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On his third journey, commencing in 1776, Cook visited and named the Sandwich Islands, now known as Hawaii, and unsuccessfully sought a northwest passage along the coast of North America. Returning from this journey, he stopped at Hawaii again. After a boat was stolen by natives, he and his crew had an altercation with the Hawaiians. On 14 February 1779, Cook was speared and killed by Hawaiian natives (some reports say he was clubbed to death).

There are reports that he was cannibalised, but cannibalism was not actively practised in Hawaii at this time. It seems his body was prepared in an unusual ritual, which may have seemed like cannibalism to those of his crew who witnessed it. Because he had originally been regarded as a god by the natives, his heart was divided between tribal chiefs and eaten. his hands were stuffed with salt to preserve them, whilst many of his bones were placed around the island, given to other significant tribal chiefs. His remains were then returned to his crew in dignified fashion, with a cloak of white and black feathers, where they were placed in a small coffin and buried at sea.

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14y ago

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