Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1866-12-08
MISCELLANY.


Every man, woman or child who has
ever written home concerning the
Sandwich Islanders, has described their
''surf boards" and their astonishing
skill in guiding them through a surf IN
which no civilized man could live, as
also their excellence in swimming, and
almost superhuman endurance in the
water. Travellers are apt to term
Kanaka half man, half fish. | should
say that he was third man and two
thirds fish; for no fish that swims the
ocean could have any command over
itself in breakers where the island boys
and girls sport for hours, as perfectly
at home as on dry land.
The suTf-bOaTd Is a piece of thin
plank, five or SIX feet long by about
eighteen inches in breadth. When the
long green swells are rolling with ter
rife violence, with n din and crash that
out-thunders thunder itself, then, men,
women and children flock to the beach,
aud divesting themselves of their SUI
perhuOus clothing, dash into the break
ers, board in hand, with malicious
agility, they dodge the heaviest rollers,
plunging beneath them as they begin
to crest, and reaching the outside
breakers, perhaps, for their lightning
ride shOreward.
Malicious as their outward progress
through boiling surf, which no whale
boat would attempt, seemed to Us, set
ting the force of suction and under
throw completely at defiance, We felt
thrill Of horror as We looked upon a
a couple of delicate looking girls kneel-
ing upon a frail board, rushing in as if
shot from bomb, upon the crest of
great, green billow, which, raising its
head as it came, just managing to keep
In such position as to avoid the break
of the roller, and III less time than 1
have taken to describe, with screams of
delight they dashed up to the very spot
where We were standing,
As swimmers they have no equals,
men and women appearing to possess
equal powers of endurance; aud most
astonishing facts of their aquatic feats
are recorded, one of the most miracu-
lOus of which is worth repeating. A
large native canoe, having on board a
number of natives, left one of the
southern islands, bound to the north
ward. When only a part of the way
across the Ohyhee passage, where there
is always heavy cross sea and furious
currents, a squat struck and caps Zed
her. Among the passengers was ma
tive woman, the daughter of chief,
with her husband, white man; the
others being all Kanakas, they of
course struck out for themselves toward
the shore, a distance of some thirty
miles; but the white man could not
II - i 50 az
ing him to put his arms upon her
shoulders, struck out for the nearest
land.
For hours and hours they toiled
along, the fond woman inspiring the
husband, and refusing to leave him.
all day and night they buffeted the an
CRY currents, till at last human nature
gave way and the white man gave up
the ghost. Still clinging to the cold
CLAW, the widow tOiled on, till at last,
becoming insensible, her efforts relaxed
and she knew no more until she found
resuscitated by some friendly hands,
and, on enquiry, found that favoring
current had drifted her upon an island,
where she had been discovered and
brought to life by her deliveTers.
Another instance, scarcely less re-
markable, occurred during the period
of my visit to Honolulu. At the tune
there was a large number of whaling
vessels In port, many of which were
short of men, and, consequently, sail
ors' wages were very high, and large
advances were offered TO any Kanakas
who would ship. One ship in particu.
lar, had lost the whole of one watch by
dessrtion, and finally had succeeded il
obtaining her complement. The men
all Kanakas, received their 800 each
as an advance, and went aboard, ana
the ship got under way. All went vel
for the first day and night, and the cap
tain was cOngratulatiDg himself on hi
good luck. During the middle watcl
OF the second night, however, happen
ing on deck, the captain was astonisheC
on finding no one about, and askiDl
the man at the wheel what it meant, wa
told he didn't know what had becom
of the people, but presumed they hat
gone below.
Calling the mate, and mastering tn
crew, he found to his Consideration
that every Kanaka had disappeared
They must have deliberately jumpe
overheard, determining to swim ashore
a distance of sixty milesl On boar
whaling ships the mates do not genel
ally stand a night watch, the watch bt
ing generally in charge of one of th