The Dawn - A Journal For Women Sydney, Saturday 1 February 1896, page 34.
SURF RIDING AT NIIHAU.
A curious pastime which is somewhat in vogue among the natives
of the Hawaiian Islands, and was more popular formerly than
now, is surf-riding. It is
described thus:-Six stalwart men assembled on the beach of a
small cove, bearing on them their precious surf-boards. These boards-
in Hawaiian, "wave-sliding boards'' -are made from the wood of
the bread-fruit tree.
They are eight
or ten feet long, fifteen or twenty inches wide, rather thin,
rounded at each end, and carefully smoothed. They are
sometimes stained black are frequently rubbed with cocoanut
oil, and are preserved with great care, sometimes wrapped in
cloths. Children use
smaller boards.
Plunging
through the nearer surf, the natives reach the outer line of
breakers, and watching their opportunity they lay flat upon
the board. The more
expert among them kneeled. Just as a high
billow was about to break over them they pushed landward in
front of the combers. Apparently,
the waves rushing in were always on the point of submerging
the rider ; but unless some mishap occured, they drove him
forward with rapidity upon the beach, or into shallow water. In a high surf
it is exciting sport, and demands skill and experience.
A few days
later I was initiated into the mysteries of surf-riding by my
host, who is quite an expert. I learned the
the principle, and believe that practice only is needed to
gain a measure of skill. For persons
accustomed to bathing in surf, the process is less difficult
than is usually represented.
Trove
1896 'SURF RIDING
AT N[?]HAU.', The Dawn (Sydney, NSW : 1888 - 1905) , 1 February,
p. 34, viewed 4 June, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article76419904 The
Pacific Commercial Advertiser Honolulu,, February 24, 1896, page 8. The ship Kenilworth is on its way to Francisco to
this port to load sugar.
It will be remembered she was here last year and took a large
cargo of sugar to New York. A young son of Captain Freeth made the voyage to New York
on the ship. Chronicling America The Pacific commercial advertiser. (Honolulu, Hawaiian
Islands) 1885-1921, February 24, 1896, Image 8
Image and text provided by University of Hawaii at Manoa;
Honolulu, HI
Persistent link: http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85047084/1896-02-24/ed-1/seq-8/
Evening News
Sydney, Saturday 14 March 1896, page 9.
POLYNESIAN SPORTS (By
'Ta Matau.') SURF SWIMMING
The average native inhabitant of what is properly Polynesia, i.e., that is that vast collection of grouped and isolated is lands extending front about latitude 170deg east to longitude 130 deg west, and reaching from the Equator to about 28 deg south — spends nearly a third of his existence upon the water.
Especially is this this case with those people inhabitating the low, sandy atolls of the Paumotu, Ellice, Kingsmill, Gilbert, and Union; Groups; for they have not the fertile soil and luxuriant vegetation of the higher, volcanic, order of
islands, and in consequence
their food supply comes largely from, the lagoons and reefs of their island
homes.
That such a
people should be skilled fishermen, daring voyagers, and addicted to spend much of their
time in apuatic
pastime is not, therefore, in be wondered at.
They are
literally able to swim as soon as they can walk, and lose all dread of the sea ere
they are old
enough to know that the feats they perform in the water would fill even the most
powerful and 'cracked-up'
European professional swimmer or diver with astonishment and envy.
As divers they are, perhaps, unsurpassed by any other race in the
world; and even
although among the degenerate breed of Fijians and Samoans that the present-day
traveller will see at
Suva and Apia he will witness some good diving he wants to go further afield among
the pearl-divers of
Manhike and Penrhyn's Island to form an. adequate idea of the extraordinary powers of
the
Polynesian to work under, water. But, the average native loves to play on the water
much better than he
likes to labor under it, and it is such a pastime as that of surf-swimming that he fills the
white be
holder with astonishment at the daring nature of the exhibition and with admiration
for the skill and grace
of his seemingly involuntary flight upon the crest of the thundreing surges.
Of all the national games or sports that take up so large a snare of the time of the
South Sea Islandersurf-swimming is the most
favored, and practised, particularly by the young people of both
senses.
By the
Samoan it is called 'faa'se'e,.' by the Tahitians and other people of the Society and
Austral Islands
either 'horue' or 'faahe'e,' and by the people of ths Elliee Islands 'fakaheke.'
Sometimes the whole of
the inhabitants of a village, young and old alike, develop a sudden craze for the
sport, in the same.
manner that the Samoans of late years have taken to playing cricket, and a most
extraordinary and amusing spectacle is presented.
Many years ago ths
writer, when living on one of the Micronesian is lands, was asked by a number of
Polynesian natives in
his employ, to give them a few hours' leave to 'fakaheke,' and, this being
granted, some five or six
young men at once dashed out into the surf, and began the sport.
Their example was contagious, and in less than three minutes the village was
deserted,
except by aged and inferior people.
These, however, crept
out upon the beach and watched the fun with the greatest interest.
Among them was an old man of at last 70, who was suffering from an
ophthalmic
complaint, and who could not even see the performances of those enjoying themselves
in the surf.
But, like an old troop horse, whose blood tingles in his veins at the sound of the bugle,
old Pakia's
spirit awoke, and he earnestly besought the writer to lend him 'a large flat board,' so that he might join in the pastime.
A piece of a deal packing case brought forth his warmest thanks, and in a
few
minutes the old fellow was swimming out, jeebly but gallantly to join the merry crowd
of surf-riders.
A roar of approval went up as they caught sight of the old man, and some young lads
and girls at once
went to his assistance.
They soon reached the
edge of the reef, near where the surf
curled over
ere it broke; and then with loud shouts of laughter the poor old fellow was
placed upon hissurfboard,
and, at a fitting moment, let go in, front of a huge seething roller.
But, old and blind
as he was, he came in like an arrow from a bow, and with a feeble cry of triumph let
him self
slide off the board ere it
touched the beach.
Again and again was this performance repeated amidst loud plaudits and shrieks of
laughter from his
companions; and certainly the ancient person did present a very amusing sight as
time after time
he flew before the roaring surf,
his scant white
locks trailing behind him like the frayed out end of a Manilla hawser, and his
features expressive
of the most sublime enjoyment.
The most favored spots for this exciting pastime — the tobogganing of the sea, it
may be termed —
are the passages leading through the inner lagoon reefs, or, if there is not
too angry a surf, the entrance to a bay or harbor on
the outer reef.
Here, at high tide, the long unbroken ocean billows roll in in unbroken majesty
till they are
barred by the walls or reef, over which they curl and break, and then dash madly
shoreward in a long
line of seething foam.
Those who are the most experienced at 'fakar-heke' disdain to use the surfboard,
and, spring ing
in front of a sea, by a curious method of holllowing in the back and depressing
the head and neck,
they fly in before the rolling surge at an amazing speed.
Sometimes both hands will be held outspread before them; at others the
right hand
only, while the left strikes the water a series of quick strokes so as to
keep the swimmer
well in front of the propelling surge.
With, the board, however, even an European
novice can soon
attain the art in a few lessons, provided he has confidence in himself and is a
good swimmer.
If he has not the latter qualification he had best not attempt it — he would be drowned
to a certainty
if unaccompanied by natives.
On some of
the Ellice Islands the swimmers will go quite half a mile from the beach, and,
braving the
danger from sharks, watch for an incoming wave as it thunders over the reef.
Then, forming in line,
each person rests his or her stomach upon the board,
grasping the upper edge with both hands, and with a cry of triumph they are
off, and
tearing at a mad rate of speed shoreward.
Straight as a bullet they go, steering themselves by their feet and an imperceptible
movement of
the back and shouders; for the slightest deviation from a straight course would
result in a
capsize and being left behind in an instant.
As the
beach is neared they slip off the aboard, which, however, is retained in the
hand. '
Then
turning seaward again they dive under the advancing surges that roll down upon
them, and
swimming between the lulls reach their start ing point again.
Others there are, however,
who are so skilled by
long practice that, instead of rushing before the, sea in a prone position, they
sit upon theboard, holding themselves in
position by grasping the
sides.
This is a method much in practice among some of the women and girls, and to
see
perhaps from ten to fifty of them mounted on the top of a curling sea, and
enveloped in spray as
they rush shoreward with the speed of a por poise in pursuit of its prey, is an
exhilarating and
interesting sight.
Their loud cries of delight and encouragement to each other, the thunder of the surf as it breaks
upon its coral barrier,
and the shrieks of laughter that ensue when some luckless one overbalanpes or
misguides her self
among the hissing foam lend an additional zest of enjoyment to the scene.
It is but seldom that surf
swimmers are attacked
by sharks.
This no doubt results from the clamor that prevails during the
continuance of
the sport.
Only one instance has come under the writer's knowledge, when, in 1874, a fine handsome young native while
enjoying himself with
a number of others at 'faa'se'e' on the island of Apolima, was seized by a shark.
He, with
three others, was spinning shorewards, when just before they reached the beach he
was seen
to disappear, to rise again in a moment or two with his right arm gone close to
the shoulder.
At the island of Tematagi, in the Paumotuan Archipelago, however, some three years ago. eight young children were
attacked by four or
five sharks while surf
swimming in very shallow water, on tne outer reef.
Before canoes could
be launched to go their assistance, five of the unfortunate, children had been
taken, and one
of the survivors badly bitten in her side.
This is the only real and, fortunately, infrequent danger that may be dreaded by
the surf swimmer.
As for being drowned, no one has ever heard of such a fate befalling a
Polynesian; at
the pastime. Trove 1896
'POLYNESIAN SPORTS.', Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 -
1931), 14 March, p. 9, viewed 22 August, 2013, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article109922955
The Herald. Los Angeles, June 15, 1896, page 2.
ANOTHER ONE
An Epidemic of Fire Among the Baynclimate Hotels
SAN DIEGO,
June 14 A telephone
message received at 9:30 tonight from La Jolla, twenty miles
from this city, said that the La Jolla hotel was burning and
would without doubt be a total loss. The hotel was
built five or six years ago at a cost of $33,000. It was
unoccupied at the time of the fire and there was very little
furniture in it. The insurance
on it was $10,000. The fire broke
out on the second floor in the rear, its origin is not known. The owners of
the hotel are French & Hamilton of this city. They say they
will rebuild at once.
Chronicling
America The herald.
(Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, June 15, 1896, Image 2
Image and text
provided by University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA
Persistent link:
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85042461/1896-06-15/ed-1/seq-2/ The
Hawaiian Gazette. Honolulu, July 28, 1896, page 5.
FROM HALAWA VALLEY.
James K. Writes Notes from Island of Molokai.
Kalahale, the
ablest surf-rider on Molokai, is still living in Halawa Valley
and at the very advanced age of over seventy years. He has told
the writer how he acquired dexterity in that branch of
acquatic sports now almost unknown to the rising generation of
Hawaiians. It was a craze
(almost as that prevailing among tennis players) among, the
youth of those days. Practice makes
perfect, he says, and only in that way did he learn to perform
feats of standing in various attitudes on a surf-board while
being borne on the top of the waves at a break-neck speed. He is old now
and lacks strength and agility, but performing feats on a
surf-board he could never forget. Halawa folks
who have seen him giving exhibitions in his balmy days all say
that Kalahale did perform most wonderful and graceful feats. J. K.
Chronicling
America The Hawaiian
gazette. (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, July 28, 1896,
Image 5
Image and text
provided by University of Hawaii at Manoa; Honolulu, HI
Persistent link:
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83025121/1896-07-28/ed-1/seq-5/ The
Hawaiian Gazette. Honolulu, September 22, 1896, page 1.
REGATTA DAY WAS A GREAT SUCCESS
Crowds Watched Events and Enjoyed Them. FOUL RACE A
DISAPPOINTMENT.
Yacht
Races Were Slow But Pleasant - Bonnie Dundee the Winner -
Sharks Cause Consternation -
Kilauea
Hou Boys Make a Winning - Natives Excel in Swimming and
Diving.
When, on
the morning of June 8th, 1896, the Judiciary Committee of
the House of Representatives reported on House Bill No. 59,
relating to national holidays, Representative Robertson as
chairman and introducer of the bill, said, among other
things:
(Photograph)
A. G. M.
ROBERTSON. President
Myrtle Boat Club and Founder .of the Day.
"There is
considerable local feeling in favor of a holiday at a time
of the year suitable for aquatic sports, and believing that
it is legitimate and proper for a Government to encourage
healthful exercise and manly sport among its people, we
cordially support the idea. There are
certainly no sports better adapted to our climate or more
worthy of encouragement than yachting and rowing. A day in
September would notonly be suitable for a regatta day, but
would more equally divide the period betweeen Fourth of July
and Christmas.
"We
therefore recommend that in Section 1 of House Bill No. 59,
the words -'the 28th day of November' be struck out and the
words 'the third Saturday of September' be inserted in their
place. "With this
amendment we recommend the bill pass." On June 12th
the bill passed third reading in both the Senate and House,
and became a law that must needs from the very nature of
things become more and more popular as the years roll by, a
law that will always have connected with it the name of A.
G. M. Robertson.
Honolulu is
a city, a large proportion of the inhabitants of which are
people in one way or another interested in healthful sports,
and it is not to be wondered at that the setting apart of a
day to be devoted entirely to aquatic events, a day each
year to be looked forward to as Regatta Day, has given such
general satisfaction.
The boat
clubs of the city and other interested parties caught the
right spirit and determined to make Saturday, September
19th, a most successful beginning of Regatta Day. The Hawaiian
Rowing Association, in whose hands all arrangements were
placed, appointed their committee and began planning the
events of the day at an early date. They went
about to different merchants of the city, who responded most
liberally to the call for money with which to buy prizes as
an incentive toward the entrance of different parties into
the events. Two days
before the races arrangements for the same were entirely
completed, and the result was awaited with interest.
Saturday
dawned with hardly a cloud in the sky, and a light breezs
stirring from the northeast. It was plain
to see that no umbrellas would be needed, and that the day
would be a fine one for the races.
The
wharves, boat houses and vessels in port and every other
spot of vantage were crowded with people, but special
mention will be made of these later.
OFFICERS
OF THE DAY.
Following
are the judges, the H. R. A. Regatta Committee and
others - who should be given the greatest credit for the
able manner in which they conducted the races, and
especially for the dispatch with which they handled
everything: Judges:
Captain J. A. King, Lieutenant Stanworth of the U. S. S.
Adams, and F. S. Dodge. Regatta
Committee of Hawaiian Rowing Association, in charge of the
regatta: David Kawananakoa, Leilani; W. A. Wall, Healani,
and W. C. Parke. Time
Keepers: Frank Kruger and S. Wa'hlen. Starter C.
B. Wilson. Clerk of the
Course Badly Needed.
FIRST
CLASS YACHTS.
Shortly
before 9 o'clock the signal gun, a bomb fired from the
judges' stand anchored just off the Pacific Mail wharf and
on a line with the Kaimiloa anchored in Naval Row, announced
the first class yacht race, the first on the program, for
two prizes of $50 and $25. Course from
starting point on line with judges' stand, out the channel
between buoys and leaving spar and bell buoys on port side;
then to stake boat off Waikiki, keeping it on the port side
when rounding; thence to flag boat off Quarantine island,
keeping it on starboard side when rounding; thence to spar
buoy, keeping it on port side, passing in channel to
starting point. Entries:
Helene, by Wm. G. Irwin; Rescue, by C. Johnson; Hawaii and
Bonnie Dundee, by W. Luther Wilcox. Time of
starting Helene, 9 hrs., 1 min., 57 sees.; Bonnie Dundee, 9
hrs.,
The Helene,
sailed by Captain went scudding away toward Waikiki as if
she meant business, and the Bonnie Dundee went along as if
there was nothing in the world to bother the even tenor of
her way. The Hawaii
and Rescue followed at about equal distances out the
channel. The Helene
seemed to be gaining all the while on the stretch out toward
Diamond Head, but it was not for long. The Bonnie
began to fly and gained a good deal on the turn, going past
the channel in the direction of Barber's Point quite a
distance ahead. It was just
about this time that a man was seen to climb the mast of the
Helene, and out flew the spinnaker of the yacht. In a little
while she had come abreast
(Photograph)
DAVID
KAWANANAKOA. Of Regatta
Committee.
of the
Bonnie, and a little later had passed her; but every one
seemed to believe that the Bonnie would gain at the turn and
beat her lively opponent in. They were
not mistaken in their prediction. While the
Helene was beating about outside the channel the Bonnie was
sailing up, and in two tacks had shot past the finish line. Time 3 hrs.,
41 mins., 82 secs. Helene, 4 hrs., 1 min., 24 secs. The other
yachts were so far behind that no account was taken of their
time.
TUB RACE.
There was
but one entry for the tub race, and Kahaekupuna, the
contestant, pumped his way across from the tug-boat wharf to
the judges' stand without falling into the water. Prize $5. Time 3
mins., 10 secs. ....
RECOLLECTIONS
OF
THE DAY. [Sketched by
an Advertiser Artist.]
(Two of four
illustrations, note that "The suddden appearance of a
shark" is not mentioned in the body of the article)
... SWIMMING
CONTEST. "Long-legged"
Anderson of the U. S. S. Adams, Kapule and Kimokeo were the
three contestants in the swimming race. In the start
from the tug-boat wharf the natives showed Anderson how they
learned to swim when they were children, and set out with the
overhand, leaping stroke that sent the tears rolling down the
man-o'-war's man's cheeks. They shot
ahead and left him a long distance in the rear. Kimokeo, a
young native, proved too much for Kapule, reaching the judges
stand in JJ mins., 13 secs. Prize $5.
(Photograph)
F. S. DODGE. Judge.
DIVING
CONTEST.
Kimokeo,
the same native who won the swimming contest over
"Long-legged" Anderson of the U. S. S. Adams, remained under
water 32 seconds, beating his competitor by several seconds.
Chronicling
America The Hawaiian gazette. (Honolulu [Oahu,
Hawaii]) 1865-1918, September 22, 1896, Image 1
Image and text
provided by University of Hawaii at Manoa; Honolulu, HI
Persistent link:
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83025121/1896-09-22/ed-1/seq-1/ The Pacific Commercial Advertiser
Honolulu, November 13, 1896, page 3.
CANOEING ACTORS.
Nat Goodwin and Party
Entertained at Waikiki
After the arrival of the Goodwin party on Wednesday, an
invitation was ex tended Maxine Elliott and her sister,
Gertrude, together with Mr. Goodwin, to spend the
afternoon with W. W. Dimond and E. C. Macfarlane surf-riding and
canoeing along the Waikiki beach. The ladies proved to be expert swimmers and divers, and
very much enjoyed the novelty of a ride in the canoe. Mr. Goodwin was so favorably impressed that he was tempted
to postpone the performance, in order to get more of it. During the afternoon a number of snap shots were taken, and
when they are developed they will be printed and sent on to the
Goodwin Company.
Chronicling America The Pacific commercial advertiser. (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands)
1885-1921, November 13, 1896, Image 3
Image and text provided by University of Hawaii at Manoa;
Honolulu, HI
Persistent link: http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85047084/1896-11-13/ed-1/seq-3/The Hawaiian
Star Honolulu, November 13, 1896, page 8. Nat Goodwin said he is coming back to Honolulu in the near
future If for no other reason than to go surf-riding and canoeing
with his friends W. W. Dimond and E. C. Macfarlane.
Chronicling America The Hawaiian star. (Honolulu [Oahu])
1893-1912, November 13, 1896, Image 8
Image and text provided by University of Hawaii
at Manoa; Honolulu, HI
Persistent link: http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82015415/1896-11-13/ed-1/seq-8/ The
San Francisco Call. San Francisco, November 30, 1896, page 5.
At Waikiki
beach the wonderful colors of the water are like the inside of
the abalone shell, opalescent and constantly changing. The beach is a
broken line of gray sand bordered with palms and cocoa trees
waving and nodding, and beyond the scene is a mixture of blue,
purple and emerald. For life there
are the bathers and surf- riders, who go through the surf as
fast as a locomotive. I had a novel
experience in sketching there. Mr. Peacock of
Honolulu gave me a commission to paint the beach. He wanted a
view from the sea, so I had to go out in a native's little
canoe and sketch in a high sea. The natives
were naked and seemed quite at home, but I feared the canoe
would turn over. While I was
sketching one of the boatmen dived into the water. He stayed down
for a long time and then came up with a sort of star fish with
spikes like a porcupine. The two men
had a great feast and offered me some of the star-fish, which
tasted like an oyster. When I world
say go ashore the boatmen would let the boat go on to of a big
wave and we would shoot through the surf at such a terrific
rate it made my hair stand on end, but I clung to the canoe
and landed safely each time.
