Meet the Polynesian navigator whose knowledge guided Captain Cook across the Pacific. | History Vault

Captain James Cook, an acclaimed British explorer, known for his voyages across the uncharted territories of the Pacific, met an unexpected and violent end during his third exploratory expedition. It was on the lush, volcanic shores of Hawaii where Cook and his crew initially received a warm welcome as they landed on the island to make repairs to their ship. The Hawaiians treated Cook and his men with a mixture of awe and suspicion, possibly perceiving him as a figure from their own mythology. A