The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1877-02-01
AMONG THE LEPERS.
A Comnaunify or ExiIeA In the Island or
MOlokni.

community Ou InC iuSo VI Vhio Ot'iNi ~ w
be found on the island Of Molokai one
of the small islands comprising this
group. The community is composed of
the lepers found amongst the inhabitants
of the other islands and compelled by
law to reside on Molokai. OF the many
foreigners that visit Honolulu there are
few who have an opportunity to visit the
leper settlement. The government is
strict in granting permission, and but
few outside prominent journalists, scien-
tific men and an occasional tourist of dis
tinction can receive the necessary pass
A WEIRD MUSICAL GREETING.
The passage by steamer from Honolu.
lu to the island of Molokai occupied
about ten hours, the channel being some
eighty miles wide. The first point
reached is Kalaupapa, the landing for
the lepers, At this place, when dis
tinguished visitors are expected, string
band, composed of lepers, greet the visl-
tors with plaintive, mournful music,
well fitting their isolation from the
world and the grief, as we should think,
within their hearts. AS we look on the
faces of the musicians the music seems
weird at times, as if coming from the
mysterious caverns of death. For we
can hardly imagine that intelligence, that
the divine harmony of music, can be at
tributes of the unfortunates standing be-
fore US and, strange to relate, apparently
"as happy as the day is long" The
flesh on their faces is rolled up In
masses of a ruddy, copper-colored hue,
the eyes protrude through smaller
layers, and the hand, looking short and
stunted with the disease, seems as
if it could not hold the instru.
ment. The players are young, mid
dle.aged and old, all in the medium
states of lepresy that is, the affliction
is painfully visible, but there are no
running sores, nor have holes been eaten
through feet, hands or body. When
these native musicians have finished play.
ing they rush to greet old companions,
and many is the hearty "aloha" (love to
you) which passes between the lepers
and their friends. Crowds of native
lepers are ON the beach extending their
hands and expressing hearty "aloha"
to those they greet.
STRANGE PHYSICAL REACTION.
The unfortunates express the greatest
joy at meeting old friends, and, as is
common with Hawaiians and other Poly
nesian tribes, will sit down and cry with
excess of pleasure for a quarter of an
hour at time. When the food OF tears
has passed they are in an instant trans
formed into the most laughter,lOving
mortals. They seem to forget their
physical condition and revel in the most
unbounded joy. The contrast from tears
to smiles is a very strange physiological
reaction. The foreign tourists who look
on at all this are often subject to the wit
and badinage of the lepers and especially
of the young women. Fortunately a
yound and registering leper girl will ap.
proach foreigner and extend her hand
for regular pump-handle shake, but it
often happens that the foreigner, though
not lacking in gallantry, will fail to re-
spond through fear of the leper's touch.
Then the girl will burst out in saucy
laughter, and finish up with the express
sion of "Makau oe' (you are afraid).
All the natives join in, and exclaim,
"Makau kela haole" Chat foreigner is
afraid). "Mai nei oe, me honihoni
kaua" (come here, and let us kiss low
ingly), was the taunting salutation of a
charming little lepress, whose affection
had not blotSled out the traces Of beauty
in her cheeks nor dimmed the
luster of her large, soft, dreamy eyes.
The gentleman addressed courteOusly de-
clined the proposed nectar, when all the
lepers present, men and women, had a
hearty laugh at his expense.
A POLISHED LEpER GOVERNOR.
The leper governor is a man of un
doubted intellect, lawyer by profession
and the best orator in the Hawaiian king
dom, whites included. Whoever has
visited the Sandwich islands has heard o.
"Bill' Ragsdall, as he is popularity called
by foreigners, but officially known as gov
ernor Ragsdall. He it is who is chic
executive at Kalawod. He is half caste
his mother being native and his father
an American. He speaks English and
native with perfection, and has some
knowledge of French. His knowledge
of history is remarkable, and he is well
read in general literature. He is appar.
emily forty-fve years of age, Of light
graceful build, polished in his manners
and, like all Hawaiians, hospitable to q
fault. He first discovered that he was
afflicted with leprosy in peculiar way
1t was on the island of Hawaii, at his
home, while hunting up points on law
case. BY accident the chimney of hi
lamp fell off, and although it was almost
red hot, he suddenly picked it up anc
placed it on the lamp. Looking at hi
hand to see if it was burned, as any per
son would under the circumstances, HI
discovered that there was not a trace o
a burn, much less the first painful sensa
ton. 1t flashed upon his mind that h
was afflicted with lepresy, and at once
with true heroism of soul, he informe,
the authorities, and voluntarily con
signed himself to perpetual exile from
wife, family, friends and the world
Owing to his talents and high position
being slightly afflicted, he might hav
, escaped, but he preferred to obey the law
THE LEPER SETTLEMENT AND ITS SUR
R0UNDINGs.
The valley in which the lepers are Il
Gated is nearly two miles and half long
and apparently from half mile to mil
and half vide. On one side is mour
tain range, impossible except at on
point, and there IL e exit is very Difficult
having to be accomplished by the aid {
ropes and clinging to the branches {
trees. On the other side is the forevt
agitated ocean. Thus the lepers are 3,
cluded not only from the world, but frol
the inhabitants occupying the other po
tions OF Molokai. There have been a fe
ESCAPES of lepcrs through the passage il
dicated, but it has always been wond'
how they could manage to escape by
steep, precipitous and dangerous an opel
ing. When captured they are returne,
bat no peDalty is inflicted upOn then