“Nukuhiva Nov. 26 1865”. Dateline on folded letter from Nukahiva in the Marqueses Islands to Hawaii via Tahiti and San Francisco, written in Hawaiian from James Kekela to Rev. Dwight Baldwin at Lahaina, light strike of “Tahiti (Oceania), Papeete, 20 Dec. 65” double-circle datestamp on back, bold “San Francisco Cal. Mar. 14” (1866) double-circle datestamp and “SHIP 6” handstamp, red crayon “13c” Hawaiian postage due marking (6c U.S., 5c Hawaiian and 2c ship fee), receipt docketing “Rev. J. Kekela, Nov. 26/65”, light vertical file folds, some minor toning

VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE EXAMPLE OF MAIL FROM THE MISSIONARY SETTLEMENT AT NUKUHIVA IN FRENCH POLYNESIA TO HAWAII VIA TAHITI AND SAN FRANCISCO WITH POSTMARKS OF THREE DIFFERENT POSTAL SYSTEMS.

Nukuhiva is the largest of the Marqueses Islands in French Polynesia. Herman Melville wrote Typee based on his experiences on the island. In 1853 the Rev. James Kekela went as a pioneer missionary to the Marquesas Islands, where for a half-century he worked to eliminate cannibalism and tribal warfare. In 1864 he was honored by President Lincoln for rescuing an American seaman from cannibals.

There was a regular sailing packet line between Papeete and San Francisco, with six sailings per year. This arrangement was reached between Tahiti and the San Francisco post office to facilitate the island’s communications with the outside world. The line operated from July 20, 1863, to October 30, 1867. The letter offered here missed the December 1865 packet and had to wait for the February 1866 packet (scheduled to depart February 20). It was carried on the schooner Eugenie, which departed Tahiti on February 22 and arrived in San Francisco on March 12. From there it was carried on the Helen Angier, which departed March 19 and arrived in Honolulu on April 8.

Illustrated and described in the Gregory book (Vol. 2, p. 304), which notes this should have been charged 2c in San Francisco (double the 1c drop rate) instead of 6c (double the 3c rate to a U.S. domestic destination). The red manuscript “13c” indicates the recipient was charged the 6c, plus 2c ship fee and 5c Hawaiian postage.

Ex Golden.

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