Hawaiians in the Pacific Northwest, 1865.

Travels From Washington Territory to Oregon.

O Kuokoa Newspaper; Aloha to you: We left Port Madison on the 11th of April. We went by sea aboard a single-masted ship. It took us over the deep seas for 45 miles until Steilacoom. There we stayed for a short period of two days, and in the morning of the 17th, we left that place. We walked the surface of the earth for 25 miles. And we reached Town (Olympia). We were welcomed by the haole of the hotels, and on the morning of the 18th, we left Town; we went aboard carriage [kaa-keiki ?] for 90 miles. Then we reached the Town (of Monticello). Midday of the 19th, the steamship awaited the arrival of the letter bag, and right after the letters were loaded, we boarded. The ship left the harbor and went for 57 miles on the Columbia River and we reached the Town (of Portland). We were entertained in the hotels and that is where we rested. In the morning of the 20th, some of our party went to tour the town, and we stayed that day; on the 21st, we boarded another steamship, and went for 12 miles until arriving here (Oregon City).  We met with the Hawaiian kamaaina of Komolewa [Vancouver], and were welcomed into their pleasant homes [interesting that the quote “Home” in the original]; and we learned of the death of a Hawaiian, W. Kauloa of Maui, and this is his story:

“In the evening of the 14th of December, 1864. While some of the sun was covered over by the dark billows of the sea. C. Kaanaana went along with W. Kauloa to the place of the Indian [Ilikini] to fetch their wives, and they stood outside of the door of the house. With no idea that the Indians within were inebriated. W. Kauloa entered the house, and the other stood outside; the Indian saw him enter, at which point he grabbed him and started to fight, and the Indian was close to being in trouble. The second Indian jumped in and grabbed him.

The one Indian that was doing the  fighting pulled out a knife and stabbed W. Kauloa, at which point he called out in a loud voice, “Hey, Kaanaana! Hey Kaanaana!! I am dying. A third Indian heard him call out, and went after Kaanaana and stabbed him with a knife. He ran quickly and jumped off a cliff. (It was 37 feet high from where he jumped from,) and he fell to the ground. He believed that he was saved, although his knee was scraped, along with his elbow.

He returned to their house and told Kahuelipi and Moku of what was described above. And because they could not go that night, they slept until morning of the 15th, and went to the place of the killing and asked the Indian, “Where is W. Kauloa,” at which the Indian replied, “We don’t know him.” They looked for the Indian who did the killing, and he wasn’t in the house. They thought he escaped. They searched all over, and could not find him; 5 days later, they heard from the Indians. We found that man dead, left in a beef barrel, carried by the water. It was 17 miles away from here and thought to be W. Kauloa.

And during time when we arrived, that Indian was confined in shackles. He was just tried and was let go; he is living freely until now. (Before we heard this story.)

There after, there arrived a letter from one of our friends of this foreign lands, living in Jacksonville; here is some of what the letter said: “You all wait their until the arrival of M. Kaauwaeaina them, and then make for Boise Miners, where they are digging for gold. Five dollars per eight days or ten, and so forth.” Therefore, we are awaiting their arrival here and will see what happens later.

Here are the names of those who came with me: D. Keomo, C. Mahoe, J. Kaluapana, J. Kanakaole, L. Lewa, M. J.,

G. B. Kahinano.

Oregon City, May 9, 1865.

(Kuokoa, 6/15/1865, p. 4)

No ka huakai-hele mai Wasinetona Teritoria a Oregona.

Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke IV, Helu 24, Aoao 4. Iune 15, 1865.

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