James Cook-1778

(Death of James Cook National Maritime Museum)

~James Cook arrived in Hawaii in 1778 aboard the HMS Resolve along with the Discovery. They made their first contact with the island's natives off the coast of Kauai. This was the first European contact recorded, and the Hawaiians deemed Captain Cook and his crew as a non threatening. These were very fortunate circumstances as the 2 ships were running low on supplies, and their final destination, the Northwest Passage was still over 2,500 miles away.

~ While there, the ships crewman traded brass items for fish, fresh water, and other necessary supplies.

~Cook's previous travels though the South Pacific made him experienced with the ancestors of the Hawaiians. He regarded the native Polynesians in a generally positive manner and found the islanders too be similar in manner. He also found that they could be thieves.

~ Cook named the Hawaiian Islands the "Sandwich Islands" after an English Noble.

~ In 1779, Cook was killed by the Hawaiians after a ship of
his had been stolen and robbed. The exact incident seems to be still in debate.

~Sources: Mythic Hawaii
The World's Explorer