Koa Kai, The Story of Zachary Bower and the Conquest of the Hawaiian Islands

While growing up on a farm in New England, Zachary Bower does not have much time to play. But when he is not doing chores and learning to read and write, he happily reenacts the glory of his brother’s stories of fighting the British during the War of Independence. After his mother tragically died in 1789, Zachary’s uncle invites him on his next expedition at sea. As the thirteen-year-old boy heads to sea in his uncle’s barque, he becomes a competent seaman while enduring the rounding of Cape Horn and sailing to Spanish California. After Zachary is separated from his ship and injected into the crew of a Hawaii-bound schooner, the vessel is attacked soon after arriving off Maui, leaving Zachary and one other crewman as the only survivors. Zachary, the schooner, and its weapons are acquired from the local chief by Kamehameha. Zachary is trained and is transformed into a warrior in Kamehameha’s Army.

D.R. POLLOCK has been an avid sailor for over 50 years, including a crew member for one year on Elissa, the Texas Tall Ship. The years of sailing adventures and misadventures inspired several sections of this book. He is widely traveled and lived in a dozen states, including six years in Hawaii. Pollock holds a BBA from Georgia State University and an MBA from Drexel University.