High-ranking New York-born naval officer Charles Wilkes—an ill-tempered explorer, writer, and commander who was court-martialed twice and said to be the model for Moby-Dick's Captain Ahab—spent seven months in Hawaii, in 1840 and 1841. In his multi-volume Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition, Wilkes briefly discussed surfing. It is clear that the sport, by this time, was in decline.

Playing in the surf was another of their amusements, and is still much practiced. It is a beautiful sight to see them coming in on the top of a heavy roller, borne along with increasing rapidity until they suddenly disappear. What we should look upon as the most dangerous surf, is that they most delight in. The surf-board which they use is about six feet in length and eighteen inches wide, made of some light wood. After they have passed within the surf, they are seen buffeting the waves, to regain the outside, whence they again their course, with almost the speed of an aerial flight. They play for hours in this way, never seeming to tire; and the time to see a Hawaiian happy, is while he is gamboling and frolicking in the surf. I have stood for hours watching their sport with great interest, and, I must say, with no little envy.

Since the introduction of Christianity, these amusements have been interdicted; for, although the missionaries were somewhat averse to destroying those of an innocent character, yet, such was the proneness of all to indulge in lascivious thoughts and actions, that it was deemed by them necessary to put a stop to the whole, in order to root out the licentiousness that pervaded the land. They therefore discourage any kind of nocturnal assemblies, as they are well satisfied that it would take but little to revive these immoral propensities with more force than ever. The watchfulness of the government, police, and missionaries, is constantly required to enforce the due observance of the laws.

1841: NAVY MAN CHARLES WILKES: SURFING TOO CLOSE TO "LASCIVIOUS THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS"

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