A Narrative of an 1823 Tour Through Hawaii: Journal of William Ellis

by William Ellis

Meet important historical figures, such as Liholiho, Kuakini and John Young. Witness, first hand, historical events, such as the death of Captain Cook, the battles of Kamehameha the Great and the explosive eruptions of Kîlauea. William Ellis’ classic of Pacific literature, A Narrative of a Tour Through Hawai‘i, stands unrivalled as an account of Hawaiian life in the early nineteenth century. With his close interest in native life, his sympathy for a people undergoing vast social change and his keen eye for accurate detail, Ellis was not the typical missionary of Western visitor to the islands. Always the ethnologist, Ellis packs his narrative with vital information for students of traditional Hawai‘i, and takes readers back in time to witness a vanished age.

530 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

William Ellis (1794–1872) was an English missionary and author. He traveled through the Society Islands, Hawaiian Islands and Madagascar, and wrote several books describing his experiences.

Reviews

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

William Ellis was a missionary from the London Missionary society,who came to Hawaii in 1822 and traveled around the Big island by foot & occasionally by canoe.He writes about the history ,legends and beliefs of the native population,as well as describing the geology and flora & fauna.His group is the first non-native to see the Kilauea volcano.

[Jordie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Infanticide, ritual human sacrifice, and the smashing out of one's front teeth to show respect for the death of a king. Early Hawaiian life and culture were not for the faint of heart. William Ellis faithfully notes all that he learns from traveling the Big Island in 1823 with three other missionaries, mostly on foot, conversing with the native Hawaiians and preaching to them. The villages were numerous and populous, and the Hawaiians were curious and eager to talk to these foreign missionaries. The islands had recently been united (conquered) by King Kamehameha, who banned idolatry and encouraged the native Hawaiians to forget about their age-old gods, and instead embrace Christianity. According to Ellis, the Hawaiians were interested in accepting the Christian God. Although, reading between the lines of this journal, I believe Ellis is being more hopeful than truthful. He does accurately summarize long conversations he had with natives who posed strong challenges to the Word that Ellis was preaching. In my view, he wasn't able to address or answer the natives' questions. My favorite part was hearing a second-hand account (he was relaying first-hand accounts) of the meeting, events, and death of Captain Cook. And also entertaining was Ellis' telling of how he interrupted the native's games and dancing, remarking that God didn't look kindly upon such gaiety, urging them instead to read the bible. With no perceptible embarrassment.

[John Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent primary source for those wishing to get a glimpse of life in Hawaii (and more specifically the Big Island) in the 1820s. While the flora and fauna parts did not interest me in particular, the descriptions of the people, the sights and cultural practices were quite interesting. I would consider this a "must read" for those interested in Hawaii history.