The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-04
Unique Equipment Of the
Yacht-TypeS of the
Voyagers.
A CONFLICT WITH HAWAIIANs.
Kan ehameha III So Charmed With
Tourists He Offered to Convey
the Islands to Them.

alone exemplifed by perilous journey by
land and sea to this region. The advance
guard of this restless body of men was ever
on the alert for new fields of exploration
and conquest for new enterprises, how
ever i'll timed and futile they might seem
to be. The s'filbuster," as he has come
to be known, whether best defined as
reckless marauder, coveting the domain OF
other people, or being filed with Amerl-
can enthusiasm which holds, as para
phrase of the classic runs,
No pentup Utica contracts our powers;
The wild and woody West by Jove! is ours;
Found here an unlimited field for glorious
achievement.
The aspirations of many of these adven-
turous spirits reached far beyond Mexico
and Nicaragua and even encircled the
Hawaiian group. AS early as 1851 plans
were laid by one of the boldest and most
energetic men of that day to capture and
add the Sandwich Islands as an American
possession. James NJ. Estill, who was
then. and during his whole life thereafter,
a conspicuous figure in California, was the
leader of this so-called enterprise. For
a while the proposed expedition was the
chief topic of excitement IN San francisco
d
an affair that might involve the United
States in complications with other Gov
ernments. Fortunately nothing came of
this scheme of conquest, but at that time
there were other restless spirits in San Fran
cisco who, while not seeking new worlds to
conquer, were earnest IN their desire to
visit the Sandwich Islands on pleasure
bent. The public, however, suspected the
pleasure-seekers of being connected with
Estill's expedition.
The chief promoters of the picnic voyage
to Honolulu were mainly of the very early
corners to California, who had arrived here
long before the discovery of gold, and who
had acquired vast wealth. They proposed
to travel on their own resources, at any
cost. So in October, 1851, it was publicly
announced that an expedition was about
to sail for Honolulu on the famous clipper
ship Game Cock, then lying in the harbor.
1t was believed to be Estilrs long-talked- OF
expedition, in spite of the emphatic dis
avowal and denial of its members. Not
until it had returned again, after months
of absence, and ''the good time" tina: had
been planned had been fully realized, was
this generally popular misrepresentation
finally allayed.
Sam Brannan, as he was then COM
monty called, was one of the most con-
spicuous and influential men in San Fran
cisco. He was at that time undoubtedly
the richest man in San Francisco. He had
led a life of restless energy and adventure
from his early manhood. He had reached
California in the ship Brooklyn in July,
1916, at the head of party of Mormons,
and had been pushing, energetic and
successful business man during the years
that he had spent here prior to the de-
parture Of this expedition. Always at the
front in every movement in which he en-
gagged, always leader and never fol-
+ ion NO CRY YNric hot hn
was the originator and leading spirit of
what was long afterward known as the
"Game Cock Expedition"
Calling around him group of equally
energetic and adventurous spirits Bran
nan soon organized his pleasure party"
on scale sufficiently generous and mag
nificent in its proportions to satisfy them
all, and set the tongues of the community
wagging with comment concerning the
gorgeous scheme upon which the expedi-
ton had been planned, as we'll as the sup
posed real lnten tons of those who were
engaged in it.
1t was planned to be yachting party
upon scale seldom if ever paralleled in SO
] far as the great size and the sea-go1ng quail
| tiles of the yacht were concerned. To fully
appreciate this statement it is necessary
| for the reader to understand the nature of
| this class of yachts with which the waters
of the bay of San Francisco were at that
time crowded, and which then formed so
conspicuous feature OF her maritime i'm
| portance.
The trade between California and the
Atlantic seaboard growing out of the gold
discoveries and the subsequent migration
| TO and settlement here of great popula
ton called for the establishment of means
OF rapid unication and transporta-
ton by sea. 1t brought into existence a
class OF, clipper ships which in. point OF
graceful construction, beauty Of hull and
rig and wonderful sailing qualities bad
never been equaled as they have never
since been exceled. Built expressly for
speed they faithfully fulfilled their mission
for many years.
Among the feet of clippers the ship
Game Cock, of 400 tons burthen, ranked
with the foremost for qualities of speed
and luxury and beauty of her accommoda-
| tons. No yacht ever built sat more grace
fully upon the water or could outsail her
IN long sea voyage through all its vicis-
STUDIES, from calm to tempest. She was
ship to fill seaman's eye with admira.
ton and a landsman's heart with covetous
desire to sail out into the boundless ocean,
TO whatever foreign shore her PROV might
be directed.
Such magnificent yacht as this Sam
Brannan and his party chartered, and
sailed out of the Golden Gate on Novem-
Der 2, 1851, on this early pleasure trip to
the tropical isles of Hawaii. In company
with Brannan was A. A. Selover, who for
many years thereafter was prominent
business man of San Francisco, and has
been for many years since prominent fig
ure on Wall street, New York. Selover is
the man who took Jay Gould by hold on
the trousers and threw him into the in
closure OF an area wall.
Another member of the expedition was
famiiarly known in the early days of San
Francisco as vi Turner. Although Grip
pie, If ever q man lived who was utterly
devoid OF fear, vi Turner was certainly in
that quality without superior. He was
the hero OF many personal encounters, the
stories of which might be extended with
rare lnterest,into more than one chapter.
Those who have read the personal
memoirs of Judge Field, which appear in
the public journals with perennial regu-
larity, will find there recorded the story
OF the judges encounter with Turner,
which, whatever may have been the merits
or dement's of the controversy, certainly
never could be truthfully told if any refec-
ton was cast upon the personal courage
of Turner.
Captain William F. Swasey, author OF
the well-known book, early Days and
Men of California" and the Oldest con-
tlnuous pioneer citizen now living, went
with the expedition. George Frank
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