Numerous archaeological ruins indicate that Nihoa was inhabited 
at one time. Emory (t) estimates that in prehistoric times Nihoa 
supported a population of 100 on a permanent or semipermanent basis. 
However, when Captain Douglass of the I’-plilgenia discovered the island 
on March 19, 1789, there were no people living on it and the Hawaiians 
/ledge of Nihoa except for allusions to it in their 
y jyx / & 'pa'i'd* c d '•fk're e 5 U »'f> t o 
*A- xlL ±u22 i i jueon Ka^mian^ rediscovered and annexed Nihoa; 
it was formally annexed by Kamehameha IV in 18 57 , after which time 
occasional parties visited. The first recorded botanical collection 
was made by Dr. Rooke in l8?8, when he brought specimens of the 
7 
Nihoa loulu, Pritchardia re mot a , to Honolulu C&). Queen Liliuokalani 
and a party of over 200 left Honolulu on the steamer Iwalan l in 
July, 1885 , to survey the island. Albert Jaeger, a forester, was 
included. A fire w&ich spread quickly over the dry island forced 
the group to flee, apparently without making any botanical collections. 
Later collections include those of Capt. Brown of the U. S. 
/?/V 
revenue cutter Thetis , ); C.M. Cooke* E. L. Caumt E. 
Christophersenj E*H. Bryan^C#S. Judd; E. Christophersen and T.T. 
Dranga of the Tanager Expedition, 192y r.j. 
9 / c g ) 
Kramer and G. Swedberg, 1961 (f^); J. Beardsley, 1962 ; C.R. Long, 
// ^ 
1964 (0 ); and D. Yen, I969. 
Through the courtesy of Eugene Itridler, manager of the refuge, 
the Coast Guard, I was able to visit Nihoa on Aug. 2 h- 27 , 1968. 
■ rjj 
