The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-06-23
YOU NG FOLKS COLUMN.
INTERESTING AND INSTRUCT
I'VE READING.
Cabeza Vaca, the First American
Iraveler--A Curious Plg--Sport-
ing Rules for Boys.

Ing Rules for Boys.
Cabeza Gle Vaca the First American
Traveller,
AS explorers we cannot give Vaca
and Docampo great rank; though the
latter's explorations were not con-
temptible, and Vaca's were OF great
Importance. But as physical achieve
ments the journeys OF these neglected
heroes can safely be said to be with
out parallel. They were the most
wonderful walks ever made by man.
Both men made their records in
America, and each made most of his
journey in what is now the United
States.
Cabeza de Vaca was the first Euro
pean really to penetrate the then
Ozark Continent OF North America;
by centuries the first to cross the
continent. His nine years OF wander.
ing on foot, unarmed, naked, starv-
ing, among wild beasts and wilder
men, with no more company than
three as Inflated comrades, gave the
world it's first glimpse OF the United
States inland, and led to some Of the
most stirring and important achieve
ments connected with it's early his
tory. Nearly a century before the
Pilgrim Fathers planted their noble
commonwealth on the edge OF Mass
achusetts; seventy-five years before
the first English settlement was made
in the New World; and more than a gen
Grafton before there was single eau
casian settler Of any blood within our
area, Vaca and his gaunt followers had
trudged across this unknown land.
is a long way back to those days.
Henry VIII. was then king OF England,
and sixteen rulers have since occupied
the throne. Elizabeth, the Virgin
Queen, was not born when Vaca start
ed on his appalling journey, and did
not begin to reign until twenty years
after he had ended it. 1t was fifty
years before the birth ofCaptain John
Smith, the founder Of Virginia; a gen.
GRAFTON before the birth OF Shakspere,
and TWO and a half generations before
Milton. Henry Hudson, the famous
explorer for whom one Of our chief
rivers is named, was not yet born.
Columbus himself had been dead less
than twenty-five years; and the con-
queror OF Mexico had seventeenyet to
live. 1t was sixty years before the
world had ever heard OF such a thing
as a newspaper; and the best geogra-
pliers still thought it possible to sail
through America to Asia. There was
not a white man in North America.
above the middle Of Mexico; nor had
one ever gone two hundred miles in
land in this continental wilderness, Of
which the world knew almost less
than we now know Of the moon. -.
The name Of Cabeza de Vaca may
seem to us a curious one. 1t means
"sHead OF a Cow" But this Quaint
family name was an honorable one in
Spain, and had a brave winning; it
was earned at the battle Of Naves de
Tolosa in the thirteenth century, one
OF the decisive engagements Of all
those centuries ofwar with the Moors.
Alvar's grandfather was also a man
OF some note, and conquerer OF the
Canary Islands.
Alvar was born in Here's de la
Frontera, Spain, toward the last OF
the fifteenth century. OF his early
life we know little, except that he had
already won some consideration
when, in 1927, q mature man, he
came to the New World. In that year
we find him sailing from Spain as
treasurer and sheriff Of the expedition
OF six hundred men with which Pam
flo de Facvaez intended to conquer
and colonize the fowery Land, dis
covered a decade before by Ponce de
Leon. -....
They reached Santo Domingo, and
thence sailed to Cuba. On Good Fri.
day 1923, ten months after leaving
Spain, they reached Florida, and
landed at what is now named Tampa
Bay. Taking formal possession OF
the country for Spain, they set out to
explore and conquer the unguessed
wilderness.-C. f. Lummis, in June
st. Nicholas. 81. ..-...
Sporting Rules for Boys.
.:,. WHAL ING.
I. Never fish for whales in trout