The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-01-22
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
THURSDAY, %.

CUIIIlIICICIdI AufCI ClOCls
THURSDAY, JANUARY %.
THERE is perhaps no part Of the world, at least none
so remote from the centerS of commerce and civiliza-
ton, where the general character Of its harbors is
better known than this archipelago. This fact has
been owing mainly to the faithful and very accurate
surveys made by the early English navigators who
discovered and subsequently fully explored all our
coasts and harbors. Those early surveys, made fifty
to seventy years ago, are found to differ very little
either in depth of water or general nature of the diff
ferent anchorages from the most recent ones. But
the correct knowledge of them conveyed by the
charts now i'll use is not all that is of Importance to
captains and strangers visiting them. Many of the
masters of both whaling and merchant vessels which
touch here torecruit a. with cargoes, have never visited
this group before, and are generally ignorant what
they can procure at the port they may find it con-
venient to touch at. The following is the first of sew
eral articles prepared to show the facilities for re-
cruiting at the various ports of entry of this kingdom.
We will merely preface them with the remark that
they are prepared by persons who have resided from
ten to twenty years at the places described, and arg
familiar with their localities.
Ports of the Sandwich Islamds.-NO. 4.
IILO, VI fdIdhed HdIUOI, \CdIIcu III HIhuy CIidi .
Byron's Bay) situated on the East side of Hawaii, in
latitude 100 A N. and longitude 1862 03 W.,
is most delightfully."- located and ON approaching it
from sea, the whole surrounding country being well
studded with trees and perennial verdure, even to the
waters edge, and presenting none of that bleak and
arid appearance which is SO common and remarkably
striking upon nearing most of the other ports, it ex-
hibits probably, one of the most pleasing and ex-
tremely picturesque sites, that the islands can afford.
The harbor, which is a natural one, being formed
seward by a reef composed of coral, sand, and lava,
and extending from East to West, some 1900 fathoms,
assumes a somewhat semi-circular shape, the diameter
of which is from 1000 to 1900 fathoms it is spacious
and extensive, well protected and being seldom visited
by strong winds, affords u most convenient and safe
asylum for vessels.
The depth of water in the harbor, varies from 8 to
4, 5, 6, 7 and s fathoms, ships generally anchoring
in from five to six fathoms, and the bottom being
composed chiefly of mud and sand, and being free
from sunken rocks, sand bars, or any similar obstruc-
ton, it gives a most excellent holding ground for
ships.
The harbor, as it is at the present time, is capable
of holding with safety upwards of one hundred and
outlay of capital, as q matter Of course, to erect
piers, docks, and other improvements, how much
larger a number it would accommodate, is impossible
to say ; but, being accessible at all times to ships of
the largest class, it derives from nature all the adj
vantages and peculiar facilities favorable for a great
commercial station.
The course, on entering the harbor of Waiakea, is ON
the western shore of the channel. The narrowest nayi-
gable part between the shore and the reef is upwards
of 500 fathoms. Were it not for fear of vitiat-
ing assurances, the services of q pilot would seldom
be required by ships possessing 6 Wilkes - chart of
the harbor. Still, as the winds at times are battling,
it is always safer to take a pilot, of which there are
two regularly commissioned, ever ready and on the
alert to offer their services when a vessel comes in
sight. The charge of pilotage, as at the port of Homo
lulu, is calculated according to the vessels draft of
water, namely, one dollar per foot, inward and out
ward.
AS the trade winds prevail here, it would as a gen
eral rule be advisable for ships upon approaching the
port to keep well to the eastward letting the harbor
bear about S. w.
1t may perhaps be well to state here a fact prob
ably not generally known, that never has a ship been
wrecked in this harbor, nor on the immediate coast.
The number of whale ships annually visiting this
port, independent of merchant vessels, &c., taking
the last five years as an average, has been ~sixty-fve.
AS inducements, for whale ships especially, to visit
THIS port, 1t would not De amlSS 10 STATE UnaG very
rarely does the ship master experience difficulty or
trouble with his crew, which fact can be attributed to
no other cause than that of the impossibility of the
men obtaining anything in the shape of intoxM q ting
liquors, for the sale of which happily, no license has
been granted on this island and SO stringent is the
law. that the victualling houses are strictly prohibited
from even making beer, or giving it to their boarders.
Seldom either does a ship lose any of its crew from
d~esertion, so efficient are the means of retaking them,
that slight indeed is the chance of escape.
In enumerating what ships can obtain in the first
place, an abundant supply of good fresh water can be
had all the year round from the numerous streams
and riyulets which empty themselves into the bay
q supply of recruits, such as sweet potatoes, squashes,
bananas, cabbages, oranges (when in season. fire.
wood, beef and pork, and poultry can always be OBJ
tanned, and Irish potatoes, although not grown in the
neighborhood are procured in readiness for the whaling
feet at the fall and spring of the year. Bread, -four,
salt provisions, ship c~handlery and groceries, and in
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