Cartography Explained

Cartography, or map drawing, comes from the word 'chart', a geographical map or plan used by ships officers to navigate the seas.

Early charts were highly prized as they were essential in exploring the vast unknown.

Often time, these maps were significantly incorrect, in part, due to the desire to mislead the competition as well as ignorance.

Many early maps were more art then science and contributed by the benefactor paying for the trip. A monarch would often want his discovered land larger then they actually were.

Unlike these earlier maps I tried very hard to fair it out as much objective truth as possible, and made especially difficult by varying opinion by both oral and written accounts.

The cartographers notes were developed to explain in greater detail these visual vignettes which depict not only history and culture but ecology as well. In fact, in case of the map of San Francisco this map took on a life of its own and led me deeper and deeper into the eco-system that was the bay area in earlier time.

Given the limitations in space these Notes also provide a guide in case the imagery fails to communicate that is intended.

The same spirit of adventure that propelled the original migrants to Hawai'i was never more evident than during the time of Capt. James Cook's rediscovery of the Islands.

For this reason, I have chosen this volatile and pivotal point in the history of these two dynamic and disparate cultures.

I have attempted to balance the natural beauty of the land and the Hawaiian culture with historical personalities and events.

To satisfy art lovers, historians, and map tourists, the following will seek to enlighten and enrich your experience of the MAP OF THE SANDWICH ISLES.