The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-06-10


Association in the Botanical Gardens,
Bronx Park, by Mr.. VIM. Alanson
Bryan May IS, 1860
When Peer the Hermit preached the
first crusade in the closing years of the
eleventh century. he had little knowl-
edge of the work before the Crusaders.
still less could he foresee that his zeal for
the rescue of the Holy SepuIchre would
be met by even greater zeal for it's re-
fention in what the monk of AmienS
deemed heather hands. His moving
spring was sentiment, and while the
rude eloquence of the preacher was
mostly unsupported by knowledge, he
was yet able to move the hearts of men
in Christendom to sell or mortgage
their estates TO furnish themselves and
followers with arms and sustenance for
the long journey TO the Holy Land, and
TO fill their hearts with courage to bat
tie with the Saracen in his own strong
mold. All that is left of that crusade
and it's successors are a few ruined
towers in Palestine and symbols in the
armorial bearings of the crusaders.
A thousand years after this early at
tempt TO combine the nations and forces
of civilized Europe in great undertake
Tht man who feels called to some great
enterprise, coolly studies the objects
aimed at the means at his disposal.
and whether the results are likely to be
common surate with the cost. He con-
suits authorities both living and dead;
he traces with care the steps of all VINO
have ventured in similar paths; ana
finally If his mind is determined on the
attempt, he endeavors to enlist those
whose sympathy as well as aid may De
needed in the work He has no longer
to travel YEARLY through his own coun
try preaching wherever the faithful are
gathered together. In his laboratory
he may continue his preparation for the
work while his eTea TTepoepTd are
passing with speed undreamed of in the
days of Peter to all who care to listen
TO them. His plans are published ana
accessible to all; if crude they can be
remodeIled by friendly hands, if unwfse
or untrue, they can be assailed by
critics Out of the consensus of all in
terested it is probable that the wisest
and most complete plan may be
adopted.
This then is what we would do who
nave long dreamed of an exploration OF
The islands of the Pacific and have Tor
years been working with that end III
view We would briefly show the need
OF such a survey, the ends that may be
reached. and at last the provision the
Bishop Museum has made for attempt
ing such an exploration as modern
science demands.
We need not spend much time on an
enumeration of the small contributions
to our knowledge of the Pacific from |
the far away day when Balboa waded
into the waters of his just discovered |
South Sea. Since Magazines sailed for |
three weary months across its seeming |
endless expanse meeting no land from |
the strait which now bears his name |
until he touched at the welcome but IN |
9lospitable land of the MarianaS, the |
voyages of explorers have been many |
but so far as their scientific results !
they were mostly like Balboa.s wading, !
pleasant, but not very deep.
Cook was the greatest explorer of his
time and We cannot again hope to see
the vast interest excited by his voyages
which called for many editions in va
Tious languages at period when read
ing was by no means so universal as
now, and which has made it worth
while within the past few years to pub
lish the original journal of Cook during
discoveries, those who are now studying
the region he sailed through and where
he finally met his death, could fill vol
urnes as bulky as those of his first pub
aished editions with questions he might
have answered,-many of which cannot
be answered now. No one would dream
of sending out today an exploring ex-
petition no better equipped than his
Formerly Government was the only
wealthy originator ana
of so expensive an undertaking
and the combination of government !
with scientific explorers in
a subordinate position was not conn
Portable nor profitable one. Cooks
scientific men suffered bitterly from the
ignorance and overbearing ways of the
naval officers under whose direction
they We're placed and the same is true
Of our own Wilkes Expedition as we
have learned from the lips of Dana and {
other naturalists who made that ex-
petition profitable and famous.
A Government expedition is not the
best or most economical means to E
acquire a scientific knowledge of the
Pacific islands ana their living inhabi- !
ants and inanimate substance a. I
hough naval officers are far wiser men
han in the eighteenth century. Banks,
solander g ad others of Cooks scientific :
staff contributed much to our knowl- g
,dge of the botany of the regions they 1
raversed, but so little interest was $
cit by Cooks countrymen in the
Astrological collections of the exped1- "
ION that they were sold at auction, and c
he most valuable of these mere a
urios' are today in Vienna. Bern. and I
outside England. The French and q
American expeditions have done much n
or zoology. and we can all recall with u
.ratitude how we'll Darwin spent his r.
fme on the voyage of the Beagle, Tor II
he knowledge he there acquired mas II
the scientific thought OF X
he world. 1t would be easy to make u
arefuI catalogue of what we Know as