The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-06-16
MISTAKES OF HISTORIANS.

There is no historic authority for
the statement that little George
Washington cut down the cherry
tree.
The Pharaoh of the Exodus was
not drowned in the Red sea. His
mumny has been found, the skull
split by battleaxe.
Caesar did not say SET tn, Brute"
Eye-witnesses to the assassination
deposed that she died fighting, but
silent, like a wolf"
Wellington, at Waterloo, did not
say: "Up, guards, and at them"
The words were put into his mouth
by a lively English writer.
Richard III. was not bunch
back, but a soldier of fine form,
some pretensions to good looks and
great personal strength and cour-
age.
General Cambronne did not say,
"The guard dies, but does not sur
render" The words were the in
vention Of a Paris journalist and
attributed to him.
Caesar did not cross the Rubicon
it lay on the opposite side of the
Italian peninsula from the point
where he left his own possessions
and entered Italy.
Pocahontas did not save the life
of John Smith. 1t has been ascer-
tanned that this worthy man was
the most able-bodied prevaricator
of this century.
Alfred the Great did not visit the
Danish camp disguised as a min
strel. There is no good reason to
believe that he could either play
the harp or speak Danish.
Columbus did not f0retell an
eclipse of the moon to frig hten the
natives of Jamaica into rendering
him assistance. There was no
eclipse of the moon at that time.
Lucrecia Borgia was not the bad
woman she is represented. Recent |
Investigations have shown that she
suffered in reputation on account of |
the wickedness of her kinfolks.
Alexander the Great die not weep |
for other worlds to conquer. There
is reason to suspect that his army |
met with a serious reverse in India,
a fact that induced him to retrace
his steps.
Worshipers are not crushed by
hundreds under the wheels of the
car of Juggernaut. The car has
not been taken out of the temple
for many years, and such deaths
as formerly occurred were excep-
tional or accidental.
Columbus did not make an egg
stand on end to confute his oppo-
nents. The feat was performed by
Bruneleschi, the architect, to ST.
ence critics who asked him how
lie was going to support the dome
If the cathedral of Florence.
The Hanging Gardens of Baby
on did not hang, nor were they
,ardens. They were terraces, sup
ported by arches and overgrown
With trees. They were erected for
he amusement Of a Babylonian
queen who had come from noun
ainous country.
The Pass of ThermopyI@ was
defended not by 300, but by at
east 1000 Greeks, or, according to
ONE writer's, 10000. The 800
we're the Spartan contingent who
howed no more bravery on that
ccasion than their companions in
rms from other Greek States.
The seige of Troy was mostly a
nyth. According to Homer's own
cures, if there ever was such a
nan as Homer, Helen must have
cen at least sixty years of age
then she first met Paris, and, even
n the heroic period of the world,
Iomen Of that age were a trifle
asse.
Louis XVI. did not behave with
overwhelming dignity at his execu-
ion. On the contrary, he scream
d for help, struggled with the ex-
cutors and begged for mercy. Nor |
id the attendant priest say: "Son
St. Louis, ascend to heaven"
he expression was used for him
y Paris evening paper.-IGlobe-
Democrat.