Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-07-16
v ASH. HEARS
OF HAWAIPS
swimmers

ID.
Even in Washington, the name and
fame of Duke kaAaramoku is herald
ed about. When someone in Wash
ington speaks of Hawaii, free sugar
end the governoT3hip are not the only
subjects which mention of the Para
disc of the Pacific calls to mind
The following interview with
Johnny" Wilson was printed in the
Washington Post of July /:
1T is not surprising TO natives of
Hawaii that one of their number
should have. become the swimming
cha r'pion of the world remarked j.
H. Wilson, Democratic national COM
mit.eeman of the territory, at the
Raleigh Duke Kahanomoku, who
won the worlds championship at the
Olympic games in Stockholm last
year and a short time ago broke his
own record at Honolulu, is one of
thousands OF boys in Hawaii who
learned how to swim almost as soon
as they learned how to walk. | knew
Duke when he was baby. / do not
know whether, he was the swiftest
swimmer Hawaii ever had, because it
has been only in the last few years
that Hawaii has participated in the
athletic contests of the. world. The
boy is undoubtedly a wonderful swim
mer, but there are scores of young
men about his age who are almost as
good swimmers as he. Duke got his
name from the Duke of Wellington.
His father is a chum of mine. A long
time ago the Duke of Wellington,
grandson of the conqueror of Napo-
leon at Waterloo, visited Hawaii. 1t
was just about that time that Dukes
father was horn, and when his first
son came into the world he christened
him Duke The boy has been swim
ming in the ocean at Honolulu ever
since ne was a child. He gained a
local reputation and was regarded as
the swiftest swimmer of his age. but
it was not until he won victories at
Stockholm that Hawaiians really ap-
preciated what notable young man
he is.
Everybody Swims.
Il do not believe there is a native
of Hawaii-man, woman or child
who does not know how to swim. |
cannot remember when learned.
Mothers. take no account of their-ohn-
dren on the beach They do not fear
their babies will drown. In fact,
do not remember that there ever was
a drowning.
Two years ago next Friday, the
Fourth of July, / was witness of an
that illustrates the swim
ming ability of the Hawaiians. A
who had gone to Hawaii
and acquired schooner tug ran his
boat onto the rocks on the island of
Molokai-the leper island The resi-
dents of Halawa, village on the 9TH
er side of the island from the leper
colony, flocked to the scene of the
wreck and assisted in floating the
schooner. The owner wanted to re-
pay them, and by agreement arranged
to take all who wanted to go on a
picnic the Fourth of July. He was on
hand with his boat on the Fourth, and
about 45 men, women, and children,
ranging from boys and girls years
old to an old woman of So, gayly went
aboard. The Norwegian had made the
of not keeping ballast in his
hold, and two miles off shore, near
Waidua, when in the trough of the
sea the people aboard, rushing to one
side and rocking the boat turned it
over The Norwegian was the only
one in the party who could not swim.
The older men placed him in the life
boat on the vessel, and then struck
out for shore. Meantime, every one
of the As men, women, and children
had started for shore, and every one,
including the old woman of SO,
reached there in safety. Four days
later the old lady died from exhaus-
ton.
Yes, we know how to swim in Ha-
waii."