The Journey Of The Suffolk – 1881
Posted August 4, 2010 by azores2hawaii in Uncategorized.
https://azores2hawaii.wordpress.com/2010/08/04/the-journey-of-the-suffolk-1881/
The bark Suffolk arrived in St. Michael, Azores, on April 1881, after taking on board Portuguese immigrants for Honolulu, sailed from Ponta Delgada, St. Michael on May 14. Crossed the equator in the Atlantic in longitude 82 degrees west on May 30th. Same day, we signaled British ship “Trinidad” of Grenock, from Newcastle bound for Java, being 33 days out to sea. Next day we signaled the British steamer bound north. Passed within 15 miles from the island of F emando de Moranha, a convict settlement off the coast of Brazil, June 16, in latitude 44 degrees south and longitude 47 degrees West. We had heavy gales from the southwest, accompanied with fierce winds, rains and hail squalls and a mountainous sea, the ship behaved nobly. The gale lasted for 5 days. Off Staten island on the 23rd of June and rounded Cape Horn on the 24th. Off the Cape Horn, we had a constant succession of gales from the west, accompanied with snow and hail storms and were over a week between 56 degrees and 58 degrees south, and longitude 60 degrees and 75 degrees west. We crossed the equator in the Pacific on the 7th of August and experienced light winds and pleasant weather to the arrival of the port of Honolulu Harbor, August 24, 1881. It took 102 days from Ponta Delgada, St. Michael.
During the passage, there were 12 births, and 8 deaths. At no time during the voyage were there any case of infectious disease reported among the passengers. Of the 8 deaths, only 2 were adults. The captain of the Suffolk was Byford. We are happy to also record the very cordial welcome of the countrymen of Camoes to our King, and happy also to be assured that the wnter of these “isles treating of the heroic past of Portugal, of her illustrious Prince Henry, and her noble poet Camoes to our King, and also had awakened a pleasant sympathy between Hawaii and ancient Celtileria, and that there shall grow out of King Kalakaua’s visit to London, not only “entente cordial” between the sovereigns of Portugal and Hawaii, but an intimate and happy fusion of the Portuguese and Hawaiian people. The “Suffolk” from the Azores brings a welcome addition to the population of the Kingdom. The assisted Portuguese immigrants may have been more costly, man for man, than those which the Gov’t or private individuals have induced to come here from other parts of the world, but have assuredly proved more valuable as settlers, in a still greater proportion. Peaceable and industrious, docile as plantation hands, energetic when working on their own account. Their presence here is the most satisfactory of all the results of the administration of our immigration department up to the present time.
From what we hear, we have no doubt all of them who are seeking employment will quickly find it.
A telegram to the Standard, dated Lisbon, 19th inst. states that “King Kalakaua is expected there shortly entertains sanguine hopes of inducing Portuguese emigrants to settle in Hawaii.” It seems that several Portuguese families are already established there, and according to a Portuguese Journal, King Kalakaua calculates on augmenting this colony by introduction of a thousand new Portuguese immigrants.
Note: Excerpts taken from The Pacific Commercial Advertiser Weekly Aug 1881 State of Hawaii Library
