Quest for the Golden Cloak: and Other Experiences of a Field Naturalist

By Alvin Seale

Quest for the Golden Cloak, first published in 1946, recounts the explorations of Alvin Seale (1871-1958), a noted explorer and natural historian, with a special interest in ichthyology (the study of fish). His adventures began early in life; as an undergraduate student in 1892 he traveled from Indiana to California by bicycle (a journey of three months) to study at Stanford University. He took sabbaticals to collect animal specimens in Alaska and to search for Klondike gold, with his travels taking him as far north as Point Barrow - the northernmost point in the United States. After Alaska he ventured to the South Pacific, as a field agent for the Bishop Museum in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he visited several hundred islands (the book provides fascinating tales of the people and scenes he experienced). It is this assignment that forms the basis of Quest for the Golden Cloak. With King Kamehameha I's famed golden cloak serving as one of the museum's most prized possessions, museum officials assigned him the duty to search the region for similar garments of worked feathers - and to keep a passing eye out for remnants of cannibalism. Seale then began a 20-year career in the Philippines, studying the archipelago's wildlife and establishing the first public aquarium in Manila. Later, he returned to America and spent much of his career as superintendent of San Francisco's Steinhart Aquarium. He was an extraordinary man, a real-life Indiana Jones of Ichthyology whose contributions to science go beyond his efforts towards the founding of the Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Barajima Books
• Release date: Jan 9, 2020
• ISBN: 9781839741579

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Although in most cases we have retained the Author’s original spelling and grammar to authentically reproduce the work of the Author and the original intent of such material, some additional notes and clarifications have been added for the modern reader’s benefit.

We have also made every effort to include all maps and illustrations of the original edition the limitations of formatting do not allow of including larger maps, we will upload as many of these maps as possible.

QUEST FOR THE GOLDEN CLOAK

Experiences of a Field Naturalist

ALVIN SEALE

Superintendent Emeritus

Steinbart Aquarium, Golden Gate Park San Francisco, California

Quest for the Golden Cloak was originally published in 1946 by Stanford University Press.

Dedicated to JESSIE

Without whose help and encouragement

this book would have remained

as pages in dust-covered diaries

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS 4

1 — TO THE SOUTH SEAS BEFORE WORLD WAR I 5

2 — CAVES OF DEATH 11

3 — ISLAND OF TEMPLES 15

4 — ISLAND OF GOLDEN PEARLS 17

5 — MARQUESAS ISLANDS—FINDING THE AKU 22

6 — BEAUTIFUL RAROTONGA 29

7 — NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA 31

8 — ISLAND OF THE BURNING MOUNTAIN 36

9 — ISLAND OF CANNIBALS 39

10 — SHOOTING THE DEVIL 42

11 — THE MONEY CLOAK 46

12 — FINDING THE GOLDEN CLOAK 50

13 — GUAM OF MARIANAS ISLANDS 54

14 — CAROLINE ISLANDERS 57

15 — STRANGE ISLAND BIRDS AND FISHES 59

16 — PREHISTORIC STONE REMAINS AND CAVES 63

17 — SWEET SINGERS OF GUAM AND SOME WHO ARE NOT 66

18 — PHILIPPINE YEARS (1907-1917) 70

19 — WESTWARD 76

20 — LAND OF LONG DAYS AND NIGHTS 78

21 — I BECOME A SOURDOUGH 85

22 — A SEALE IS SUPERINTENDENT OF THE AQUARIUM IN SAN FRANCISCO 91

PUBLICATIONS OF ALVIN SEALE 97

REQUEST FROM THE PUBLISHER 104

1 — TO THE SOUTH SEAS BEFORE WORLD WAR I

ON THE WALL of a massive stone museum just outside the city of Honolulu, there once hung a famous golden cloak of an island king. This cloak, valuable beyond price, could not be duplicated if all the gold in the world was offered as a reward, for it is composed of the yellow feathers of the Mamo, a small Hawaiian bird that is now extinct.

The Mamo, to its utter destruction, hoarded a portion of the islands’ golden sunlight in its feathers. These feathers were exacted as tribute by the island rulers and were gathered in countless thousands and placed in the ancient temples to absorb miraculous power. They were then separately fastened and woven with marvelous skill into a gorgeous cloak for a warrior king.

The founder of the museum and owner of the golden cloak was Charles R. Bishop of San Francisco, who was married to the island princess Bernice Pauahi, with whom he lived most happily until her death. As a memorial to her he built and endowed the great Bernice Pauahi Museum of Honolulu.

It was my good fortune soon after my graduation from Stanford University to become a member of the staff of this museum and to be requested by its founder to conduct the first South Sea expedition for that institution. This first expedition was to the Marianas Islands, with Guam as headquarters. Six months were spent in exploring and collecting specimens of natural history. Returning to Honolulu, I received the following written orders: You will proceed to San Francisco and there secure all necessary equipment and supplies for two years’ exploration in the South Sea Islands. You will then proceed to the island of Tahiti in the Society group and with that island as a base, will spend such time as is profitable in the islands of the eastern Pacific, collecting specimens of natural history, ethnology, and especially any native feather work for the Bishop Museum. Later, if it seems advisable, you will proceed to the western Pacific and carry on your work in the New Hebrides and Solomon Islands.

I was to proceed alone, using local assistants, and any kind of transportation available. I was to look for, and if possible secure, any feather pieces, feather helmets, cloaks or feather work of any kind. I was also to ascertain if cannibalism still prevailed in any of the islands. All expense was borne by the Bishop Museum and my salary was to continue. Mr. Bishop issued a letter of credit which assured me ample funds whenever needed.

Thus was assigned to me a quest for a feather cloak and for cannibals, a quest that led from island to island in the tropical seas until I had visited the Society Islands, the Marquesas, Paumotus, Gambiers, Australia, Harvey Islands, Rapa, Samoa, Washington Island, New Zealand, Australia, Lord Howe Island, Norfolk, New Hebrides, Solomons, Marianas, Philippines, and Borneo.

At noon November 29, 1901, I sailed from San Francisco on the old steamship Australia, Captain Landess in command. The boat was comfortable, the sea calm, and there were a number of interesting people on board. On a small ship like the Australia one soon becomes acquainted with fellow passengers. Among these was a member of the trading firm of Kennedy & Fritz, who had maintained a business in the Marquesas Islands for several years.

Another interesting passenger was N. Brander of a well-known Tahitian family who at this time held a lease on Easter Island where the great stone images are found. He kindly offered me a passage to that island on one of their boats. There were also a number of French people on board returning to their homes in Tahiti.

As we proceeded south the air became warm and pleasant, we ran through the calm region of the doldrums, crossed the equator, and at night saw the beautiful southern constellations shining above us. I doubt if one ever forgets his first view of the Southern Cross.

On December 11, just twelve days’ run from San Francisco, we saw our first land, the island of Matahiva, the most westerly of the Paumotus. This group, now known as the Taumotus, consists of seventy-eight low coral islands extending like the shadows of clouds over a thousand miles of flashing tropical sea. They were discovered by Quiros in 1606. He saw, however, only two or three low atolls.

The island of Matahiva was discovered by Bellenhausen in 1820. Its nearest neighbor is Tikhau, twenty-five miles east. Matahiva, which is also known as Lazareff and Melivi, is almost circular in shape, about eight miles in diameter, very low with an enclosed lagoon having an entrance on the western side passable only for small boats. Our vessel passed quite near, and we saw that the island was well covered with bushes and trees among which we noticed coconut and pandanus. A few native houses could be seen near the boat entrance, but no natives. This was my first view of an atoll island, a formation with which I was to become much better acquainted.

Later the same day we passed near the island of Makatea, or Aurora, which with Akiaki, has the distinction of being one of the two uplifted islands in the Paumotu group. This island was discovered by Roggewein in 1720. We passed quite near and could see great dark caverns in the sides of the abrupt cliffs. It seemed to be well wooded, and quite a nice looking village could be seen at a point where there was a break in the cliff. This would be an interesting island to explore because of its unusual formation. I hoped I might return to it for at least a few weeks.

The following morning, thirteen days out from San Francisco, we passed through the narrow opening in the coral reef and entered the harbor of Papeete. We passed near the old and famous French gunboat Zeelee tied to a tree near shore, and disembarked at a small wharf. I was greatly impressed by the beauty of the green hills, the mountains, and the wealth of tropical verdure as seen from this harbor.

Papeete was nestled among the trees. A considerable portion of the town seemed to be made up of the buildings of the French Government and military establishment; there were, however, in addition, six or seven stores, two hotels, two clubs, two or three churches, and a number of Chinese shops. The streets were lined with trees having bright red blossoms, the Flamboint, Ponciana rega, then in full bloom. The natives looked and dressed so nearly like the Hawaiians that I felt quite at home.

Tahiti, being practically as well known as Hawaii, and its people well civilized, I was sure would contribute nothing to my quest for either feather cloaks or cannibals. However, as one of the old voyagers spoke of seeing the remnant of a feather cloak here, I was constantly on the alert for information regarding work of this kind.

I was soon comfortably established in a French hotel near the beach. The people of Tahiti I found to be friendly and helpful. The firm of Maxwell and Company gave me a room in their store in which to place my alcohol tanks, collecting guns, ammunition, and stores such as a naturalist must carry.

A visitor’s card to the club, named in honor of the celebrated explorer Bougainville, was sent me. At this club forgathered the skippers of trading boats, managers of plantations, business men, and world tramps from all quarters—a most fascinating meeting place for travelers.

My collections of specimens grew apace. Fishes were abundant and beautifully colored, but birds were scarce.

The public market, held in the plaza at daylight or before, was the center where people assembled every day to trade, drink coffee, gossip, and enjoy themselves. I never failed to attend and look for new fish. Several unnamed species new to science were secured and are now in the museum.

Christmas Day found me in Papeete, where I opened a large Christmas box sent by my good friends of Honolulu. It contained everything a Christmas box should, from candy to champagne, a box of cigars, some good books, letters, and jokes. I found three lonesome Americans in Papeete who helped me enjoy the contents.

My great desire was to explore the interior of this island where no one lived and where there is a large lake, so the natives informed me. Strange as it may seem, Tahiti, although discovered in 1767, is still but little known a few miles back from the sea, all the people living on or near the beach. There is a good road around the island but no roads and few trails to the interior.

My desire to cross through the island was soon fulfilled. At Lavina’s cosmopolitan hotel I became acquainted with Tati Salmon, a high chief of Papara, who invited me to his home. Here I enjoyed delightful hospitality, Chief Tati insisting that I become his son and exchange names with his son Moti who was of my own age and size. Moti and I became good friends and brothers, the relationship proving very enjoyable and helpful. Moti joined willingly with me in the proposal that we cross the interior of the island and go to the lake. He was joined by three of his retainers and early the next morning the five of us started for Lake Vaihiria.

All morning we followed a brawling mountain stream, which by actual count we crossed sixty-four times before we reached the lake which lay at an altitude of 2,000 feet above sea level. This lake is a fine, clear, cold body of fresh water, circular in outline and perhaps half a mile in diameter. It has evidently been formed in the crater of an extinct volcano. No outlet is visible, but the rumble of the underground outflow can be heard distinctly.

There being no trail around the lake, we decided to swim across. We cut some of the wild plantains, huge banana-like plants, which grew abundantly about the lake, and made a rude raft from their stems and upon this we placed our guns and clothing; pushing this crude ferryboat ahead of us, we were soon on the other side.

On this farther shore we camped for the night. Our camping equipment was practically nil, as we were without provisions or blankets. Moti had said, We shall find plenty of food in the mountains and the nights are not cold. Food there was in abundance. Our evening meal consisted of fei, or plantain, and fish from the lake, both grilled over hot coals. These with some small sweet bananas and oranges for dessert proved to be all that one desired. The following day we added materially to our menu by shooting a wild pig and some fruit pigeons.

What slaves of civilization we have become! We spend half our lives at hard labor to provide ourselves with food and shelter. Here is a land where nature seems to provide the necessary food.

Herbert Hoover is quoted as saying that, by working a third of his time, he can amply provide for himself and family. Even so, he has nothing on the natives of these delightful islands, for here fruits and meats are supplied by the forest; fish, shell-fish, and other foods by the sea. People complain that the natives won’t work—can you really blame them? Not one man in ten in the United States would work much if he was not compelled by necessity.

On our second day’s journey into the interior of the island, Moti decided to obtain a supply of beef by firing into a band of wild cattle. The fresh meat arrived promptly and on four legs with tail up and head down. He had succeeded in slightly wounding a warlike old cow that made us scramble up into the trees where we spent an apelike hour. Then the cow followed the herd away and we came down from the tree and continued our journey.

The interior of the island proved to be a wilderness of sharply upraised peaks and intersecting ridges, so that most of the way was very hard going. There were absolutely no trails, no houses, no people, and no animals of any sort except wild pigs and wild cattle. Fresh water eels were abundant in the streams, and these we cooked by placing them in a joint of bamboo