The British steamship Amana, commanded by Captain Alexander Becket arrived in Funchal, Madeira on the 22nd of April. In Madeira, she embarked 291 souls and sailed on April 29, 1886 from the port of Funchal. Captain Becket reports very heavy weather at Cape Horn, they took some considerable time to round the point. From Cape Horn to latitude 30 degrees North, the vessel experienced the roughest kind of weather, the seas running mountainous high, with gales of winds from the northwest. On several occasions, they could not show any canvas at all.
The island of Maui was sighted on Wednesday afternoon, and the Captain reports that it was raining very hard on that island, and they saw two beautiful waterfalls.
The Amana was anchored in the stream and has on board 146 men, 101 women, (15 males and 57 females, 12 to 20 years) 140 children from 1 to 12 years, and 16 infants. Four infants died during the passage, and there were 10 births. Soon after the vessel came to anchor, Honorable A.S. Cleghorn, Inspector General of Immigration, accompanied by Senhor A. De Souza Canavarro, Portuguese Commissioner, paid an official visit to her. The Honorable Mr. Cleghorn went all over the vessel and found her in excellent order, a credit to the Captain and Officers. It is wonderful how clean the vessel is after such a long voyage and having so large a number of people on board. The tender for the transferring of the Portuguese immigrants from the ship Amana to the Immigration Depot at Kakaako was awarded to J. Simonson at 10 cents a head. They were all safely landed yesterday afternoon, Sep 24, 1886 at the Depot of Immigration, who paid the most attention to their comfort.
It is understood that the whole batch of the immigrants are already spoken for, and that shipment to their various destinations will commence on Monday, Sep 27, 1886.
To Messrs Skinner & Co.
Gentlemen:
I beg to report for your information that during our long and tedious voyage there have been 10 births. The mothers and infants in each case being well. There have been 4 deaths...all infants. Of these 2 cases on board in a hopeless state, one suffering from a general deformity of the trunk and limbs of an unusual nature, and the other from an uncurable tabes masseter (a wasting away of a muscle which raises the lower jaw and aids in mastication). The remaining two died from pneumonia, due to the exposure and insufficient clothing off Cape Horn. The amount of sickness has at times been very large especially during the long continued wet, cold and stormy weather off Cape Horn, when for nearly 2 months the people were unable to come on deck. At one time there were over 150 suffering from illness more or less severe. Several had cases of erysipelas occurred, and 2 almost fatal cases of pyrexia, besides several of pneumonia, bronchitis and rheumatic fever so that there is great cause for thankfulness that the death rate had been so small. In any effort to care for the welfare and health of the immigrants, I have been ably seconded by Captain Becket between whom he and myself have the most cordial and friendly feelings during our long voyage.
The Chief Officer and second mate have also done all in their power to make thingscomfortable during the greater part of the voyage and has ably carried out my instructions and have proved himself energetic in the very thankless task of making people keep themselves clean. The storekeeper Mr. H. Britton, has had the entire control of the stores and the feelings and arrangements of the emigrants. It is therefore, unnecessary for one to refer to those departments farther than to state that the food supplied to the emigrants has been ample for their health and requirements. In fact, I am of the opinion, that, in very few ships have the emigrants been so well-fed and cared for. There certainly has not been the slightest cause for any complaint either as to quality and quantity of their rations.
I am, gentlemen, Yours obediently.
J.A.W. Wardale, S.R.E.R.
London, M.R.C.S. - England
Surgeon in Charge - 23 Sep 1886
The tender for transferring the Portuguese immigrants that came on the SS Amana by Mr. W.O. Atwater to their destinations from the Immigration Depot, Kakaako, 27 Sep 1886 were sent thus:
Haiku Sugar Co. - 37 men, 32 women, 67 children
G.W. MacFarlance & Co. - 2 men, 3 women, 1 child
Koloa Sugar Co. - 14 men, 10 women, 33 children
Hamakua Plantation Co. - 15 men, 14 women, 30 children
Father Sylvester, St. Louis College - 1 man, 1 woman, 1 child
Star Mill Co. - 5 men, 3 women, 2 children
Paia Plantation - 36 men, 32 women, 66 children
East Maui Stock Co. - 3 men
Messrs. Flye & Meier, Waimea, Kauai - 10 men, 9 women, 13 children
Kilauea Sugar Co. - 10 men, 10 women, 22 children
R.R. Hind, Kohala - 5 men, 2 women
The total amount sent to all destinations were 138 men, 116 women and 235 children. The emigrants are a fine looking people that ever arrived on these islands. The greatest pains were taken by the London agent, Messrs. Skinner & Co. To provide for their comfort during the long voyage. Senhor A. De Souza Caravarro, the Portuguese Consul, and Commissioner, informed Messrs. George W. MacFarlance & Co. the local agents, that all the immigrants were loud in praise of the kind treatment they received on board the Amana. There was a great demand for this class of immigrants, and if doubled the number had arrived, they would all have been secured. Many applications could not be filled.
Excerpts from the Pacific Commercial Advertiser - 1886. Hawaii State Library - microfilm; Hawaii State Archives
