Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-03-21

ORIGIN OF CALtfORNIA.'
The word "California" was Fl st print
ed in romance issued in Seville in 1910
and entitled. The Sereas of Esplan
dian. the Son of Amadis of Gaul.
This was three years prior to the dis
covery of the Pacific by Balboa. and Al
a time when it was the universal belief
that the great continent which COlum
bus had discovered, and the Cabots
Cortereal and others had partially OK
plored. was the Indies. or at least q
great and hitherto unknown extension OI
the continent of Asia, about which geo
eraphers then knew so little. Here. per
baps. would be found the magnificent
Cathav of Marco Polo and the wonder
full island of Cipango. Imagination
peOpled it with nations of strange civ
ilizations. filled it with precious metals
and jewels in prefnsion, gave to it the
fabulous Fountain of Youth, and in.
vested it with every feature that could
be conceived necessary to make of il
An earthly realization of Heaven. even
to giving into its keeping the Terres.
trial Paradise from which the great
progenitors of mankind had been
driven in disgrace. These IDEAS were
seized upon by the author of the ro
nance and embodied in the Ser0as,'
and the result was that his work be-
came immensely popular, and was uni
versally read in Spain for many years
afterward. In this wonderful book
occurs the following passage: ''Know
that on the right hand of the Indies
there is an Island called California
very near to the Terrestrial Paradise
which WAS peOpled by black women
they were accustomed to live after the
manner of the AmazOns."
Fourteen years later We find the vic
torious Cortez writing from Mexico to
his sovereign, the great Charles V. OF
Spain. that he is about to undertake the
conquest of Col,ma. on the South Sea,
a. the Pacific Was then called, and that
he had information of ian island OF
Amazons. or women only, Astounding in
pearls and gold. living ten days journey
from Colima" Ten years later ves-
sci dispatched by Cortez landed its mu-
tinous crew on the peninsula of Lower
California, twenty of whom were muir
dered by the natives, including Ximinee,
their leader. The remainder escaped
and returned to Mexico. The next year
Cortez .imself landed where Xmines
had been slain, and named the port
Santa Cruz. though upon tine country
as whole, which WAS supposed to be
an island, no title seems to have been
bestowed. Here Cortez planted col
ouy. which endured many hardships
and WAS finally compelled to abandon
the iAhospitable region. Writing of this
a few wears later the historian Gomara
said "Cortez, that he might no lOnRel
be a spectator of such miseries. went or
further discoveries. and landed in Cali
fornia. which is bay" Here We find thu
first specific application of the title
evidently to some port on the peninsula
visited by the great Conquisitador ane
gradually this name became associated
with the entire country claimed b!
Spain northwest of Mexico, "a we'll Al
the gulf living between them. Still later
when more was known of the coast, tina
portion lying east of the great Colora
do. and north Of the mouth of the Gill
River. was designated as Alta Califor
mia and that is the land which tn
United States conquered from Mex'c'
in 1916, which was invaded by vas
armv Of gold hunters in ls49. and whicl
in 1870 Was admitted iuto the great SIS
terhood of States under thu name
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Or West Shor,
Ii was on Western railroad. Th
conductor had been on his rounds an
taken his seat beside very quiet an
unassuming passenger.
Pretty full train" finally observes
the passenger.
Yes"
Road seems to be doing a goo
business.
"Oh, the road makes plenty {
money, but v
but what ?" asked the passenger. a
the other hesisated.
| bad management. Ii IL the Won
managed line in this whole country.
is that 50 p
That's 90. The board OF otficia
might know how 70 run q sideshov 10
circus, but they can't tackle railroad
Who Is the biggest fool IN the lot
well. the Superintendent Il"
I'm glad OF that" said the passs
ger, and his faoe heated up. Il VI
afraid you would say Il was the Pres
dent"
"Suppose l had -
"Why, Fm the man"