HAWAIIAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY REPRINTS (No. 4) Extract form The Diary of Ebenezer Townsend, Jr. Supercargo of the Sealing Ship "Neptune" on her voyage to the South Pacific and Canton. As published in "Papers of the New Haven Historical Society^ Volume VI, New Haven; 1888. Arranged and Indexed for the Hawaiian Historical Society by Bruce Cartwright, Ph.B. (The edition of this Reprint is limited to 500 copies.) h t O O O P PREFACE The voyage of the "XEPTUXE" aroimd the World in 1796-99. The Uiary which follows this introductory notice I had the pleasure of reading before the (Xew Haven) Historical Society in 188.'>. Mr. Ebenezer Townsend, the principal owner of the "XEPTUXE" and the projector of the voyage, was at the time one of the most — possibly the most — exten- sive ship owner in Xew Haven. His vessels sailed to many of the great shipping ports of the world, and a large fortune had resulted from his eomuu'rcial adven- tures. For some years prior to the sailing of the "Xep- tune," sealing voyages had been })erf(>niu'd by ships from Salem and Providence which had been very lucrative, and the Xew Haven ship owners were eager to "try the venture." Mr. Townsend fitted out the "Xe])tune" for a seal- ing voyage under the command of Daniel Greene, a vet- eran shipmaster, strict disciplinarian and an honest man. The Shi})'s Company consisted of 45 young and sturdy Connecticut men. She carried an armament of 20 twcive-jxHind guns and was called a fast sailing ship. The "X^eptune" was 350 tons burden, and was built in this city CXo.w Haven) at the Olive Street Ship Yanl. Ebenezer Townsend, Jr., was the suj^ercargo, and in those days it was no sinecure to be sujiercargo of a sealing ship. All the details of the ship's business, the weighing of food, the account of the skins captured, selling the same in China, paying the ship's bills, buy- ing and receiving the homeward cargo, all nf tbcsr nnd otliei- (Intics fell tn (he lot of tlie (.Id-tinic sii|)cr('arg(» — an otHee which is now obsolete: ocean cabk's and steam- ships have destroyed it. From this port (New Haven) the "Xeptune" saik'd for the Seal Islands in the South Pacific (Massafiiero, ]\Iassatierra, etc.), and after killing and salting down 80,000 seals proceeded to Canton, where the skins were sold at a price which gave the ship a gross freight of $280,000. A cargo of tea, silks, nankeens, and China ware was loaded, and the ^'Xeptune" came home to Ifew Haven after an absence of about three years. The pecuniary results of the vovage have nevei* been equalled bv a I^ew Haven ship, and it is probable that no American vessel ever made so much in the f^ame period of time, when we take into consideration that the "Xeptune" took no cargo from this port (Xew Haven). The share of the profits which were awarded to ^Ir, Townsend, Sr., amounted to $100,000 — our Diarist re- ceived $50,000 and $70,000 was divided between Cap- tain Greene and others who were interested in the voyage. The United States Government levied upon the cargo a duty amounting to $74,000. During the War of 1812 the American ship own- ers met with many losses, some losing their entire property. The Supercargo was among the number. Soon after the War he went to N^ew York -where for many years he was the proprietor of the Tontine Coffee House, a place where ship owners and masters of ves- sels met, settled freights, planned voyages and arranged charters. Later on, ^Mr. Townsend moved to the extreme West (for those days), where he died not many years ago. Portraits of Mr. Townsend the elder, and of Cap- tain Greene, are in the possession of the Society (!N^ew Haven Historical Society) and hang in the Portrait Gallery. THOMAS R. TROWBRIDGE, JR. EXTRACT FROM THE Diary of Ebenezer Townsend, Jr. Ill Hawaii from August 12, 1708, to August :>1, 179S. I'L' X A JI II.O II AM A K r A. At G o'clock, evening of the 12tli of August, 17!>8, we made the long wished for island of Owvhec (Ha- '^""- -^^^ waii), the east end of which bore SSW, distance 12 leagues. Very high laud. Stood in under snug sail through the night and in the iiiorning were about five leagiies distant. We then attended to our armament, loaded our carriage giiiis and took such precautions as were necessary to guard against the treachery of In- dians. TJan close in with the island, when a canoe came olf with a couple of Indians, a few potatoes and a couple of pumpkins. We were not pleased, after rouiuling the shi]) to get them on board, that their cargo Avas so tritliug. However, we thought we should soon have enough ott'. We rei*eived them on board and dropped their canoe astern of the ship and squared away and soon towed so hard on the canoe that she filled and ])arted her tow roi)e. 'V\\v Indians sprang immediately overboard and were very tni'bing but a trifle the ])assage of the Itoat ibnMigb the walcr. Tbi- ontriiiii<-i- thev inniiedialclx look bold ai-k again, with an i-\i)t'rt- ness which you canuot conceive of, they completely turned the water out of her. We rounded to again and rcci-ived them on board, guarding against a lilce aeci- (Icnr. IJy what we could learn from them, after rnn- ning somo time and no canoes coming oif, we concluded liiere mnst be a taboo, and yet we could not comprehend a talioo that wonhl not allow them to come on board of us. We ran along between forty and fifty miles, close in. The land appeared in the highest state of (•iilii\ atioii and some cleared spots were seen towards I lie snnnnit of the mountain, which sho\v_ed itself ali'>\(' the clouds which rolled along below. The ascent apiicai'cd just gradual enough from the shore to be licantirul and show itself fairly to the eye. We passed a niinihcr of villages which appeared much like the negro I louses in the West Indies. ^iug. 13th The night of the 13th we were obliged to stand ^^^^ off and on again without any communication further with the shore. We were very uneasy, having several of our crew very bad with the scurvy, and the two nu-n appearing afraid to go on shore and so glad to have got on bi»ard we feared that something very serious might be on shore. We conld find out but little from them by signs. KAWATIIAli BAY. Aug. 14th <^n the moi'iiing of the 14th, having experienced a ^79^ strong lee current through the night, we again stood in and still no canoes came off. As I have been some among Indians and do not believe them so hostile in dis]>osition as to wish to injure, unless some benefit was to be deri\('d or revenge gratified, and that I had noth- ing to fear unless there had been some recent outrage \)y while ])co])le, I therefore proposed to Capt. Greene to let the yawl go on shore armed, and that T would go in her and would go on shore, letting the lx»at keeji oft' a little, out of the power of the natives, until I could discovei- whether thev were friendlv or not. Haviua' sto(jJ wirli rlie ship within about foui- leagues of the lauding, but what we thought nearer, we started in the vawl, being five of us and one of the Indians for pilot, and pulled in in about three hours. The beach Avas filled with Indians. AVe rowed pretty near the shore when, I jumped overboard rather above my knees in water and the boat pulled oft' a few rods from the shore. I was received with the strongest marks of friendship in their countenances and gestures. Tidi ]\Iiti (Keliimaikai (k) ), who is the king's (Kamchaui- eha (k) l)rother and the head chief in that district (Kohala) where we were, came down and taking me by the hand, walked from the shore with me surroimded by Indians. I very soon noticed a change in his coun- tenance and his eyes turned frequently towards my pis- tols, which were in a belt around my waist. They were a very snug ])air and being no way cumbersome 1 hail landed with them on, when I ought and intended lo have left them in the boat ; but it cannot sur])rise you that it did not occur to me when my mind was so taken up with this new visit that I was about making. His countenance show^ed that he was not pleased at uiy landing armed, which as s(mhi as I noticed, I ])re- sented him Avith my ])isto]s; he would receive but one, giving me back the other. This much more than re- instated nie, for as soon as he ojx-ued the ])an aud saw them loaded he clasped my hand and by his ges- tures showed that he was extrenu'ly ])leased that I had confidence in hiui. 1 saw immediately there was nothing to fear. They soon, by signs, let me know that there was a white man (Shacklesby) auioug tlieni whom they had sent foi-. IFe came down in nlxmi ;iii hour, which time I s))ent very couifortably in the chief's house. The white man, whose uaiiie was Sliack- lesby, said that John ^^lUllg■, who lives in this Jmy (Kawaihae), an Englishman, set niV tor the shij) tliis morning and an Irishman (Martin) witli him; that there was one of the annual taboos on, w hidi was :i pro- liiliition from goinu' on the watci- toi- ten (hi\'^; thai it 6 udukl t'X])ir(' within a dav or two, niul until then the natives could not go alongside. The ya^vl now being on shore we began our l^arter and at evening we got on board with a hog and a good stm-k of vegetables. The lios])itaHty of Tidi Miti ( Kcliiniaikai \k) ) wlien 1 lan(h'(| I must not ])ass over; he first took iiic into a circh* of about sixtv girls, who ])artially rested theuiselves witii tlieii' elbows on their knees, and l)y verv ex})ressi\e signs told nie if 1 had eonie for a w ife 1 could take which I pleased; after which he took uie to his house and treated me with the fi'uits of the island. This was veiw grateful after getting on sh(»re in a hoi siiu. We landed at Fowchai Bay (Jvawai- hae Bay), in the district of Ko-ah-ra (Kohala), on tlie northeast ])art of the island, and although the boat was surrounded they did not attempt to take anything fi-om us dishonestly. I landed determined to get into no (puirrel, and if they should want my shirt they should have it or anything else that I had. What I had calculated to do from prudence I felt willing to do gratuitously almost, after I was received in so friendly a manner. We found John Yoimg and the Irishman (^fartin) on board; the latter frightened the rwo Indians on board very much by telling them the king would have them killed for breaking the tal)oo. The white men on the island, it appears, are not obliged to respect the tal>oo. Thty left us in the even- ing and went on shore and we stood otf and on through the night with the ship, wind light and almost from W t in the evening. Although the taitoo was not otf until next morning there were a good uiauy of the natives visited the ship: they came otf ])rivat(dy fi-om ditferent quarters. Although the tahiMi was very rigidly enforced, tlieir curiosity conkl not l)e restrained. The taboo was off and we were snrrounded with ^lug, i6th canoes very early in the morning. Tidi ]Midi ( Kelii- ■''"^'^ maikai (k) ) visited ns and remained two or three days with ns. (Japt. Greenie received a letter from the king (Kamehanieha (k) ), probably written by I. Davis, welcoming him to the island and saying he shoidd visit ns ; which he answered and sent him a con])le bot- tles wine anard after the king; she had Avith her two boys of about a dozen years as a Avatch over her conduct, she Ijeing tabooed by her father, Avho says she is to marry some great chief; her mother (Keopuolani (w) ) was a avo- man of rank but not wife to the kin^'. Davis said the kiiH>- and his daughter ( Xahieiiaeiia (w ) ) were vcrx much attached to each other, l)ut notAvithstaiiding she appeared very diffident about going to the cabin to see him. I had the honor of waiting on her in, bnt they took no particular notice of each other. The king (Kaniehanieha (k) ) and his brother (Keliimaikai (k) ) did not appear to take particular notice of each other, but the next day (August 20, 1798), in meeting with a couple of chiefs whom he had not seen for some time, they all three kneeled doAvn together and cric^d very loud and the tears flowed very profusely. Two sisters met in the same way one day on board. We had now all the royal family on board. The jirincess (]!^ahienaena (w) ) is about fifteen years of age. not handsome, but a fine, plumj), healthy-looking girl and very sprightly. AVhen I was making some memo- randum in my journal she very sportively took the pen out of my hand and attempted to write. I therefore can show jon her writing when I get home. In the afternoon I went on shore in an Indian canoe and had a swimming match with the Indians. I had a g(X)d deal of sport with two hundred of all sorts and sizes ; they woidd any of them swim two feet to uiv one; they laughed very heartily at seeing my white sluudd- ers among their dark ones; any of the children would outswim me. I rctui'uecl ou boiird ship in tlic evening. Wo had the wind from sea thi-ongh the day and ofl' tlie laud through the night. 'l^he cliief (Kam(;eianioku (k) ) who cut nfl" a .hii^.joth schooner ("Fair American"), a tender of ("a]>t. .Met- ^/"'>"'' calf,* came alongside the ship. Tlie king (Kamelia- uieha (k) ) was i"e(|uest('d to orf)tli of them made several successful voj'Hgcs from Canton to the coast, hut their owners were never henefited. They sfx nt il as tluv wtnt aloni;. hrom Townscnd's Diary, p. 28. 10 .so. lie ( KaiiU'ciaiiKiku ( k ) ) was siuartlv clix'sscd uji t'nr the visit, and when (>r heiug then on board 1 liot from them th(^ partieidars. ('a[)t. ^Ictealt", of New ^'ork, on a northwest voyauc, havinji- a small seh(H)nei- ("Fair American"), a tender with him, had api)ointed Owhyhee (Jlawaii) a place of rendezvous in ease thev were sejjarated, ('a])t. Metealf iiave command of the schooner to his son; Isaac Davis was his mate. Al- though the father and son had been separated several months, thev both fell in with the Island of Owhyhee (Hawaii) the same day; the father to the windward and the son to leeward of the island. Jlaving' visited the island l)efore, yonng Metealf placed toc> mnch con- fidence in them, not refieetinii there was no law to pro- tect him and that he was completely at the mercy of the chief who connnanded, with the most powerfid tem])tation to net possession of his vessel, everythini;' (»n board of which they were anxious to possess. This chief (Kameeiamoku (k) ) was the rascal. The deck Ixnug- fidl of Indians they at once ninrdered the cajv tain (yoiinif Metealf) and every man excepting Davis, and hove them overboard; him they knocked down and hove overboard, bnt afterwards took him into a canoe to save him and took him on shore. AVhen the king ( Kamehameha (k) ) was informed of this rascally transaction he was very iimch of1-"ende(l, but the per- ]»eti-atoi' (Kameeiamoku ( k) ) was a ])owerful chief, ami fi'om |>olicv the rascal was not piddicly punished, and at that time they had bnt A'ery little communica- tion with strangers, who were considered rather as intruders than as entitled to any of their hospitality. I'he king ( Kamehameha), however, went immediately down and took charge of Davis, took him home with him. and has been a very tender father to him ever >iucc. The next day after that transaction, Capt. ^Tet- calf. the father, running along the island landed a boat'- crew near where the schooner was cut off and 11 the natives got possession of Mr. Johu Yoiuiii-, who was boatswain of the ship. He was taken back to see Davis, and has also experienced the particnlar friendship of the king, who indulges them both with as ninch land as they want and as many slaves as they wish. Cajit. Metcalf soon got sight of the schooner and learned the fate of his son. At this time there were a gTeat many Indians in their canoes around him. He waited until he was well surrounded when he opened a tire with his broadsides and killed as many as he could.* I could not ascertain with any degree of confidence how many he killed, but the Indians did not appear to think he did wrong, although it very unfortunately so hap- pened that none of the guilty ones were there, for he was not oft" the right village. This was certainly a most cruel thing, and although I am willing and am disposed to make great allowance for the feelings of a father, and believe none but a father, under the circumstances, would make sufticient allowance for him, yet I thiidc it was very barbarous, and that it was unjustifiable. Per- haps his feelings had completely deranged his mind, so that it was the act of a madman. If he had acted wisely he might have got the chief himself, the execu- tion of whom would have been more serviceable and gratified his resentment more. Young and Davis now are right-hand men to the king and are very serviceable to him as well as to the foreigners who visit the island. They honestly appear to consult the interest of the vis- itors and visited. We had (ju l)oard of our shi]) that (hiy an evidence of equal depravity to a savage. A uiaii bv the name of ]\rartin, an Irishman, whom Ca])t. (ii-ccuc had told he woidd let him have a ])assag(' down to China. For sonic triHiug oft'euce taken on shore al an Indian s(>me time before, ^lartin seeing him come alongside, and thinking himself safe, determined on having revenge. He took the ninski-t out of the hands *This was evidently tlic Olowalu in.issacre. wliicli in reality Happened several days before at Maui. Tiiis account is .t new version of the affair, and is proI)al)ly incorrect, as earlier visitors agree that the Olowalu massacre happened at Maui l)efon' Caj)!. Metcalf visited Hawaii. — Ed. 12 of the seutrj and lired at the ludian. who happened to see what he was doing just soon enough to jump out of the way, but the ball went through the canoe where he had sat. C'apt. Greene had him tied up immediately and ordered him three dozen, and the boatswain to give it to him in the presence of the king (Kameha- meha (k) ), who soon thought he could do it better himself, and took the rope's end from the boatswain and put it on well until Capt. Greene requested him to desist. He was then untied and ordered to be put on shore ; but on his stating that he should be killed by the Indians, and begging on his knees for his life, Capt. Greene's usual humane feelings were brought into ac- tion, and he suffered him to remain, and he is yet on board as humble as a dog, Martin had procured me a very sprightly boy which I intended to l)ring with me to America, but on seeing this fracas he thought himself, and I think very correctly, better off at home. AVe continued our trade. We bought a numl)er of hogs from the king, for which we paid from three pints to five quarts of rum each. In the evening one of the queens got very drunk, which the king took no par- ticular notice of. Aug. 2ist On the 21st we agTced with Amai-amai-ah (Kame- 179S hameha (k) ), the king, for all our deficiency of sup- plies, to receive them at Wahoo (Oahu), an island to leeward. We agreed and paid for at the same time forty-five large hogs, and as much sugar-cane and vegetables as would fill our quarter deck square with the binnacle, and as high as the quarter rails. We paid a barrel of flour for twelve hogs ; a barrel of pitch for ten hogs, and a large pitch kettle for eleven hogs ; the balance we paid in canvas, rice, and blocks and some rigging. I was very much diverted at a little piece of finesse in the king (Kamehameha (k) ), on my measuring out some rum to him. As I was measuring it in a quart pot, when I had put twenty quarts (every one he counted), he said I had put in but nineteen; I asserted 13 I was right, lie said not, and that I must put in an- other. 1 was certain I was right, and did not believe but that he knew as well as I did, for he is a hawk- eved fellow. 1 persisted and began to measure it over again, when he proposed to split the difference (this he must have learned from some Yankee). When he saw I would not agree to that, but continued to measure, he said it was no importance, and let it go as it was. Do not consider this dishonesty or meanness in him, for he was free from either; it was rather a piece of wit wliieli he wished to exercise. In the afternoon we unmoored the ship and pre- pared to get under way. John Young received a let- ter from Worth," our acquaintance of the Falkland Islands; he had just arrived and was laving at Karah- choora Bay (Kealakekua Bay). The king, with all the royal family and other visitors, left us, except Isaac Davis and Stewart and Homes ; the first who came down with us to see the contract made with the king ful- filled. On leaving Davis the king embraced him and cried like a child. Davis said he always did when he left him, for he was always apprehensive that he might leave him, although he had promised him he would never do it without giving him previous no- tice. We tried to persuade him to continue with us, and finally he said nothing prevented him l)ut the promise he had made the king. It was not long after the king left us before he returned and jumping in on deck presented me with one of my pistols. As we were always on the lookout I kept my pistols loaded under the head of my bed from where it was stolen. An Indian got it and jumped with it out of the cabin window, and when he got on shore presented it to the king, and as it was the pistol, which I handed, on my first landing, to Tidi ^Fiti (Keliimaikai (k) ), the king's hrother, be fold biiii whose it was, when lie im- mediately brouglil it off' to me. It was so ii(':it a thin- he would ha\(' Ix'cii ph'ased at kee]>ing it. When he Capt. Barzillai Worth, in brig "Garland." p. 21 Ii)id.— Kd. 14 left us both times we gave liim three cheers, which he returned very well with his Indians. CUSTOMS OF irAWAIIAXS TX 1798 Aug. 22nd ^Ve did not get under way until about midnight, as ^798 it took us a long while to get our anchors; it was good holding ground. Davis, with Homes and Stewart, being on board gave me a good oi)portunity of getting what information they possessed, which you shall have the beneht of. Stewart has been master of a vessel and is a man of considerable intelligence ; has been here four years. Davis and Homes are illiterate but very honest men. Davis has been here eight or nine years and Homes two years. They all speak in the highest terms of the king. They say what Capt. Cook called a Moral the natives call Hi-ow (Heiau), and is not, as he supposed, a burying place, but where the chiefs and tlie priests meet and make oiferings, praying for a gratification of their wishes, which agrees with the prayers of our own clergy, for I do not understand their prayers are particularly selfish but for the good of the natiou. They, however, being heathen pray to their idols which are scattered about in the Moral or Hi-ow (heiau), which by us may be called a temple. Their idols are not in the shape of anything in the heavens above, or in the earth below, or in the waters under the earth. In these places human victims are sometimes offered, but they are those w^ho have for- feited their lives by their conduct. They say Avhen a chief dies his body is rolled up snug in tapper (Kapa), which is the cloth of the country, and a house built over it, where it lies until the flesh is consumed. The bones are then placed, they believe, in some general family deposit. The women-people, when they die, are tied neck and heels and sometimes buried and some- times hove into the sea. The clergy are hereditary and as full of ceremony as the Catholics and have a great deal of authority; it is they that regulate the taboos, and although the^^ are generally regular, they • 15 can la J intermediate ones when thev please, and that it is death to violate them. However, by the manner of their visiting ovir ship the night before it was off, as I have already remarked to yon, it wonld appear that they were not so rigidly enforced, as well as by the two men hazarding a visit on board when we first made the islands. But the cnriosity of these Indians is very great and not like the North American Indians, who affect not to have any. The chiefs cannot eat pork nnless it has been killed and consecrated at the tem- ple. What they call their Marliahiti (makahiki), Avhich is their annnal taboo and comes regular by so many moons, is about a month before Christmas, and during that they are prohibited from fighting, and then they who cultivate the land make payment of tithes to the chiefs, who are the o^^'ners, of which there are too many, but, notwithstanding, those who Avork make it rather an exercise than labor, for they only work in the cool of the morning and evening, retiring to the shade whenever the sun becomes uncomfortable. They speak of time by so many ]\Iarhahitas (maka- hiki). The young women never work out-doors but the old ones do. The women at the birth of their child- ren retire from the society of the men, and then on monthly periods also, when they entirely retire and it would be death not to do so. Pork, plantains and coco- nuts are tabooed to the women, as well as some other scarce articles ; some because they ai'e scarce and some for other reasons, l)ut I found the woiueu very glad to eat any of those articles if they were out of the reach of detection. That the taboo which was on wheu we arrived, for ten days, was regular every six uionths. The women are never allowed to eat of what the men have eaten a part. On board of us, wheu we offered them aiiything to eat, would ask if the men li;ic some ot the wo- 16 meu had eaten from it, but lie did not make the same objection Avhen we got on another plate, althongh -we got it ont of the same box. The men and women have their respective eating-houses ; a man and his wife never eat in the same house ; if either sex enter the eating-house of the other it would be pulled down. The chiefs as well as natives generallv are great gamblers and frequently plav away their lands, their wives and their children. One of the chiefs insisted on playing checkers with Capt. Greene for a hog. He had paid considerable attention to the game and could play it, but not Avell enough ; he lost his hog. The king is now building a house at Mowhee (Lahaina, Maui), which is to be built and furnished in the English style. He cal- culates to make it his residence part of the time. It appears to be a policy with him to change his resi- dence occasionally, which I think is a good plan for him, for where he is known he will be popular. He obtained his throne by fighting for it, in Avhich he proved his talents as well as his popularity. At the demise of a king there are always several candidates whose claims are nearly equal ; although hereditary, not so closely defined but that there are plausible claims. The most popular gets it. The present king (Kamehameha (k) ) had a number of severe actions and slew his adversary fairly on the field of battle. There have been several insurrections but none recently. He, however, was not able to bring the leeward islands under his jurisdiction until within about two years. The last which he conquered is Wahoo, or Worhoo (Oahu), where they had a very hard-fought battle; part of the king's force joining the enemy. There is, hoAvever, yet another island unconquered, Avhich is Attoi (Kauai), and Amai-amai-ah (Kamehameha) has been a long time building his canoes to attack it, which he does not appear to be in a hurry to do, and if he does, it will be some time first. He has the advantage of his opponents in having more muskets than they. The difi^erence lietween them and sj^ears is very great. 17 Inferiors always stoop when auvthing passes belonging to stiperiors in rank; when anything passes belonging to the king they stoop, the person who is carrying it crying out "Xory" ("Xoh<:)'" — sir down) : there are those whom the king stoops to, for there are those who rank higher, although of not so much j^ower. The lands be- longing to the king are very extensive, the residue are divided among the nobles who are masters of those who work them, who have the privilge of changing mas- ters when they please. The nobles, who are heredi- tary, therefore are not masters of the time of their vassals. The king can take the life of a nobleman or slave when he pleases, and he often deprives them of their estates for violent acts of injustice. It is very much doubted whether Capt. Cook was the iirst discoverer of these i^^lands ; it in fact appears j)retty evident that he was not ; however, he may be entitled to the credit of it, provided he received no aid in the discovery and the Spaniards from policy obliter- ated the discovery of their own navigators. I presunie Cook knew nothing of them before he saw them, Imt as the Spaniards had laid down a group of islands in the same latitude, a few degrees eastward of the Sand- wich Islands, where there are none, it is likely to be the same, for at that time they could not be sup])osed to be very correct in their longitude. There is at Mowee (Maui) the ring and part of the shank of an anchor of about seven hundred weight which wa>: not long ago hooked up there, where there is no recollec- tion oi there ever having been a vessel, and from the appearance it must have been there a great many years. Mr. Young says they have a tradition thai a coiiitlc of white men came on shore and rciuaincMl there abnui one hundred and fifty years ago. Th(y laudecl in :i small vessel covered over with skins and lie had Men their descendants which satistie<| him of ibe irnih <>1 the story, and that tliey were wliite. We bad light breezes through the day IV. mi XXK to KXK; throngli the night we lay becabne<1 under Mowee ( Maui). We 18 killed eight lK)iis and salted them down, taking ont all the bone. Aug. 23rd Angnst 2;)d caught a shark. The Indians belonging ^^^ to the families of the white men saved the teeth, as they use them to cut their hair. We had light winds fore part of the day, the latter part we liad a good breeze from the XXE which run us off Wahoo (Oahu), where we stood on and off through the night. OAHU Alt" 24th August ::!4th. Early in the morning we were close 179S in with Wahoo (Oahu), off Diamond Hill (Diamond Head), when the canoes began to visit us. We steered along XW by W until Diamond Hill (Diamond Head) on Whitreter Bluff (Waikiki Bluff) bore S 72° E per comj^ass, when we anchored in ten fathoms, sandy bot- tom with small shells and scattered coral rock. We an- chored rather far out. In the afternoon I went on shore with ]\rr. Davis when he gave orders for our supply early in the morning, we laying about two and a half miles from the landing. '^"": "o^'^' Early in the morning we began receiving our sup- ply, which was delivered to us faster than we could take it on board. The Indians were flocking in from every plantation with hogs and vegetables. Pleasant weather, A\ind at XE. HONOLULU Atig. 26th I went on shore with an intention of getting a J79S couple of boys, one for Capt. Grreene and one for my- self, but they being informed of my views were very shy; the l)oys would run from us when we came near them. It was very different from what it was at Ow-hy-hee (Hawaii), for there we could have got as many boys as we pleased. We were anxious to have just such as we pleased which accounts for our not getting them. There Avas some unaccountable cause for their shyness : it was not the case with the natives generally. We did not take much pains for we had no 19 wish to get any but those who wished to go with us. Au American by the name of Hamilton resided there. I fonnd the Island of Wahoo (Oahn) a delightful one. The harbor (Honolulu harbor) is a good one but rather narrow to get in. ■ The ship lay rather in the bay as it is generally difficult to get into the harbor but by warping. I have a draft of this harbor which I have copied from one in the possession of Capt. Stew- art. The lands are in the highest state of cultivation, everything of luxurious growth ; the sugar-cane finer than any I have ever seen, I think rather larger than at Ow-hy-hee (Hawaii) and, as at that Island, you here see the bread-fruit, coconut, plantain, sweet potatoes, taro, yams, banana, which are native productions, and Avatermelons, muskmelons, pumpkins, cabbages and most of our garden vegetables introduced by foreigners. They suj^ply themselves wath salt in the same manner as at Turk's Island in the West Indies. Small pans are made in the ground near the sea water, which is let in occasionally and by evaporation produces the salt. They have artificial fish ponds both of fresh and salt water, without which their supply of fish would not be l)ountiful. These ponds would do credit to a re- fined state of society. There are natural ponds that abound with fresh-water fish. On the island is a pearl-oyster ( . earl. In the afternoon our contract Iteiug houor- al)ly complied with and we having received the forty- five hogs and vegetables, till we said we had euou im- \ho hogs, as well as every other production which wo wanted, we got under way and st 1 out of the bay about 4 (."clock. Before we slarleil, h;i\iiii! l.cucliletl so iiinch bv the a'ood offices of Isaac l)a\is, who was 20 clotlitHl with the supreme power while at this ishuul, and on all occasions had been onr friend with the king, we presented him with ten gallons of liquors, rum, brandy and gin, a barrel of beef, a musket, a cheese, some coffee and chocolate, a couple of shirts,^ and as he said he should be glad to go to the United States, but if he did he could not go to work as for- merly, we gave him a conditional obligation that if he ever did come to the United States and called on us we would each pay him one hundred dollars, and we do not doubt that other visitors to these islands will also subscribe, by which means perhaps he may have some- thing that may be serviceable to him, and we think him worthy of it. We also sent by Davis some liquors, etc., to John Young, at Ow-hy-hee (Hawaii), whom we also esteemed highly. In the evening, ^h\ Davis, Stewart, Homes and Hamilton left us and we got under way, steering at about SW. At 2 o'clock we hauled up XW by W^/^W; light wind from the west- ward the latter part of the night. KAUAI "1798 -^t 2 o'clock in the afternoon of the 27th of Au- gust we made the Island of Attoi (Kauai) ; ran in f(ir the northeast part of the island. At dark it was aljout four leagues distant. Aug. 29th 'pjjg canoes came off to us from the XE part of the island bringing potatoes, plantains, mats, spears, etc. The first canoe that came alongside, I, without expect- ing to be understood, said "who are you ?" "I am General Washington," says the Indian, which sur- prised me. On investigation I found that he Avas an Indian that had been to the northwest coast of America with ('apt. Kendricks. We here hooked a shark which they tried to get into their boat; they jumped into the water although there were sharks around, which they did not appear to have any fear of. Our crew got taken in se^'eral times by the Indians with half fin- ished mats: they being rolled up, they supposed them of the same size as we had found them to the Wind- ward Islands. As soon as they sold, the Indians pad- 21 died off. Here I bought a pretty boy of about nine years of age from his father, for some trifling consid- eration, bnt when the father came to leave him he felt so bad that I would bring no boy away who came unwillingly. I therefore insisted on his father taking him back, which he washed not to do but was rather indifferent about it. We stopped at this island hoping to get some yams, considering them the only vegetal »lo that would keep during our passage and which was not so plenty to ^vindward. We were able to get but few here. Toward night we squared away for Oneho (!N^iihau) and lay becalmed through the night under the lee of Attoi (Kauai). We lay becalmed through the day, still under the --ius-^-^gilt lee of the island (Kauai). This is a very fine island and the only one in this group that is not sulijcet to the king of Ow-hy-hee (Hawaii). I am informed that there are aqueducts here for the purpose of watering their lands; that one is three or four miles in length, running around the mountain to water the land below, that is built up of stone a considerable height, and that there is a small basin that a vessel from sea can go into and they ran a dam across of a sufficient height, after which the aqueduct will give a sufficient supply to carry her up where they wish and the sani(> Avhen they launch her; answering every purpose of a dry dock. There are here three white men and two Portuguese ; the latter they call bl^ck men here. They are building a vessel for the king, who is under strong apprehensions from the king of Ow-hy-hee (Hawaii). The canoe that l)oarde(l us with (Jeneral WashiiiiitdU on board came over wiih ns to Oiielio (Xiihau). where we now are. Miir.vr We arrived this dav, August .".Oth, and «»ue of <..ur -^"-j f"^ Indians went on sh° to 163° west longitude. Owhyhee (Hawaii), are the principal islands for a ship to get supplies at; sometimes one is best and sometimes the other, ac- cording as they may have been visited. There is no danger of a deficiency but in hogs ; it is therefore the safest to touch at Owyhee (Hawaii) and run down the islands. The island of Owhyhee (Hawaii) is about twel\-c thousand feet above the level of the sea at the summit of the mountains of ^[ona Roa (Mauna Loa) and Mona Koah (Mauna Kea), wdiich forms plains at different heights, wdiich would give all the advantages of different climates, from the growing of wheat down to the banana, or apples and peaches down to pine-ap- ples. It is said there is frequent snow on the moun- tains and it is calculated that the region of perpetual, snow in this latitude is but between three and four 23 thousand feet liigiier. It is therefore probabh^ that in the winter months there is sometimes snow (.11 tliese mountains, as the calculation also is that it descends 2,624 feet lower in winter than in summer in this latitude. This island is seen at sea forty leagues ; you may see it in the morning and without a smart breeze you would not be in with it at night. It is triangidai- and each side about ninety miles in extent. Although the island generally is in a high state of cultivation, there is considerable waste land, most of which is be- cause it is not wanted. In tlie district of Ivoarah (Kohala) where we lay with the ship, one of the points which formed the bay had its soil eom])letely de- stroyed by a volcanic eruption, whicli broke out on the top of a mountain above, and the lava ran do^vn its side into the sea; it streaked down in ridges, com- pletely burning up all the soil. Tochai Bay (Ivawai- ahae Bay), where we were is a good harbor, but Kara- hekoa (Kealakekua) is the principal harbor and the one more usually visited. It is the present residence of the king (Kamehameha) and will long be remem- bered as the death place of the vahuible navigator, Capt. James Cook. The king had a navy yard where we lay and a schooner of about sixty tons on tlic stocks. She is building inider cover of a thatch building and the supei'iutendence of ^Ir. John Young. She has l)een on the stocks eighteen nnrnths. and ]n-ob- ably a year more will be gone before she will be launched. There were also a number of large double war canoes building under thatched houses, said to be for the invasion of Attoi (Kauai), which had been sev- eral years since they were begn)i ; tlie largest are sev- enty feet in length, six feet in d('])th and caidi caiKM^ about two feet wide, lashed together about hvc fee* a])art by pieces of tindier rising in the middle on which is a platform for the warriors. Those wh-i ])addle are in the can safe as to takinsr in water. Their single canoes are 24 various sizes, about one-third as wide as they are deep, and even their outriggers are tender-sided. The Irish- man (Martin) who visited ns on onr arrival came near being drowned ; going on shore he overset twice in trying to let US know how well he felt ; he would not be still, he tried to hoorah and over he went. We sent our boat and picked him up. He said they w^ere the worst l)oats he was ever in: a man could not shift his chew of tobacco. I think they are nothing like as easily overset as the Xorth American bark canoes, which I have been pretty w^ell used to and not afraid to go in at almost any time. These canoes will, I think, out- ])addle them against the wind, but in a perfect calm L do not know that they w'ould, although they say they can paddle nine knots, which is faster than I ever saw a bark canoe paddled. These canoes are dug out from logs, or rather partly burned and partly dug out; they are generally in two pieces; some are in several; the workmanship is good and they are not made in a hurry. The king Ivamehameha (k) ) now has his blacksmiths and his carpenters; there was a black- smith's forge at the navy yard. The man( ) Avho killed Capt. Cook was alongside of us. He is not blamed by the natives, and I believe ought not to be, but the circumstance has been so much regi*etted among themselves, as well as on board every vessel that ever stops there, that he really feels not as though he had done wrong but a regret at having done it; he never visits on board, but goes alongside with what he may have to sell, and on shore again as soon a? it is disposed of. The disposition which made Capt. Cook a great man was what cost him his life; a per- severance bordering on rashness and a s])rig of national pride which increases to its full size on board of every armed ship of Great Britain. Owhyhee (Hawaii) was calculated to contain one hundred and fifty thou- sand inhabitants Avhen visited by Capt Cook; at this tiuie I do not Ixdieve it contains over a. hundred thou- sand : it probably has been reduced considerably by the 25 late wars. Mowee (Maui), the next in size to Owhy- liee( Hawaii), is said to be a very fine island; it ap- peared very pleasant but we did not land on it; is about one-third less than Owhyhee (Hawaii). Wahoo (Oahu) rather a less island, but I think the pleasant- est island of the whole; the harbor (Honolulu harbor) is said to be the safest among the group. Attoi (Kauai) is also a delightful island and said to be full the equal in size of all others ; in agriculaure it is said to be the first. JVATIVES The natives of these islands are an active, well-made people, color of a dark olive, varying two or three shades lighter. Most of the men, particularly the chiefs, rather disfigure themselves by knocking out two or three upper fore teeth. Their dress is the nierro (malo), which is a narrow piece of cloth about six inches Mdde, carried around the waist and in a peculiar manner between their legs, then tucked through in front, the end hanging loosely down; being no more than decency would demand in any country where there would be any pretensions to it. The dress of the women evidenced a superiority more necessary and more com- mon to them in the delicacy of their dress. They wore a sort of petticoat made from the cloth of the country, which descended below their knees, and they some- times wore a piece of cloth as a mantle over their shoulders; they also wore ornaments around their neck and on their heads, and would have really looked well but for one very forbidding custom of turning the hair up on the forehead and taking the color out with lime, so that there was a streak perfectly white on their forehead when the rest of the hair was very black. They are very pleasing in their manners and evidently, particularly those that are young and hand- some, have the same power over the men that they have in countries more civilized. T have l>ef()i-c re- marked that the young wouien never work in tlii^ HcltK luit the old ones sometimes do. The foreigners, when 26 no vessels are here, more iicnerally dress like the natives. There was an Italian ( ) eaine on board of ns, and being niueh tattooed, I shonld not have noticed but he was an Indian, iniless told tu the contrary. I noticed one Indian who always cats with the women, contrary to the uniform custom. ^Ir. Young told me there were some instances, but they were few and that such men were completely incorporated into the society of the females, and Avere, no more than they, allowed to go into the houses of the men. There was one thing very unpleasant to my feelings, who yo\i know, as my mother was a woman, having the highest esteem and respect for the female character, which Avas to see them all, pleasant, cheerful women, go stooping about decks merely because there happened to be a chief on deck. They have one very fascinating quality in the females, Avhich is neatness ; they certainly are the most cleanly people that I have seen ; they bathe a number of times every day, they do nothing scarcely without bathing after it; they bathe immediately after every repast. As far as we can judge from appearances they are a very happy people; they appear to be child- ren in their amusements and in everything but their size. There was a chief with his wife that slept on our cabin floor one night and they laughed and giggled through the whole of it. They sing and dance a great deal, their songs are altogether patriotic, something in favor of their king and their ])rincipal chiefs. I shall not attempt to argue the point whether a more civilized state of society is more happy or not. If they have more virtues, do they not also have more vices ? If a child appears lively and happy, we reason- ably conclude he is so. Capt. Vancouver was very anxious to Christianize these people, but that can never be done until they are more civilized. The king Amma-amma-haii (Kamehameha) told Capt. Van- couver that he would go with him on to the high moun- tain Mona Eoah (Manna Loa) and they would both jump off together, each calling on their separate gods 27 for protc'ctiou, aud if Capt. Vancouver's god saved liiiii. but himself was not saved by bis god, tben liis pcct- ple sboidd believe as Capt. Vancouver did. ('apt. \'au- couver bad management enougb to get all tbe isbuicls ceded to tbe king of England; tbis will be a sufficient excuse to tbe world-monopolizing disposition of tbat go\ernment to take possession whenever they think it for their interest to do so. The king (Kameha- meba (k) ) of Owbyhee (Hawaii) always enquires when a vessel ctmies in how George is. Although tbe former is tbe sujierior of the latter, tbat is, he is by far tbe greatest uian among bis people, he only a})peai-s to be his equal in fci'lings towards his ; he has an ex- alted opinion of the English from tbe circumstance tbat their ships, tbat have stopped there, have been tbe king's ships, and in lieu of bartering as our sbi])s <1(», they d<» all by presents through the king, wbicb is (bme (»n a very liberal scale. The king (Kauu'hanieha (k) ), when he made his visit to us, brought bis own fare, altlumgb he brougbt a flew cook ( ) with him; what be brougbt, however, Avas such as could not be cooked in their way on board; be brougbt (b)gs and pigs ready cooked. Their dogs are a suuill breeil and are fed with their hogs on vegetables, and are never a com]>auioual)le animal with tbem. Tbeir Havor is much like a ])ig; I tried to eat a ])ie('e, as they appeared so gooil, but after rolling it i-ound two or three times, was as glad to get i-id of it as lubau Allen was of tbe olive: 'AVith your leave, .Madam," said be. "I will ])ut tbis d — d tiling back again." Tlieii- mo(b's ot" barbecuing their dogs and ])igs are: tliey ai-e neatly dressed, their hair being singed oil", a hole is iheu dug in tbe ground, some heated stones laid at tbe bottom vovei'ed witb plantain leaves, tbe inside of I be pig stuflFed, in my opinion, a substitute foi- ])read as the bread fruit; it is as great an absorbent and is as palatable. There are a few sheep on Owhyhee (Hawaii) and some poultry at this time of but little im])ortance. There is also a cow ; not long ago this cow had a calf, and it being what the natives had never seen before, they were so much delighted with it that they set off with it seventy or eighty miles to sho-w it to tlie king, and it diev the great indticement; they value a nail as much as we do a guinea, and the same time tluy see we value them lightly, when wo are willing to heave them oveib<.;i rd merelv to see them dive for tJieiii : and aiiionii -iich 30 a crowd as is always around the ship would it iiut be surprisiiig- if there were not thieves 'i Should we say the natives of these islands are the greatest thieves in rlu- world, when on shore private property is re- speet('_v tliciii ar the isJaiKls. These people appear so liapi>y that 1 retieot niueli on the suhjeet ; although retined societies may be the hap- piest, the refinement must not he carried to great Inxuriousness. ^tav not the Sandwich Islanders be less short of necessary refinement than the Italians, who pay little attention to a virtuous retincnient, are beyond it ( These Islanders are neat in their persons, respect their legislators and their laws, are cheerful and obliging to each other. Those are refinements. As nothing is great or small but by comparison, com]iare them with the Patagonians, who are far ahead ttf the miserable Tierra del Fnegans, near Cape Horn, who are very filthy and in no way comfortable. Between them and the Italian perhaps these lslan