Introduction
John Stilwell Jenkins (1818-1852) was an American prose-writer; born in Albany, NY, February 15, 1818 and died in Weedsport, NY, September 20, 1852.
He was a lawyer by profession, but edited the Cayuga Times.
Among his numerous works are Generals of the Last War with Great Britain (1841); an abridgement of Hammond’s Political History of New York (1846); Alice Howard (1846); Life of Silas Wright (1847); History of the Mexican War (1848); and Heroines of History (1853).

Jenkins' accounts of surf-riding in Hawaii and the Kingsmill Islands are expanded rewrites of US Naval commander Charles Wilkes' Narratives published in 1845.
As Wilkes does not mention the surfers' stance in the section on surfing in Hawaii (Kauai and Oahu, 1840), Jenkins' account of the riders on hands and knees, or extended at full length is clearly augmented by other accounts, possibly dating back to Cook's mariners.

Note that the Kingsmill Islands then applied to all of the Gilbert Islands, now only the southern portion of the group.

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Page 369

Ancient manners and customs are nearly done away, and the natives are gradually accustoming themselves to the habits of the whites.
Some few of their amusements — the relics of former times — are still preserved.
They are an amphibious race, and being totally fearless of danger, will spend hours at a time, disporting themselves, in the most furious surf.
In bathing, each person is usually provided with a surf-board.
This is from six to nine feet long, and from twelve to eighteen inches wide.
It is from one to two inches thick in the centre, but quite thin at the edges.
Throwing himself flatwise upon this, the bather plunges forward from the shore on the top of the recoiling surf.
When he meets a roller he dives under it, and emerging on the other side, darts ahead once more with great rapidity, till he gains the outer line of breakers, from a quarter to half a mile distant from the shore.
Now watching the opportunity, he mounts one of the loftiest waves, balancing himself on his board on his hands and knees, or extended thereupon at full length.
With the speed of a maddened courser he darts towards the shore, his shout of triumph ringing loud and clear, and distinctly heard above the roar of the surge, if he is so fortunate as to distance his companions.
Accidents sometimes occur, but

Page 370

if the bather is dismounted from his board, or thrown from the wave on which he has placed himself, nothing daunted by the failure, he attempts to reach another, and though still unsuccessful, will persevere till he is obliged to return to the beach, at which he often arrives panting for breath and completely exhausted by his efforts.
This is esteemed glorious sport by all ages and classes, and both sexes engage in it indiscriminately, with nothing on but the maro.
 

Page 401
 
Playing at foot-ball, sailing miniature canoes, swimming in the surf with a board like that of the Hawaiians, and flying kites made of split pandanus leaves drawn over a frame,
are the principal amusements of the men.

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Jenkins, John S.: Voyage of the U.S. exploring squadron : commanded by Captain Charles Wilkes, of the United States Navy, in 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, and 1842 : together with explorations and discoveries made by Admiral D'Urville, Captain Ross, and other navigators and travellers : and an account of the expedition to the Dead Sea, under Lieutenant Lynch. Kerr, Doughty, & Laphamn, Detroit, 1853. Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/voyageofusexplor00jenk

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