The Hawaiian gazette., 1899-03-10
CANOE ANO SURF
Native Writes on Beach
Affair Of Saturday.
Claims ~. - a Capable Man and
rh.,e was no Danger 81 Or
ders-pep,h oi water.

Following b. translation Of IN,
statemont u the Hawalisns concerned
IN the canoeing mishap Of SATURDAY
last:
on saturday afternoon last / was
called by the white man In charge OF
the Hawaiian Hotel n waikiki. 10
take a party out surf-riding In a canoe
The party consisted OF Two men, one
lady and a young girl of u or 10 years
OF age. The surf Was quite heavy and
the wind blowing quite strong 80 my
sslf and helper, one kumukahi, took
the Inside line OF breakers where the
surf was only moderately high. one OF
the men, the largest sized one, said
That he wanted TO take the larger
breakers outside, but | objected be-
cause they were too large and from
the further fact that there were wo-
men in the canoe, for did not think |
u prudent TO take the heavy breakers,
tearing swamp" might result.
The large man insisted upon going
out further and ! did so. On account
oi the strong wind blowing We found |
II dlficult TO turn the canoe around |
shoreward, and the breaker taking us
before We were pointed right, threw |
che canoe sideways, burying the out
rigger down and striking the reef, |
which Immediately broke the outrig-
ger short of when the canoe AT once
turned over.
This all took place on the abua
,shoaD where IL was not over Az TO D
feet deep. and not 70 feet deep as stat
ed by the gentleman in the newspaper
interview. II the water had been rs
fret deep at that point how was II pos
sible for the ontrlgger TO strike bot
tom, and those who are familiar with
canoeing in the surf know that an out
rlgger could not break on excepting
from striking against the bottom
Immediately upon capsiZing the
Young girl was taken hold of and was
borne TO the short by my helpmate,
while ] remained TO bring
in the canoe. ! then set TO work 90
right the canoe, but the party were 80
frightened that ! could not get them 10
let 20 of It, although ! told them that
they could touch bottom, as II was not
over their heads. j don't know now
,he gentleman could make the state
ment that IL was 20 feet deep. IL was
aead low tide at the time lhalf past
n MI as can be seen by reference 10
The tide records, and was not high
water. AS stated by him In the inter
view.
He further states that he was in
formed that am not competent man
N the managing OF canoe in the SURF,
and seeks TO detract from my reputa-
ZION as an expert at this business.
will leave It to such well-known auth
critics as Marshal Brown, Leslie
Scott. I'd Macfarlane. Willie Dlmond
and others who know what my capa-
biities are in the management OF
canoe IN the surf. AS TO the accident
being nearly fatal one, Is all non
sense. repeat that the water was not
over AZ to 3 feet deep where the canoe
capsized as can be proved at any per
iOd OF low tide al that point.
| think in justice 10 myself ana the
other natives vino are employed in TINS
line Of business, that you should pup
fish my side OF this story, for II the
snort OF surf-riding Is proclaimed as
dangerous TO life, It will be very dam
aging to us who are dependent in
great measure on this sport for nv
ing.
Honolulu. March Sth, 1899.
HARRY KAPuLu,
p. l.. KUMuKAHI