Three Accounts of the Vasil'ev-Shismarev Expedition of 1819-1822

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Chapter 5 Part Three of Hillsen's Journal

In the Hawaiian Islands

Leaving the port of San Francisco we took a course to the SW and followed it with variable winds to latitude 27. Reaching this parallel, we started to hold to it as far as possible, continuing our voyage to the W. The purpose of this action was the intention of finding two islands, Rico d'Ora and Rico-plata, put on the map near this latitude by two Spanish navigators, islands that were not found by anyone, not Cook, nor Clerke, no Vancouver. Our efforts, too, were futile, although twice we had signs of a coast nearby, because shore birds flew toward us, and the sea was covered with grass and driftwood, but the shore itself we could not see. Therefore, reching longitude 202 we bore away south toward the island of Ovaihi, or Hawaii.

We saw this island on March 17.¹ The wind blew strongly from the NE, and so successfully pushed us ahead that at about midday we crossed the strait between the islands of Ovaihi and Muve [Maui]/ Both of these islands are part of the highest of the whole chain. On Atoi [Kauai] Island ^{[ Ovaihi Island?]} the farthest one to the north, rise three high mountains called Mona-Roa