The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1908-02-25
RELICS OF
CAPTAIN COOK

In connection with the presence in
Honolulu of Professor Vladimir Sirat-
lowsky, of the chair of political econo-
my in the University of st. Petersburg
and the interest he is taking in the
display of chronological Hawaiian relics
at the Bishop Huseum, comes story
barking back to the discovery of the
islands by Captain Cook and the ad-
ventures of his men after they had
hurried away from these shores, leav-
ing the body Of their Inflated COM
mander behind them.
In Alexander's History, describing
the visit of the great circumnavigator,
occurs this paragraph, which has d.
rect bearing upon the reputed reason
of the visit of the Russian professor
to Honolulu and his reasons for stay
ing here. The passage is:
'On the 3rd of February (1779), the
day previous to the departure of the
ships, Kalaniopuu presented Captain
Cook with an immense quantity of vege-
tables, large herd of swine, and an
extensive collection of kapas and red
aud yellow feathers. Captain King
SAYS: I'VE were astonished at the
value and magnitude of this present,
which far surpassed anything of the
kind we had seen at either the Friendly
or Society Islands. >"
And these kapas and featherwork ar
ticles, cloaks and helmets, are said to
have remained boxed up since they
were placed in the hold of the Resolu-
tion that week when the outrages of
the white strangers goaded the natives
to turn upon them until they were
brought out again to the light of day
a short time ago in st. Petersburg,
Professor Siratlowsky having been the
man to break the kapu under which
the boxes had been apparently lying.
The delicate feather work was found
to be as fresh and as well preserved
as when presented to Captain Cook by
the Hawaiian chief over one hundred
and twenty-five years ago.
Following the stabbing of their com
mander and the death of several of
the sailors that day in Kealakekua bay,
the British sailors set sail for the Arc
tic, touching last at Niihau on Febru-
airy %, 1879. From thence the vessels
proceeded to Kamachatka, and here, in
some way, the gifts of Kalaniopuu were
landed and forgotten, despite their
value. For many years they lay neg
lected at this Russian frontier port,
finally being sent to st. Petersburg,
with other historical and official mate
rial that had collected in the store
houses of the Kamchatka garrison In
the Capital they were still neglected,
no one taking the trouble to open the
boxes and see what they contained,
until their very existence in the dusty
storercom of some government ware
house was forgotten.
The years rolled on and the third
century opened since the handing over
of the treasures to the white stranger
by the Hawaii king. Then the boxes
of sandal-wood were brought out, the
room they occupied being needed, and
curiosity induced the knocking to pieces
of the old boxes. The value of the
contents was appreciated and the Ha-
waiian relics were turned over to the
University museum.
Now Professor Siratlowsky is here
TO consult with Professor Brigham over
the valuable find and to obtain as cor
rect history of the beautiful feather
work cloaks as possible. He has seen
those at the Bishop Museum and re-
allies fully now, if he had not before
his arrival here, the uniqueness of the
specimens of early Hawaiian handiwork
and artistic ability that have come so
into the possession of his
In the collection are some duplicates,
specimens the like of which are not to
be found even in the magnificent col
lection under Professor Brigham's
charge, and it has been arranged that
these will be exchanged for specimens,
duplicates of which are now at the |
Honolulu museum. Thus both the local
museum and that of the st. Petersburg |
University will be enriched.
The Russian professor leaves this
week for Hawaii, intending to remain
for some time on that island One of |
The points he will visit, point now
If the greatest interest to him, will
De the beautiful cove at Kealakekua
,ay where the Resolution lay at anchor
ind on board of which the gifts to
captain Cook were made. 1t is prob
able, also, that he will visit Kauai
Turing his stay here and make investi-
cations in that section of the Garden