that happened to be unpalatable to the new comers, and caused them some temporary inconvenience, after a week’s profusion and unbridled license; by a liberal exhibition of his force and the meanest display of his bounty; by giving the king a linen shirt and a cutlass in return for feather cloaks and helmets, which, irrespective of their value as insignia of the highest nobility in the land, were worth, singly at least from five to ten thousand dollars, at present price of the feathers, not counting the cost of manufacturing; by a reckless disregard of the proprieties of ordinary intercourse, even between civilized and savage man, and a wanton insult to what he reasonably may have supposed to have been the religious sentiments of his hosts.”  This is up to the mark of a criminal lawyer retained to prove by native testimony that Captain James Cook was not murdered, but executed for cause.  The great crime of Cook is up to this point that of playing that he was one of the Polynesian gods.  Fornander says:  “When the sailors carried off, not only the railing of the temple, but also the idols of the gods within it, even the large-hearted patience of Kaoo gave up, and he meekly requested that the central idol at least, might be restored.  Captain King failed to perceive that the concession of the priests was that of a devotee to his saint.  The priests would not sell their religious emblems and belongings for “thirty pieces of silver,” or any remuneration, but they were willing to offer up the entire Heiau, and themselves on the top of it, as a holocaust to Lono, if he had requested it.  So long as Cook was regarded as a god in their eyes they could not refuse him.  And though they exhibited no resentment at the request, the want of delicacy and consideration on the part of Captain Cook is none the less glaring.  After his death, and when the illusion of godship had subsided, his spoliation of the very Heiau in which he had been deified was not one of the least of the grievances which native annalists laid up against him.”

Contrast this flagrancy in advocacy of the cause of the barbarous natives with the last words Cook wrote in his journal.  We quote from “A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean,” by Captain James Cook, F.R.S., (Vol.  II., pages 251-252): 

“As it was of the last importance to procure a supply of provisions at these islands; and experience having taught me that I could have no chance to succeed in this, if a free trade with the natives were to be allowed; that is, if it were left to every man’s discretion to trade for what he pleased, and in what manner he pleased; for this substantial reason, I now published an order prohibiting all persons from trading, except such as should be appointed by me and Captain Clarke; and even these were enjoined to trade only for provisions and refreshments.  Women were also forbidden to be admitted into the ships, except under certain restrictions.  But the evil I intended to prevent, by this regulation, I soon found had already got amongst them.