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Cook set out on his third voyage to the Pacific on 12th July 1776. His mission included mapping the north Pacific coast and seeking the north-west passage. The ships were the Resolution and the Discovery. They sailed via the Cape of Good Hope. In January 1877 they landed in Adventure Bay, Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) then sailed to New Zealand. They then sailed north to Rarotonga and Tongataboo, landing at Tahiti in August 1777. There they rested for four months in preparation for their trip to the Pacific coast of North America. En route to the American coast, they discovered and named the Sandwich Islands, part of the Hawaiian group. After sailing as far north as Alaska, they passed through the Bering Strait, made the Siberian coast then returned south to the Sandwich Islands. They charted the island of Mowee (Maui) then Owhyhee (Hawaii).
The Hawaiians seemed to be friendly with Cook and his men, but after the boats sailed on 4th February, they struck bad weather and were forced to return, relations deteriorated. Disputes arose over thefts by the natives and when the Discovery’s cutter was taken Cook went on shore with a party to attempt to retrieve the boat. They met with strong resistance and four of the marines were killed. Cook, who was on shore, turned to climb into one of the boats but was killed on the beach at Karakakooa Bay on 14th February 1779.
Our unfortunate Commander the last time he was seen distinctly was standing at the water’s edge, and calling out to the boats to cease firing and to pull in. If it be true, as some of those who were present have imagined, that the marines and boat-men had fired without his orders, and that he was desirous of preventing any further bloodshed, it is not improbable, that his humanity, on this occasion, proved fatal to him. For it was remarked, that whilst he faced the natives, none of them had offered him any violence, but that having turned about, to give his orders to the boats, he was stabbed in the back, and fell with his face into the water. On seeing him fall, the islanders set up a great shout, and his body was immediately dragged on shore, and surrounded by the enemy, who snatching the dagger out of each other’s hands, shewed a savage eagerness to have a share in his destruction.
Thus fell our great and excellent Commander! (v. 3, p. 45-46)
One of our copies of vol. 3 is open to show the “Chart of the Sandwich Islands”; and the “Sketch of Karakakooa Bay.”
Captain Clerke took charge and the vessels sailed north again to the Bering Strait, returning south along the Asian coastline and home by the Cape of Good Hope, arriving on 4th October 1780. Clerke had died and was buried at Petropavlovsk. Captains Gore and King then took control of the expedition.
The frontispiece map to Cook’s Third Voyage is “A general chart exhibiting the discoveries made by Captn. James Cook in this and his two preceding voyages with the tracks of the ships under his command.”
Vol. 1 is open to show “A night dance by women in Hapaee”, one of the islands in the Tongan group. The illustration from vol. 2 shows “A human sacrifice in a Morai in Otaheite.”
That the offering of human sacrifice is part of the religious institutions of this island, had been mentioned by Mons. De Bougainville, on the authority of the native whom he carried with him to France. During my last visit to Otaheite, and while I had opportunities of conversing with Omai on the subject, I had satisfied myself, that there was too much reason to admit, that such a practice, however inconsistent with the general humanity of the people, was here adopted. But as this was one of those extraordinary facts, about which many are apt to retain doubts, unless the relater himself has had ocular proof to confirm what he has learned from others, I thought this a good opportunity of obtaining the highest evidence of its certainty, by being present myself at the solemnity (v. 2, p. 31)
There follows a detailed description of the ceremony.
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