efs.--Insolent Behaviour of the Natives.--Promotion
of Officers.--Arrival of two Priests with Part of the
Body.--Extraordinary Behaviour of two Boys.--Burning of the Village
of Kakooa.--Unfortunate Destruction of the Dwellings of the
Priests.--Recovery of the Bones of Captain Cook.--Departure from
Karakakooa Bay._

It has been already stated, that four of the marines, who attended
Captain Cook, were killed by the islanders on the spot. The rest, with
Mr Phillips, their lieutenant, threw themselves into the water, and
escaped, under cover of a smart fire from the boats. On this occasion,
a remarkable instance of gallant behaviour, and of affection for his
men, was shewn by that officer; for he had scarcely got into the boat,
when, seeing one of the marines, who was a bad swimmer, struggling in
the water, and in danger of being taken by the enemy, he immediately
jumped into the sea to his assistance, though much wounded himself;
and, after receiving a blow on the head from a stone, which had nearly
sent him to the bottom, be caught the man by the hair, and brought him
safe off.

Our people continued for some time to keep up a constant fire from the
boats (which, during the whole transaction, were not more than twenty
yards from the land,) in order to afford their unfortunate companions,
if any of them should still remain alive, an opportunity of escaping.
These efforts, seconded by a few guns that were fired at the same time
from the Resolution, having forced the natives at last to retire, a
small boat, manned by five of our young midshipmen, pulled toward the
shore, where they saw the bodies, without any signs of life, lying
on the ground; but judging it dangerous to attempt to bring them off,
with so small a force, and their ammunition being nearly expended,
they returned to the ships, leaving them in possession of the
islanders, together with ten stands of arms.

As soon as the general consternation, which the news of this calamity
occasioned throughout both crews, had a little subsided, their
attention was called to our party at the _morai_, where the mast
and sails were on shore, with a guard of only six marines. It is
impossible for me to describe the emotions of my own mind, during the
time these transactions had been carrying on at the other side of the
bay. Being at the distance of only a short mile from the village of
Kowrowa, we could see distinctly an immense crowd collected on the
spot where Captain Cook