
Set against the lush backdrop of the Hawaiian archipelago before Western contact, the tale follows a shipwrecked Spanish priest, his sister, and a handful of companions who find themselves stranded on an island of towering volcanoes and vibrant coral reefs. Welcomed by the island’s chiefs, they become woven into the fabric of a society that has never seen metal or foreign faith, their knowledge and strange customs soon earning them a place of reverence among the locals.
Through the eyes of a 19th‑century chronicler, the narrative blends meticulous research with vivid storytelling, tracing how these outsiders—through language, technology, and a singular devotion—leave an indelible mark on Hawaiian tradition. As the characters navigate love, power, and the clash of worlds, listeners are invited to glimpse a forgotten chapter of Pacific history, where myth and reality intertwine on the edge of discovery.
Language
en
Duration
~6 hours (384K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Tim Lindell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by Internet Archive (https://archive.org)
Release date
2019-08-06
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1818–1888
Best known for spotting the beauty of early Italian painting before most Americans did, this Boston-born writer and collector helped shape how art was seen and studied in the United States. He also led an adventurous life in Hawaii and Europe, working as a newspaper editor, diplomat, travel writer, and critic.
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by Edmund P. (Edmund Pearson) Dole