Note 1 — Traditional Hawaiian History.

It is historically on record that a Spanish vessel under Capt. Gaetano, sailing from Acapulco to Manila, did about the year 1542 discover certain islands in the North Pacific, corresponding in latitude to the position of the Hawaiian Islands, though over ten degrees too far east in longitude; and that one of them, thought to be Hawaii, was called La Mesa by the Spaniards. But that record, and no subsequent or preceding record yet known in the Spanish archives, make any mention that these islands were ever visited by the Spanish navigators.1 Here the native tradition comes to our aid; and that tradition is clear and positive and was well known before the arrival of Captain Cook, and is in substance this, that, in the time of Keliiokaloa, the son of Umi-a-Liloa, a vessel was cast away on the southwestern coast of Hawaii and three persons were saved from the wreck, viz: two men and one woman, who were kindly received and remained the balance of their lives in the country, marrying and having children with the aborigines. The first question which arises is, when did Keliiokaloa live? We know from numerous native genealogies, original on different islands, attached to different dynasties and families, crossing and confirming each other, that Keliiokaloa was the eighth generation previous to the birth of Kamehameha I. Now Kamehameha I died in May, 1819, and was at his death about eighty years old, making the time of birth approximate to the year 1740, perhaps one or two years earlier. Deducting the generation of which Keliiokaloa was one, seven generations are left between the time of the shipwreck (and landing of the foreigners), mentioned in the tradition, and the birth of Kamehameha I.2