University of Virginia Library

Text / Composite, based upon: "Mark Twain at the Mercantile Library Hall," St. Louis Democrat, March 28, 1867; "Mark Twain's Lecture," Providence, Rhode Island, Press, November 10, 1869; "Mark Twain's Lecture," Courant, November 24 1869; "Mark Twain's Lecture," New Haven, Connecticut, Morning Journal, December 28, 1869; "Our Fellow Savages of the Sandwich Islands," Portland, Maine, Transcript, January 1, 1870; "Our Fellow Savages of the Sandwich Islands," Troy, New York, Times, January 12, 1870; "Mark Twain, What He Know About the Sandwich Islands," Brooklyn Eagle, February 8, 1873; "Cracking Jokes," London Once a Week, n.s., no. 306 (November 8, 1873):402-5; "The Sandwich Islands," Eloquence(R), 4:253-59, and Eloquence(T), 13:133-39; "From Mark Twain's First Lecture," MTB, 4:1601-3.

introduction / To circumvent local chairmen who introduced him with lavish praise and labored jokes, Mark Twain adopted the practice of introducing himself with an extravagant eulogy of his own accomplishments. One reporter, attempting to capture in print the inflated substance and slow delivery, represented them thus: "Ladies and gentlemen: I—have—lectured—many—years—and—in—many—towns—large—and—small. I have traveled—north—south—east—and—west. I—have—met—many—great—men: very—great—men. But—I—have—never—yet—in—all—ny—travels—met—the—president—of—a—country—lyceum—who—could—introduce—me—to—an—audience—with—that—distinguished—consideration—which—my merits deserve." See Joel Benton, "Reminiscences of Eminent Lecturers," Harper's New Monthly Magazine 96, no. 574 (March 1898):610.

Captain Cook / James Cook (1728-79). British navigator and explorer. On a voyage in search of the Northwest Passage he came upon the islands in 1778. He named them Sandwich Islands after the earl of Sandwich, first lord of the Admiralty.

Kanaka / A Polynesian word meaning "man," formerly applied to Hawaiian natives and to other South Pacific islanders.

poi / A favorite Hawaiian food made of taro root mixed into a paste and allowed to ferment. Mark Twain said, St. Louis Democrat, March 28, 1867: "Eating poi will cure a drunkard. In order to like poi you must get used to it. It smells a good deal worse than it tastes, and it tastes a good deal worse than it looks."

Kee-law-ay-oh / Kilauea, an active volcano on the slope of Mauna Loa. An altitude of 4,000 feet and a circumference of eight miles make it one of the largest and most spectacular craters in the world.