Sandwich Islands  Source  Whalesite

      American vessels, in their voyages to and from the North-West coast of this continent, frequently stop at the Sandwich Islands, for refreshments and repairs, and the restoration of health to their crews, generally impaired by

the fatigue incident to the boisterous passage round Cape Horn, and the watchfulness and anxiety necessary in guarding against the Indians, inhabiting the North-West coast of America. Of these islands, so interesting to navigators, and from their situation and productions, so important to the scientifick and commercial world, a short account may be worthy of some attention. They are situated in the North Pacifick Ocean, about two thousand seven hundred miles from the nearest part of the western coast of America, and about five thousand three hundred miles from the nearest part of the eastern coast of Asia. They lie, nearly in. a south-eastern and north-western direction, and extend from 18° 54' to 22° 15' of north latitude; and from 150° 54` to 160° 24' longitude west from Greenwich. They are eleven in number.

      Owyhee, much the largest, is the nearest to the American shore, and going from the south-east to the northwest we have Mowee, the next largest, Tahoorah and Morokinne, the latter the smallest of the group, Ranai, Morotoi, Warhoo, Attoi, the two last nearly equal in size to Mowee. Oneehow and Orechow, and lastly, Tahoora, nearest the Asiatick coast, and the smallest excepting Morokinne. They are all inhabited, excepting Morokinne, Tahoora and Oreehow. Five of them were discovered by the celebrated Cook, in January, 1778; and on his return from Analaska, on the 26th of November, 1778, he discovered Mowee, and on the 30th of the same month Owyhee, where afterwards, he fell a sacrifice to the resentment of the natives, excited by a series of injuries, and insults on the part of the English, almost universally considered to have been inflicted without justifiable cause. It is true, that Captain Cook, individually, discountenanced all acts of violence, and his memory in this particular, has received no tarnish from the occurrences which led to the destruction of his valuable life. It happened in this, as in many other cases, that secondary officers, removed from the eyes of their commanders, were guilty of much abuse of their temporary authority. The Islanders are represented to have shewn, on the second, as well as on the first visit of Cook, abundant confidence, good nature, and cheerfulness, and were remarked for the possession of great "natural politeness" and delicacy of demeanour. These qualities were apparent in

their whole intercourse, even in the minutest circumstances. They did not go to any part of the ships without permission, and refrained from spitting on the decks. They are, however, accused of theft, and according to our notions of the acts necessary to constitute this offence, the accusation is well founded. To this furtive disposition, the quarrels between them and the English are, by the latter, attributed. It may, nevertheless, be doubted whether the appropriation of pieces of iron, &c. to their own use, deserves this appellation, certainly it cannot furnish their visitors with a justification for punishing it with blood. It is admitted by the candid and philosophical of those who accompanied Cook, that the Indians at first took things openly and with unconcern, as if they thought they had a right to them, and were surprized and offended when they were flogged. But, if these actions had, unequivocally, been furtive, it cannot be admitted to have been necessary, to have sacrificed the lives of the natives. Iron to them was more valuable than gold to us; and one would think, that white men, very slightly prone to reflection, would have considered how very few of their own colour would resist the temptation, the circumstances, in all respects, being reversed. We are forcibly struck with the readiness with which the same conduct was considered heinously criminal in the Indians, and quite venial in the English. After the severe lessons, so liberally given the children of nature, to teach them the difference between mine and thine – it is to be supposed they learned something of the distinction. Of course, when their visitors afterwards went on shore for grass and water, the natives resisted, and insisted on payment. But Cook's officers took the herbage and water by force, and were ready to kill the natives for opposing them, thus shewing a willingness to add murder to theft, if their own construction of the actions of the Indians was right. In this, as in most other instances of fatal collision between civilized and uncivilized men, it appears the former has been in the wrong. The blame may, almost without an exception, be laid to those, whose might induces them to trample on right.

      We do not recollect a civilized nation, whose intercourse with uncivilized men has not been marked with cruelty. If there be an exception to this remark, it is in favour of that nation, the most loudly accused of great laxity in morals and

religion. It is believed the French are more often favourites, more easily gain and longer keep the confidence of the men of the woods, than any other nation. Perhaps these exertions of their justice and benevolence left them, under their late blood stained chief, so little to spare for their civilized brethren.

      It was thought by Cook, and those who accompanied him in his last expedition, that they were the first Europeans who visited the Sandwich Islands, and the honour of the discovery has been conferred on him. That they were the first visitors, was inferred from the conduct and inquiries of the natives, whom they were enabled, in a good degree, to understand from their language being very similar to that of the Otaheitans. The busy and active curiosity and astonishment, exhibited and expressed by this artless and comparatively uncivilized race, with respect to the ships and their crews, and almost every thing connected with them, were such as to make it evident, that the then generation had never before seen similar objects. There were, however, two circumstances remarked by the supposed discoverers, which, at the time, caused a slight degree of doubt of their being the first visitors. These were the knowledge of iron, and the dress of some of the chiefs. It was thought, that at most, they had only known iron in small quantities, and at some distant period. The dress referred to, was altogether unlike that of the inhabitants of any other Islands in the South Seas, closely resembling the Spanish cloak and helmet, in form and manner of wearing. But these facts were reconciled with the idea of the Islands never having been visited by civilized men. Their slight knowledge of iron and its use was imputed to some pieces of wreck casually thrown on their shores, and the resemblance in their dress to the Spaniards was considered to have been accidental. It is true, these circumstances, of themselves, would raise a very slight presumption of the Islands having been discovered before, but connected with other facts, the whole may amount to proof. The evidence that Cook wag not the discoverer is thought now to be satisfactory, and will be exhibited after giving a, description of the dress. It is composed of a short cloak and cap. The ground of the cloak is net work, on which the most beautiful feathers of red, black, yellow, and other colours are so closely and

nicely fixed, that the surface resembles the richest velvet, and is valued more than any other articles in their possession excepting iron. The cap is in the form of an helmet setting very close on the head, having notches to admit the ears, and a crest rising five or six inches. It is composed of a frame of twigs covered with net work, on which are fixed feathers -in the same manner and with the same effect as on the cloaks, excepting the caps are generally, of an uniform colour. The cloaks are of similar shape and size to those used by the Spanish men, and are tied and worn in the same manner. The caps resemble the Spanish helmets.

      The evidence which, in connexion with these facts, demonstrate`that Cook, in one sense, was not the discoverer of the Sandwich Islands, will now be offered. In doing this, we feel the less repugnance, for after all, it will appear, that great and valuable man, so untimely and unnecessarily lost to science and the world, is fully entitled to the glory which irradiates his memory. He knew not the facts relative to a discovery for a long time lost, and of which it appears the natives themselves had no tradition. In the lapse of two and a half centuries it was effaced from their recollection.

      The evidence referred to, is contained in the second volume of the voyages of La Perouse, pages, 116, 117. "It is," says the writer in a note, "certain that these Islands were discovered for the first time by Gaetan, [a Spanish navigator] in 1542. According to Gaetan's own account he sailed from the port of The Nativity, on the west coast of Mexico, in the twentieth degree of north latitude, and steered to the west, and after having proceeded nine hundred leagues on a western course (consequently changing his latitude but little) he came to a group of Islands, inhabited by savages nearly naked. These Islands were bordered with coral rocks, and abounded with cocoa nuts and many other fruits, but had neither gold nor silver. To the first he saw, he gave the name of Kings Island; and to another, which he found twenty leagues more to the west, he gave the name of Garden Island." It is difficult, after this relation, for a geographer, not to place the discoveries of Gaetan, precisely where Cook found the Sandwich Islands. But the compiler of Gaetan's voyage placed the group as lying

between the 9th and the 11th degrees of latitude, instead of the 19th and 21st degrees. Whether the omission of ten degrees in each instance, was accidental, or purposely done by the Court of Spain, which, in that age, had an interest in concealing the position of the Islands in that ocean, is uncertain. La Perouse, or Mureau his editor, says "he has no doubt it was accidental, and an errour of figures." He adds, "had there been an intention of concealment, it would have been useless to have published, that Gaetan sailed from a point on the 20th degree of latitude, and continued a western course a given distance, and came to a group of Islands, and then, with an intention of concealing the knowledge of these Islands to have placed them in a false position on the chart or in the books. If concealment had been intended, they could more effectually, and as easily have falsified the course."

      La Perouse, with a view to remove ail doubts on the subject, cruised several days in the latitudes of 9 and 11, and could discover no land, nor signs of land. In answer to an anticipated objection, that the island seen by Gaetan, may have since disappeared, it is said; had a group of islands existed in latitudes 9 and 11, unless they disappeared very soon after Gaetan saw them, they must have been frequently seen, for those parallels of latitude, are in the common and ordinary rout of the Galleons from Acapulco to Manilla. After these proofs, and the persevering and unavailing search of La Perouse, to find land in the latitudes 9 and 11, this will no longer be a subject of discussion with geographers. We must be satisfied, that the Isles seen by Gaetan, and the Sandwich Islands, are the same.

      La Perouse says that those who know his character, will not suspect him of having made these researches from envy to the character of Captain Cook, or to lessen his fame; that he has the highest veneration and respect for the character of that great man. He views him as among the first of navigators; as he who determined the situation of these Islands with precision, explored their coasts, and made known the manners, the usages and the religion of their inhabitants, and paid with his blood for the first knowledge we had of these people. He was, most truly, the Christopher Columbus of the coast of Analaska, and of nearly all the Islands of the South Sea.

      The Islands to which our attention has been drawn, were called Sandwich, in honour of the Earl of Sandwich, the liberal and enlightened patron of Cook, then at the head of the British board of admiralty. The only animals then domesticated by the natives were dogs, hogs, and fowls. They now have, cows, horses and goats, put there by the Americans and English. They possessed considerable knowledge of agriculture, the land was divided into fields and bounded in some instances by walls of stone; and in other different parts of a field having the same productions under cultivation, were designated for the proprietors by sticks set in the ground, bearing little flags.

      The natives shew much ingenuity in the fabrication and ornamenting of cloths, which they make from a tree called pappalla; the same name they give to paper. Their war instruments, domestick utensils, fish hooks and lines are made with great neatness, and they evince considerable proficiency in the sculpture of their images, and fertility of invention in the almost infinite variety of figures painted on their cloths and other articles. They cultivate the sugar cane, sweet potatoes, tarrow, melons, &c. and the cloth tree or bush, all of which are indigenous, and a variety of esculent vegetables, the seeds of which have been given them. The homely appearance of the walls of their fields is concealed by planting the sugar cane against them. They are fond of manly sports and exercises, and have competitions in wrestling, boxing, running, swimming, throwing the spear, playing at quoits, and have games of chance and skill, at which they bet desperately. Their greatest game of skill considerably resembles our game of chequers. The board is divided into a greater number of squares, they use black and white pebbles, and move from square to square. The game of chance is played by hiding a stone in a heap of sand or under a piece of cloth. A number of heaps being previously made alike, or a number of pieces of cloth, similar in form and appearance being laid on the ground. The leader of the game, having a polished stone, carefully closed in his hand, puts his hand under each heap or piece of cloth. The other standing by, and watching his motions, and the movements of the muscles of his arm with eagle eyes. In this consists the dexterity of the game. The leader exerts himself to make such motions of the muscles

of the arm, as would naturally be made, if he opened his hand, and when he really leaves the stone, his greatest skill is exerted to act as if be kept his hand closed. The followers mark the place, where each one for himself supposes the stone to have been left. Those who designate rightly, win, those who mistake, loose. The leader bets against the whole, and the chances are calculated upon the supposed skill of the leader, and the number of heaps or pieces of cloth combined, and the odds are made accordingly.

      The ensuing observations will, generally be confined to Owyhee, but will, in a good measure apply to the other islands. The climate is equal to the most favoured spot on the globe. The longevity of the natives is not unfrequently so great, as to induce the remark, that they sometimes live until they become so dry and light, as to be blown away by the wind. The heat is moderated by the trade wind constantly from the north-east, at right angles with the general position of the group. The thermometer is seldom higher than 80 or lower than 60. All the tropical fruits, and most of the' productions of the temperate zone are, or may be produced in profusion. This Island is remarkable for a mountain of about 13000 feet elevation, called Mona-Rowa, its top is almost always covered with snow. Formerly, it must have been a great volcano. Smoke frequently issues from it. In every district of the Island, large masses of slag, pieces of rock which evidently have been exposed to the action of fire, pumice stone, and courses of lava are visible. This mountain, although not so high as Mount Saint Elias, on the North-West coast of America, nor so elevated by 2500 feet as Chimborazo in South America, has been seen at a greater distance than either of them, from the sea. It has been clearly discerned 53 leagues.

      We shall conclude, by a slight notice of Taammamaah, the chief, who by usurpation and conquest, has obtained and maintains a despotick sway over a large proportion of the entire group.

      When Cook, in January, 1778, discovered five of these islands, and had been cruizing among them several days, it was remarked, that notwithstanding great numbers of the natives came to the ships, they had not observed any one bearing tokens of high authority. At length, a chief appeared; who is described as being a young man, clothed from head

to foot, and was called Tamahano. He paid no regard to the small canoes in his way, but ran against and over them with his large double canoe, without deviating, in the slightest degree to avoid them. His subjects could not well avoid him, it being a necessary mark of submission, that they should lie still until he passed. He shewed great punctiliousness in exacting the utmost devotion from his attendants; and when he came on the deck, his attendants formed a circle around him, holding each other by the hand, and would suffer no one to approach him but the captain of the ship. There was a loftiness of demeanour, and attitude of command about him, not observed in any of the great chiefs with whom they were afterwards acquainted. It is quite certain this was Taammamaah, then one of the chiefs of the third grade, now, the chief. He is about sixty years of age, a man of great bodily and mental vigour, possessing uncommon penetration and foresight, and readily adopting from the whites every thing; which he thinks will insure the permanency of his power and add to the glory of his reign. Imitating our martial forms and discipline; regulating the trade and industry of his subjects, he constantly evinces anxiety to be as wise as he thinks we are, and permits many changes in policy and manners, but is careful not to suffer change or innovation in the religion of his country. It is found impossible to give him a correct understanding of our abstract ideas of the divine nature. He believes, in a future state; and when severely accused for the gross folly of worshipping wooden images, as if they had any power over the destiny of man, he explained and defended the act, by saying, "It is not the wood we worship; we are not permitted to address ourselves directly to the great good God, (they have a great evil one too) but he condescends to come into the wood and hear our vows and prayers." When it was attempted to give him an idea of the mediation of our blessed Saviour; and of his suffering, even unto death, to save mankind; he significantly shook his head, evincing distrust or want of understanding the meaning, and said "his God never had died." The method adopted to impress on his mind the great truths which animate the hopes of Christians, may be considered not to have been judicious. Worship being, in a great degree, founded on a sense of superiour power, wisdom and knowledge in the being to which adora-

tion is paid, to the uncultivated mind of a savage, an image of weakness and suffering, and possibly of punishment for fault, would be presented by a representation of the death of Jesus in the form, in which it almost necessarily must be presented to give even a faint outline of the truth.

      The obstacle to the sway of Taammamaah over all the Islands, is Tomaree, king of Atooi. To conquer this Island, and then to die, satisfied with his career, has, for years, been the ardent desire of this copper-coloured Alexander. For this has he disciplined and armed his subjects, and built a fleet composed of schooners and sloops, mounting small cannon and swivels, in addition to a large number of war canoes.

      Tomaree has not omitted preparation for defence, and the attack having been so long delayed and his forces become so well disciplined and powerful, that the latter now thinks of invading the dominions of the former, and hurling the usurper from his throne. Each has offered Sandal wood and other inducements to the Americans, for assistance in the invasion and conquest of the dominions of the other. We hope none of our countrymen will voluntarily assist in a war of conquest.

      During the late war between us and Great-Britain, the Cherub and Raccoon, sloops of war, went to these Islands on a cruize. While there, some occurrences happened, the relation of which, may throw additional light on the character of Taamamaah. The pursuit of the British for American vessels and other property, was eager and unrelenting, and some of our ships, being merchantmen, were captured without resistance. In 1813, two ^*gentlemen commanding expeditions from Boston, being at Owyhee and Warhooa, discovered that these Islands produced the Sandal wood, which is in request in China for religious and other uses. The superiour value of this wood to that of most others of equal durability and hardness, was unknown to the Islanders. They had been accustomed to use it for the ordinary purposes of common wood. Its use was explained to the King, and a contract made by which he stipulated to furnish labourers from among his subjects, to assist in cutting and preparing the wood for market. The Americans to carry it to China and return him a certain proportion of the pro-

ceeds in money. The contract to be in force ten years, and to be exclusive for that time.

      A few voyages were made, adding considerably to the royal treasures. One in particular, was performed in a vessel of 200 tons, built by the Indians at Owyhee, under the superintendance of a white man. Each party derived emolument from the arrangement, which continued until the arrival of the British, without interruption, excepting in one instance, when some other Americans influenced by envious cupidity, attempted to persuade the great chief to break his agreement and ungenerously take to themselves the fruits of the labours and discoveries of others, but these attempts were not attended with much success.

      The business, on the part of the original contractors, having been conducted with fairness, and opened a new source of revenue to the king, the gentlemen before referred to became great favourites, and the one who first explained to him the uses and value of the wood, obtained much influence. They were saluted and treated with the ceremonies and honours due to those of high rank, and one of them was called the white chief. This was the situation of affairs on the arrival of Captain Tucker, with the sloops of war, who, when he became acquainted with this and other transactions, leading him to suppose there was American property on shore, immediately laid plans and devised measures to obtain its possession. To effect this, it was necessary to destroy the influence of the resident Americans, and prudence required him not to excite the resentment of Taammamaah. He therefore represented the Americans to be mere captains of merchantmen, as traders and pedlars who had imposed themselves on him as men of power, when in fact, they were not even common warriours. That they did not, and were not permitted to wear the dress of white warriours. That the vessels he had taken from them were wrens in the talons of an eagle, and that he had only to speak a word, and the men being his enemies, were either dead or slaves. He added, they have already deceived you, they have not given you half the value of the wood, and they live here and extort attentions from you and your subjects to which they are not entitled. This produced little or no effect. Taammamaah had derived so much information and had been so well pleased with the

demeanour of his old friends, that he resolved to afford them protection. Captain Tucker then had recourse to a species of machiavelism, which probably would have produced its intended effect on a civilized court ignorant of the facts. He represented the Americans to be rebels; that he and they belonged to the same great Chief, that they had wickedly rebelled, that the father and this part of his children were at war the second time, and he had been sent to search for and punish the wicked rebels wherever he could find them, and seize their property for the use of their common father. This made a deep impression on the mind of Taammarnaab, and in his interviews afterwards; he did not suppress the expression of his preference of the loyal British, to the rebellious Americans. He broke his contract. His sympathies were with the loyal. And in justification of the change in his sentiments, he put the case of one of his Islands rebelling against him, and emphatically asked which party a good and great chief ought to join, had he his choice. "Your ships," said he to the Americans, "are canoes, compared with theirs, and you fly from them as the smoke of Mona-Rowa is driven by the wind. A difficulty, however, arose, which prevented the completion of Tucker's designs. He had no money, and the Sandwich king has been made conversant with coin. He was offered bills on England, in payment for hogs and other supplies to the sloops, and for his part of the wood. He shook his head at the pappalla, said it was not good, and all exertions to explain to him its value and its connexion with money were wholly unavailing. He could not be brought to consider the sign, to be the thing signified: in this, he differs from the financiers of our middle states.

      There was a circumstance in which Captain Tucker discovered less sagacity, than in his ingenious deception in respect to the war. There was at the Island a ship under the Portuguese flag, which he insisted, was used to cover American property, and minutely scrutinized the papers for evidence to confirm his suspicions. Among other papers, he found a bill of lading, referring to three small boxes containing dolls. He immediately exclaimed, "What queer fellows you yankees are; you beat the very devil in resources and contrivance; who, excepting a yankee, would have thought to have sent to Macao for boxes of dolls to

amuse these savages?" The composed readiness with which the Americans favoured this mistake, saved these boxes of dolls [dollars] from the grasp of Captain Tucker, who otherwise, would not have been compelled to offer paper in payment, which prevented the completion of his designs.

      One of the gentlemen before alluded to, first introduced horses into Owyhee, which he brought from California. The natives who had never seen any animal larger than a cow, regarded them with feelings which might have renewed the ancient fables of the Centaurs. The whole population were out to see these strange animals. Many unsuccessful attempts were made by the natives at first, in riding them, which excited all their timidity. The gentleman who made them a present to the king, set the natives to work, to construct a rude carriage, with solid wheels, and a harness made with ropes. When completed, the three wives of the king were persuaded, after much difficulty, to take an airing, the king and his subjects being witnesses to this new experiment. Unfortunately the horses not being well broke, become restive in going down a small descent, overturned the carriage, and the three royal favourites, whose fears were not allayed by this disaster. The king and the chief priest immediately exclaimed Taboo, Taboo. "This is prohibited – the Gods are offended."

      I may hereafter send you some other anecdotes of this interesting sovereign and people, with something like a geological account of the Islands.

"Sandwich Islands."
      North American Review and Miscellaneous Journal.
Vol. 3, No. 7 (May 1816)
pp.42-54.

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