The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1907-06-27

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On April IL, 1900, Dutch ship
piloted by William Adams, a Kentish
seaman of good family but rowing dis
position, reached Japan. At that time
it was part of Japanese religion, pa
triotism and statecraft to keep all
foreigners out of the country. The
Dutch traders, however were per-
sistent, and finally gained permission
to build a trading factory at Firando.
For this concession the traders were
compelled to hand over to the chief |
or Tycoon their best seaman and boat /
builder. Adams probably the best, In |
any case, but the ship, it's captain and !
its seamen were Dutch and the man
who was handed over was to be life |
prisoner This fact probably led the |
captain to sacrifice to the Tycoon's |
command, the one foreigner on board. |
While not exactly pertinent to the
story it may be pointed out that the
Aleut, the Kenait, and the KENT, races
of the Aleutian islands and the Alas
kan coast invariably call their chiefs
TycoOns or Tyoons, the similarity be-
ing another link in the chain that
proves the North american Indian and
the Japanese people have a common
origin.
Adams was treated with all honor.
He built the first Japanese war fleet
and improved the coasting and trading
vessels of the islanders enabling them
to make further trading and fishing
| journeys than ever before. For years
he worked with hundreds of men under
him founding the Japanese shipping
the founder of the present Japanese
fleet, and back to him may be traced
the first impulse that led to the vic
tory of the sea of Japan on May %,
1906, three hundred and five years
later.
Adams often grew weary of his
honorable captivity and longed to re-
turn to England. Everything his heart
| could wish, wealth, hOnOrs, wives
titles, the love of a nation, were his
all but liberty. He died an old man,
and was buried on the hillside of He
mimura above the present great naval
arsenal After his death he was made
god and a great temple was erected
in his honor. Here for three hun
bred years the devout of Japan have
bent the knee and prayed to this Sim
pie English sailor. On the three hun
dredth anniversary of his landing in
Japan, April ~, 1900 the following
poem, written by J. H. Knight-Adkin,
the English novelist and poet, was
given place of honor in the London
Standard. 1t is doubtful il the poem
has ever been published OF the story
is as follows:
WILL ADAMS
On the hill of Hemimura, looking out
across the sea
Der the docks of Yokosuka, and the
warships sailing free,
Midst the Shinto pennons streaming
Lies viii Adams, still a-dreaming,
OF the busy port o'London, and the
Kentish wood and lea.
He forgets the fleet he builded and
the decks that once he trod,
That his graves afar from England
and his pail is alien sod,
That the incense sticks are burning
And the praying wheels Affirming
To the name of William Adams, Ken
fish sailorman-and god.
So he drowses till the screaming Oi
the sirens once again
Calls him back to where beneath him
like mailed Barons of the main
Ride the warships, while the rattle
OF Dali Nippon's seward battle
Rings and mingles through his dream
ing, like a distant songs refrain
For when the great gray battle-ship
roll down upon the foe,
Or Togo's lean torpedo boats charg
shoreward through the snow
When the giant shells are crashing
And the league-long searchlight
flashing,
Then VIII Adams sees the triumph o
his toll of long ago.
Fine Joh Printing star OdBca