As the year of 1778 neared its conclusion, thousands of natives on an island in what is now called Hawaii walked to the shore of that island. No doubt, a large number of those same people wore Hawaiian toe rings. Of course, they did not call them Hawaiian toe rings. When they spoke of their island they used the word "O'why'he".
Why did so many natives wearing Hawaiian toe rings walk to that one shore point during the late autumn of 1778? They came to the shore to welcome the arrival of a boat - a boat captained by James Cook. Cooks arrival on the island in 1778 was his second and also his last trip to Hawaii.
Cook wrote a good deal about the Hawaiian natives in his journal. After his first visit to Hawaii he penned these words: I never saw Indians so astonished at the entering of a ship beforetheir eyes were continually flying from object to object.
That entry indicates that Cook had his eyes focused on the faces of those who came out to great him. After reading that same entry, an historian could probably understand Cooks reason for making no mention of any toe rings worn by the residents of Owhyhe. The same historian might be more confused, after reading a follow-up entry.
Later in Cooks journal, one can find this statement: "The very instant I leaped ashore, they all fell flat on their faces and remained in that humble posture till I made signs to them to rise". In other words, there was a point during which Cook could not easily study the face of an island native. Did he not notice any of the Hawaiian toe rings at that point? Why did he not mention them in his journal?
Perhaps Cook was so overwhelmed by the flora of the islands that he forgot to mention the jewelry worn by some of the island natives. Cook wrote in his journal that the island flowers "sent forth the most fragrant smell I had anywhere met with". Overcome with that smell, Cook may well have drawn a blank, as he tried to recall all the details about foot jewelry of the island natives.
Besides, James Cook would never have made mention of something called Hawaiian toe rings, because he did not refer to the islands that he had discovered as Hawaii. He called them the Sandwich Islands.
Jewelers of today should be glad that Cooks name did not become the permanent name for those Islands. Advertisers of jewelry should be equally pleased with the name change. Jewelers of today might find the public less inclined to buy Sandwich Island toe rings than they are to purchase "Hawaiian toe rings".
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