New York-born chemist and bibliographer Henry Carrington Bolton visited Hawaii's Niihau, the privately-owned "Forbidden Isle," in 1890. The text below is from Bolton's academic article "Some Hawaiian Pastimes," published in the January 1891 issue of The Journal of American Folk-Lore. Surfing at this stage was at or near its low point; the revival would begin around the turn of the century. Also, Bolton is among the first to discredit the idea, long-held by visitors to Hawaii, that wave-riding is something that only natives can do properly.

Here I witnessed the sport of surf-riding, once so universally popular, and now but little seen. Six stalwart men, by previous appointment, assembled on the beach of a small cove, bearing with them their precious surf-boards, and accompanied by many women and a few children, all eager to see the strangers, and mildly interested in the sport. After standing for their photograph, the men removed all their garments, retaining only the malo, or loin-cloth, and walked into the sea, dragging, or pushing their surf-boards as they reached the deeper water.

These surf-boards, in Hawaiian “wave-sliding-boards” (Papa-he-nalu), are made from the wood of the 

 (Erythrina corallodendrum), or bread-fruit tree; they are eight or nine feet long, fifteen to twenty inches wide, rather thin, rounded at each end, and carefully smoothed. The boards are sometimes stained black, are frequently rubbed with coconut oil, and are preserved with great solicitude, sometimes wrapped in cloths. Children use smaller boards.

Plunging through the nearer surf, the natives reached the outer line of breakers, and watching their opportunity they lay flat upon the board (the more expert kneeled), and, just as a high billow was about to break over them, pushed landward in front of the combers. The waves rushing in were apparently always on the point of submerging the rider; but, unless some mishap occurred, they drove him forward with rapidity on to the beach, or into shallow water. At the time of the exhibition, the surf was very moderate, and the natives soon tired of the dull sport; but in a high surf it is, of course, exciting, and demands much skill born of experience.

As commonly described in the writings of travelers, an erroneous impression is conveyed, at least to my mind, as to the position which the rider occupies with respect to the combing wave. Some pictures, too, represent the surf-riders on the seaward slope of the wave, in positions which are incompatible with the results. I photographed the men of Niihau before they entered the water, while surf-riding, and after they came out. The second view shows plainly the position taken, although the figures are distant and consequently small.

A few days later, on another beach, I was initiated in the mysteries of surf-riding by my host, who is himself quite expert; and while I cannot boast of much success, I at least learned the principle, and believe that practice is only needed to gain a measure of skill. For persons accustomed to bathing in the surf, the process is far less difficult than usually represented.

1890: “I WAS INITIATED IN THE MYSTERIES OF SURF-RIDING,” HENRY CARRINGTON BOLTON, FAMOUS CHEMIST, REPORTS FROM NIIHAU

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