CAPTAIN COOK DID NOT FIND HAWAIIAN ISLES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18000, 10 November 1926, Page 8

CAPTAIN COOK DID NOT FIND HAWAIIAN ISLES.

SPANISH EXPLORER THERE BEFORE HIM. ANCIENT DOCUMENT MAKES RIVAL CLAIM. (Special to the “ Star.”) HONOLULU, October 14 The Spanish and not the English discovered the Hawaiian Islands, according to a document in the archives at Barcelona, Spain, a copy of which has been brought to Honolulu and turned over to members of the Hawaiian Historical Society. The document has aroused much interest among local historians, as it practically contradicts the more or less established fact that Captain James Cook, British navigator, was the discoverer when he sighted the islands in 1775. The date of the Spanish arrival is given as some time in the sixteenth century. The paper from Spain is a translation of a journal of Commander Ricardo Calderon, master of the Spanish ship Santa Maria, which made the Pacific voyage in 1626 and visited a group of islands which had been discovered ” and named Tsla De Mesa Group by Gaetano, a Portuguese in the employ of Spain. According to authorities, there are very few historical facts connected with the Gaetano discovery. but now comes the Calderon statement showing that he had actually found the island group described by Gaetano; that his ship had been attracted to the group by the appearance of a volcano in action at night, and that he had landed and fraternised with the natives. Many debates have taken place here lately among members of the historical society regarding the discovery of Hawaii. Those giving credit to Captain Cook have had the better of the argument, largely because the opposition has not shown conclusive proof that the Spaniards arrived first. The discovery of Spanish coins here recently during excavation work for a Waikiki hotel encouraged those arguing for Spain, but not until the appearance of the Barcelona document could they command special attention. The statement of Calderon is colourful, for it gives detailed descriptions of the native Hawaiians and the hospitality extended by them. It also describes vividly the volcanoes now in the domain of Hawaii National Park.