Roughing It · Chapter
LXXI explained
The narrator describes the journey down a lava mountain to Kealakekua Bay, the site of Captain Cook's death.
What happens
The narrator describes the journey down a lava mountain to Kealakekua Bay, the site of Captain Cook's death. He reflects on the volcanic landscape, the frequent rainbows, and the historical events of Cook's assassination, offering a critical view of Cook's treatment of the natives. The chapter ends with the narrator waiting for his ship, hungry and weary, before finally boarding and sleeping peacefully.
Themes in this chapter
Colonialism and Cultural Change
The narrator critically examines Captain Cook's colonial interactions with the native Hawaiians, highlighting the violence and exploitation that led to his death.
Humor and Exaggeration
The narrator uses wry humor, comparing the red sun to a 'blooming whiskey bloat' and noting the lack of lava casts of Kanaka sentinels, contrasting them with Roman sentinels.
Characters to notice
- The Narrator
Describes the landscape, reflects on Captain Cook's death, and waits for the ship.
- Captain Cook
Historical figure whose assassination at Kealakekua Bay is recounted and critically analyzed.
Key passages
“Plain unvarnished history takes the romance out of Captain Cook’s assassination, and renders a deliberate verdict of justifiable homicide.”
The straightforward historical account removes any heroic gloss from Cook's death and concludes it was a justified killing.
The narrator argues that Cook's own actions justified the natives' retaliation.
“Why did not Captain Cook have taste enough to call his great discovery the Rainbow Islands?”
The narrator suggests that the Hawaiian Islands should have been named for their frequent rainbows, criticizing Cook's lack of aesthetic sense.
Highlights the beauty of the islands and the narrator's ironic tone.