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Newspapers : 1896.

1895
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1897

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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, per
haps, 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 Islander surf-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 his surf board, 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 pas
time — 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 surf board, 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 the board, 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 de
light 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 at
tacked 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 Paumo
tuan 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, infre
quent 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.,

(Photograph)
CAPT. J. A. KING.
Judge.

6 mins., 46 secs.; Hawaii, 9 hrs., 10 mins., 12 secs.; Rescue, 9 hrs., 11 mins., 6 secs.

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.

Chronicling America
The San Francisco call. (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, November 30, 1896, Image 5
Image and text provided by University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA
Persistent link: http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85066387/1896-11-30/ed-1/seq-5/

1 February 1896 : 
30 November 1896 :
Surfboard Riding - Niihau.
Sketching from Canoe - Waikiki.

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Geoff Cater (2010-2016) : Newspapers : 1896.
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