Hawaii History:
(from “History of the Catholic Mission in the Hawaiian Islands” by Father Reginald Yzendoorn, SS.CC., Honolulu Star-Bulletin Ltd., Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, 1927)
(continued from May 31)
As the English first entered the Pacific under Drake in September, 1578, when one of the Admiral’s three vessels, the Marigold, parted company in a gale of wind and was never heard of again, whilst the Dutch appeared in these seas later, in September, 1599, under Jacob Mahu, no other Europeans crossed the Pacific at an earlier date than the Spaniards, from which it may be concluded that the Manahini party, and consequently Paao and Pili belonged to that nationality.
Now we have historical documents, apart from the Hawaiian traditions which show that these islands were known to the Spaniards before the beginning of the 17th century (1600), and that moreover they had been on the islands.
One historian writes: “There is little doubt that these islands were discovered by the Spanish navigator, Juan Gaetano, in the year 1555.” Although this historian does not give his authority, it can but be document No. 64 issued on February 21, 1865 from the Colonial Office at Madrid and addressed to the Superior Civil Governor of the Philippines.
(to be continued tomorrow)
Blessings, pono and pule!
Fr. Brian Guerrini, ss.cc.
Priest
Molokai