Under Hawaiian skies, a narrative of the romance, adventure and history of the Hawaiian Islands, a complete historical account, by Albert Pierce Taylor.

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UNDER IJAWAIIAN SKIES

were lbrigs and other small sailing vessels in inter-island service
for years, but many were lost oil the reefs through incompetency
and (irunkenness of the native commanders and crews, as well
as hy white masters.
The origin of steam coasting service in the Islands, with I-lonolulti as a base, is credlited to the steanIshi) Constitutionl, which
arrived from California January 24, 1852, and was the first
steamsliip) to ply hetween two island ports, untler a five-year contract for a mionopoly executed by the government with one Mr.
HIowardl. Thie steamer, hiowever, proved uniwieldy for interislan(l service, being a 600-ton propeller. After making one
rounti trip, to Laahaina she was sent hack to San Francisco.
Oin Novemher 12, 1853, the side-wheel steamer S. B. Wlicclcr,
E11llis, commander, arrived from, San Francisco to enter the
island tra(Ie un(ler the auspices of the Hawaiian Steam Navigation C(o., of San -Urancisco. Her name was chiang-ed to Akalitai,
and with the exception of'an occasional trip to Ian ai,,her service
was confined to ()alih and Maui. The vessel, however-, was too
small and too 01(1 and, after a year's bluffeting \vith fate, made
her memorable last tril) oil September 24, 1854. She took 415)0
passenglers, nineteen horses, several princes, and her guardls were
almost awash. She was struck by a storm and near-l foundered,
hut her master fiuiallv got her to Lahlaina. She was condemned
there all(l broken utp.
Thie legislature of 1854 confirmed the charter of the Hawaiian
Steam Navig-ation Co.. hut it failedI to keep its contract. Inl
18.58 anotlier group took over the old company anml the steamer
Kllatnca of 414 tons, was construtctel at Bloston, arrivinglo- at
_Iflb6oluln June 28, 1860, after a passage of 175 (laays. She was,
called "otur owvn vessel." The islani service commencedl Tilv
18, 1860, by a tril) to Kauai. Thie KlI'latica was often laid up for
repairs. In 1871, she was (lespatchedl by the ggovernment to
Ocean island, to rescue the officers and crewv Of the IT. S. S..Saguianc, which had been wrecked en route from tididwav Island
10 IHonoluilu. For eighteen years the Kilaurta was in service. She
was sold anile resol(d and finally auctioned off, ran oin reefs, was