8 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, January, 1947 
charm and because it gives a picture of gath¬ 
ering the wood at night: 
January, 1827, weighed and made sail, and after 
a fine passage anchored within the reefs, at Wha- 
hoo [Oahu], where we found an American ship. 
. . . Sometime before our arrival the Government 
had purchased a vessel from an American Mer¬ 
chant called the Chinchili; this vessel was to be 
paid for in sandal wood, which was as usual levied 
in certain quantities from each of the Chiefs. . . . 
The time of cutting it is appointed by the King, 
and that is invariably at night, but for what cause 
I could never find out; this time was appointed 
while we lay here, and the Captain was invited to 
accompany the young King to view the scene; our 
cutter was ordered to take the party, and it took 
us nearly all the forenoon to get to the spot. When 
the party took horses and left me in charge of the 
boat, I asked and obtained leave to ascend the hill 
in the evening; the ascent was painful and fatigu¬ 
ing, but it fully repaid me by the pleasing sight 
that met my eyes; there stood a vast number of 
men assembled, each with a torch made from 
sandal wood, which burns bright and clear, at a 
certain signal they dispersed; each taking his own 
way to cut his load, accompanying his labour with 
a song, to which the whole band within hearing 
join in chorus; the song we understood not, but in 
the calm of a beautiful night it was calculated to 
inspire delight. After the labour of two or three 
hours the wood is collected together, each Chief 
inspecting his own lot, judging of the quality by 
the colour and weight; it is then taken to the 
water’s edge where it is piled end on ready for 
boats to take away; the people then returned to 
their homes, and we to the young King’s country 
house, after which I went to the boat. 
As the king bought greater and greater 
quantities of imported goods, his demands 
for sandalwood in taxes became greater and 
more frequent. Tax records were kept, some 
of which are still extant and may be con¬ 
sulted at the Public Archives, Honolulu. The 
writer studied them carefully in hope of 
finding exact records, including the locali¬ 
ties where sandalwood was cut. The records 
are few, fragmentary, and difficult to inter¬ 
pret. One of the best is a sheet kept by the 
Spaniard Francisco de Paula Marin, who was 
a councilor or business manager of Kame- 
hameha I. The year date is lacking. Each 
center entry is the name of a district on 
Oahu or of the chief ruling that district. 
Then, in three columns appear the day and 
month, the number of piculs, and the num¬ 
ber of pieces, all written in Spanish. In 
brackets is here suggested the modern spell¬ 
ing or translation, as follows: 
Sandalwood Tax Record for Oahu by 
Don Francisco Marin 
Guaguigui [Waikiki] 
dia 24 de Septiembre 240 piculs 
25 50 
18 de Septiembre 
Taguipu [Kahuku?] 
168 
16 
Cayrua [Kailua] 
1200 
16 
Guaymanamano 
[Waimano] 
1200 10 pedazos [pieces] 
Caneoje [Kaneohe] 
16 
800 5 
17 
Teylla [Kealia] 
1200 
17 
Cajanu [Kahana?] 
120 
23 
Camejameja [Kamehame- 
ha, the governor of part 
of Oahu] 
4400 
27 
1080 
29 
230 
28 
Tonuaunau [unidentified] 
580 
23 
Guallanae [Waianae] 
415 
Marin’s journal, in manuscript translation 
in the Public Archives, also gives some data 
on the gathering of sandalwood taxes. 
Marin’s Journal No. 2 
27 Sept. 1811. Marin cutting Wood for King. 
26 Dec. 1811. Marin goes to cut Wood with the 
Minister. 
4 Aug. 1812. This day the King made a Con¬ 
tract with Captain Guynan [Winship] and Capt. 
Debes [Davis] not to sell fragrant wood to any¬ 
one but to them. 
25-26 Oct. 1814. Kealakekua, Hawaii. Went 
on shore to see King. Spoke to him about per¬ 
fumed wood. He gave no answer. 
18 Feb. 1818. This day weighing wood—116 
piculs. 
Journal No. 4 
1 March 1819. Quinopu & Quehomaquea left 
for Waimea to fetch sandalwood [they were prob¬ 
ably tax collectors, now unidentified]. 
