Journal of William Ellis

Book excerpt: The Journal of William Ellis is a classic of Pacific literature, ranking with the journals of Captain Cook and his men as a record of life and customs of the traditional Hawaiians. No other book rivals it as an account of the life of the Hawaiians in the early 19th century. For readers not yet acquainted with it, there is the pleasure awaiting them of a new and eciting venture into Hawaiian history. William Ellis (1794-1872) a young English missionary with a strong ethnological bent, was an explorer with a keen eye for local color and detail. As one member of a pioneering group that undertook a thorough survey of the island of Hawaii he made excellent use of his talents to set down everything he and his colleagues could learn about the region and the people. The journal is presented here in digital format without abridgments and much in the same format with which it was introduced to its original audience. The original illustrations are retained--the new introduction and the index--are designed to enhance its value. The reader is certain to find it worth every moment of his time.