Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-02-09
EXPERT DIVERS
AMONG HAWAIIANS
Some Remarkable FeatS
Accomplished by
Palahu.
MAKING A LINE FAST
IN EIGHTEEN FATHOMS
Kaluhikai, Ali of Bluest Blood, Now
Assistant 10 KimO Moss Former
Attendant at Queen Emma'S
Court.

In conversation with Kimo Moss,
Bulletin reporter the other day hap.
pened to remark that the Hawaiians
we're once quite noted for their work
at great depths under the water. Moss
then related to an interested group OF
listeners the story Of Palahu a native
who. in former years, was one of the
most noted divers Of the Islands and a
man who has been known to go down
and stay down longer than any other
man ever heard Of One feat which Pa.
lahu accomplished seems almost be.
yond belief but II Is stated to be fact
and well within the memory Of many
men now here. II seems that about
fifteen or sixteen years ago a steamer
ran into one of the buoys on the reef
and sang II. The then superintendent
OF public works, Mr.. Mcintyre. with u
gang of men went out to try and recov.
er the buoy. II was located in eigh.
teen fathoms of water and Palahu was
sent down to make line fast to Il
He disappeared from view over the
side of q boat and was gone long
time. He reappoared with two very
large Holsters in his hands and. much
to the disgust Of the superintendent,
placed his capture in the bottom of the
boat. The superintendent rOundly be-
rated the native for not making the
rope fast to the buoy, hut Palahu, say
ing that there was no harm done. took
the rope again and started down on
and made the rope fast. He came to
the surface again and seemed none the
worse for his remarkable trip nor did
| he think he had done anything un-
| usual. On regatta day when prizes
| were given for the man who could stay
under water out Of sight longest. Pa
/ lahu was always the winner and not
until he was almost killed by an ex.
| plOslOn was he ever beaten as a diver
Another man who has made rcpu.
tation for himself as diver is Kaluhi.
kai, the present assistant of Moss. BE.
sides being diver Of note Kaluhika
IL an ALI of the bluest blood being one
OF the last of the Kamehamehas and
descended also from another celebrated
line of chiefs the last one OF whom was
named Kohoalii That Kahoalii was a
very high chief is known from the fact
that, when he was alive. he never
had need of the services of a tailor,
and whenever he appeared out of the
house a guard went before and one be.
hind him at intervals Of fifty feet and
announced his coming, at which all
the people who happened to be about
| would fall Hat on their faces and not
dare to look upon his royal person al
he passed for fear of the eXecutiOnor
! Kaluhikai, the descendant of this
man, Is very content with his present
lot and looks out for the supply Of air
furnished Moss when he Is under the
water In his diving suit In former
years, when he was a young man, he
was an attendant at the court of Queen
Emma and there he became familiar
with all the noble people of the Hawai-.
iian race. lie was always received as
an equal and looked upon as n man OF
proud birth. In after years KaluhikaI
went as captain of some of the island
schooners and while In the trade made
a reputation for himself for bravery
which was afterwards rewarded by q
medal. On one Of his trips ON tn,
schooner man was washed overheard
from the vessel in the channel be
tween Lanai and Kahoolawe 1t wa,
obout 3 o'clock in the evening whei
the accident happened but Kaluhiwa
went over the side OF the vesse, and got
the man, keeping him anoat until
o'clock the next afternoon when they
were both picked mp by the schooner
which had been looking for them ii
the meantime.
Kaluhikai says that now be cannot
do the things he used to dol when he
was younger but within few years he
has sounded and touched bottom al
eleven iathoms. This for man gOinp
on to sixty years Of age is considered
to be a very remarkable feat. The
diving of both Palahu and Kaluhika
was done without the aid of apparatus