The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1890-10-23
"a CHIN ESE COLUMBUS.
HEEL. THE PIG-TAILED NAvI-
s GATOR.
Row tho Celestial Sailor crossed the Pacific In 4
Chinese hines Junk Away Back in 217 D. C,
and Discovered Amerira DIR.
III III ~ 4 Shaw's STORY.

II Is learned from a long letter re-
Gently received from Rev. Dr.. Shaw.
Tor many years q missionary in China,
That he visited the interior Chinese
i city OF; Ngan-Foo, in the province
| OF shen-See. on the Upper Hoang-Ho
Here the doctor, with the aid of
! converted native from the mission sta
ton near Ia Koo, discovered a Chi
nese manuscript dating back over 200
years before Christ. In this manu-
script 1t IS proved beyond doubt that
America Ale was discovered by one Hee-
IL, a Chinese navigator, in the year
~ 3. T., in the reign of the great
Emperor Chi-Hoang-Ti, or Ching
Wang, who has been called the Chi
nese Napoleon, and who first CONSOLE
dated the petty Kingdoms of the pres
ent empire, and built the Great wall.
u thls date IS correct. as it almost
certainly is, it follows that we have
just passed a convenient anniversary of
the great event (the two thousand one
hundredth), which fell in 1883; there
fore we must look to all true lovers of
accuracy to advocate the postponing
OF the fair to the year 1888, the two
thousand two hundredth anniversary
OF the original discovery of this con
tinent
LII. Shaw sends few interesting
facts, gathered from this priceless
manuscript Hee-Li was the owner
ana commander of a small junk en-
Ployed in the coast trade. While
making trip, probably in February,
~ Is. T., great storm struck his
vessel and fdrove it far out to sea.
When the storm abated ne of course
desired to steer west, and again reach
the coast Of China AS is well known
the mariners compass was in use by
chinese sailors even at this early
day Now, Hee-Lis junk was in
tested by yang-si bugs, an insect
closely resembling our cockroach, and
one OF them had got into the com pass
during the storm, and become wedged
under the needle, where tdied, first
however, struggling around the face OF
the compass and carrying the needle
with It till it (the medley pointed
directly south, instead of due north. as
u should have done. The intelligent
insect. as we have intim ated. then
died, still under the needle where his
BODY could not be seen. Consulting
ms compass and depending on it abso-
lutely, Hee-Li, OF course, sailed direct
" east. This he continued to do for
three months and some days $, mar
Vellng greatly that the coast of China
should so constantly recede Once, on
the twenty fifth day, Hi-Thine, one of
the crew (may his memory perishN
suggested that they must be sailing
east, us the sun constantly rose before
them, and set behind them, but Ree-
Ii promptly threw him overheard, saw
ing that his fathers had trusted the
compass since the Chow-Chop-Suev
dynasty, and it was then too late to
doubt it. On what appears to have
been June 10 Hee-Li landed between
the 36th and 37th degrees of north lati-
Jude, probably near the present city OF
Monterey, Cal. Two days later one
OF the crew, while polishing up the
compass, discovered and removed, the
dead yang-si bug, and matters became
clearer to Hee-Li.
Hee-Li and his crew of ten men re-
manned in America about three months
exploring the coast for fifty miles to
the south and 100 to the north. He
speaks (part Of the manuscript is his
personal narrative) in high terms of
the weather, thus being the first to
#extol the glorious climate of Califor-
MIA. He entered the Golden Gate and
explored the bay of San Francisco,
giving it the name OF Hong-Tsi, or
Great Bay. He bartered with the
natives, and finally started on his re-
turn to China in September, arriving
there in the latter part of the year
From fragments of another manuscript
by Dir. Shaw, bearing the date 100
years later, it appears that this trade
thus begun with the American natives
had been keptup till that time, junks
visiting the country every few months.
why this trade ever ceased DR.. Shaw
can not conjecture. Hee-Li died in
l97 3. G., twenty years after his great
discovery.
Coming at such a time as this it
would not seem that too great import
ance can not be attached to the dis
covery DR.. Shaw. The great question
which has troubled historians for years
is settled AT last. Clearly it would be \
the height of folly to celebrate the an
niversary of the simple voyage aud
landing Of either Columbus or the
Norseman. We must celebrate the
anniversary of the true discovery
that of Hee-Ki. None will agree with
US on the point, SO readily as those
who have favored the Morse discovery.
Absolute accuracy in all things is what
should always be aimed at Let the
n