A& II. Sc. 4. Romeo fays of Mercutio's wit: O fingle fol'd jeft, folely fingular for the fingleness;' i. e. for its tenuity. This interpretation of fingle explains a paffage in Macbeth, Act I. Sc. 3. which Dr. Johnson has misunderstood: My thought, whofe murder yet is but fantaftical, Is fmother'd in furmife; and nothing is, But what is not.' That is, my feeble ftate of manhood; not, as the Doctor explains it, an individual, in oppofition to a commonwealth, or conjunct body. Hence alfo we may illuftrate an expreffion in Othello, Act I. Sc. 2. which has not a little perplexed the Cri tics : - The magnifico is much belov'd; And hath, in this effect, a voice potential, If fingle mean weak, impotent; then double may eafily mean powerful, efficacious. • The answer is as ready as a borrowed cap,' fays Poins, in the fecond Part of Henry IV. Act II. Sc. 2. • But how is a borrowed cap fo ready?" fays Warburton, who reads, ' a borrower's cap,' and fees fome humour in a fancied allufion to the complaifance of a man that goes to borrow money. Malone thinks a borrowed cap, may be a stolen one. But Dr. Farmer (whose note however is not inferted in this edition) approves of Warburton's correction; adding, that, in the fenfe of flealing, the fentence fhould be a cap to be borrowed; befides, conveying (he obferves) was the cant phrafe for flealing.' The Critics have here wasted their ftrength upon the wrong word. It is not borrow'd that requires an explanation, but cap; which does not, we apprehend, here mean, a covering for the head; but a verse, or proverb, fo called when ufed by way of retort to fomething before fpoken. So in Henry V. Act III. Sc. 7. the Conftable of France is made to fay, I will cap that proverb with—there is flattery in friendship.? And this fenfe of the word cap, accords well with the whole of Poins's fpeech, who is giving inftances of fome ready retorts. We have already, in a note upon inhabit, expreffed our difapprobation of advancing plaufible conjectures into the text. We are here again called upon to cenfure this injudicious practice. Borrower, in this paffage, and Theobald's conjecture, babbled, in the next that we fhall notice, do not amend, but corrupt the text. I wish,' fays Dr. Johnson, fomewhere in his notes, we all explained more, and corrected lefs.' [To be concluded in our next. ] ART. ART. II. A Narrative of the Death of Captain James Cook: to which are added, fome Particulars concerning his Life and Cha racter; and Obfervations refpecting the Introduction of the Venereal Disease into the Sandwich Islands. By David Samwell, Surgeon of the Discovery. 4to. Is. 6d. Robinfon. 1786. TH HE information which this pamphlet conveys, is of fo ferious and extraordinary a nature, that it feems to require a circumftantial Review: and the fame confiderations render it neceffary to give our account of it, as much as poffible in the Author's own words: • The Author being of opinion that the event of Captain Cook's death has not yet been fo explicitly related as the importance of it requires, trufts that this Narrative will not be found altogether a repetition of what is already known. As the fame time, he wishes to add his humble teftimony to the merit of the account given of this tranfaction by Capt. King.-He thinks himfelf warranted in doing this, from having frequently obferved, that the public opinion feemed to attribute the lofs of Captain Cook's life, in fome measure, to rafhness, or too much confidence, on his fide; whereas nothing can be more ill-founded, or unjuft. It is, therefore, a duty, which his friends owe to his character, to have the whole affair candidly and fully related, whatever facts it may involve, that may appear of a difagreeable nature to individuals. The Author is confident, that if Capt. King could have foreseen, that any wrong opinion refpecting Capt. Cook would have been the confequence of omitting fome circumftances relating to his death; the good-natured motive that induced him to be filent, would not have ftood a moment in competition with the fuperior calls of juftice to the memory of his friend. This publication, he is fàtisfied, would not have been difapproved of by Capt. King, for whofe memory he has the highest efteem, and to whofe friendship he is under many obligations. He is fanguine enough to believe, that it will ferve to remove a fuppofition, in this fingle inftance, injurious to the memory of Capt. Cook, who was no lefs diftinguished for his caution and prudence, than for his eminent abilities and undaunted refolution.'. The late appearance of this Narrative has been owing to the peculiar fituation of the writer, whofe domeftic refidence is at a great distance from the metropolis, and whofe duty frequently calls him from home for several months together. He has the pleasure of adding, that, in publishing his account of Capt. Cook's death, he acts in concurrence with the opinions of fome of the most respectable perfons.' Such are the motives which the Author affigns for the publi cation of this Narrative, as well as for the latenefs of its appearance. The former, in our opinion, required no apology: the latter may; but whether what he offers will be thought fufficient, with the generality of the world, we cannot determine; but we shall lay before our Readers his account of this moft unfortunate tranfaction, omitting only fome paffages which appear to us of lefs moment than the reft. 4 After After relating several quarrels which happened between the natives and our people after their return, a fecond time, to Keragegooah Bay, in nearly the fame terms ufed by Capt. King, he adds: * To widen the breach between us, fome of the Indians, in the night, took away the Discovery's large cutter, which lay fwamped at the buoy of one of her anchors: they had carried her off fo quietly, that we did not mifs her till the morning, Sunday, February the fourteenth. Capt. Clerke loft no time in waiting upon Capt. Cook, to acquaint him with the accident: he returned on board with orders for the launch and fmall cutter to go, under the command of the fecond Lieutenant, and lie off the eaft point of the bay, in order to intercept all canoes that might attempt to get out; and, if he found it neceffary, to fire upon them. At the fame time, the third Lieutenant of the Refolution, with the launch and small cutter, was fent on the fame service to the oppofite point of the Bay; and the Master was difpatched in the large cutter, in purfuit of a double canoe, already under fail, making the best of her way out of the harbour. He foon came up with her, and by firing a few mufkets, drove her on fhore, and the Indians left her: this happened to be the canoe of Omea, a man who bore the title of Orono. He was on board himfelf, and it would have been fortunate, if our people had fecured him, for his perfon was held as facred as that of the King. During this time, Capt. Cook was preparing to go ashore himself, at the town of Kavaroah, in order to fecure the perfon of Kariopoo, before he should have time to withdraw himself to another part of the island, out of our reach. This appeared the most effectual ftep that could be taken on the prefent occafion, for the recovery of the boat. was the measure he had invariably purfued, in fimilar cafes, at other iflands in these feas, and it had always been attended with the defired fuccefs in fact, it would be difficult to point out any other mode of proceeding on thefe emergencies, likely to attain the object in view. We had reafon to fuppofe, that the King and his attendants had fled when the alarm was firft given: in that cafe, it was Capt. Cook's intention to fecure the large canoes which were hauled up on the beach. He left the fhip about feven o'clock, attended by the lieutenant of marines, a ferjeant, corporal, and feven private men the pinnace's crew were alfo armed, and under the command of Mr. Roberts. As they rowed towards the fhore, Capt. Cook ordered the launch to leave her station at the weft point of the Bay, in order to affift his own boat. This is a circumftance worthy of notice; for it clearly fhews, that he was not unapprehenfive of meeting with refiftance from the natives, or unmindful of the neceffary preparation for the fafety of himself and people. I will venture to fay, that from the appearance of things juft at that time, there was not one, befide himfelf, who judged that fuch precaution was abfolutely requifite: It *This Author differs greatly from Capt. King in his orthography of the language of the Sandwich Ifles. For example, he calls Karakakoa, Keragegooah; Terreeoboo, he calls Kariopoo; Kowrowa, Kavaroah; Kanucabareea, Kaneekapoherei; and Mahia Mahia he calls Ka-mea-mea, &c. &c. fo little did his conduct on the occafion bear the marks of rafhness, or a precipitate felf-confidence! He landed, with the marines, at the upper end of the town of Kavaroah: the Indians immediately flocked round, as usual, and fhewed him the customary marks of respect, by proftrating themselves before him. There were no figns of hoftility, or much alarm among them. Captain Cock, however, did not feem willing to truft to appearances; but was particularly attentive to the difpofition of the marines, and to have them 'kept clear of the crowd. He first enquired for the King's fons, two youths who were much attached to him, and generally his companions on board. Meffengers being fent for them, they foon came to him, and informing him that their father was afleep, at a houfe not far from them, he accompanied them thither, and took the marines along with them. When he arrived at the house, he ordered fome of the Indians to go in, and inform Kariopoo, that he waited without to fpeak with him. They came out two or three times, and inftead of returning any anfwer from the King, prefented fome pieces of red cloth to him, which made Capt. Cook fufpe&t that he was not in the house; he therefore defired the lieutenant of marines to go in. The lieutenant found the old man juft awaked from his fleep, and feemingly alarmed at the meflage; but he came out without hesitation. Capt. Cook took him by the hand, and, in a friendly manner, afked him to go on board, to which he very readily confented. Thus far matters appeared in a favourable train, but in a little time, however, the Indians were obferved arming themselves with long spears, clubs and daggers, and putting on thick mats, which they ufe as armour. This hoftile appearance increased, and became more alarming, on the arrival of two men in a canoe from the oppofite fide of the Bay, with the news of a Chief, called Kareemoo, having been killed by one of the Discovery's boats, in their paffage acrofs. Upon that information, the women, who were fitting upon the beach at their breakfasts, and converfing familiarly with our people in the boats, retired, and a confufed murmur fpread through the crowd. Captain Cook, being at this time furrounded by a great crowd, thought his fituation rather hazardous: he therefore ordered the lieutenant of ma rines to march his fmall party to the water-fide, where the boats lay within a few yards of the fhore: the Indians readily made a lane for them to pass, and did not offer to interrupt them. The distance they had to go might be about fifty or fixty yards; Captain Cook followed, having hold of Kariopao's hand, who accompanied him very willingly he was attended by his wife, two fons, and feveral Chiefs. Keowa, the younger fon, went directly into the pinnace, expecting his father to follow; but just as the King arrived at the water-fide, his wife threw her arms about his neck, and, with the affiftance of two Chiefs, forced him to fit down by the fide of a double canoe. Capt. Cook expoftulated with them, but to no purpose: they would not fuffer the King to proceed, telling him that he would be put to death, if he went on board the fhip. Kariopoo, whofe conduct feemed entirely refigned to the will of others, hung down his head, and appeared much diftreffed. While the King was in this fituation, a Chief, well known to us, of the name of Coho, was observed lurking near, with an iron REV. Aug. 1786. H dagger, dagger, partly concealed under his cloke, feemingly with the intention of ftabbing Capt. Cook, or the lieutenant of marines. The latter propofed to fire at him, but Captain Cook would not permit him. Coho clofing upon them, obliged the officer to ftrike him with his piece, which made him retire. Another Indian laid hold of the ferjeant's mufket, and endeavoured to wrench it from him, but was prevented by the lieutenant's making a blow at him. Capt. Cook, feeing the tumult increafe, and the Indians growing more daring and refolute, obferved, that if he were to take the King off by force, he could not do it without facrificing the lives of many of his people. He then paufed a little, and was on the point of giving his orders to reimbark, when a man threw a ftone at him: which he returned with a discharge of fmall fhot (with which one barrel of his double piece was loaded). The man, having a thick mat before him, received little or no hurt: he brandifhed his fpear, and threatened to dart it at Capt. Cook, who being fill unwilling to take away his life, inftead of firing with ball, knocked him down with his musket. He expoftulated ftrongly with the moft forward of the crowd, upon their turbulent behaviour. He had given up all thoughts of getting the King on board, as it appeared impracticable; and his care was then only to act on the defenfive, and to fecure a fafe embarkation for his fmall party, which was clofely preffed by a body of feveral thousand people. Keowa, the King's fon, who was in the pinnace, being alarmed on hearing the first firing, was, at his own entreaty, put on fhore again: for even at that time, Mr. Roberts, who commanded her, did not apprehend that Captain Cook's perfon was in any danger otherwife he would have detained the prince, which, no doubt, would have been a great check on the Indians. One man was obferved, behind a double canoe, in the action of darting his fpear at Capt. Cook, who was forced to fire at him in his own defence, but happened to kill another close to him, equally forward in the tumult: the ferjeant obferving that he had miffed the man he aimed at, received orders to fire at him, which he did, and killed. him. By this time the impetuofity of the Indians was fomewhat repreffed; they fell back in a body, and feemed ftaggered: but being pushed on by thofe behind, they returned to the charge, and poured a volley of ftones among the marines, who, without waiting for orders, returned it with a general difcharge of mufketry, which was inftantly followed by a fire from the boats. At this Captain Cook was heard to exprefs his aftonishment: he waved his hand to the boats, called to them to ceafe firing, and to come nearer in to receive the marines. Mr. Roberts immediately brought the pinnace as clofe to the fhore as he could, without grounding, notwithstanding the fhowers of tones that fell among the people: but Mr. John Williamfon, the lieutenant, who commanded in the launch, instead of pulling in to the affiftance of Captain Cook, withdrew his boat farther off, at the moment that every thing feems to have depended upon the timely exertions of thofe in the boats. By his own account, he mistook the fignal: but be that as it may, this circumftance appears to me to have decided the fatal turn of the affair, and to have removed every chance, which remained with Captain Cook, of efcaping with his life. The bufinefs of faving the marines out of the |