ABSTRACT
This chapter presents different cartographic images of Hawai‘i, or Hawai‘i Nei, as the chain is referred to in the native language. Bearing dates between 1812 and 1844, these maps were made by some of the greatest men in Pacific chartmaking. Collectively they summarize the contributions of foreigners to the hydrographic surveying of Hawai‘i through the mid-19th century. In sequence, these maps demonstrate the growth of knowledge regarding the geography of Hawai‘i. Each map includes some information from contemporary sources, yet they all share a common ancestry. To a large extent, these maps represent the culmination of foreign interest in the mapping of Hawai‘i. A few maps were made later, such as La Passe’s map of Honolulu in 1855, but for the most part mapping activity in Hawai‘i by foreign governments ceased.
