Chapter I Intro & Objectives - SPREP

PHOENIX ISLANDS PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN
Chapter III. Background, 2. Human Activities
Draft 1 March 2007
Guano Company filed a claim dated March 14, 1859, and received bond number 6 dated
December 27, 1859.
Between 1857 and 1860, American companies took possession of McKean, Rawaki
(Phoenix), and Enderbury for guano extraction (Morrell 1960; 1858 for Enderbury according
to Gardner 1938).
In 1859, the U.S. Secretary of State issued a proclamation granting Enderbury guano rights to
the Phoenix Guano Company (Abbott 1966, see also Orent and Reinsch 1941). Enderbury
was bonded to Mr. C.A. William of Honolulu (Garnett 1983a). All of the Phoenix Islands,
except Orona (Hull) were bonded to the American Guano Company, or its subsidiary, the
Phoenix Guano Company (Maude 1952 and 1968).
In 1859, a group of Hawaiian workers who had worked on Enderbury, McKeans, and Rawaki
(Phoenix) sued C.A. Williams for greater compensation due to the hardships (Skaggs 1994).
They lost in court.
The Phoenix Guano Company placed men on Enderbury (Abbott 1966). In April 1860,
guano digging began on Enderbury (Bryan 1941, 1942, and 1974).
On January 1, 1961, Captain Lawton of the Agate found two men with scurvy on Enderbury
(Bryan 1941, 1942, and 1974; see also Pompey 1970; Anon. 1861a). They had 2.3 kg (five
pounds) of wormy bread and plenty of water. Both men could not get out of their house.
They had been there 9 months waiting for relief. One was taken away by the Agate. Both
men had worked for the Phoenix Guano Company (Skaggs 1994). The Agate brought the
new crew and supplies to Enderbury.
In 1861, the U.S. Guano Company, headed by Alfred G. Benson, sent a ship under Captain
John Gunn to Enderbury to gain control of the island (Abbott 1966, see also Bryan 1974).
Gunn kidnapped the Phoenix Guano Company agent, mounted two cannons on the island,
and left two men to guard the island. When the next Phoenix Guano Company ship arrived,
they were not allowed to land and returned to Honolulu (Abbott 1966; see also Bryan 1974).
The agent for the Phoenix Guano Company returned to Enderbury with sufficient force to
remove the U.S. Guano Company guards.
The locations for McKean, Rawaki (Phoenix), and Enderbury were published in Anon.
(1861b). However, according to a note to Anon. (1861b) by Ward (1967e), the positions
were not very accurate.
In 1866, the British bark Golden Sunset carrying 20 passengers and a cargo of coal grounded
on Enderbury (Bryan 1941, 1942, and 1974; on Derby Island on December 11, 1866
according to Anon. 1867b and c). One crew was drowned (Pompey 1970; see also Anon.
1867b and c). The captain, crew and passengers were brought to Honolulu on the Hawaiian
brig Kamehameda V, a supply ship (Bryan 1941, 1942, and 1974). The British
Commissioner in Honolulu investigated the wreck and acquitted the captain and all officers.
The disaster was attributed to the incorrectness of charts (Anon. 1867b and c).
In 1866, a short narrative of the brig Harriet Newell’s reprovisioning trip from Honolulu to
Rawaki (Phoenix), Enderbury, and McKean in early 1866 (Cunningham 1866). The voyage
took 32 days.
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