Hawaii–Tahiti relations James Cook who was already famous for exploring the Pacific islands including Tahiti. He and his crew were struck by the similarity between the Tahitian and Hawaiian languages, and many crewmen were able to communicate with the Hawaiians. Some of the first Tahitians came to Hawaii aboard foreign vessels as sailors or translators. In 1804, British Captain John Turnbull brought a Tahitian couple to Kauai. Tahitians missionaries led by William Ellis from the London Missionary Society, arrived to assist the American missionaries in Hawaii. A few years prior to 1804, King Kaumualii of Kauai had sent an envoy to Tahiti
RMS Tahiti "Tahiti"′s passengers and crew if needed. At 9:30 a.m. on 17 August, "Tahiti"′s passengers and some of her crew abandoned ship, with all lifeboats away in 13 minutes; some of her crew remained behind in order to continue efforts to slow the flooding. The American steamer was just arriving on the scene, having signaled that she could take "Tahiti"′s passengers and crew aboard, and she picked them up soon after they abandoned ship. Members of "Tahiti"′s crew, assisted by a boat from "Penybryn", then returned to "Tahiti" in "Tahiti"′s boats and began efforts to save the first class mails and