surfresearch

The departure of the S. S. Australia for the Coast was delayed until nearly 1 o'clock on account of the late arrival at the Oceanic wharf of articles to be exhibited at the Midwinter Fair in San Francisco, which has already opened.
Among the numorous exhibits to be soon on the steamer were boxes of large and small coffee plants, boxes of large and small tea trees, brought from Hamakua, two wooden tanks containing different varieties of fish, including eels, a small shark, squid and crabs.
The last two species were in one tank, and it is believed there will be a circus started between them when the aquarium is shaken up.
There were two monster bullocks in stalls lashed near the stern.
Kapahee, the famous surf rider, with his board, his wife and son, three hula girls and four other natives comprise part of the Hawaiian exhibit.
Kapahee will give exhibitions in surf riding near the Cliff House, and if the water is clear he will dive and kill fish with a spear he has taken with him.
He will also ride the bullocks.
The girls under the management of D. Kaahanui will dance a mild hula-kui, while the others will assist about the grounds.
Mr. L. A. Thurston, superintended the exhibit.
Mrs. J. K. Ailau will make a first class exhibition of Hawaiian curios at the fair in connection with the Hawaiian exhibit.
She has taken with her four young ladies to act as saleswomen.

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.

Apu 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.

The natives of the Sandwich Islands take first rank in this respect.

They are almost amphibious, living quite as much in the water as on the land, and are adept at swimming and playing in the water almost from boyhood.

Lady Brassey has described their wonderful swimming powers.

She says:
"All the kings and chiefs have been special adepts in the invigorating pastime of surf swimming, and all the present king's sisters are considered first-rate hands at it.

The performers begin by swimming out into the bay, and diving under the huge Pacific rollers, pushing their surf-boards — flat pieces of wood, about 4ft. long by 2ft. wide, pointed at each end, edgewise before them

For the return journey, they select a large wave ; and then, either sitting, kneeling, or standing on their boards, rush in shorewards with the speed of a race-horse, on the curling crest, enveloped in foam and spray, and holding on, as it were, by the milk-white manes of their furious coursers."

This is a most enjoyable amusement, but only those who have tried it know that its performance is only possible to expert and fearless

swimmers.
The majority of the children in the Sandwich Islands are expert swimmers before they are able to walk.

Trove
1894 'Wonderful Swimmers.', Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser (Qld. : 1860 - 1947), 28 April, p. 6. , viewed 19 Apr 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article146972281

The Pacific Commercial Advertiser
Honolulu, May 15, 1894, page 1.

DEATH ON LYSAN ISLAND.
Hans Holstein Found Dead in Capt. Freeth's Cabin.
HAD DIED SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE.
An Unfortunate German Left Alone on a Desert Island Is Found in a Terrible Condition by the Captain of the Brig L'ATvenier
Holstein's Will.

The British brig L'Avenier, Captain F. P. Jameson, was sighted about noon yesterday, and was towed into the harbor during the afternoon and anchored in the stream.
Captain Jameson came ashore at once, and when seen by an Advertiser reporter he told the story of the death of Hans Holstein, a German,who was employed on Laysan Island by Captain Freath.(sic0
The brig put in at the island on the 15th last, to get some provisions if it was a possible thing, as all the meat on board of the vessel had spoiled.

Captain Jameson went on shore and was surprised to see evidences of habitation and finally entered a house which is usually occupied by
Captain Freeth and his family when they are on the island.
When he crossed the threshold his nostrils were assailed by a terrible odor.
...

THE HOUSE WHERE THE UNFORTUNATE
HANS HOLSTEIN DIED.
(From a Photograph loaned by J. J. Williams.)

The sad death was commented upon yesterday by many people, and some persons were disposed to censure the company for allowing the man to remain alone on the island.
Others say that Holstein volunteered to remain there.
He had been employed by Governor Freeth for three years, and had been on Laysan Island for about six months.
...

Chronicling America
The Pacific commercial advertiser. (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, May 15, 1894, Image 1
Image and text provided by University of Hawaii at Manoa; Honolulu, HI
Persistent link: http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85047084/1894-05-15/ed-1/seq-1/

Notes
Native Hawaiians may have known about Kauō before the first reported sightings of the island by Massachusetts whalers in the 1820s.
In 1857, Capt. John Paty of the Manuokawai annexed Laysan to the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, which in 1890 granted George D. Freeth and Charles N. Spencer permission to mine guano on payment of a royalty.
This attracted scientists, and in the next decade, many of Laysan's unique species were scientifically examined for the first time.

Laysan - Kauō
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laysan

The Pacific Commercial Advertiser
Honolulu, October 10, 1894, page 8.

OFF IN A LAUNCH FOR JAPAN

Strange Trip Started From Laysan Island.

A SAILOR LEAVES ALL ALONE.

The schooner Robert Lewers, Captain Goodman, arrived yesterday, fifteen days from Laysan island.
Captain Goodman furnishes the following account of his trip :
"We left Honolulu at 5 :30 p.m., September 7th, and arrived at Laysan on September 12th a five days passage.
Captain G. D. Freeth boarded us about four miles off the island and piloted the vessel to her moorings.
He informed us that a few days previously one of his Japanese laborers (presumably crazy), had run away with the steam launch belonging to the island, and neither man or launch had been seen since."
...
"Capt. Freeth depended much on the steam launch for assistance in landing, and told me he could not give me as quick dispatch as he had expected ; but with his usual energetic and capable management, and the able and willing assistance of his head luna Mr. Slemmer, and his Japanese luna Otto, he set to work loading me with the means at hand, and the result was that we took on board more than 150 tons of guano for every full day that we worked ; one day working from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. we received on board 180 tons which is the best record so far."

Chronicling America
The Pacific commercial advertiser. (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, October 10, 1894, Image 8
Image and text provided by University of Hawaii at Manoa; Honolulu, HI
Persistent link: http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85047084/1894-10-10/ed-1/seq-8/

5 January 1894 :
6 January 1894 :
22 January 1894 :

James Apu and Surfboard to San Francisco - Honolulu.
Kapahee and Surfboard to San Francisco.
Hawaiian Throne and Surfboard to San Francisco - Honolulu.

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