110

HISTORY OF THE HAWAIIAN PEOPLE

and helmets, and armed with spears and daggers, and bypriests bearing gigantic idols of wicker-work, covered withred feathers, with eyes made of mother-of-pearl and mouthsset with double rows of sharks’ teeth.

After paddling around the ships, chanting prayers orhymns, they went toward the observatory, where Cap-tain Cook landed to receive them. On entering the tentthe king placed his own magnificent feather cloak uponCaptain Cook’s shoulders, and a feather helmet onhis head, and laid five or six other beautiful cloaks athis feet. He also presented him with a number of largehogs and a large quantity of cocoanuts and bread-fruit,after which the priests made offerings and prayers to theirsupposed patron divinity.

In return Captain Cook took the royal party on boardof the “ Resolution,” and presented the king with a linenshirt and a cutlass. The English officers were afterwardfeasted on shore, and entertained with boxing and wrest-ling matches. On his part, Captain Cook gave an exhi-bition of fire-works, which the natives took for flyingspirits.

Quarrels with the Natives. —After the first ten days,the natives began to tire of their guests, and to show themless respect. Their violations of tabu and their abandonedconduct were such as to disgust even heathens, whilethe lavish contributions levied upon the people for theirsupport began to be felt as a heavy burden.*

On the 2d of February Captain Cook, being in wantof fuel, concluded to take the fence around his heiau, andoffered the priests first two and then three hatchets for

* On th.e 28th one of the seamen died and was "buried in the heiau with bothChristian and pagan funeral rites. This was enough to show the natives thatthe strangers were mortal like themselves.