Chapter I Intro & Objectives - SPREP

PHOENIX ISLANDS PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN
Chapter III. Background, 2. Human Activities
Draft 1 March 2007
In 1838, Abel Du Petit-Thouars, the French explorer, saw the small uninhabited island of
Orona (Hull) (Te Rangi Hiroa 1953). It is not certain if this is the same island as Orona
(Hull) in the Phoenix Islands.
Orona (Hull) was continually being mistaken for Manra (Sydney) which was less than 60
miles away, even up to the Wilkes visit in 1841 (Maude 1968). Orona (Hull) was well
known to whaling vessels in the early 19 th century (Garnett 1983a).
Orona (Hull) was discovered by Commander Wilkes in 1840 (Wilkes 1845a; Hydrographer
of the Navy 1969) and named Hull Island (see also Hobbs 1945; and Dickson 1939). When
the U.S.S. Vincennes discovered Orona (Hull), there was a sick Frenchman and 11 Tahitians
on the island (Wilkes 1845a; see also Dickson 1939; Douglas and Douglas 1994). Wilkes
(1845a) called the Tahitians Kanakas. They had been left there 5 months earlier to catch
turtles (4 months according to Dickson 1939). They provided directions to Manra (Sydney)
some 97 km (60 miles) to the east (Wilkes 1845a; south according to Sharp 1960). In
addition, they knew of two other islands north of Orona (Hull).
Orona (Hull) was named after Commodore Isaac Hull of the U.S. Navy (Cooley 1940; Hobbs
1945; see also Nicholas 1946; a distinguished officer of the Navy according to Wilkes
1845a).
On January 17, 1841, the Peacock and Flying-Fish made Orona (Hull) (Wilkes 1845b). The
island had been surveyed earlier by the Vincennes. The party of Tahitians that were catching
turtles had left.
According to Findlay (1851), the Wilkes 1838-1842 expedition was responsible for providing
the first reliable fixing of the positions of Orona (Hull).
Pompey (1970) reported that Orona (Hull) was discovered by the Agate in 1859 (see also
Anon. 1860a). The Agate also reported that there were signs of previous inhabitation on the
island (Pompey 1970).
RAWAKI (PHOENIX)
In 1823, the French explorer Tromelin in the Bayonnaise, reported the position of the
Phoenix Islands (Sharp 1960; Rawaki (Phoenix) and Manra (Sydney) according to Maude
1968). According to Tromelin, this information had already been published in the map by
Norie (Maude 1968).
In a 1828 report to the U.S. Navy Department based on discoveries by American whaling
vessels, Reynolds noted the location of Rawaki (Phoenix) (Sharp 1960; see also Maude
1968).
Rawaki (Phoenix) was discovered prior to 1828 by a ship named Phoenix (Bryan 1941 and
1942; Tudor 1968; or Phenix according to Sharp 1960; by Captain Moore on the Phoenix in
1794 according to Di Piazza and Pearthree 2004). According to Garnett (1982a), Rawaki
(Phoenix) might have been discovered by Daniel Bennett in the whaler Phoenix in 1815.
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