOss and disconAyess> foaItd tahs
out to his cost. The cost to him was
his life.
Captain Cook was the discoverer of
the Hawaiian Islands and the natives
took him to be their great god Lono.
or orono, and received him as such.
Captain Cook accepted their worship.
but they finally found that ne VS. but
mortal and slew him.
Captain Cook had set out froni Ply
mouth, England, in l7TG. in two arm
ed ships, the Resolution and the Dis
covery. in the attempt to find the
northwest passage by way of Boring
strait. After exploring The islands OF
the southern Pacific. he steered his
Hhips northward and on January il,
lTTs. sighted he island OF Oahu.
Soon after nc sighted Kauai and
Niihau and decided he had discovered
a new group of islands landing
was made al Weines on the island
OF Kauai
Al once there war intense excite
rnent among the natives Al thcs.
white strnn 'Nrs in great ships 50
much larger than their own canoes.
The tail rnat,s on Captain Cook $ ships
su gge sted to the natives the idea OF
trees on floating Island. That was
what did THO damage The Hawaiisns
were expecting the return of their
god Lono Who. according to tradition.
had killed his wife in q sudden tt OK
anger and then grieved so greatly
that he lost his reason.
The lamenting. iunalic god went
from island 10 island, presumably in
search of the wife he had slain, and
eventually saicd away in q triangular
canoe. promising his worshippers that
he would return at some future time
on IAN island bearing cecoanut trees.
s. inc and dogs"
'E'he tall masts on Captain Cook s.
ships suggested trees on a floating
island and the inhabitants. conclud-
ing that their Tonga waited god Lono
had at last returned to them, received
tie discoverer with all the homage
BETTING SO i!lustrious god. They
fell on their faces before him and
brought him gifts and offerings,
The English sailors they regarded
AZ divine attendants of Lono. The
tobacco smoke which they blew out
of their mouths and the number and
produce simply by reaching n hand
in what seemed to be a hole in their
sides filled the Hawaiians with aston
ishment
Captain Cook circunonavIgated and
charted the islands and then con
tinued his northward voyage. explor-.
ing the coast of Alaska and the water
OF the Arctic until the ice fields
blocked his path. Toward the end OF
August he returned to the Sandwich
islands, as he had named the Hawaiis
in honor of his patron. the Earl OF
Sandwich. first lord of the British
admiralty, and discovered Hawaii IT.
self. the largest of the group. His
fame had spread from island to island
during his absence and he was re-
ceived with great rejoicing. Thou-
sands of canoes surrounded his ships
in Kealakekua bay. When he went
ashore $4,000 natives Frustrated
themselves and crawled after him on
hands and knees.
The king of Hawaii was among
those who welcomed him back. Three
royal canoes were launched, the first
second priests with hideous idols.
while in the third were offerings OF
hogs and vegetables. They circled
about the ships. the priests chanting
solem hymns to Lono.
After the royal party had returned
40 shore. Captain Cook landed and
was received by the king with great
ceremony, The king placed curious
fan in his hand, a feather h.fmet on
his head and his own royal feather
mantle on his shouIders--thus invest
ing him with all the insignia OF roy
atty.
Then the king presented him with
six beautiful feather cloaks (the badge
of royalty in Hawaii) made with
great labor from the rare. golden
yellow feathers of little bird which
has but two OF them under its wings.
1t has been estimated that the six
cloaks were worth a million dollars.
Captain Cook gave the king a white
shirt and a cutlass in return for the
gifts. y, Nv
1t was some time before the Eng
iiSh paytYafoy understood shnt the