The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1878-06-01
CRUISE OF THE "sTORMBIRD."

Our readers will remember that in August last,
Capt. H. W. Mist was dispatched by the Hawaiian
G vernment as special Agent Of the Board Of Immi-
grafton to the Islands of Polynesia, for the purpose
Of ascertaining if an immigration could be procured
Of the inhabitants of these groups who are Of a
cOgnate race with our own people. Captain Mist.
in his intercourse with the British Colonial author
tiles, received every encouragement in the objects Of
his mission, and at Sydney procured the schooner
Siormbird which, under the command Of Captain
jackson, "a retired officer of the British Navy was
dispatched for a cruise on the plan projected by the
Board Of Immigration. She arrived here on Wednes-
day last, with e. men and % women, obtained from
the groups visited. These are mostly young and
all healthy looking people, and very much resem-
bling Hawaiians in appearance. We publish here
with in full the interesting account by Capt. jack
son of his voyage, and heartily congratulate the gov
eminent and the country upon the success Of the
scheme, which now seems to be assured, of obtain
ing a supply Of immigrants to assist in repeopling
our waste places, of a race that will undoubtedly
50 ~assimilate - with the natives Of the soil.
HH.M's EN1GRAxr SCHOONER SroRMBInp.1
HoNoLULU, May 29th, 1873.
To Captain Henry W. Mist, r. ", HHM's
Commissioner for Immigration, etc:
SIR Il have the honor to report, for the infor-
nation OF his Majesty 5 DOaru OF Immigration, the
arrival at Honolulu Of the StOrmbird under my
command, and to submit the following report Of my
voyage:
In compliance with your written instructions, |
sailed from Sydney on the 9th of October, and after
a run of nine days, touched at Norfolk Island, (as
we were passing close TO it) to get one Of our 81 bob
stays repaired, the bolt in the " cutwater =" Of
which had broken. This was done by the blacksmith
of the Island. l obtained here also two spars for
the better securing of our boats to the " davits,''
and a supply Of fresh vegetables, ETC., for the ships
company. We remained here but one day and sail
ed again for Rotumah, where we anchored on the
25th Of November We were well received at this Is
land, and besides laying in a good stock of yams,
figs, fruit, etc, and filling up with good water, |
succeeded in engaging ~thirty-one fine young natives,
in which was greatly assisted by the resident Mis-
sionary Mr.. Moore, and the two principal Chiefs
'' Albert 3" and "Rumkow,'' to the two latter of
whom l made suitable presents.
These Islanders are very favorably disposed to-
wards emigrating to the Sandwich Islands, and |
should certainly recommend this place as the start
ing point for all future voyages. The rate Of wages
demanded by them is rather high, but when it comes
TO be taken into consideration their civilization and
general superiority to the other Island natives, / do
not consider the rate demanded wiz: So per
month"; at all excessive. | may mention that this
amount they have been in the habit Of receiving for
some considerable time from other sources for the
employment Of their labor.
We left Rotumah on the 4th Of December and
made for the Ellis Islands, arriving at Fuuafuti,
NluG pEluClpdl Out II ne RTOuD) Oh the lOl Oh DC |
cember, having been in sight of the Island ten days. |
We remained here seven days, during which time we
were employed in getting cocoanuts and frewood
no water, however, could be obtained nor could
succeed in inducing any Of the natives to ~emigrate,
as this Island, like all the rest Of the group, has
been almost entirely depopulated by various causes
and very few ESTIMATED at about 1907 remain. |
resolved, however, before quitting for the Kings
mills to visit two more Of these Islands, and ac-
cOrdingly made for and arrived of Nui, or Eeg Is
land, on the 3lst Of December, where | landed in
one of the ships boats through a heavy and danger
Gus surf, the vessel . lying of and on " until the
14th of January, lat times drifting and being blown
out Of sight Of the land) when / was enabled to get
on board again, after a fOrtnight's residence amongst
the natives, of whose kindness and hospitality | can
not speak too favOrably. l met with no better sue
cess here, as regards emigrants, than / did at Fuua-
futi, so after getting a small supply Of pigs and
poultry, L sailed for the northermost Island Of the
group, Nuitao, arriving of the Island on the 18th,
but as at Nui, unable to anchor with the vessel.
| remained of and on " for nine days, but did
nothing in the way Of emigration, nor could any
supplies be obtained. The three Islands above mem
toned have the most inhabitants of any Of that
group, and as no e~migrants could be obtained from
either, [ may safely say that for the future, il will
be no use going TO any Of them, as it will be only
time wasted and | consider our visit there fully
retarded the Storm Bird five or six weeks in the
prosecution of her voyage. These Islands are not
only thinly populated. but supplies are very scanty
and extremely difficult to obtain. Anchorages gene
rally bad and unsafe, and landing at all times dan
gerous to a ships boats, being twice swamped my
self in native canoes. During the time we were
amongst the Ellis Islands, we experienced very bad
tempestuous weather from the westward, with n
downfall Of very heavy rain, which kept
US amply supplied with water, although our sails
suffered considerably. must here be permitted TO
direct the notice Of the proper authorities, to the
power, Il may say offensive authority, assumed by
some of the Native Samoan Teachers, Tor Missiona- !
rles as some choose to call themselves), placed on
these Islands by the London Missionary Society's
Agents.
In some instances-one in particular under nv own I
are trading indirectly, TO the detriment
Of the white resident traders, to a very considerable !
extent but L presume this must be unknown 70 and
done without the knowledge of their superiors.
should not have made it my business to touch upon
such a subject, had | not been requested to do SO by '
several white people residing on the Islands, and to
make this as their complaint. No doubt if it was not
Tor the immense influence exercised by these ''Ieach-
over the natives, a few Of them might have
induced TO emigrate but such emigration. for I
obvious reasons, is sorely against the Samoan Teach
ers' interests. We left the Island of Nuitao on the ,
Of January, and our next destination was the
Group, arriving off the Island of Ararai a
IN the 9th Of February, where we remained until {
he next day without a%nchoring or getting any Of the !
1atIves to come with US (%pleading that the Island
vas altogether too thinly populated, as regards men, a
or the support OF the women and ~children) We. l
sent a boat on shore and bought about one
cocoanuts, but could get no further sun
plies. On the following day we visited Clark's
@' 1900 ~HN III Nv I'm Vi II Gu | q
'uary made Byron's Island but failing here as at
he two former, sailed the following day for Peru. ar
living the next morning but found we could not 7
anchor on account Of a n~ortherly and northwest wind !
blowing, rendering it unsafe 10 do so. Notwith- t
tanding the difficulty of having to keep under weigh '
standing of and on"-We engaged five emf.
grants, and should have been able 10 get more. had d
he weather permitted US TO remain, as many seemed
anxious to come on board, but were prevented q
coming off so far in their canoes. They will be ON !
be lookout for the return Of the Storm Bird. and / a
NO doubt that next voyage a considerable num- u
Der of people will be easily obtained here.
They seem (from the few who came on board 10 see =
heir friends of) to be very nice, quiet, and we'll C
,ehayed natives, and most willing to do what they h
ire told. We left Peru CT the 10Th, and arrived or q
'ydenham Island on the 18th Of February, where b
We anchored in deep water close TO the reef, it being }
fair weather and perfectly safe SO to do. by =
his means we afforded the natives (both sexes) an g
excellent opportunity Of visiting the vessel, and we d
.ngaged without any difficulty twelve fine men and Il
en- women, in all twenty-five. Many more would "
joined US, but we're prevented by their relatives n
coming. We purchased here also a large ouan- a