The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1893-03-14
MEETING OF THE HIS
TORICAL SOCIETY.
address BY A. T. Atkinson.

| - PuOllC mSSbluS VI tue hlSIOIlCSi
Society was held in the Y. NJ. c. A
Hall on Monday evening. Vice
President J. s. Emerson took the
chsir, snd the routine business was
speedily transacted. Recommends.
tons from the Board of Managers
were presented in regard to some
changes in the Constitution.
Alist of persons proposed for mem
bership ttwenty.slx in ALL was read,
and voted upon sfirmstively by the
society. The following persons were
elected corresponding members: Gen.
j. Grant Wilson. Senator Chandler,
Senator Morgan, V. L. Tenney, Esq.
| Chaplain Il. r. Hoes, [. ). y. re-
signed the office Of Librarian, and
DR.. C. I. Rodgers was elected in his
place.
Professor Alexander. the Core
spending Secretary, read an interest.
ing letter from I. H. Davies. Esq.
giving some particulars that he had
ascertained in regard 70 the recep-
ton and death Of LihOliho and his
wife. the Hawaiian hing aud Queen
who went to England in 1924
Mr.. \. t. Atkinson then read the
paper Of the evening on Early
Spanish Explorations IN the Spanish
Islands" For the youth OF the 10th
century. Of brave heart and vigorous
constitution. nothing had greater
fascination than the broad expsnse
Of the Pacific, with its unknown isl
snds and peoples, strange produc
tons. fabulous wealth of pearls and
gold, spices and vermiion. We who
have some knowledge of every part
Of the globe can have but faint con-
ceptien Of the excitement caused by
tales of the early voysgers. They
were received by our ancestors in
those days very much as news from
the planet Mars would be among the
newspaper reporters of our times
Young adventurous spirits broke
away from the restraints and tram
mels of Anticipated custom, and |
in the freshness and freedom |
of a new life found one of the BEST !
gifts the West made to the East. |
Every expedition was a money
making scheme, but in connection |
with this was the religious duty of |
fighting the devil and converting /
his subjects or diminishing their 1
numbers. Voyaging in the Pacific |
has four well-defned periods: ~ |
Anterior to historical records; (2) /
spssmodic adventures, 1513-1176
(3) scientific, extending from Cook to
the recent expeditions OF the present
century; a. colonization. bringing in
new populations, new industries, new
institutions.
In the second period Mendano, in
his second voyage, seems to have
been the only one who acted upon q
definite plan with definite object in
view. After giving a brief account
OF Mendano's first voyage the lee
turer gave a more detailed narrative
OF the incidents and results of the
second voyage. 1t was on this voy-
age that ne discovered the Marquesas
Islands, installing them, however, at
first for the Solomon Islands, which
he had discovered on his first voyage
and was searching for again to estab-
lish a colony there. Imperfect in
deed must have been the skill in
navigation which could make a
blunder IL reckoning equal to one
third the breadth Of the Pacific. So
little knowledge was there of the
real position and relations of the
various countries of the globe, that
Mendsno gave to the group he had
discovered the name of Solomon Isl
snds, under the belief that King
Solomon brought part of his treas
ures from these islands, On this
voyage his wife accompanied him
with re.inue of servants. Many of
the $50 soldiers had their wives with
them. In the four vessels there
were in all 378 souls. A very correct
account IS given of the people OF the
their customs, and food.
of the breadfruit. The
Solomon Islands were never reached
The colony was begun on an island
tIdk ud5 Cd4lcu OduLd OIuZ, name |
to the present day. The
chief received the new Corners in a
way, but dissensions soon
arose, and many natives, including
the friendly chief were killed. Then
affairs went on from bad to worse.
Disease and famine decimated the
Spaniards. Mendano himself fell a
victim to disease. His widow.
determined to leave, sail 10
Manila, refit and return with a new
band OF Colonists. Her vessel safely
reached the destined port, but fifty
lied on the voyage. A second vessel
,ame IN, belated with a weak and
lying crew. The third vessel also
the Philippine IsIands.
the beach with sails full set |
5ut only corpses on the decks. The
romantic history was closed
y her marriage With some Spanish
gallant, who went with her in her
Tessel to Mexico, and there the
couple disappear from history.
1t was voted to request copy Of ] !