--- title: Captain Cook — Hawaiian Historical Legends · full text with trees description: Captain Cook, «Hawaiian Historical Legends» by W. D. Westervelt: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: In response to an appeal from the British Admiralty, Captain Cook left England to enter upon his third voyage in July, 1776, with the purpose of rest --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66357/12/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Hawaiian Historical Legends](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66357/) / Captain Cook # Captain Cook Captain Cook of «Hawaiian Historical Legends» by W. D. Westervelt: the whole text, 198 sentences and 3244 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66357/12/page/2/) In response to an appeal from the British Admiralty, Captain Cook left England to enter upon his third voyage in July, 1776, with the purpose of restoring some natives of the Society Islands to their home; examining islands of the Pacific for good harbours for future English use; and then to pass along the northwest coast of America to find, if possible, a sea passage from the Pacific Ocean to Hudson’s or Baffin’s Bay.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") During the year 1777 he felt his way from island group to island group.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") He recognised the close relationship in language and features, between inhabitants of many of these island worlds.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") On January 18, 1778, he discovered Oahu and later Kauai, of the Hawaiian Islands.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") He named the group “The Sandwich Islands,” in honour of Lord Sandwich, the patron of the expedition.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") This name has never been accepted among the Hawaiians.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") The home name, the name used for centuries, could not be supplanted by an English discoverer.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") The Hawaiians have always called themselves “Ka poe Hawaii”—“the Hawaiian people.”[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") There are four different sources of information concerning the coming to and death of Captain Cook in the Hawaiian Islands.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") Captain King wrote the account given in “Cook’s Voyages.”[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") Ledyard, an American petty officer on one of Captain Cook’s ships, wrote a story published in America.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") The surgeon on Captain Cook’s boat kept a diary which has recently been published.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") The historian must remember that there were thousands of native eye-witnesses whose records cannot be overlooked in securing a true history.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") The following account is almost entirely from the Hawaiians only:[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") Captain Cook came to Waimea, Kauai.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") He was called by the Hawaiians “O Lono,” because they thought he was the god Lono, one of the chief gods of the ancient Hawaiians.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") The ship was seen coming up from the west and going north.[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") Kauai lay spread out in beauty before Lono, and the first anchor was dropped in the bay of Waimea, in the month of January, 1778.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") It was night when the ship anchored.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") A man by the name of Mapua, and others, were out fishing, with their boats anchored.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") They saw a great thing coming up, rising high above the surf, fire burning on top of it.[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") They thought it was something evil and hurried to the shore, trembling and frightened by this wonderful apparition.[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") They had fled, leaving all they had used while fishing.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") When they went up from the beach they told the high chief Kaeo and the other chiefs about this strange sight.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") In the morning they saw the ship standing outside Waimea.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") When they saw this marvellous monster, great wonder came to the people, and they were astonished and afraid.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") Soon a crowd of people came together, shouting with fear and confused thought until the harbour resounded with noise.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") Each one shouted as he saw the ship with masts and the many things, such as ropes and sails, on them.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") One said to another, “What is this thing which has branches?”[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") Another said, “It is a forest of trees.”[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") A certain priest, who was also a chief, said, “This is not an ordinary thing; it is a heiau \[temple\] of the god Lono, having steps going up into the clear sky, to the altars on the outside” (i.e., to the yards of the upper masts).[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") The chiefs sent some men to go out in canoes and see this wonderful thing.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") They went close to the ship and saw iron on the outside of the ship.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") They were very glad when they saw the amount of iron.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") They had known iron before because of iron in sticks washed up on the land.[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") Then there was little, but at this time they saw very much.[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") They rejoiced and said, “There are many pieces of pahoa” (meaning iron).[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") They called all iron pahoa—a tool for cutting, because there was once a sword among the old people of the Islands.[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") They went up on the ship and saw “a number of men with white foreheads, shining eyes, skin wrinkled, square-cornered heads, indistinct words, and fire in their mouths.”[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") A chief and a priest tied the ends of their long malo-like sashes and held them up in their left hands.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") “They went before Kapena Kuke (Captain Cook), bent over, squatted down, and offered prayers, repeating words over and over; then took the hand of Kapena Kuke and knelt down; then rose up free from any tabu.”[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") Captain Cook gave the priest a knife.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") For this reason he named his daughter Kua-pahoa, after this knife.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") This was the first present of Captain Cook to a Hawaiian.[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") When they saw the burning of tobacco in the mouth of a man they thought he belonged to the volcano family.[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") When they saw peculiar and large “cocoanuts” (probably melons) lying on the deck, they said, “This is the fruit of a sorceress, or mischief-maker of the ocean, who has been killed.”[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") They saw the skin of a bullock hanging in the front part of the ship and said, “Another mischief-making sorceress has been killed.[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") Perhaps these gods have come that all the evil kupuas \[monsters\] might be destroyed.”[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") These messengers returned and told the king and chiefs about the kind of men they had seen, what they were doing, their manner of speech, and the death of some of the monsters of the ocean.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") “We saw the fruit and the skin hanging on the altar.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") There is plenty of iron on that temple and a large amount is lying on the deck.”[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") When the chiefs heard this report they said, “Truly this is the god Lono with his temple.”[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") The people thought that by the prayer of the priest all troubles of tabu had been lifted, so they asked the priest if there would be any trouble if they went on this place of the god.[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") The priest assured them that his prayer had been without fault and there would be no death in all that belonged to the gods.[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") There was no interruption of any kind during the prayer.[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") Hao was another name for “iron” and also hao meant “theft.”[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") A certain war-chief said, “I will go and hao that hao treasure, for my profession is to hao” (steal).[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") The chiefs assented.[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he paddled out to the ship and went on board and took iron and went down.[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") Some one shot him and killed him.[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") His name was Kapu-puu (The Tabu Hill).[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") The canoes returned and reported that the chief had been killed by a wai-ki (a rush of smoke like water in a blow-hole).[62](62/ "tree and pragmatics") Some of the chiefs cried out, “Kill this people because they killed Kapu-puu!”[63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") The priest heard the cry and replied, “That thought is not right.[64](64/ "tree and pragmatics") They have not sinned.[65](65/ "tree and pragmatics") We have done wrong because we were greedy after the iron and let Kapu-puu go to steal.[66](66/ "tree and pragmatics") I forbade you at first, and established my law that if any one should steal, he shall suffer the loss of his bones.[67](67/ "tree and pragmatics") It is only right that we should be pleasant to them.[68](68/ "tree and pragmatics") Where are you, O Chiefs and People\![69](69/ "tree and pragmatics") This is my word to you!”[70](70/ "tree and pragmatics") That night guns were fired and sky-rockets sent up into the sky, for the sailors were glad to have found such a fine country.[71](71/ "tree and pragmatics") The natives called the flash from the guns “Ka huila” (lightning) and “Kane-hikili” (thunder of the god Kane).[72](72/ "tree and pragmatics") The natives thought this was war.[73](73/ "tree and pragmatics") Then a high chiefess, Ka-maka-helei, the mother of Kaumu-alii, the last king of Kauai, said: “Not for war is our god, but we will seek the pleasure of the god.”[74](74/ "tree and pragmatics") So she gave her own daughter as a wife for Lono—Captain Cook.[75](75/ "tree and pragmatics") After this there was promiscuous living among the men of the ship and the people of the land, with the result that the vile diseases of the white people were quickly scattered over all the islands.[76](76/ "tree and pragmatics") A boat came to Oahu from Kauai with a chief.[77](77/ "tree and pragmatics") The Oahu people asked him, “What kind of a thing was the ship?”[78](78/ "tree and pragmatics") The chief said “it was like a heiau (temple) with steps going up to the altars, masts standing with branches spread out each side, and a long stick in front like the sharp nose of a swordfish, openings (portholes) in the side and openings behind.[79](79/ "tree and pragmatics") The men had white heads with corners, clothes like wrinkled skin, holes in the sides (pockets), sharp-pointed things on their feet, fire in their mouths, and smoke with the fire like a volcano coming from their mouths.”[80](80/ "tree and pragmatics") Kalaniopuu, king of Hawaii, was at Koolau, Maui, fighting with the people of Kahekili, king of Maui.[81](81/ "tree and pragmatics") Moho, a messenger, told Kalaniopuu and the chiefs the news about this strange ship.[82](82/ "tree and pragmatics") They said, “This is Lono from Kahiki.”[83](83/ "tree and pragmatics") They asked about the language.[84](84/ "tree and pragmatics") Moho, putting his hand in his malo, drew out a piece of a broken calabash and held it out like the foreigners, saying: “A hikapalale, hikapalale, hioluio, oalaki, walawalaki, waiki, poha, aloha kahiki, aloha haehae, aloha ka wahine, aloha ke keiki, aloha ka hale.”[85](85/ "tree and pragmatics") Of course, this was a jumbled mass of words or sounds with but very little meaning.[86](86/ "tree and pragmatics") The natives relate how, with veneration, they received the white man.[87](87/ "tree and pragmatics") They robed Captain Cook with red native cloth and rich feather cloaks.[88](88/ "tree and pragmatics") They prostrated themselves before him.[89](89/ "tree and pragmatics") They placed him in the most sacred places in their temples.[90](90/ "tree and pragmatics") When he despoiled a temple of its woodwork and carried off idols for firewood to use upon his ships, the natives made no protest.[91](91/ "tree and pragmatics") They supposed that Lono had a right to his own.[92](92/ "tree and pragmatics") But afterward, when death proved that Captain Cook was “a man and no god,” the feeling of resentment was exceedingly deep and bitter.[93](93/ "tree and pragmatics") This was the standpoint from which the Hawaiians welcomed their discoverers.[94](94/ "tree and pragmatics") **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66357/12/page/2/) - ← previous: [First Foreigners](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66357/11/) - next →: [page 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66357/12/page/2/) - ↑ back to [Hawaiian Historical Legends](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66357/)