APEC 2011 Hawaii — Historical Tidbits — Birds Scarce, Forests Dense
Editor’s note: Honolulu’s visitors have told fascinating stories over the years. Civil Beat looked through vintage news clippings to give today’s APEC visitors a sense of the history of this place. With thanks to Pake Zane and Julie Lauster of Antique Alley.
It was October 1828 when “the Frenchman Dehaut-Cilly, captain of the Heros, was at Waialua” to pick up a load of sandalwood.
A Honolulu Star-Bulletin article from 1931 recounts his stay. In many ways, the words sound similar to the words of the tourism officials who in promoting APEC speak of the aloha spirit they hope visitors experience here and how Hawaii could play a special role as a bridge between Asia and the mainland United States.
“Sleeping with many others on mats in the house of the chief of the district he arose after a restless night and went out hoping to kill some birds. He walked toward the mountain threading his way along narrow paths between the taro patches. These paths were so covered with weeds that it was hard to keep from tumbling into the muddy ponds. He shot some plover and a duck and returned to the village. During the day the schooner took on her cargo of sandalwood and set sail for Honolulu.
“During his stay on Oahu he frequently went to the mountains hoping to make a collection of Hawaiian birds. As he found them scarce and the forests impenetrable, he got but few.
“He wrote that the sweetness of character and good nature of the Sandwich islanders had made them loved by all who frequented the islands, and their intelligence made them fit for anything. They especially took to navigation and he believed there were at least 800 excellent sailors in the group. The American and British whalers took them to replace those who died or deserted and the fur traders completed their crews here. It was remarkable that these islanders born in the tropics bore the cold of the northwest coast better than the men from Boston.
“Captain Dehaut-Cilly had a clear view of the importance of Oahu which, he said, was attracting the attention of the maritime nations. He believed the islands were destined to become a general mart between America and Asia, a place of rest and refreshment for sailors after long and perilous voyages as well as a refuge for vessels which needed repairs.”
