The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-12-05
Tales From the Archives
ENMiTY AND AMITY

of the commander was performed b.
himself and the rest by his peOpl
without any other chief concerned. -
such a deed was not within the ma
ture of the great king, so Vancouver i
probably correct, but it would be fun
nv if he was very much concerned ove-
| the fate of one of the hated Yankee
! ships. AS he bubbles over with com
mendation Of Kamehameha. this might
| be accepted as a part of it, without
any too great a historical value.
/ Vancouver continues: Residing
with Tamaah Maah are three seamen
| named John Young, Isaac Davis and
John Smith; these ! have every reason
to believed are subjects of Great Bri-
tain. particularly the two former, at
least as such they have acknowledged
themselves under my authority and for
divers good and sufficient reason l have
given them my permission to remain on
the Island
Remembering that Young either de-
serted or was detained from YANKEES
ship this is strange and affords food
for abundant speculation most of which
would probably be incorrect. It might
be that Young was Britisher pressed
into service under Medcalf, as was the
custom of those days. The "deten-
ton of Medcalf's boatswain followed
by the skipper S hot letter to the boat
swain himself would then be partially
explained.
In Vancouver s second letter written
in 1894 on the occasion of his third
visit to the islands, the purpose of the
pleasant and amicable tenure of both
letters is made manifest. The letter
opens with another tribute to "Tamaah
Maah" and says:
Having visited the island of Owhy-
hee in the years 1892, 1898, and 1894,
but particularly in the latter year,
where we remained in Karakakooa Ike
alakekua) Bay from the 14th of .Janu-
airy to the Goth of February; beg leave
to inform all commanders Of vessels,
&c, &C., that we have been treated with
the greatest attention, friendship and
of the inhabitants of this
island but particularly by Tamaah
Maah, its king. >
Kamehameha s wisdom and fore
thought could do no other thing than
treat so powerful an ally courteously,
1HA ms osh DlS SpIiit "do GhOIouSu1y
n tune with these brave men. But it
appears that other chiefs of the island ,
were not so farsighted for Vancouver
'ays: "They are, however, to be trusted
With proper caution, Kahou Hodoo, in |
1ne instance having not altogether act |
ed equal to the character I have given |
If him in writing on my former visit
In regard to the white men on the |
sland he says: 81 likewise beg leave to |
recommend Messrs. John Young and |
'saac Davis, to whose services not only |
he persons, &C., under my command, |
nave been highly indebted for their |
good offices, but | am convinced that |
through the uniformity of their conduct |
md unremitting good advice to Tamaah |
daah and the different chiefs that they |
nave zen materially instrumental in |
,ausIng the honest, civil and attentive |
behaviour lately experienced so |
contrary to the reports that have been |
published in England to the disgrace |
md inhuman conduct of the islanders, |
prior to the residing of the said per- |
sons among them
Tucked away in the middle of this |
asst letter is a sentence which explains |
hey said about Kamehameha Is kindness |
s undoubtedly true. Vancouver did ev-
for him except to sell him fire.
arms.
The substance of this sentence is |
elaborated upon in the following copy |
IT a treaty preserved in the archives:
Copy of Captain George Vaneou-
ver's official account of the cession of
Owhyhee' to the King of Great Brit
hin.
son the Goth February (Tuesday), |
1874, Tamaah Maah, King of Owhyhee. |
N council with the principal chiefs of |
The island, assembled ON board His
Britannia Maiesty's Sloop Discovery in
Aarakokooa Bay, and in the presence of
George Vancouver, Commander of said |
Sloop; Lieutenant Peter Puget. com
nander of his said Maiesty's armed |
tender the Chatham, and the other of
beers of the Discovery, after due con-
sideration unanimously ceded the said
Island of Owhyhee to His Britannia
and acknowledged themselves
TO be subjects of Great Britain. -
There is a reason for everything