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The death of Captain Cook

On 14 February 1779, British explorer Captain James Cook and four Royal Marines were killed in attempt to kidnap Kalaniʻōpuʻu, the Aliʻi nui (ruling chief) of the island of Hawaii, and hold him hostage to bargain for the return of a small boat which one of the islanders had stolen.

In his arrogance, Cook took just one man to row his dinghy, and one guard. When Kalaniʻōpuʻu refused to go with Cook, the crowd surrounding the chief became angry. Cook’s guard ran to the boat and returned to the ship, stranding his captain. Someone in the crowd threw a rock at Cook and he was stabbed to death.

Seventeen Hawaiians were killed at Ka'awaloa and another eight were killed elsewhere around the bay on the same day. Cook's body was dismembered and put in an earth oven, an ancient ritual to remove flesh from bone.

Later, Lieutenant James King took a boat to the opposite side of the bay and was approached by a priest who offered ask for Cook's desecrated remains to be returned. The following evening, two priests secretly returned a part of Cook's thigh to the British.

Some crewmen returned to the shore two days later to collect water, and fighting broke out. The British then burned down the priests' settlement at Hikiau and killed five or six more Hawaiians.

Three days later, more of Cook was returned, including his legs, arms, skull, some charred flesh, and the hands with the skin still attached. The crew buried these remains at sea.