Ice by Sea?
Before electric refrigerators and freezers were available, ice in bulk for consumer and commercial use was brought to Hawai‘i by ship.
The first Boston ice brought to these islands, was received on the 14th inst. by brig Fortunio, Hasty, via San Francisco. (The Polynesian, 21 September 1850)
The Pacific Commercial Advertiser. (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands), 25 Nov. 1858. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress
From The Polynesian (16 October 1858):
The long looked for Mountain Wave[*] has at last arrived, and we feel much pleasure in announcing this to our icical friends. We perceive the above arrival has already made a stir among the retail liquor dealers—length and breadth of ice boxes for the various liquor bars have been accurately measured, and orders given for their immediate construction. Extra tumblers of an extra size have likewise been brought from darkness to light. There is no mistake that ice in this quarter of the globe is a luxurious delicacy, but we are fearful before we have the honor of an invitation to partake of its cooling qualities, it will be pau. Well, be it so.
If you would like to learn more about the ice trade, track down information about Frederic Tudor (1783–1864). Born in Boston, he made his fortune shipping ice and became known as the “Ice King.”
NPR interview of Gavin Weightman, who is the author of The Frozen Water Trade.
Here are two short videos that show how ice was harvested:
*Mountain Wave was built by Joshua Magoun for Alpheus Hardy & Co. of Boston. She was launched in 1852.
Under the command of Captain Josiah Hardy, she sailed from Boston on the 21 May 1858. After a journey of 146 days, she arrived in Honolulu on 14 October 1858. There had been some concern that something may have happened to her, as she was expected in September.
Ice was not her only cargo. She also carried a variety of other goods. From The Polynesian (16 October 1858):
Axes, 6; blinds, bdls, 63; bars, B K G up, 2; bread, casks, 65; beef, bbls, 20; clapboards, bdls, 468; chisel bars, 2; carpet, cs, 3; corn shellers, 2; coals, tons, 150; doors, 215; frames, pkgs, 1; flour, casks, 17; flour, bbls, 101; glue, bbl, 1; glass, bxs, 10; hats, cs, 4; harness, cs, 1; headings, casks, 17; harpoons, cs, 1; ice, tons, 400; ice hooks, 12; ice runs, 8; iron, bars, 60; iron, bales, 6; iron, bdls, 247; leather, bdls, 423; liquors, casks, 25; mdse. pkgs, 605; nails, kegs, 47; oak planks, ft, 12,133; oars, 275; oil, cs, 40; posts, cs, 1; paste board, bdls, 20; pipe, reels, 5; plow handles, bdl, 1; plows, 3; pork, bbls, 75; refrigerators, 40; rivets, boxes, 4; rowlocks, box, 1; spikes, kegs, 5; saddles, cs, 6; stove, 1; shot, kegs, 8; sashes, bdls, 5; shooks, bdls, 199; staves, cask, 1; sugar, bxs, 25; sugar, bbls, 50; twine, pkg, 1; tongs, pairs, 4; tobacco, box, 1½; windows, pkgs, 44; whaleboats, 6.
Finally, for Maritime Hawai‘i’s fellow ship enthusiasts:
The Mountain Wave had pleasant weather and light breezes; crossed the line June 26 in lon 31 deg W, and again Sept 21 in lon 116 deg 46 min W, having doubled the Horn Aug 1 in 56 deg 57 min S; July 2, in lat 9 deg 26 min S, lon 34 deg 41 min W, spoke Am wh sh Elizabeth, 500 bbls, bound to N Bedford; July 12, in lat 25 deg 43 min S, lon 40 deg 09 min W, spoke bk Damon, 46 ds fm Callao, bound to Barbadoes [sic]. Oct 12, Wm Austin, seaman, died of consumption.
