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The Story of Captain Cook's Death
 On returning to Kealakekua Bay Cook anchored off shore, but landed a party to set up an observatory for the astronomers and a repair-shop for the Resolution's foremast near Heilau. Over the next few days there were a number of incidents involving thefts from the ships by natives, one or two of whom were caught and flogged by the sailors. The ships boats were floated in the sea, tied to buoys, and sunk up to the gunwales in order to prevent planks splitting in the heat. One morning the captain of the Discovery found that his cutter, the largest of his boats, had been stolen during the night.
Cook was determined to get the cutter back; he ordered the other ships boats to patrol the two ends of the bay to prevent native canoes getting away, while he took the pinnace, a small cutter and the launch with a group of marines to go ashore and bring back the paramount chief, Kerrie-Oboo. This chief was to be kept hostage on board ship until the stolen cutter was returned.
At first all went well. Kerrie-Oboo was apparently willing to accompany Cook and they had nearly reached the beach when the Chief's wife dissuaded him from going further. A large crowd of natives had gathered, and they now turned hostile and began to arm themselves with spears, stones and a few daggers in order to protect there chief. Cook then decided he could not take the chief without killing some of the natives, and abandoned his plan. He, and Lieutenant Phillips in change of the marines, began to walk away from the crowd down the beach, towards the line of marines waiting there. No attempt was made to stop them.
It was at this moment that a native brought news that another chief had been killed by musket fire at the other end of the island while trying to escape in a canoe. Cook now found himself threatened by one of the mob with a dagger or a stone, perhaps just a gesture of bravado. Cook, however, retaliated by firing one barrel of his musket, loaded with a small shot: the man was unharmed; thanks to the 'armoured' war mat he wore. But another native tried to stab Phillips, stones were thrown, and a marine was knocked down. Cook fired the other barrel of his musket, loaded with ball, and killed a man. Phillips also fired, and the marines followed suit, as did the crews of the boats. Cook shouted to the boats to stop firing and come in to pick up the shore party. Meanwhile the marines were under attack without having had time to reload, and they broke line and scrambled towards the boats, four of them being killed by the mob.
Phillips himself was knocked down by a stone and stabbed in his shoulder, he shot hi assailant dead and managed to get to the pinnace, and immediately threw himself in to the sea to save a drowning man. He had lost sight of Cook who had been by his side, but the crew of the pinnace saw Cook turn his back on the mob and signal to the boats, only to be hit from behind with a club. He staggered a step or two towards the beach, but was stabbed through the neck with an iron dagger and, though not killed, fell forward into the water. There was a great shout, and natives rushed forward to hold him under and finish him off with daggers and clubs. There were those who argued that the natives had feared to attack him while he was stood face to face, but took their opportunity as soon as he turned his back - an act of calmness or contempt?
The natives now drew back, and it is still possible the boats could have gone ashore to retrieve the dead, but the crews were in deep shop and lacked leadership. The launch had already moved out, the overloaded pennice which had gone right in to pick up as many marines as possible now pulled away, and the cutter after firing at the natives on shore also returned to the resolution.
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