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rev. harbutt : surfboard riding in samoa, 1885

Rev. Robert Harbutt : Surfboard Riding in Samoa, 1885.

Extract from
Rev. Robt. G. Harbutt. The Samoan Islands.
The Youth's Companion
Perry Mason Company, Boston, c 1885.
Repinted in
Mid-ocean America, Islands in the Pacific Ocean
P. Mason Company, Boston, 1900.

Internet Archive
http://archive.org/details/midoceanamericai00bost

Introduction.
William Harbutt was born circa 1839 in Samoa, South Sea Islands and died December 1885 in West Derby, Lancashire.
The article is thus dated c1885.
Devon Mitchells and some Cornish too
http://www.devon-mitchells.co.uk/getperson.php?personID=I71&tree=StokeDamerel, viewed 10 May 2013.

Inside Cover

Publishers' Notice,

For many years America has been interested in the progress of Hawaii, then Samoa became prominent, and later the Spanish War and the
Canal project turned attention to other Pacific islands.
The principal events and conditions in these islands have been faithfully reported in the columns of The Youth's Companion.
This book contains selections from those articles which seem to be of permanent value to people interested in our national development.
The Companion's record of the islands of the Pacific is fairly representative of the way in which it treats all countries and all events prominent
in the progress of civilization.

Page 2

American Islands?
Page 28

The Samoan Islands.

Tutuila, the latest acquisition of the United States, is one of the three most important of the Samoan Islands, which number nine, besides several uninhabitable rocky islets.
These islands were little known until 1830, when native teachers from the Society Islands first landed.
On account of the numerous canoes which were seen, and the great dexterity of the natives in paddling them through the surf, the islands were called the Navigators Islands, but Samoa is the native name for the group.

Page 29

In addition to these features, picture to yourself villages situated at the foot of the hills near the shore, and canoes full of natives navigating these waters, or steering skilfully through the surf, and you will have a pretty good general idea of the islands as
seen by the first visitors in the days of heathen Samoa.

Page 30

The Samoans were always very cleanly of person, bathing very frequently.
Mothers would take their infant children into the water on their backs, and little mites of three or four years of age would paddle about in the water without the slightest fear.
The result has been that, to this day, the natives, both men and [page 31] women, are very expert in the water, and can swim and dive like fishes.
Little boys will swim about in the boiling surf, and even for amusement allow themselves to be carried on the waves right over the reefs, with nothing but a small piece of wood to hold on to.
An instance [page 32] occurred in my father's time of a woman swimming eighteen miles.
...
Rev. Robt. G. Harbutt.

Rev. Robt. G. Harbutt. The Samoan Islands.
The Youth's Companion
Perry Mason Company, Boston, c 1885.

Reprinted in
Selections from The Youth's Companion:
Mid-ocean America, Islands in the Pacific Ocean
Perry Mason Company, Boston, 1900.

Internet Archive
http://archive.org/details/midoceanamericai00bost

surfresearch.com.au

Geoff Cater (2013-2016) : Rev. Robert Harbutt : Surfboard Riding in Samoa, 1885.
http://www.surfresearch.com.au/1885_Harbutt_Youths_Companion.html