South Pacific Ocean, 20 May 1873. Manuscript signed letter written by an American merchant, Captain Summers of Honolulu, penned onboard a barque recently purchased by him, as he made his return voyage from Iquique (then part of the Viceroyalty of Peru) to the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii). 8vo. 4 pages. Double leaf letterhead measuring approximately 12,5 x 20 cm, with small embossed image of a colonial building. Mild age-toning and tearing at folds, otherwise in very good condition. In the July 1st 1873 issue of Honolulu's 'The Friend" magazine for mariners, this specific voyage was recorded as follows: "Liberian bark Clara Louise, Master Summers, Sailed from Iquiqui, Peru, May 4th, ... crossed the line... during three days had heavy winds and calms, took the NE trade... with fair weather, arrived on the 17th June." A letter of excellent content concerning one Honolulu ship owner's experience in the sea trade, Captain Summers describes his attempts to obtain cargo at Iquique (now in Chile, then part of Peru), mentioning saltpeter and copper, as well as the high price of fresh water. Finding little success in purchasing goods to resell on the Pacific coast of South America, he makes efforts to earn income by chartering cargo. He rightfully blames the introduction of the steamship for reduced opportunity available to independent merchants such as himself, still using sails to navigate large wooden vessels. Still, he remains optimistic of the opportunity to secure cargo in the Sandwich Islands, possibly owing to his Honolulu connections. Especially damaging to his endeavour and ambition is one unscrupulous character, referred to as 'Old Fearrington', from whom he purchased the barque Clara Louise. Upon trying to sell the vessel itself, in Callao, he found some of the vessel's wood to be rotten. His ship was therefore neither sellable, nor sea-worthy for cross-Atlantic voyages. Perhaps most disappointing, the captain could not afford the risk of transporting sugar, a lucrative and prolific commodity at the time, as the ship's hull could not be trusted with such weight. The recipient of this correspondence is the captain's brother Tom who appears to live in the San Francisco Bay area. The captain ends his letter with a request for his brother to write to San Francisco wholesaler and importer Cross & Co., most likely the captain's client. Excerpts from the letter: "My dear Tom, I have been down this way again and after a passage of 80 days anchored in Iquique itis one of the most desolate holes... not a spear of grass for 60 miles of the town, water 10 cents per gallon... 40 cents for washing a shirt." "... I discharged after 20 days delay what with holidays... I could get no cargo on this boat so I thought it best to try the Sandwich Islands... but 400 miles out of the way." "I might got some sugar if I had not been deceived in this vessel. I have had plenty of chance to sell but old Fearrington had the rotten wood all covered... had to trust his word but he did lie... I have sent him $2200 in gold of of this freight so you see that he has received $6000 from me in 15 months..." "... he deceived me, told me she was sound all through and I had not the money to spare to have her overhauled... if she had been a good sound vessel I could have sold her and made good a profit by it for both of us..." "When I wanted to sell it at Callao they overhalled and found some of her timbers rotten..." "I have not taken any wages since leaving and I think if I can get some more good charters I shall make myself whole and give him back his rotten old ship..." "... getting down to Iquique she commenced leaking... had to keep the pump going all the time... had to get caulked all over and now she is tite... " "I have been told by one of my best friends in Boston that old Fearrington will do me out of the profets & ship yet he has done so with several captains ruined them..." "... I don't know whether I will get any cargo at the Sandwich Islands but I am in hopes..." "... the business in both oceans is very dull the steamers take all the trade. If she was a sound vessel I would go to Japan or China and sell... she will not carry 300 tons with safety..." "I must now close... give my love to Sarah and all of your dear family. Write direct Cross & Co. California Strait S. Fran." "goodby from your affectionate Brother, Wm H Summers." End Excerpts. Further research is warranted to learn more about the Captain, although it appears from historical records that his home was in Honolulu. The present letter suggests that he was a man of integrity, and that he had family in San Francisco. The Annual Report of the Hawaiian Historical Society, Vol 5, mentions a Captain Summers of Honolulu who was involved in hunting seals in 1826 with a brig called Waverley. This may be the same Summers or a relation, possibly his father. A San Francisco Ship Passenger List names William Summers as making a voyage on a British schooner named Koh-i-noor in November 1851 from Lahaina to San Francisco, presumably to visit his brother. The ship had only a scant few passengers, but a substantial cargo of potatoes from Hobart Town, as well as potatoes and oranges from Hawaii. A book titled "History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania," edited by J.H. Battle; published by A. Warner & Co. in 1887, outlines genealogical connections and mentions, "Sir Richard Summers, from whom the Sandwich islands derived the name by which they were first known, as the Summers islands". This reference may lead to the lineage of Captain Summers who wrote the present letter. "The Friend" began as a monthly newspaper for seamen, which included news from both American and English newspapers, and gradually expanded to adding announcements of upcoming events, reprints of sermons, poetry, local news, editorials, ship arrivals and departures and a listing of marriages and deaths. Reverend Samuel Chenery Damon was sent by the American Seamen's Friend Society to be chaplain in Honolulu, where he began to edit and publish the periodical in 1843. Reverend Damon had published between a half million and a million copies of The Friend, most of which he personally distributed, by the time he retired in 1885. Manuscript
