The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-05-20
PACIFIC 4 MODERN OCEAN.
At All Events 1t is Very New 10
Men of Caucasian Anfece-
dents.

Mem of Caucasian Anfece-
dents.
It seems rather curious TO recall
the fact that very little more than
100 years ago the Pacific was re-
garded as a Spanish lake That
nation claimed it on the strength
of Balboa's discovery in 1913. and
insisted that it should be regarded
az a mare clausem. This will bear
comparison with the claim recently
made to a like effect by the United
States in regard TO the northern
part of the same ocean, called Behr-
ing sea. WheI Sir Francis Drake
circumnavigated the globe his sail
ing across these waters was serI-
ously resented by Spain, which de-
manded restitution to her OF the
plunder which he took, but Queen
Elizabeth made naughty reply
Not long before the close OF the last
century the Spanish crown again
began to make a fuss because Its
monopoly of the Pacific was In
fringed on. II ordered the corr
mandant4 of San Francisco to se4ze
the Columbia, the first vessel that
carried the American flag around
Cape Horn. In 1879 two Spanish
men-of-war seized several English
fur traders on the northwest coast,
and war was very nearly the result
1t is odd that the Spanlards,
though discoverers Of new lands
and waters, were among the poorest
navigators of their time. After
coming upon the Solomon islands,
they could not find them again.
and they were lost for 80 years
The water supply of their galleons
was not kept in casks, but in big
esrthern Jars. AS it was impossi-
bic to provide a sufficient supply
for a six months voyage on board
of a ship carrying 400 or 500 peo-
pie, they always took 70 sea great
number of mats. Whenever it
rained the mats were spread TO
catch the drops, which were drained
off into Jars through split bamboos.
The mortality from scurvy on long
trips was frightful.
Cortez, after the conquest OF
Mexico, fitted out three small ships
to sail to the Moluccas and rein
force the Spaniards there. They
we're scattered by tempest, and
two of them were lost One OF
these is imagined to have been the
strange vessel which was wrecked
on the rocks Of Hawaii at about the
same time, as nearly az can be
reckoned. According to tradition,
only the captain and his sister
were saved. The natives received
them kindly and gave them food.
They in.ermarried with the Ha-
waiians and became the progenitors
of certain well-kno1n families OF
chiefs. :.
In early times the control OF lend
on the Hawaiian Islands was held
by the ruling chiefs, who reserved
what portions they pleased for their
own use and divided the rest among
the leading men subject TO them.
The position Of the latter was anal
agous to that Of the barons Of Euro
pean feudalism- They furnished
supplies to their sovereign, and, In
case of war, were expected to take
the field with what fighting men
their estates could furnish. These
barons held almost despotic sway
over their domains, apportioning
the territory which they controlled
among their followers, according to
the whim Of the moment or the de-
mands of policy. Every time a
new chief came into power there
was fresh distribution Of lands.