New Britain herald., 1928-08-04

Then he sailed back toward Ha- vail. where he met some of the most remarkable experiences of his adventurous lifetime-and his death,
 "As the Resolution put into kea- lakekua Bay, Hawaii, Cook was amazed at the welcome he received, Natives lined the shore. and more than a thousand canoes gathered round the ship.
 Treated Like . God
 His wonderment increased when he went ashore and was conducted to | native altar mound, where he became the principal. though pas sive, figure in an elaborate ritual.
 At the culmination of the cere- mony the worshippers prepared kava. a procedure that began with priests chewing pieces of cocoanut and rubbing them on the face and arms of the explorer. The juices of this connection were passed around and then they fed Cook and Captain King, who accompanied him, with the flesh of the sacrificial animals.
 Thereafter when the visitor landed 8 native escort accompanied him, the people prostrated them- selves before him, and presents of provisions were bestowed upon both vessels far in excess of their needs. The monarch of the island. upon first meeting Cook. removed his mantle and threw it over the lead- er's shoulders.
 Cook sailed away, unaware of significance of this extraordinary hospitality. Encountering severe gale[and being unable to find a better -harbor, he returned again to Kealakekua, to find the natives indifferent at first, and later hostile.
 The explanation of this reversal of feeling lay in the fact that the islanders construed Cooks first visit as g long expected second coming of their deity.
 Once upon time, it seemed, there had lived god of peace and plenty named Rono. This god found his wife, the beautiful Opuna, un- faithful to him. so he flung her over q cliff. He mourned for time, then left the island. so the legand ran, with the parting prom ise, I will return in after times, on an island bearing trees and swine and dogs . When the mast and sails of the English vessels were sighted, the later when the animals were seen on board. the islanders proceeded to do obeisance to Rono. in the per son O. Captain Cook.
 . When Cook sailed away they considered the prophecy fulfilled; there had been no mention of his third coming, and their provisions were exhausted by the lavish gifts. Even & god can wear out his well come.
 Moreover. incidents had occurred upon the first visit which seemed to discredtt the godlike qualities of the visitors. One of the crew died and Cook, unaware that he and his retinue were immortal in native eyes. buried him ashore. Then there was the matter of the fence about the sacred moral. The sailors were given permission to remove the fence because of their urgent need of wood, but they unwittingly re- moved images as well. Skepticism had set in after their first depar- ture.
 . "On the night of February 13, 1179, a cutter was stolen. Cook W mt ashore. to seize the king and hold him ss . hostage until the bcat should be returned. The king was willing enough to come. but his people objected, and they became so menacing that Cook and the ma rines with him retreated.
 Early the next morning as they neared the water Cook turned to signal the boat to pull in for his party. One native struck him over the head and, as he fell forward, another stabbed him in the back.
 "A few bones of Cooks body were returned after the natives had stripped it of the flesh, and on February 21. according to brief entry in the ships journal, At sun- set the Resolution fired ten minute gums, with the colors half staff up, when the remains of our late Con- mander were committed to the deep Missionaries, on later visits to Hawaii. learned that the breast bone and ribs long were preserved by the islanders as objects of ven- eration."