The Expedition

In 1924, Medford KELLUM outfitted the barkantine 4 mast schooner for a scientific expedition which, even the naming of the ship, was left entirely to the scientific circles of Honolulu.

“The Trustees and staff of the Museum are fairly bubbling with pleasure at finding that their dream of an exploring ship, reaching places otherwise inaccessible, has become a reality through interest of yourself and Mrs. Kellum. (…) It takes some talking to convince the trustees that you want your name submerged and that you don’t care a whoop what the ship does or where it goes so long as you two friendly souls can render service by increasing knowledge of the Pacific.”

Director Gregory, Honolulu Museum, May 31, 1924.

The goal of the expedition was a five year expedition to many of the then inaccessible spots of the Pacific. Under the auspices of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum of Honolulu, a group of Hawaiian scientists joined the ship: Gerrit P. Wilder, botanist; Mrs. Wilder, historian; Kenneth Emory, ethnologist; Dr. Armstrong Sperry, writer and illustrator; and Dr. Stanley Ball.

The vessel was a complete floating laboratory, possibly the most complete of any craft that has undertaken a similar trip. Bottles, crates, and boxes were stowed below, along with gallons of preservatives for insects and plant specimens for the Bishop Museum.

The goals of the expedition were exhaustive:

- complete collections of islands subjects ranging from insects, plants, minerals, and archaeological and ethnological specimens,

- study of the fish and sea life,

- chart as accurately as possible the ocean currents,

- for the United States government, conform and correct to the findings of the expedition the charts of the island groups,

- attempt to trace the origin of the Polynesians, their language and their migrations,

- photograph the natives and measure accurately portions of their bodies,

- record phonographically records of the speech, the songs, their chants,

- sound the ocean floor and study the formation of the islands in an effort to prove the theory that these islands were once a part of the mainland and that they formed a “lost continent”.

Adventurers to seek “lost continent in South Seas”

“They are prepared to sit around the fire and listen to the ancient legends of the tribal chiefs of the great civilization that existed thousands— maybe million—of years ago; of the cities and the people.”

The Bulletin, San Fransisco, Saturday October 11, 1924