Introduction
Wikipedia: William Richards
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Richards_(Hawaii)

Colton, Asa Smith, 1804-1881.

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Here (the Society Islands-Tahiti), as at the Sandwich Islands, swimming in the surf was a common amusement.
Going out to a considerable distance from the shore, and resting upon a pointed board, they were carried on the summit of a wave, till just as it broke, they either fell back and let it pass over their heads, or, as was often the case, they were

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cast upon the beach.
From fifty to a hundred persons, of all ages and sexes, might be seen at once, sporting like so many porpoises, sometimes
enveloped in the surf, and sometimes mounted upon the crest of the waves.
Here also, as at the Sandwich Islands, there is a frequent cause of alarm to those who sport in the surf.
In illustration of this remark, no description can be so pertinent, as the account given by Mr. Richards, of an incident which occurred at Lahaina.
Though it happened at the Sandwich Islands, it is equally descriptive of occurrences at any of the islands of the Pacific.
The account was published first in the Missionary Herald of 1828:

"At nine o'clock in the morning of June 14th, 1826, while sitting at my writing-desk, I heard a simultaneous scream from multitudes of people, Pau i ka mamo! Pau i ka mano!
(Death by a shark! Death by a shark!)
The beach was instantly lined by hundreds of persons, and a few of the most resolute threw a large canoe into the water, and alike regardless of the shark, and the high rolling surf, sprang to the relief of their companion.
It was too late.
The shark had already seized his prey.
The affecting sight was only a few rods from my door, and while I stood watching, a large surf almost filled the canoe, and at the same instant a part of the mangled body was seen at the bow of the canoe, and the shark swimming towards it at her stern.
When the swell had rolled by, the water was too shallow for the shark to swim.
The remains, therefore, were taken into the canoe, and brought ashore.
The water was so much stained by the blood, that we discovered

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a red tinge in all the foaming rollers, as they approached the beach.

"The unhappy sufferer was an active lad about fourteen years old, who left my door only about half an hour previous to the fatal accident.
I saw his mother in the extremity of her anguish, plunge into the water, and swimming towards the bloody spot, entirely forgetful of the power of her former god.
As she followed the remains to the house, Mrs. Richards and myself accompanied her, and endeavoured to assuage her grief.

"The particulars I found on inquiry to be these.
A great number of people, perhaps one hundred, were playing in the surf, which was higher than usual.
Those who were nearest to the victim heard him screech, and perceived him to strike with his right hand, and at the same instant saw a shark seize his arm.
Then followed the cry which I heard, which echoed from one end of Lahaina to the other.
All who were playing in the water made the utmost speed to the shore, and those who were standing on the beach saw the surf-board of the unhappy sufferer floating on the water, without any one to guide it.
When the canoe reached the spot, they saw nothing but the blood, with which the water was stained for a considerable distance, and by which they traced the remains whither they had been carried by the shark, or driven by the swell.
The body was cut in two by the shark, just above the hips, and the lower parts, together with the right arm, were gone.
"Many of the people connect this death with their old system of religion; for they have still

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a superstitious veneration for the shark, and this veneration is increased rather than diminished by such occurrences as these.

"It is only about four months since a man was killed in the same manner at Waihee, on the eastern part of the island.
It is said, however, that there are much fewer deaths by the shark than formerly.
This perhaps may be owing to their not being so much fed by the people, and therefore do not frequent the shores so much."

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Colton, Asa Smith: Successful Missions : or, A history of the missions conducted by the London Missionary Society in the Society and Georgian Islands,  together with an account of the unsuccessful attempt at the Friendly Islands. William Stavely, Philadelphia, 1830. Hathi Trust https://hdl.handle.net/2027/hvd.ah5r8v

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