On his third Pacific voyage,
Cook sailed north from Tahiti with orders to explore the northwestern coast of
North America. The expedition arrived off Nawiliwili Bay, Kauai, on January 19,
1778. Fisherman in canoes were seen coming from the shore. Cook backed the main
yard to wait for them, and hailed them in his imperfect Tahitian.
"It required but little address to get them to come along side, but we could
not prevail upon any one to come on board; they exchanged a few fish they had
in the Canoes for any thing we offered them, but valued nails, or iron above
every other thing; the only weapons they had were a few stones in some of the
Canoes and these they threw overboard when they found they were not
wanted."
Words
excerpted from Voyagers by Herb Kawainui Kane.
Page 78, Voyagers
Page 28, Ancient Hawaii
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