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Imperial Eagle
off Ka'ena Point
The
leeward side of O'ahu, May, 1787
The Imperial Eagle, like the vessels of
the King George's Sound Company, was sent to the Northwest
Coast to engage in the fur trade. She set sail from Ostend,
Belgium under Captain Charles William Barkley in November
of 1786, and after rounding Cape Horn sailed north and arrived
off the island of Hawai'i in mid May of 1787.
Trade was so brisk that she was able to
satisfy her needs and Barkley set a course for O'ahu. The
Imperial Eagle was the first vessel to sail up the western
shore of O'ahu. Close to Ka'ena Point, Barkley hove to so
that a few canoes could come alongside for trade.
Francis Barkley was impressed with one of
the Hawaiian women named Wine'e and invited her as a companion/servant.
She would be the first Hawaiian to see the outside world and
after a visit to the Northwest, would travel on to China.
She died before she could return to Hawaii.
16 x 22 in. lithograph on canvas - 100 edition
(10 AP hand enhanced)
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