Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-14

Tomorrow. in the middle of the
Pacific Ocean, will begin the celebra-
ton of the one hundred and fiftieth an
niversary of the rediscovery of the
Hawaiian Islands by that great Eng
liSh explorer. Capt. James Cook. Capt.
Cook accomplished many other feats of
navigation and discovery. but none
which has made his name so familiar
to the general public as that of finding
the islands, which. according TO tradi-
ton, had been previously discovered in
the sixteenth century by a Spaniard
named Gaetano. but had been forgotten
by civilization. Also discovery is re-
corded in a book published in London
% years prior to Cooks exploit, but
ignored by the world.
y x
There is no written history of the is
lands prior to the discovery by Capt,
Cook on January Is, l778 SO the cele-
bration this week does not mark the
exact week of discovery, but only the
year
AS soon as Capt. Cook landed he was
mistaken by the natives to be REIN
carnation of their god Lono. and when,
a few weeks later, they became con-
vinced that he was a mere man, they
murdered him.
From that display Of superstition and
savagery it has generally been assumed
that the people of the Hawaiian Islands
were Sayages with no trace of civiliza-
ton. Later study of their habits. their
manner of living and their traditions
gives very different picture OF their
status II is now recognized that some
how their royal court upon the chief
of the IL islands. Hawaii was quite as
splendid as that Of the contemporaneous
court of Napoleon Bonaparte. That was
the royal court of Kamehameha 1 the
Great-born either in 1886 or 1850 (the
wear is in disputel and died in 1919.
Cook estimated the population OF the
eight inhabited islands to total $4,000.
Il
Whence came the Hawaiians? There
are varying traditions. chief Of which
appears TO be that they migrated from
the Polynesian Islands, but other ira
ditions trace them TO Central Asia.
while others say they drifted westward
from Mexico, centuries before the dis
covery of America. Native tradition
claims that they came "out of the dark
ness into light"-directly from the
Creator
1t is equally interesting to speculate
as to the geological story OF the Islands,
set so Strategically in the midst of the
Pacific Ocean. Some scientists declare
that there were, once upon time, two
continents In the midst of the Pacific.
which have disappeared, One OF these
continents is now seen floating Ill the
heavens as our moon. torn bodily out
of the earth by centrifugal motion OF
our whirling globe and sent nylng INTO
unreasonable space until the centrifugal
force was counterbalanced by mundane
gravity and hung the balanced moon IN
its orbit forever
But the looSened or submerged con-
tinent left high and dry the eight in
habited islands and four barren rocks
called islands. all forming the Hawaiian
group, which writers have described as
a paradise on earth, Mark Twain de-
clared them 1.-The loveliest neet OF
islands that lies anchored IN any
ocean" Robert Louis Stevenson owes
some of his own fame TO his enthusiasm
over the Hawaiian Islands. Lord Byron
named a crescent bay which he loved
especially Byron Bay
X
Cant. Cook named the islands Sand
wich Islands. not because sandwiches
grew there any more than certain Chi
nese dishes were ever known in China,
He named them in honor Of his patron,
the Earl of Sandwich, but the name
was never officially recognized. and a
more interesting name, the Hawaiian
Islands, is derived from native Ian
cuage, though its true meaning has
never been clearly interpreted,
n y
AT the time of Cooks discovery the
eight islands were ruled BY several
kings under feudal system. In 1890
a nine-year war between teudal chiefs
was ended by the overthrow and death
IN battle Of the King OF Hawaii, and
later his chief Of two districts OF that
island. Kamehameha, made war on
two other chiefs. and was enabled 10
use firearms, their first use in the
islands, they having been given him
bv two Englishmen, BY the victories
thus gained kamehameha made HIM
self King, not only of Hawaii but Of all
the other islands Of the group, lie
abandoned the feudai system and abol-
ished the district chiefs, making HIM
self absolute ruler and owner OF all
land in the conquered regions. lie had
English advisers" Two English ma
sons built for the King brick house
q royal palace" He encouraged agri-
culture. From 1896 20 1902 under
Kamehameha reign. the kingdom
fiourlshed while over the royal palace
flew British flag, although Great