killed two of his people.

On Sunday, February 14, 1779, that memorable day, very early in the
morning, there was excitement on shore, and Captain Cook, taking his
double-barrelled gun, went ashore to seize Terreeoboo, and keep him on
board, according to his usual practice, until the stolen boat should be
returned. He ordered that every canoe should be prevented from leaving
the bay, and the captain then awoke the old king and invited him with
the mildest terms to visit the ship. After some disputation he set out
with Captain Cook, when a woman near the waterside, the mother of the
king's two boys, entreated him to go no further, and two warriors
obliged him to sit down. The old king, filled with terror and dejection,
refused to move, notwithstanding all the persuasions of Captain Cook,
who, seeing further attempts would be risky, came to the shore. At the
same time two principal chiefs were killed on the opposite side of the
bay. A native armed with a long iron spike threatened Captain Cook, who
at last fired a charge of small shot at him, but his mat prevented any
harm. A general attack upon the marines in the boat was made, and with
fury the natives rushed upon them, dangerously wounding several of them.

The last time the captain was distinctly seen he was standing at the
water's edge, ordering the boats to cease firing and pull in, when a
base assassin, coming behind him and striking him on the head with his
club, felled him to the ground, in such a direction that he lay with his
face prone to the water.

A general shout was set up by the islanders on seeing the captain fall,
and his body was dragged on shore, where he was surrounded by the enemy,
who, snatching daggers from each other's hands, displayed a savage
eagerness to join in his destruction. It would seem that vengeance was
directed chiefly against our captain, by whom they supposed their king
was to be dragged on board and punished at discretion; for, having
secured his body, they fled without much regarding the rest of the
slain, one of whom they threw into the sea.

Thus ended the life of the greatest navigator that this or any other
nation could ever boast of, who led his crews of gallant British seamen
twice round the world, reduced to a certainty the non-existence of a
southern continent, about which the learned of all nations were in
doubt, settled the boundaries of the earth and sea, and demonstrated the
impracticability of a north-west passage