Thus matters continued during the eighteen days the ships remained; but
towards the end of this time the natives began to show anxiety that they
should be gone. The drain of hogs and other provisions, which were poured
upon the visitors, doubtless led to anxious thoughts as to how long this
was to last; and probably those members of the community who were less
amenable to the influence of the priests, and were jealous of their own
authority, were by no means so certain that the popular opinion of the
supernatural nature of the white men was correct.

The ships sailed on February 4th, but, as ill-luck had it, the Resolution
sprung her foremast in a gale, and Cook resolved to return to Kealakekua
Bay for repairs. Here they again anchored on the 11th.

Their reception was, however, very different.

No crowd of canoes round the ship; no enthusiastic mass of natives on
shore. Everything was silence.

What had happened was that the king had departed, leaving the bay under
"tabu," i.e., a sacred interdict.

The priests, however, received them with as much friendliness as before,
and the Morai was given up to them as a place of repairs for the damaged
mast.

The king hurried back on hearing of the return of the ships, and removed
the tabu; but the native disposition was changed. Some of the party on
shore had persuaded women to break the tabu.