and mast; which were now safely conveyed on board.
Many of the officers and men were eager to revenge the death of their beloved Commander, by an immediate attack on the natives: but, on various accounts, more moderate counsels prevailed. Lieut. King was sent, with some armed boats, to Kaavaroa, to demand the dead bodies, especially that of Capt. Cook; and to threaten the islanders with vengeance, in case of a refusal. Perceiving that the natives expected a hostile attack, he left the armed boats, and advanced alone in a small boat, with a white flag in his hand; at the sight of which, the people raised a shout of joy, and extending their arms, invited him on shore. Koah immediately swam off to the boat with a white flag also; and although little confidence could be placed in this treacherous chief, he was employed to communicate the demand to the other chiefs, and made fair promises of restoring the bodies. Koal visited the ships frequently on the 15th, but alleged various excuses for delaying to fulfil his word. In the evening, two persons came in a canoe, from Kaoo and the priests, and delivered up a portion of the flesh of the Captain, which had been allotted to them for a religious use; and they stated that the rest was burnt, the bones remaining with the chiefs. They shed many tears for the fatal deed, asked when the Orono would come again, and what he would do to them on his return. Being asked if any part of the bodies had been eaten, they expressed their horror at such an idea: by which it appeared, that Capt. Cook was mistaken, in supposing, as noticed in p. 395, that these islanders avowed themselves cannibals. These men
