There’s more to meet the eye with the voyage of the S.S. Hansa that arrived in Hawaii in 1882 after sitting in port at Lisboa for a couple of weeks. Read all about how they got caught up in political issues back in Portugal and were almost sent back to the Azores.
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The steamship Hansa took on board emigrants from St. Michael, Azores and left Ponta Delgada on July 14, 1882 at 6 p.m. We anchored in the straits of Magellan August 6th, and arrived on the Pacific side of the Straits of Magellan on August 8th, sailed to Lota, Chile, arriving on Sunday, August 13th. We remained at Lota until August 16th and set sailing at 9 p.m. that day. Arrived in Honolulu on September 9, 1882 after a prosperous voyage of 53 days from St. Michael. On September 7, 1882, John Cotes, 3rd Officer, died of Bright’s Disease. There were 24 deaths on the voyage amongst the passengers. Twenty three (23) of the amount died were under 10 years of age. There were 11 births that took place and shortly after the vessel took off from St. Michael, 22 stowaways gave their names.
The full number of the passengers on board was 1150. There was a busy scene at the Immigration Barracks at Fisherman’s Wharf point. Every building in the precinct is filled with the Hansa’s people, and a large number of women and children made a lively picture.
Since the immigrants of the Hansa landed, there has been one birth and one death. Amongst them, the latter being an infant. Another infant was spoken as likely to die, but recovered after 3 days of fresh air and provisions. Some of the children in arms of their mothers are being troubled with Opthalmia and look delicate. People of the Hansa are very much pleased to be on terra-firma from the change of the ships confinement. Although there were discussions and disagreements as to pick up emigrants from Lisbon, finally about 400 came along in the Hansa.
The ship left Lisbon July 3, 1882 after the emigrants came on board she sailed July 14, 1882 from Ponta Delgada on its voyage to the Hawaiian Islands. Upon arriving in Honolulu, there were 11 marriage of immigrants per Hansa yesterday afternoon. They were celebrated at the Roman Catholic Church by Rev. Father Clement. When the 11 couples arrived back at the Immigration Barracks, they were received with three cheers each. The Secretary of the Immigration Board, being a bugleman, and all his shipmates, cheered the newlyweds with hearty good-will.
The Portuguese laborers are generally preferred to than any other laborers of other ethnic group, but there was but one complaint; that of bringing too many children as they emigrated. The Board of Immigration yesterday determined that the employers should only be called upon to pay the passages of the male Portuguese laborers, the cost of introducing the women and children being borne wholly by the Government.
Excerpts from The Pacific Commercial Advertiser Weekly, Hawaii State Library (Micro-film)
Thank you to Sandy Sakai for this contribution.
© 2003-2021 Melody Lassalle
