Contact | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

August 29, 2026 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Japanese Contact

Father Francis Xavier, with three other Catholic Jesuits missionaries, arrived at Japan on July 27, 1549 and went ashore at Kagoshima, the principal port of the province of Satsuma, on the island of Kyushu. Francis worked for more than two years in Japan spreading the gospel.

From 1550-1560, more Christian missionaries began arriving in Japan. At first they were welcomed as the ruling Shōgunate hoped it would build better trade relations with the west, particularly Spain and Portugal. (Trevino)

Ieyasu Tokugawa became shogun in 1603 after defeating his rivals by using guns brought into Japan by the Europeans. His successors, however, began to fear that the growing trade with the West and influence of Christianity would directly challenge the Japanese value system. (Tokugawa)

In the isolation edict of 1635, the shogun banned Japanese ships or individuals from visiting other countries, decreed that any Japanese person returning from another country was to be executed, and placed severe restrictions on visits by foreign trading vessels. (Thompson)

Isolationism ended on July 8, 1853 when Commodore Matthew Perry of the US Navy, commanding a squadron of two steamers and two sailing vessels, sailed into Tokyo harbor aboard the frigate Susquehanna.

Perry returned again on February 13, 1854 with an even larger force of eight warships, forced Japan to enter into trade with the US and demanded a treaty permitting trade and the opening of Japanese ports to US merchant ships.

While Japan was in ‘Isolation,’ does that mean Japanese did not have contact with the rest of the world, including Hawai‘i? Actually, no … there is evidence that Japanese made it to the islands during isolation – possibly, even before Captain Cook.

Japanese junks have been blown to sea, and finally stranded with their occupants upon distant islands, and have reached even the continent of America, in the 46th degree of north latitude. (Jarves)

In 1806, the ‘Inawaka Maru,’ a small Japanese cargo ship, was shipwrecked off Japan and remained adrift in the Pacific for more than seventy days. An American trading vessel, the Tabour, sailing eastward in the northern Pacific on her return voyage from China, rescued the emaciated crew of the Inawaka-maru and brought them to O‘ahu on May 5, 1806. (Kona & Sinoto)

“On the second day after their arrival, the building of a house for the Japanese was started, probably on orders of the chief. More than fifty persons were engaged in cutting trees from the mountains and building a house with a thatched roof. Only four days after their arrival, the house was completed, and the eight Japanese moved in.”

“People brought kalo (taro) and ʻuala (sweet potatoes) in gourd containers while the house was being constructed. A fence was built around the house when the Japanese moved in to prevent others from entering, and a cook was assigned to prepare meals for them.”

The Japanese remained in Hawai’i for more than three months until an American ship offered to take them home; on August 17, 1806, all eight Japanese left O‘ahu aboard the Perseverance. (Kona & Sinoto)

This was not the only early contact Japanese had with the Islands; in December, 1832, a Japanese junk was wrecked on O‘ahu, after having been tossed upon the ocean for eleven months. But four, out of a crew of nine, survived. Similar accidents, no doubt, happened centuries since. (Jarves)

“A junk laden with fish, and having nine hands on board, left one of the northern islands of the Japanese group for Jeddo, but, encountering a typhoon, was driven to sea.”

“After wandering about the ocean for ten or eleven months, they anchored on the last Sunday of December, 1832, near the harbor of Waialea (believed to mean Waialua,) O‘ahu. Their supply of water during the voyage had been obtained from casual showers.”

“On being visited four persons were found on board; three of these were severely afflicted with scurvy, two being unable to walk and the third nearly so. The fourth was in good health, and had the sole management of the vessel.”

“After remaining at Waialea (Waialua) for five or six days, an attempt was made to bring the vessel to Honolulu, when she was wrecked off Barber’s Point, on the evening of January 1, 1833. Everything but the crew was lost, with the exception of a few trifling articles. The men remained at Honolulu eighteen months, when they were forwarded to Kamtschatka.” (Spectator; American Antiquarian and Oriental Journal)

Were there earlier encounters (or at least evidence of Japanese to the Hawaiians?) Some suggest it is found in the Hawaiian interest in iron, and some of the iron implements notes by Cook’s crew at the time of his Contact with the Islands.

Since some of the terms for ‘iron’ also are applied to ‘foreigners,’ the indications are that the various Polynesians learned of iron while in Polynesia, either directly through foreigners, or by means of wreckage from foreign ships. The early Polynesians were not iron producers, because, valuing the metal as they did, they apparently were unable to obtain it by smelting. (Stokes)

Captain James Cook’s journal notes that when he made contact, his crew noted the specific interest the Hawaiians had in iron. “Their having the actual possession of these, and their so generally knowing the use of this metal, inclined some on board to think, that we had not been the first European visitors of these islands.”

Cook noted that the people he met on Kauaʻi were not “acquainted with our commodities, except iron; which however, it was plain, they had … in some quantity, brought to them at some distant period. … They asked for it by the name of hamaite.” It is interesting to note that a Spanish word for iron ore is “Hematitas”.

“The only iron tools, or rather bits of iron, seen amongst them, and which they had before our arrival, were a piece of iron hoop about two inches long, fitted into a wooden handle, and another edge tool, which our people guessed to be made of the point of a broadsword.” (Cook’s Journal)

Captain Clerke’s record (Jan. 23, 1778) notes, “This morning one of the midshipmen purchased of the natives a piece of iron lashed into a handle for a cutting instrument; it seems to me a piece of the blade of a cutlass; it has by no means the appearance of a modern acquisition …”

“… it looks to have been a good deal used and long in its present state; the midshipman … demanded of the man where he got it; the Indian pointed away to the SE ward, where he says there is an island called Tai, from whence it came.” (Stokes)

Referring back to the midshipman’s information, it may be noted that there is no island named Tai to the south-east of Waimea, Kauai, where the matter was discussed, and since tai (kai) is the term for “sea” and the current sweeps up to Waimea from the south-east, it therefore appears that the implement was floated in, from the sea.

It was the reference that “people guessed to be made of the point of a broadsword” that caught the attention of Stokes (former Curator of Polynesian Ethnology and Curator-in-charge of the Bernice P Bishop Museum,) who speculated that rather than the end of a broadsword, the Hawaiians may have had a deba bocho (a Japanese fish-knife.)

Stokes noted that swords generally break straight across, making it difficult (impossible) to be “lashed into a handle.” Rather, the deba bocho has a tang that is driven into a wooden handle.

The tang would have been concealed from view by Cook’s crew and “These men, ‘accustomed to the sword,’ would naturally think first in terms of weapons. It is certain they were unfamiliar with Japanese domestic utensils because Japan had then been isolated from foreigners for more than a century.” (Stokes)

Whether it actually was a knife and whether it drifted in on wreckage or was brought by a Japanese fisherman (before Cook’s arrival in the Islands) is not clear.

Beachcombing finds of Japanese glass balls (fishing floats,) as well as marine debris from the 2011 Japan tsunami, suggest the possibility of earlier Japan contact with the Islands (especially in the context that a Japanese fishing boat and its survivors landed in the Islands in 1832.)

February 9, 2024 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Heinrich Zimmermann’s Account of ‘Contact’

Heinrich Zimmermann (1741–1805) was one of the few Germans who participated in James Cook’s voyages of discovery. As a sailor in the third voyage (1776 to 1779), he kept a journal that later became the basis for his account Reise um die Welt, which was translated into English and later published as Account of the Third Voyage of Captain Cook.

“I commenced my wanderings in the year 1770, and, being unable to obtain work in my profession of belt-maker, partly because at that time I had little knowledge of foreign languages and partly on account of the lack of artisans, I was forced to take to other means of earning my livelihood …”

“… so that at one time I was employed at Geneva by a brazier, and also by a gilder; at another time at Lyons by a bellfounder; and again by a sword-cutler at Paris ; and in a sugar-refinery in London.”

“The natural courage of a native of the Palatinate determined me to adopt a seafaring life, and as in the year 1776 two war-sloops, the old ‘Resolution’ and ‘Discovery,’ were being sent out by Great Britain on an exploring expedition, on 11th March of the same year I signed on the latter ship as a common sailor.”

“The ‘Resolution’ had 112 men and sixteen guns, and the ‘Discovery’ 72 men and twelve guns on board: the former was commanded by the famous circumnavigator Captain James Cook as Commodore, and the latter by Captain Charles Clerke.”

“On 12th May of the aforesaid year – 1776 – both ships put to sea from the port of Deptford, and after we had laid in the requisite supplies of ammunition at Woolwich and of provisions at Plymouth the ‘Resolution’ sailed on 12th July, her immediate goal being the Cape of Good Hope.”

“The ‘Discovery’ was prevented from leaving at this time, but she followed the ‘Resolution’ on 1st August. The principal object of the voyage was the discovery of a passage between the two continents of America and Asia on the north-western or north-eastern side …”

“… and for this a prize of £10,000 had been offered, or a further sum of £5,000 if we reached the 5th degree from the Pole. The well-known Tahitian O-mai was also to be returned to his home.”

“From Plymouth our course was set towards the promontory of the Cape of Good Hope, almost directly south, and past the Canary Islands, off the kingdom of Morocco, in Africa, and we bore towards the south-east without setting foot upon a single island.”

After sailing in areas of the South Pacific, Zimmermann notes, “our supply of fresh water becoming very reduced, we were obliged to distil sea-water. …”

“By good fortune we discovered, on 20th January [1778], in about 22 degrees north latitude and 225 east longitude, a somewhat hilly island, and were encouraged to think that we might find fresh water here. Many of the inhabitants came off to us in their canoes; they were the finest of all the native peoples we had met with.”

“We tried to tempt them to the ships with friendly signs and by exhibiting various presents; these latter they at first refused, and from their evident astonishment at our ships we perceived that they had never seen ships before.”

“One of them at length ventured to come close to the ships, and he was presented with a piece of red cloth; whereupon his companions took courage and approached likewise, and they too received presents.”

“On being shown the live pigs which we had on board, and which we had brought with us from Tahiti, they immediately cried Booa, and from this and from the rest of their speech it was evident that the language in use here was not unlike that of the Tahitians.”

“They pointed to the island and made signs to indicate to us that they too had pigs, and they understood at once when we indicated that we would be glad to be supplied with some of these animals. Thereupon some of them returned to the island and brought a number of pigs, which they presented to us without asking anything in return.”

“They had now become more trusting, and even ventured to come aboard the ships: we learned that the name of the island was Nihau, and that there was fresh water close by.”

“Captain Cook now ordered out three boats to search for this fresh water, and while preparations were in progress one of the natives stole a kitchen knife from the kitchen of the ‘Resolution,’ sprang overboard, and hurried ashore in his canoe. We followed him in the boats which had just been lowered, but, as he ventured into the raging surf, we were unable to catch him.”

“We fired a few shots after him, but fortunately did not hit him, and his fellow-countrymen hurrying the thief with his booty away to a place of safety, we did not obtain our stolen property.”

“By Captain Cook’s orders, the three boats, under the command of Lieutenant Williamson, an Irishman, then went ashore to look for water, and a suitable landing-place was found.”

“While we were still a short distance from the shore the inhabitants gathered there to the number of about fifty, ran into the sea, lifted up Lieutenant Williamson’s boat, together with its whole crew, and were about to carry it ashore on their backs.”

“The men in the boats could not at first understand whether this was an act of friendship or of enmity, and they struck at the fingers of the islanders with the oars; but as the islanders refused to desist from their doubtful attentions, and one of them attempted to snatch Lieutenant Williamson’s gun out of his hand, the Lieutenant shot the man down on the spot.”

“The rest of the natives at once dropped the boat into the water, picked up the wounded man, and with great lamentations carried him away into the bush.”

“We now returned to the ship and informed Captain Cook of what had occurred. The captain reprimanded Lieutenant Williamson severely for his action, and the following day went himself with the same three boats and to the same spot on the shore.”

“A much larger crowd of inhabitants was now gathered here than on the day before. Captain Cook gave orders that no one was to leave the boats, and he gave his gun to a sailor and went ashore alone, armed only with a hunting-knife.”

“As soon as he set foot on shore all the people fell on their faces: Cook looked round him and laughed heartily; then he lifted up some of the eldest, and those who appeared from their clothing to be the aristocrats of the land, embraced them, and gave them presents.”

“The rest of the people remained on their faces, but four of them went away and brought the king, each of them holding a handful of sugar-cane over his head as a parasol.”

“The king approached quite close to Captain Cook and bowed low before him. Cook gave him a necklace of glass beads, himself hanging it round his neck; he also presented him with a mirror.”

“Only when Captain Cook had gone farther inland to look for water did the kneeling people rise to their feet. While he was absent the inhabitants brought us quantities of pigs and fruit, which they presented to us, and with which our boats were soon full.”

“On the return of Captain Cook we went back to the ships and brought them close to the place where he had located a small fresh-water stream, and, the anchor being dropped, preparations were made for laying in a supply of water.”

“Another party went ashore and traded with the natives, receiving provisions, but particularly pigs, yams, coconuts, and plantains, which were plentiful on this island, in exchange for nails, mirrors, bead necklaces, and knives.”

“The women here, besides being beautiful, were very obliging, outdoing in both these respects the women in any of the other islands in the South Seas.”

“Captain Cook had, however, forbidden us to have any dealings with them on pain of a heavy punishment; indeed, the whole crew had to submit to an examination, and any men who were found to be diseased were refused permission to go ashore.”

“Captain Cook was of opinion that there were other islands in this neighbourhood, but as the time had come for us to turn northwards, in pursuance of the main object of our voyage, we could not at this time visit those islands/nor occupy, ourselves with other discoveries, but postponed this until our return.”

“We did, however, touch at one small island which lay somewhat to the west, and about eight miles from Nihau, as the inhabitants gave us to understand that there were many yams there.”

“By barter with the islanders we obtained great quantities of these roots, which were the largest we had ever seen, most of them weighing from 15 lb. to 20 lb. Captain Cook called this island Yams Island. He presented the king with a pair of goats.”

“On 2nd February we continued without interruption our voyage towards the north-western coast of America, and began to approach our destination.” (Zimmermann)

February 2, 2024 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

William Ellis’ Account of ‘Contact’ and the Initial Days of Western Experiences in Hawai‘i

William Wade Ellis was a surgeon’s mate during Captain James Cook’s third voyage, first on the Discovery and later on the Resolution, and gives quite a good history of this expedition. Ellis wrote a book and added illustrations. Here is his account of ‘Contact’ and description of what he saw.

Just prior to reaching Hawai‘i, they landed at Christmas Island – Ellis reminds us of signs of land … “we observed a greater number of birds than usual, which increased as we continued our course; and most of them being such as never fly very far from land, we concluded ourselves to be in the neighbourhood of some.”

“Orders were given to keep a good look out; and we stood on, the birds (which were boobies, men of war birds, egg birds, and tropic birds) becoming more numerous … This place … we called Christmas Island (having spent that anniversary there)”.

They left Christmas Island and “Our course from hence was nearly north; we had a fine steady breeze, and the weather was fine and pleasant. … The next day (Jan. 18, 1778) … we saw land to the eastward … but night coming on, we tacked and stood off till morning (Jan. 19th), when we proceeded to trace the coast [of Kauai] in a SW and W direction.”

“The land at first presented rather a barren appearance, but upon a closer view it improved upon us, particularly on the western side, which consisted of a large tract of fine level plains, and beyond them a double range of hills, which were covered with trees.”

“Upon the shore we saw a few clusters of coco nut trees, but by no means so abundant as at the Society Isles. As we drew nearer in-shore, some of the inhabitants put off in their canoes, and very readily came along side.”

“Their colour was more of the copper cast than that of the natives of Taheitee, and they wore their hair long, and of different hues, like the people of the Friendly Isles. Their dress was nothing more than a narrow slip of cloth round their middle, and they were marked or tattowed in different parts of their body.”

“Their cloth was stamped or printed in various patterns, not much unlike our printed linens; their language nearly resembled that of Taheitee. They were easily persuaded to come on board, and, like all other Indians soon began to thieve, but nothing of any consequence was lost.”

“We saw no weapons among them, nor did they behave abruptly or disagreeably, but in their disposition seemed friendly and good natured. We purchased a few pigs and sweet potatoes of them, for which we gave them a hatchet or two, and a few small nails, with which they appeared very well satisfied. In the evening we stood off, intending to examine the place more closely the next day.”

“In the morning (Jan. 20th) at six, captain Cook made a signal for the Discovery’s fix-oared cutter, which, accompanied with the Resolution’s pinnace and large cutter, was sent to look for a safe place for the ships to anchor, and to try what soundings were to be found nearer in shore.”

“During their absence, we stood off and on, being fearful of venturing too near. The natives came off as yesterday, and we bought a few hogs, tarrow, sweet potatoes, and sugar cane, of all which they appeared to have plenty, and excellent of their kind.”

“At three in the afternoon the boats returned, having found a tolerable birth, and at four both vessels came to. Soon after captain Cook went on shore in the pinnace, attended by the Discovery’s cutter, both well-armed.”

“He was received on shore very cordially by the natives, who treated him during his stay with great respect and attention , and brought many small hogs, potatoes, tarrow, or eddoes, and sugar-cane, all which were purchased at a very easy rate.”

“The women were rather ordinary, and in general masculine, and will scarce bear a comparison with the fair dames of Taheitee.”

“Their dress is the same as that of the men, only the cloth is wider, and reaches down to the knees. Their hair is cut short behind, and long before, but turned back like our toupees, which mode of wearing it does not set them off to the greatest advantage.”

“Many, who were along-side in their canoes, pleaded hard to come on board, but captain Cook had given strict orders, previous to his anchoring, not to suffer a single woman to be admitted into the ships, as there were several people in both, who still had the venereal disease.”

“But, notwithstanding every precaution, many of our men contrived to have connexions with them, in consequence of which we found this terrible disorder raging among them when we arrived there the second time.”

“The next day (Jan. 21st), the launches were sent to fill water, which could be procured without much difficulty, from a fine river at no great distance from the ships, and parties were dispatched to the shore to trade with the natives, while others were to superintend the market on board the ships.”

“They supplied us with abundance of every thing the island produced, and in the evening our trading parties returned with abundance of fine hogs, potatoes, sugar-cane, &c.”

“The 22d was very windy, with much rain, which prevented our boats from landing, as a heavy surf broke upon the shore. Our friends however came off in the midst of it, and a brisk trade was carried on, on board.”

“We also purchased many of their ornaments, such as fans, necklaces, bracelets, cloaks, and caps, composed of red and yellow feathers, which were very curious, the latter being made in form of helmets.”

“They also brought off some spears, which were about ten feet long, admirably polished, and the end intended for execution was about eight or ten inches in length, had many barbs, and was pointed.”

“Early the next morning (Jan. 24^th,) … About nine, the king of the island came alongside in a double canoe; captain Clerke, understanding who he was, requested him much to come on board, which he appeared willing to do, but his attendants were so fearful of his receiving some hurt or other, that they intreated him not to do it.”

“He ventured however as far as the gangway, where he sat down, and presented the captain with a curious carved bowl; in return for which he received some large nails, a cut-glass bowl, and some other trifles, which pleased him exceedingly. After a short stay; his attendants bore him in their arms to his canoe, and he went ashore.”

“His name was Tomahana; he appeared to be about thirty years old, and was above the middle size; he was clothed in the same manner as the meanest of his subjects, and could only be distinguished by the great respect they paid him. Soon after his departure, the queen arrived in another canoe, and in the same manner was permitted to go no farther than the gangway.”

“She likewise made captain Clerke a present of some elegant ruffs made of various coloured feathers, for which he gave her some beads, looking glasses, and a piece of scarlet cloth; after which she was carried into her canoe, and proceeded to the shore. She was young, and had a pleasing countenance, but her dress was not remarkable.”

They then headed to Ni‘ihau. “This island was considerably smaller than the other, and had rather a wretched appearance; the south point of it is terminated by a high bluff rock, the interior parts are low, with here and there a small elevation, and not a tree is to be seen.”

“In the morning (30th), our new acquired friends came off with sweet potatoes, yams, and salt; in the two latter articles they seemed to abound. The yams were large, and the salt was equal to any we ever saw, both for colour and quality.”

“The boats were sent on shore to trade as usual, but they found the landing far more difficult than at the last place, on account of a very heavy surf, which, when the wind varies in the least to the westward, rolls in at so terrible a rate, as totally to cut off all communication with the shore.”

“In the evening, they brought off what few articles they conveniently could, but left two or three of the gentlemen behind, who superintended the market, till the weather should be more moderate.”

“This morning (Feb. 1st), the weather being more moderate, the boats were sent on shore, and in the afternoon brought off the gentlemen, with some yams and salt, but were obliged to leave the principal part of their purchases behind.”

“A number of the natives came off to the Discovery the next day (Feb. 2d), with their canoes laden with salt, yams, sweet potatoes, and fish dried and salted, of the roots, a sufficient quantity were purchased to supply the ship’s company two months at least.”

“A’towi, which is the name of the largest island, is composed, on the NW side, of a large tract of level land, the interior parts, as has been observed, before, consisting of a double range of hills.”

“The houses of the natives are in general situated near the shore, and placed in clusters, so as to form small towns or villages. Their external appearance greatly resembles the top of a barn placed upon the ground, with a small entrance in the middle.”

“Some of them were elevated upon posts about three feet high, particularly those nearest the sea; from which we may conclude, that they are, during some parts of the year, subject to inundations. They are well thatched on the outside with dry grass, so as totally to prevent the entrance of rain.”

“The floor is also well strewed with dry grass, upon which mats of various sizes and dimensions are placed. These mats are of a very close, compact texture, and made of different patterns, some of which are really elegant. They vary greatly in their degree of fineness.”

“Their canoes or boats are the neatest we ever saw, and composed of two different coloured woods, the bottom being dark, the upper part light, and furnished with an out-rigger.”

“Besides these, they have another mode of conveying themselves in the water, upon very light flat pieces of board, which we called sharkboards, from the similitude the anterior part bore to the head of that fish. Upon these they will venture into the heaviest surfs, and paddling with their hands and feet get on at a great rate. Indeed, we never saw people so active in the water, which almost seems their natural element.”

“O’neehow, which is the westernmost island, is very small, and rather low. It produces sugar-cane, plaintains, sweet potatoes, yams, and salt; in the two latter articles it exceeds A’towi. The inhabitants are not numerous; their houses, &c. are exacty like those of the above mentioned isle.”

“In the afternoon of the 2d of February, the Discovery joined her consort, and proceeded in a NNE and NE direction for the coast of America.”

January 19, 2024 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Cook’s Journal on the Moment of Contact

“On the 2d of January [1778], at day-break, we weighed anchor [ at Christmas Island}, and resumed our course to the north; having fine weather, and a gentle breeze at east, and east-south-east, till we got into the latitude of 7° 45′ N. and the longitude of 205″ E., where we had one calm day.”

“This was succeeded by a north-east by east, and east-north-east wind. At first it blew faint, but freshened as we advanced to the north.”

“We continued to see birds every day, of the sorts last mentioned; sometimes in greater numbers than others; and between the latitude of 10° and 11° we saw several turtle. All these are looked upon as signs of the vicinity of land.”

“However, we discovered none till day-break, in the morning of the 18th, when an island made its appearance, bearing northeast by east; and, soon after, we saw more land bearing north, and entirely detached from the former.”

“Both had the appearance of being high land. At noon, the first bore north-east by east, half east, by estimation about eight or nine leagues distant; and an elevated hill, near the east end of the other, bore north, half west. Our latitude, at this time, was 21° 12’ N.; and longitude 200° 41′ E.”

“We had now light airs and calms, by turns; so that at sunset, we were not less than nine or ten leagues from the nearest land.”

“On the 19th, at sunrise, the island first seen, bore east several leagues distant. This being directly to windward, which prevented our getting near it, I stood for the other, which we could reach; and not long after discovered a third island in the direction of west north-west, as far distant as land could be seen.”

“We had now a fine breeze at east by north ; and I steered for the east end of the second island ; which at noon extended from north, half east, to west northwest, a quarter west, the nearest part being about two leagues distant.”

“At this time, we were in some doubt whether or no the land before us was inhabited; but this doubt was soon cleared up, by seeing some canoes coming off from the shore, toward the ships, I immediately brought-to, to give them time to join us.”

“They had from three to six men each ; and, on their approach, we were agreeably surprised to find, that they spoke the language of Otaheite, and of the other islands we had lately visited.”

“It required but very little address, to get them to come alongside; but no intreaties could prevail upon any of them to come on board.”

“I tied some brass medals to a rope, and gave them to those in one of the canoes, who, in return, tied some small mackerel to the rope as an equivalent. This was repeated’ and some small nails, or bits of iron, which they valued more than any other article, were given them.”

“For these they exchanged more fish, and a sweet potatoe ; a sure sign that they had some notion of bartering; or, at least, of returning one present for another. They had nothing else in their canoes, except some large gourd shells, and a kind of fishing-net; but one of them offered for sale the piece of stuff that he wore round his waist, after the manner of the other islands.”

“These people were of a brown colour ; and, though of the common size, were stoutly made. There was little difference in the cast of their colour, but a considerable variation in their features ; some of their visages not being very unlike those of Europeans.”

“The hair of most of them was cropt pretty short ; others had it flowing loose; and, with a few, it was tied in a bunch on the crown of the head. In all, it seemed to be naturally black; but most of them had stained it, as is the practice of the Friendly Islanders, with some stuff which gave it a brown or burnt colour.”

“In general they wore their beards. They had no ornaments about their persons, nor did we observe that their ears were perforated ; but some were punctured on the hands, or near the groin, though in a small degree ; and the bits of cloth which they wore, were curiously stained with red, black, and white colours.”

“They seemed very mild ; and had no arms of any kind, if we except some small stones, which they had evidently brought for their own defence ; and these they threw overboard, when they found that they were not wanted.”

“Seeing no signs of an anchoring place at this eastern extreme of the island, I bore away to leeward, and ranged along the south east side, at the distance of half a league from the shore. As soon as we made sail, the canoes left us; …”

“… but others came off, as we proceeded along the coast, bringing with them roasting pigs, and some very fine potatoes, which they exchanged, as the others had done, for whatever was offered to them. Several small pigs were purchased for a sixpenny nail ; so that we again found ourselves in a land of plenty ; and just at the time when the turtle, which we had 90 fortunately procured at Christmas Island, were nearly expended.”

“We passed several villages ; some seated near the sea, and others farther up the country. The inhabitants of all of them crowded to the shore, and collected themselves on the elevated places to view the ships.”

“The land upon this side of the island rises in a gentle slope, from the sea to the foot of the mountains, which occupy the centre of the country, except at one place near the east end, where they rise directly from the sea, and seemed to be formed of nothing but stone, or rocks lying in horizontal strata.”

“We saw no wood, but what was up in the interior part of the island, except a few trees about the villages; near which, also, we could observe several plantations of plantains and sugar-canes, and spots that seemed cultivated for roots.”

“We continued to sound, without striking ground with a line of fifty fathoms, till we came abreast of a low point, which is about the middle of this side of the island, or rather nearer the north-west end. Here we met with twelve and fourteen fathoms, over a rocky bottom.”

“Being past this point, from which the coast trended more northerly, we had twenty, then sixteen, twelve, and, at last, five fathoms over a sandy bottom. The last soundings were about a mile from the shore. Night now put a stop to any farther researches ; and we spent it standing off and on.”

“The next morning we stood in for the land, and were met with several canoes filled with people; some of whom took courage, and ventured on board.”

“In the course of my several voyages, I never before met with the natives of any place so much astonished, as these people were, upon entering a ship.”

“Their eyes were continually flying from object to object; the wildness of their looks and gestures fully expressing their entire ignorance about every thing they saw, and strongly marking to us, that, till now, they had never been visited by Europeans, nor been acquainted with any of our commodities except iron; …”

“… which, however, it was plain, they had only heard of, or had known it in some small quantity brought to them at some distant period. They seemed, only to understand, that it was a substance much better adapted to the purposes of cutting, or of boring of holes, than any thing their own country produced.”

“They asked for it by the name of hamaite, probably referring to some instrument, in the making of which iron could be usefully employed; for they applied that name to the blade of a knife, though we could be certain that they had no idea of that particular instrument ; nor could they at all handle it properly.”

“For the same reason, they frequently called iron by the name of toe, which in their language signifies a hatchet, or rather a kind of adze. On asking them what iron was, they immediately answered, ‘We do not know ; you know what it is, and we only understand it as toe, or hamaite.’”

“When we shewed them some beads, they asked first, ‘What they were; and then, whether they should eat them?’ But on their being told, that they were to be hung in their ears, they returned them as useless.”

“They were equally indifferent as to a looking-glass, which was offered them, and returned it, for the same reason but sufficiently expressed their desire for hamaite and toe, which they wished might be very large.”

“Plates of earthen-ware, china cups, and other such things, were so new to them, that they asked if they were made of wood ; but wished to have some, that they might carry them to be looked at on shore.”

“They were in some respects naturally well bred ; or, at least, fearful of giving offence, asking, where they should sit down, whether they might spit upon the deck, and the like.”

“Some of them repeated a long prayer before they came on board ; and others, afterward, sung and made motions with their hands, such as we bad been accustomed to see in the dances of the islands we had lately visited.”

“There was another circumstance in which they also perfectly resembled those other islanders. At first, on their entering the ship, they endeavoured to steal every thing they came near ; or rather to take it openly, as what we either should not resent, or not hinder.”

“We soon convinced them of their mistake; and if they, after some time, became less active in appropriating to themselves whatever they took a fancy to, it was because they found that we kept a watchful eye over them.” (Cook’s Journal; 2^nd of 3^rd Voyage, pgs 176-181)

March 5, 2023 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Cook’s Concern

In the dawn hours of January 18, 1778, on his third expedition, British explorer Captain James Cook on the HMS Resolution and Captain Charles Clerke of the HMS Discovery first sighted what Cook named the Sandwich Islands (that were later named the Hawaiian Islands.)

Cook continued to sail along the coast searching for a suitable anchorage. His two ships remained offshore, but a few Hawaiians were allowed to come on board on the morning of January 20, before Cook continued on in search of a safe harbor.

“At nine o’clock [January 20, 1778}, being pretty near the shore, I sent three armed boats, under the command of Lieutenant Williamson, to look for a landing-place, and for fresh water. I ordered him, that if he should find it necessary to land in search of the latter, not to suffer more than one man to go with him out of the boats.”

“Just as they were putting off from the ship, one of the natives having stolen the butcher’s cleaver, leaped overboard, got into his canoe, and hastened to the shore, the boats pursuing him in vain.”

“The order not to permit the crews of the boats to go on shore was issued, that I might do every thing in my power to prevent the importation of a fatal disease into this island, which I knew some of our men laboured under, and which, unfortunately, had been already communicated by us to other islands in these seas.”

“With the same view, I ordered all female visitors to be excluded from the ships. Many of them had come off In the canoes. Their size, colour, and features did not differ much from those of the men ; and though their countenances were remarkably open and agreeable, there were few traces of delicacy to be seen, either in their faces, or other proportions.”

“The only difference in their dress, was their having a piece of cloth about the body, reaching from near the middle to half-way down the thighs, instead of the maro worn by the other sex. “

“They would as readily have favoured us with their company on board as the men ; but I wished to prevent all connection, which might, too probably, convey an irreparable injury to themselves, and through their means, to the whole nation.”

“Another necessary precaution was taken, by strictly enjoining, that no person, known to be capable of propagating the infection, should be sent upon duty out of the ships.”

“Whether these regulations, dictated by humanity, had the desired effect, or no, time only can discover. I had been equally attentive to the same object, when I first visited the Friendly Islands ; yet I afterward found, with real concern, that I had not succeeded.”

“And I am much afraid, that this will always be the case, in such voyages as ours, whenever it is necessary to have a number of people on shore.”

“The opportunities and inducements to an intercourse between the sexes are then too numerous to be guarded against; and however confident we may be of the health of our men, we are often undeceived too late.”

“It is even a matter of doubt with me, if it be always in the power of the most skillful of the faculty to pronounce, with any certainty, whether a person who has been under their care, in certain stages of this malady, is so effectually cured, as to leave no possibility of his being still capable of communicating the taint.”

“I think I could mention some instances which justify my presuming to hazard this opinion. It is likewise well known, that, amongst a number of men, there are generally to be found some so bashful as to endeavour to conceal their labouring under any symptoms of this disorder.”

“And there are others, again, so profligate, as not to care to whom they communicate it. Of this last, we had an instance at Tongataboo, in the gunner of the Discovery, who had been stationed on shore to manage the trade for that ship.”

“After he knew that he had contracted this disease, he continued to have connections with different women, who were supposed not to have already contracted it.”

“His companions expostulated with him without effect, till Captain Clerke, hearing of this dangerous irregularity of conduct, ordered him on board.” (All here is from Cook’s Journal; 2^nd of 3^rd Voyage, pgs 181-182)