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Charles Wilkes : Narrative
of U.S. Expedition, 1833-1842.
Wilkes, Charles,
U.S.N.:
Narrative of
the U. S. Exploring Expedition during the Years 1833-1842.
Whittaker,
Philadelphia,
1845.
Volume IV, pages
44
to 47, 54, and 207.
Volume V, page 100.
www.googlebooks
Introduction.
While Wilkes
notes
the lack of sports amongst native Hawaiians in Volume IV, which
he attributes
to the influence of Christian missionaries (page 54) but
indicates that
surf-riding still retains its attraction.
The report from
the Kingsmill Group (Volume V, page 100) demonstrates that the
use of the
surfboard was widespread across the Pacific.
In the 19th
century
the Kingsmill Islands applied to all of the Gilbert Islands, it
now refers
only to the southern group.
While Wilkes'
most probably observed the islanders surfing, it is possible
that his accounts may have been supplemented from other sources
:
The American
narrative, for which he (Wilkes) claimed copyright,
borrowed shamelessly,
often without acknowledgement, from the journals of his
subordinates.
Wads of
material
were lifted from earlier writers to pad out the histories of
countries
visited.
- Mawer,
Granville
Allen: South by Northwest- The Magnetic Crusade and the
Contest for
Antartica.
Wakefield Press,
1 Parade West, Kent Town, South Australia, 2006, pages 133 and
134.
VOLUME IV
CHAPTER
II.
KAUAI AND OAHU, 1840.
Page 44?
In their
navigation
they never, if they could avoid it, subjected themselves to
get out of
sight of land, and were never so except by accident.
When they
found
this to be the case, they made use of the heavenly bodies, if
visible;
and being accurate observers of the weather and atmospheric
changes, they
were enabled to find their way back again; for the various
changes of weather
about the Hawaiian Islands, and the appearance these changes
brought about
in the clouds over and in the vicinity of the land, afforded
them a sure
guide.
From all
accounts,
it is supposed that but few persons have been lost, by being
driven or
sailing off (through mistake) from the land.
Many
disasters,
however, have arisen, from the frailty and smallness of their
canoes, although
their good management of them was proverbial (?),
particularly in
the surf.
Of late, and
since they have possessed foreign vessels, they have lost much
of their
skill.
These vessels
they manage after their own way, and although many have been
lost by wreck
on the islands, I did not hear of any having been blown off.
Some amusing
anecdotes were told me of their negligence and inability to
keep awake
during the night.
They are quite
fearless on the water; all swim, and have little fear of loss
of life by
drowning.
They appear
quite
as much at home in the water as on land, and many of them more
so.
Many remarkable
instances of their patience under this kind of fatigue, were
mentioned
to me.
One of them,
which happened the year of our arrival, is well authenticated,
and will
also tend to show very great attachment and endurance in the
female sex.
As the Hawaiian
schooner Kiola, commanded by an American
Page 45
named
Thompson,
who was married to Kaiha, a female chief, was going to
Hawaii, having on
board many passengers, on getting into the straits between
Maui and Hawaii
the schooner foundered, and all on board, forty-five in
number, were obliged
to take to swimming for safety.
Thompson
could
swim but little, but his wife was quite expert in the art;
she promptly
came to his aid, placed him on an oar, and swam for the
shore.
The accident
occurred on Sunday about noon, when she with many others
began to swim
for the nearest land, which was Kahoolawe.
She
continued
to support her husband until Monday morning, when he died
from exhaustion,
and she did not succeed in reaching the shore until that
afternoon.
She clung to
him to the last, at the imminent risk of her own life, and
was thirty hours
in the water; she was met by some fishermen on landing, who
took charge
of, and brought her back to Maui.
Page 46
Having little
motive for industry, they expend their physical energies in
various athletic
sports.
A favourite
amusement
of the chiefs was sliding down hill on a long narrow sled:
this was called
holua; it was not unlike our boys' play, when we have
snow.
The sled was
made to slide on one runner, and the chiefs prostrated
themselves on it.
For this sport
they had a trench dug from the top of a steep hill and down
its sides,
to a great distance over the adjoining plain.
This being
made
quite smooth, and having dry grass laid on it, they were
precipitated with
great velocity down it, and, it is said, were frequently
carried a half,
and sometimes a whole mile.
Diamond Hill
and the plain of Waikiki was one of these localities for this
pastime.
Playing in the
surf was another of their amusements, and is still much
practised.
It is a
beautiful
sight to see them coming in on the top of a heavy roller,
borne along with
increasing rapidity until they suddenly disappear.
What we should
look upon as the most dangerous surf, is that they most
delight in.
The surf-board
which they use
Page 47
is about six
feet in length and eighteen inches wide, made of some light
wood.
After they
have
passed within the surf, they are seen buffeting the waves, to
regain the
outside, whence they again take their course, with almost the
speed of
an aerial flight.
They play for
hours in this way, never seeming to tire; and the time to see
a Hawaiian
happy, is while he is gambolling and frolicking in the surf.
I have stood
for hours watching their sport with great interest, and, I
must say, with
no little envy.
Page 54
I was much
struck
with the absence of sports among the boys and children.
On inquiry, I
learned that it had, after mature deliberation and experience,
been considered
advisable by the missionaries to deprive them of all their
heathenish enjoyments,
rather than allow them to occupy their minds with any thing
that might
recall old associations.
The
consequence
is, that the Hawaiian boys are staid and demure, having the
quiet looks
of old men.
I cannot doubt
that they possess the natural tendency of youth towards
frolicksome relaxations;
but the fear of offending keeps a constant restraint over
them.
It might be
well,
perhaps, to introduce some innocent amusements; and indeed I
believe this
has been attempted, for I occasionally saw them flying kites.
The native games
formerly practised were all more or less those of hazard,
which doubtless
gave them their principal zest.
Page 207
An accident
also
occurred to the launch, while watering, during our stay. Mr.
Vanderford,
who had charge of her, was passing out of the Wailuku river,
off the point
of which the boat entered the breakers, and a heavy roller
capsized her:
being heavily laden with water, she sunk, and drifted out,
leaving those
who were in her in danger of drowning.
Mr. Vanderford
could not swim, but a native came at once to his assistance,
who, however,
would do nothing until he was promised two dollars, which of
course a drowning
man was not long in doing, when he acted promptly and rescued
the officer
from drowning.
In order to
give
the native a lesson as to his conduct in demanding money in
such a situation,
he was told that he would have received twice as much if he
had not made
the demand.
It is due,
however,
to this fellow to say, that in all probability he never
imagined there
was any danger of loss of life; for if these people are at
home any where,
it is certainly in the surf, enjoying as a pleasure what we
from our want
of knowledge and confidence in the art of swimming, consider
dangerous.
VOLUME V
CHAPTER
III
MANNERS
AND CUSTOMS
OF THE KINGSMILL ISLANDERS, 1841.
Page 79
The
Kingsmill
Group consists of fifteen islands, of which the geographical
positions
have been already given in speaking of them separately.
Page 100
There are
many
other amusements: among them foot-ball, sailing small
canoes, swimming
in the surf, and flying kites.
The kites
are
made of the pandanus-leaf reduced to half its thickness,
which renders
it lighter than paper; and they are prettily shaped.
In swimming
in
the surf, they have a small board like that used by the
Sandwich Islanders.
Wilkes,
Charles, U.S.N.:
Narrative of
the U. S. Exploring Expedition during the Years 1833-1842.
Whittaker,
Philadelphia,
1845.
Volume IV and
Volume
V.
www.googlebooks
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Geoff Cater (2010-2018) :
Charles Wilkes
: Narrative of U.S. Expedition, 1845.
http://www.surfresearch.com.au/1845_Wilkes_Narrative.html