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hawaiian star : apu, california exhibition, 1894 
Hawaiian Star : James Apu, Surfriding Exhibition, California, 1894.

Extract, originally published in
The Hawaiian Star: Unknown title, 1894.
Reprinted in
Wilkes-Barre Times : An Ampibious Kanaka.
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, February 20, 1894
Volume 4, Issue 1249, page 3.

Introduction.
Initially printed in the Hawaiian Star in 1894, this important article was reprinted in the  Wilkes-Barre Times where it was located, and made available, by Skipper Funderberg.
Many thanks to Skipper.

Malcom Gault-Wlliams notes:
"James Apu was a noted Hawaiian surfer in the 1880s and '90s."


Page 3

AN AMPIBIOUS KANAKA
Some Instances of His Remarkable Feats of Diving and Swimming.

Amoung the natives who will go to the Midwinter fair at San Fancisco is James Apu, now in Honolulu from Kauai, who is the champion diver and surf rider of that island.
Many stories of the remarkable feats performed by this man in the water are related.

It is said that he is so expert at diving that he can stay underwater for four minutes at a time and meanwhile catch fish with a spear and net which he uses while on his submarine visit.
He has no fear of sharks and will take to the water at any time and under any circumstances.
While on board one of the island steamers a little while ago off Diamond Head Apu got fish hungry and  jumped overboard, caught some and returned to the steamer in a few minutes.

In 1881, while at Molokai in a small schooner with three or four other natives, after discussing several bottles of gin the others left Apu on shore and sailed for Maui.
Apo threw off his clothes, tired them in a bundle on his head and swam after the schooner, which he soon caught up with.
The others would not let him in, so he struck out for himself and swam the entire distance, reaching the Maui shore some time before the others.
The distance is over eight miles and the current swift and dangerous.

Apo will give surf riding exhibitions on his arrival at San Francisco, and the board which he will use has been made to order of redwood, which Apu  says is preferable to koa, being so much lighter.
It will be painted black, that color being most obnoxious to sharks.
This surf board is 12 feet long, and when performing Apu stands errect on it and goes through a variety of wonderful feats in balancing, etc – Hawaiian Star.


Originally published in
The Hawaiian Star: Unknown title, 1894.
Reprinted in
Wilkes-Barre Times : An Ampibious Kanaka.
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, February 20, 1894
Volume 4, Issue 1249, page 3.

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home catalogue history references appendix

Geoff Cater (2010) : Hawaiian Star : James Apu, California Exhibition, 1894.
http://www.surfresearch.com.au/1894_Apu_California_Exhibition.html