donderdag 14 februari 2008

Captain Cook 229 jaar dood












14 februari 2008 - Vandaag is het precies 229 jaar dat Captain Cook door de hawaianen vermoord en in stukken gehakt werd.
Wil u een relaas van een echte getuige, dan kan u hier het dagboek lezen van David Samwell, de scheepschirurgijn die de gebeurtenissen gezien heeft en netjes genoteerd. Het begint zo...

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14th: "To widen the Breach between us, the Indians last Night took away our large Cutter which lay swamped at the Buoy of the small Bower Anchor, they carryed her off so quietly that we knew nothing of it till we missed her at daylight this Morning. Captain Clerke immediately waited upon Captain Cook to inform him of what had happened, and soon returned with orders for our Launch and small cutter to go Under the Command of the 2nd Lieut. to lie off the East point of the Harbour called Kei, & intercept any Canoes going out of the Bay and if he found it necessary to fire upon them...