TOMO SKALICA'S TRAVELOGUE (1853) TO HONOLULU*
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Journal of Croatian Studies, XXVIII-XXIX, 1987-88 ? Annual Review of the Croatian Academy of
America, Inc. New York, N.Y., Electronic edition by Studia Croatica, by
permission. All rigths reserved by the Croatian Academy of America.
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For many
centuries Croatian intellectuals have been citizens of a country dominated by
foreign powers; often they have been employed by those governments and have
travelled abroad in that capacity.
Some of them left written impressions of
Central and Eastern Europe; these reports are valuable not only to geographers,
but also to students of the Austro-Hungarian and ottoman empires, of the
constant religious controversies between Catholic and Orthodox church, and of
fascinating Slavic folklore.
Among
these travelogues two excel, the first one written by Antun Vrančić
(1504-73) and the second by Ruđer Bo?ković (1711-87). These two
clergymen wrote their travelogues in foreign languages (in Latin and Italian), because
Vrančić was reporting to the Austrian emperor who had entrusted him
with a delicate mission to the Sultan (Iter Buda Hadrianopolim, 1553),
while Bo?ković from his teen-age years moved in the circle of
West-European scientists and communicated his observations to them (Giornale
di un Viaggio da Constantinopoli in Polonia, 1784).
The situation changed radically during
the Croatian national and cultural revival (1832-48), when travelling became
somewhat easier even for the laymen, who wrote only in the vernacular, for they
were addressing themselves to their countrymen. They were deeply influenced by
new currents of political rebellion, national independence and to a degree by
adventurous longings. When they embarked even on short distance trips (as e.g.
Stanko Vraz who travelled from Zagreb to Novo Mesto in Slovenia), they gave
detailed accounts of what they saw, whom they encountered and which maidens
charmed their heart.
If they
travelled to neighbouring dominions, they felt as if they were in another
world, because of the different rulers and customs, and often a language
barrier.
Bosnia was
then a part of the Turkish empire. When Matija Ma?uranić (1817-81) went to
this province in 1839-40, he was so puzzled by differences which existed
between the two geographically close regions that, upon his return to Zagreb,
he wrote a fascinating account, which excels in its accurate portrayal of
Bosnian customs (A View of Bosnia - Pogled u Bosnu, 1842).
When Antun Nemčić (1813-49)
sailed to Venice (1843), he was enchanted by Italian culture, but at the same
time he felt so lost that, on the boat between Trieste and Venice, he wrote
down verses which we learned as youngsters (Sketches from a Trip - Putositnice,
1845):
I am thinking about you,
o my beloved homeland .. .
In vain the sun shines elsewhere,
it cannot warm my heart.
The life
story of Tomo Skalica (born at Slavonski Brod, 1825) is unusual not only
because he left Croatia (in 1851) in protest against the oppressive rule of Austria,
but also because he ventured to the four corners of the world. He described his
wanderings in his journey (Putovanje), which was published serially in
the periodical Neven from 1854 to 1856.[1][1]
I am not
saying that Skalica was the first Croat to visit distant lands. We are
informed, especially by professor George Prpich (in his books The Croatian
Immigrants in America, New York 1971; South Slavic Immigration in America,
Boston 1978) that there had been several Croatian missionaries (e.g. Ivan Ratkaj,
Ferdinand Kon?ćak and Josip Kundek) who worked in Mexico, California and
Indiana; their main concern was to bring the peoples there closer to God and to
take care of their material needs.
When Skalica tried his fortune in San
Francisco, in this rapidly growing city, there were many of his countrymen,
most of them owners of bars and stores. We find the records of their activities
in the city archives or on their tombstones. With this segment of Croatian
immigrants is concerned Adam S. Eterovich, in whose publications is given
precious information about numerous Croats who were attracted to California,
particularly to the Bay area, during the feverish years of the "gold
rush". "Tadich grill", a restaurant of that period, is still
operating and remains very popular.
Skalica
was not the first Croat who sailed to the Havaiian islands. Professor T.
Gasinski has written an interesting article about John Dominis and his son
Owen, who settled in Honolulu.[2][2] John was probably born on the island of
Rab, went as a sailor to Boston, eventually became a sea captain, and moved
first to San Francisco and then to Honolulu (1837), where he constructed a
mansion, at the Washington Place, which even today serves as the Governor's
residence. His son Owen married Liliuokalani, the last ruler of the Hawaiian
kingdom. He was considered a handsome man, a good governor and beloved husband.
I will
present Skalica's life and writing as follows: first I will touch upon his
promising but turbulent young years; then I will narrate his travels, paying
particular attention to those pages in which he tells us what he saw in
Honolulu.
Tomo
Skalica was born at Brod, on the river Sava (in 1825), into a rather well-to-do
family. Like his father, he became involved in glassworks. Though Brod was
located in a province, even there a new wind of the national revival was
blowing. One of the leading figures there was A. Torkvat Brlić (1826-68),[3][3] who devoted his talent and energy to
fight first the Hungarians (1848) and then the Austrians. Young people accepted
him as their leader; among them was Skalica. When the so-called Bach's
absolutism was installed in the Austrian empire (1851), Brlić abandoned
politics and became a lawyer, while the uncompromising Skalica chose to
emigrate. He sold his share in the glassworks and travelled via Budapest,
Vienna and Hamburg to Bremen, where he bought a ticket on a Finnish boat in the
direction of fabled California. They sailed toward England, down to Africa,
Brazil, Argentina, around the cape of Horn, up to Chile, Mexico and finally
reached "San Francesco" (in April 1852).
In the
harbour of San Francisco they saw at least 1200 ships. When the sailors and
travellers disembarked, they were astonished to find on its streets such noise,
gaiety and commotion. The people were dancing, singing, playing cards and other
games of chance; they seemed uninterested whether they would see the next day.
They carried weapons freely, Skalica writes, as if they were living in
Montenegro.
During
three ensuing days Skalica observed living conditions in San Francisco. He
found that the working class was well paid, but that food and everything else
was very expensive. There were few women: to fifty men there was only one
woman. They were mostly Mexican and Chinese; sometimes an English girl could be
spotted.
Skalica
met individuals of various nationalities (English, Spaniards, Portuguese,
French and Chinese). He talked to two Germans, who complained that they had
spent all their money and thus were unable to go to the gold fields; they did
not know English and said that without a knowledge of that language it was
dangerous to move among such a questionable crowd.
The
closest road to the gold mines was via Sacramento (altogether 107 miles). From
San Francisco one could travel to Sacramento also by boat.
The
captain of the ship, on which he had sailed from Bremen as a tourist, convinced
Skalica to remain with him as a purser; they were going to Kamchatka for the
whale hunting. He told Skalica that, being without money and a knowledge of English,
he could not succeed if he remained in California. Once he had mastered English
and saved some money from the whale hunting, he might return to San Francisco
with much better chances for success.
On April
21 (1852) they sailed in the direction of the Sandwich islands, which (Skalica
writes) are located in the middle of the ocean between California and China.
They reached first the island called Hawaii; on its high peaks they saw the
spectacular volcanoes Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. When they approached Honolulu,
they noticed that this capital was built on gentle foothills and was so
beautiful that few cities in this world could be compared with it.[4][4] Since Honolulu was the main station for
ships sailing in various directions, the harbour was filled with them.
In
Honolulu was the residence of the King Kamehameha III. It had been built seven
years before (1845) according to the new Italian style. On its top there was a
cupola surrounded by a corridor covered with gorgeous flowers. This palace
stood in the middle of a garden, in which were planted many American oak-trees,
and European poplars and linden. The author states that "these trees are
rare and extremely costly in this region". The palace and the garden were
encircled by a six foot high wall. This abode was outside the city, toward the
east, near the sea shore, and was guarded by 24 soldiers.
When he
proceeded inland, he found a fort Mamuri Makamoii.[5][5] On the southern side it consisted only of
rocks, while on the northern it extended into a plain. There were no walls made
by human hand. On top of this fort were placed cannons directed toward the sea
and the city. This natural bastion was guarded by eight young men, who lived in
a hut, for there were no other buildings.
Not far
from this fort could be seen a circle made of stones, arranged as an edge in
the field. Skalica suspects that there was previously a volcano. He states that
on the other side of the mountainous range there was a much taller hill, from
which sometimes erupted smoke and fire.[6][6] The "Kanaks" (natives) avoided
it; no one dared to approach it.
In the
city itself, above the sea, there was another fort, but it was so neglected
that in its midst the old English cannons were overgrown by grass. It was
guarded by soldiers who were married; they lived with their wives and children
in the huts situated on the top of a defensive wall.
Skalica
writes that the lack of discipline of this army reminded him of his Turkish
neighbours (in Bosnia). During the hot noon hours, he saw a guard who went to
the shade to doze; another was bored standing alone on the wall, went to his
hut, took his child from the hands of his wife, strolled with it, and when it
cried, tried to console it. When it was raining, the soldiers received an
umbrella from their officer. There were about 85 soldiers; they communicated in
their "Kanak" language.
They had
about forty military galleys and forty five smaller boats, which they used for
transportation between the islands.
The
dwellers in these islands, Skalica writes, were of Malay origin; this race had
spread to the islands of the Pacific and the South oceans, Australia and South
Asia. These peoples are described as having a rather dark skin, short but broad
nose, round, large black eyes, thick lips and slender stature.
The males
usually walked around nude; however, there were among them artisans and
merchants who, when in contact with more civilized persons, dressed themselves;
as soon as they finished their business and returned to their huts, they took
off their clothes, feeling more comfortable without them.
The women,
at least in the city, went around dressed, usually in silky costumes, made in
the Spanish fashion. But, when surprised by a sudden rain, so that their dress
would not get spoiled, they took it off, put it under their armpit and walked
nude to their homes. Skalica thinks that a dress for them was only an ornament,
like "the feathers in their hats to our women".[7][7] They did not feel that it was shameful to
walk around nude; but they were learning shame from the foreigners.
The
"Kanaks" did not cultivate their lands; they avoided any work in the
fields. They lived eating mostly fish, fruits and roots. Their bread they
called taro; it grew in the ground. When baked, they ate it with their fingers.
When specially prepared (they called it then poi), they ate it with one finger;
it was very nutritious. This food was served every day even on a table of their
king.
Skalica
remarks that women did not work.[8][8] Men were washing their clothes, took care
of the children, made various utensils from wood, wove and were able to create
different instruments. They played music on bamboo; placing the end of a
horse-hair in their mouth, they touched it with their tongue. In this way they
communicated their feelings.
Drinks,
such as wine, beer or spirits, were strictly forbidden; one was not allowed to
sell to a "Kanak" even a glass of such a drink; if he did, he was
severely penalized. The "Kanaks" drank some kind of a beer, which was
made from sugar; they did not become drunk by it. Only twice a year, on the
name-day of their king Kamehameha and his son, they could drink whatever they
wanted.
I was
present, Skalica writes, on the name-day of their king, 18th of March, 1853,
when the people were allowed to drink. On that day there were many murders, for
some strangled their children, others beat their wives (wahine), and some
committed suicide. Thus, even a bit of a strong drink, the author remarks,
corrupts and makes brutal these peoples who are perhaps the mildest in this
world. On such a special day no criminal was condemned.
As regards
culture, the most advanced were the islands of Oahu and Hawaii. On them were
settled Germans, English and French, who had planted corn, wheat, cabbage,
potatoes and all kinds of vegetables; they kept many animals and were the
owners of sugarcane plantations. The German H. Hackfeld, a brother of a Russian
consul, had the largest sugar plantations and his own refineries.[9][9] All their produce they were able to sell
for good money in Honolulu, for there were in its harbour about 1,500 galleys,
waiting for the whale hunting and in the meantime buying whatever was deemed
necessary for long trips. The ships were anchored Honolulu during the winter
months, so that they were not far away during the summer months, when the
propitious time came for the whale hunting. When they unloaded the whale-oil in
this harbour other ships carried it to the places where its price was highest
at that moment.
Skalica
says that Honolulu then (1852) had twenty thousand inhabitants.
Its most
important buildings were Liberty-Hall, Marchand Hotel, Hotel de Globe and Hotel
de France.
The king
had his own musical band, which consisted of twelve members. Its conductor was
a German by name Merseburg, and all others were "Kanaks", who without
reading notes, following the beat, played the most famous operas. The citizens
were thankful to Merseburg, who had so successfully trained the illiterate
natives. Merseburg dressed as an English officer and was well paid.
The
"Kanaks" on the island of Oahu, especially those who lived in the
city, had accepted the teaching of Jesus; Catholic and Protestant were two most
important denominations.
Skalica
writes that "new objective observers," who had visited the Sandwich
islands, agreed that the cold rationalism and formalism of English
protestantism did not appeal to the lively nature of the natives;[10][10] they considered that catholic ceremonies
better suited their poetic temperament.
He says
that the English and American missionaries acted more as
"comfortable" employees of commercial organizations than as people
motivated by their own religious beliefs. They were particularly interested in
being praised by their principals for bringing in new members. He complains
that the protestant faithful were forbidden on Sundays any kind of enjoyment;
therefore upon them on holidays lay the quietness of the tomb.
Some
travellers reported that they saw one Sunday two English ladies in a carriage,
which was not driven by horses but hauled by four "Kanaks", who were
not permitted to talk, because this was considered not proper to the Sunday
spirit.
Skalica
however recognizes that one cannot deny to those English and American
missionaries a great influence on the material and social progress of the
natives. While the protestant missionaries sought to attract the islanders by
economic benefits, the Catholic ones spoke more to their heart, conscience and
convictions.[11][11]
The spread
of the Christian faith was first "allowed" by Kamehameha I, who
reigned from 1795 to 1819.[12][12] He was a great reformer, as was Peter
the Great in Russia. He succeeded in subduing and uniting all the islands;
instead of paganism he introduced more humane laws and schools, established the
army, began to construct fortresses and build ships. His son and successor (who
died when visiting England in 1824) accepted Christianity and brought it even
into his court. During the reign of those two rulers there was initiated a
bitter competition between the English and French representatives; the English
were installed as the main advisers and assistants at the court. However,
Skalica remarks, recently the American influence had prevailed. The American
missionaries, together with the American agent who was the prime minister,[13][13] ruled over those islands in the name of
the king.
There were
many "Kanaks", especially those who lived in the interior, who did
not yet embrace christianity.
In
Honolulu there were two Protestant churches and one Catholic, which was also
called French. There was one school in which were taught both the native and
English languages, and the other in which instruction was only in the
vernacular.
Their
alphabet had fifteen letters,[14][14] which did not correspond exactly to the
sound of the "Kanak" language. They did not pronounce the consonants
as we do; the author thinks that they could be omitted from their alphabet.
While they
were stationed in the harbour of Honolulu, Skalica writes, they took on board
fresh water and meat; they bought also the necessary amount of vegetables. They
selected eight sailors, who were called "bootsteepers and
harpooners"; they needed them while hunting the whales; five of them were
Americans, two were "Kanaks" and one was German.
Having spent
the Easter holidays of 1852 in "joyful" Honolulu, they said farewell
to that city, where the people were lovely and lived as children in a
terrestrial paradise, not worried about anything and usually not working.[15][15]
Skalica
concludes his remarks about his first stay in Honolulu by saying that the only
thing by which traditional European was shocked on these islands was the
extreme sensuality to which their dwellers indulged. He hopes that by accepting
Christianity the old customs would disappear and the inhabitants would accept
more civilized behavior. Then they "will be ready to become the members of
the free North American states (such as Oregon and California) to which they
are geographically close and whose political influence is felt very strongly".[16][16]
They
reached the harbor of Petropavlovsk on the Russian Kamchatka in July of 1852.
Having spent several months in its vicinity hunting whales, they decided that
it was time to return to a milder climate. They sailed via the Bering Strait
and the city of Sitka in Alaska; they were attacked by pirates in search of
food and water. They reached Honolulu again in January of 1853.
Since
Skalica had decided to remain in Honolulu, he was paid by the captain of the
ship for his services.
In a
letter which he sent to the periodical Neven from the Sandwich islands, in
Polynesia, on April 3, 1853, Skalica repeated many of his observations made
already during the previous stay in Honolulu.
He writes
that in that city one can live as well as in Europe, since there were many good
restaurants, but this European comfort was expensive. There were houses built
in the same style as those in Europe; the dwellings of the natives were usually
wooden and surrounded by a garden.
He tells
that at first he had a room and board in an inn, but then he was working in the
store of a Frenchman; they were selling beer, food and clothing to the sailors.
He claims
that he felt well and very satisfied in Hawaii; he thinks that nowhere in the
world could one live so easily as there, if only he were able to accustom
himself to the unspoiled existence of the islanders.[17][17] Being of European origin, however, he
decided on not staying there. As soon as he would accumulate enough money, he
would return with a Portuguese fellow to California and in San Francisco open a
bakery and a brewery; the Portuguese was a professional baker, and he had
learned in Honolulu how to brew beer. He says that they had enough money for
their trip to California, which was "very expensive" (eighty dollars);
they must be patient, earn more dollars and then start in San Francisco their
joint effort on a solid basis.
He notices
that the temperature in Honolulu is hot, because this city lies exactly under
the equator. Otherwise the climate is very healthy, because the island of Oahu
is surrounded by the sea, from which a refreshing wind always blows.
He
observes again that the natives were primitive, good-hearted and happy.
At the end
of his travelogue from Honolulu he writes that there had been a great
earthquake in San Francisco (between 10 to 17 of February), which had killed
many people and made life there very expensive.
Having
gained a certain amount of money both as a purser on the ship and then as a
tavern co-owner in San Francisco, Skalica tried his fortune in the gold mines,
but he was not lucky. Believing in his star, he sailed via the Polynesian
islands to Australia, almost perished in a shipwreck, sought even there to
become rich in the gold mines, but finally returned penniless in to Brod (in
1855).
He was not
treated as a "prodigal son". In those parts when someone returns
"broken", coming from fabulous California and its gold mines, he is
not accepted; on the contrary, the majority laugh at his great ambitions and
petty capacities.
One feels
deeply moved by Skalica's destiny, because he proved with his journey
(Putovanje) to be a gentle and hardworking man, an acute observer and talented
narrator.
I suspect
that he kept either a regular Diary or read many guidebooks. I have compared
his information with the writings of renowned scholars and found that it was
generally accurate.
Skalica's
reports are interesting, for he described the Hawaiian islands just at the
moment when they were rapidly changing owners: the natives were losing their
lands and were being systematically pushed aside from powerful positions, while
the foreigners, particularly the Americans, were becoming steadily dominant.[18][18]
* This paper was presented at the 20th National
Convention of the American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies
held in Honolulu, Hawaii, November 18-21, 1988.
[1][1] The only
information that I have about Skalica is from the book of Slavko Je?ić,
Hrvatski putopisci, Zagreb 1955, p. 673.
[2][2] "Hawaii's
Croatian Connections", Journal of Croatian Studies, XVII (1976), 14-46.
[3][3] A. Barac,
Hrvatska knji?evnost, II, Zagreb 1960, p. 151-53; J. ?idak, in Enciklopedija
Jugoslavije, Zagreb 1982, 488-89.
[4][4] "I ima
polo?aj divne krasote kakovih po riedko imade na svietu."
[5][5] I have in vain tried
to locate it by using M.K. Pukui and S. Elbert Place names of Hawaii. Honolulu
1974; probably on its side was constructed a new building.
[6][6] I found in
various encyclopedias that Oahu now has no active volcanoes, but there are many
extinct craters, among them Diamond Head and Koko Head
[7][7] "Već im
je samo nakit kao ?to su na pr. na?im gospojam pera na ?e?irih."
[8][8] "?enski spol
ondje nije za nikakav posao."
[9][9] About this German
captain and his Company see R. Kuykendall and A Grove, Hawaii: A History, 1967;
G. Daws, Shoal of Time, Honolulu 1974.
[10][10] "Skorom svi
noviji nepristrani putopisci sla?u se u tome da hladni racionalizam i suhe
forme engleskog protestantizma nimalo ne odgovaraju ?ivahnoj ćudi onoga
ostrovlja ..."
[11][11] "Dočim
protestanti nastoje da dobiju čim vi?e sljedbenika materialnim probitkom,
katolici djeluju vi?e na srce, svijest i osvjedočenje." - It is
obvious that Skalica is presenting the catholic point of view! Mark Twain, who
visited Hawaii in 1866, wrote in his novel Roughing it (1872) that "the
benefit conferred upon this people by the missionaries is so prominent, so
palpable and so unquestionable, that the frankest compliment I can pay them,
and the best, is simply to point to the condition of the Sandwich Islanders of
captain Cook's time, and their condition today. Their work speaks for
itself" (Mark Twain, Roughing it, New York 1981, p. 462). The nasty war of
these protestant missionaries toward the catholic priests, whom they managed
temporarily to expel from the Hawaiian kingdom, is well documented by many
historians. See Kuykendall and Day, Hawaii: A History, p. 56-62; G. Daws, Shoal
of Time, p. 87-91, 429-30. La Rue W. Piercy in his booklet Truth Stranger than
Fiction, Honolulu 1985, critical of James Michener for his portrayal of Abner
Hale in his novel Hawaii (1959), has a revealing chapter "Keep out those
Idolatrous Catholics", in which he recognizes that the priests were
forcefully removed and the native catholic worshipers were sent to jail and
subjected to forced labour.
[12][12] It seems that Skalica is wrong on this point, because
Kamehameha I insisted on the preservation of he ancient customs and religious
believes of Hawaii.
[13][13] His name was G.P. Judd (1803-73). He arrived in Hawaii
as a medical missionary but had played a leading role in the government of
Kamehameha III.
[14][14] All others, whom I had consulted, say that it consists
of twelve letters, five vowels and seven consonants.
[15][15] "Ljudi blage ćudi jo? ?ivu kao djeca u raju
bez brige i skorom bez svakog posla."
[16][16] "I tako se malo po malo pripravljaju da stupe kao
novi član u dru?tvo slobodnih dr?ava sjevero-američkih, kojima su
(naime Oregonu i Kaliforniji) najbli?i i kojih je politički upliv
najprete?niji."
[17][17] "Dobro mi je ovdje, kao ?to mo?ebiti nigdje na
zemlji za čovjeka, koji mote priviknuti neiskvarenu ?ivotu
insulanca."
[18][18] On another occasion I will compare Skalica's
fascinating story about the dangers of whale-hunting with that of H. Melville's
in his novel Moby Dick (1851); and then describe how his illusion of becoming
rich was dissipated in the gold mines of California and Australia. Though
Skalica was not a writer of the stature of e.g. Bret Harte and Jack London,
those interested in history of the gold-rush may nevertheless learn from him
about that feverish atmosphere and the desperate look: of the many unlucky
ones.