Daily Kennebec journal., 1880-10-04

The most startling and extraordinary
community on this face of the earth is to
be found on the Island of Molokai, one of
the small islands comprising this group.
The community is composed of the lepers
found among the inhabitants of the other
islands and compelled by law to reside on
Molokai OF the many foreigners who
visit Honolulu there are few who have the
opportunity to visit the lepcr settlement.
The government is very strict in granting
permission, and but few outside of prom
incnt journalists, scientific men, and an
occasional tourist of distinction can re-
ceive the necessary pass.
The passage by steamer from Honolulu
to the Island of Molokai occupied about
ten hours. the channel being about eighty
miles wide. The first point reached Is
Kalaupapa, the landing for the lepers At
this place, when distinguished visitors are
expected, string band, composed OF lep-
ers, greet the visitor with plaintve,
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, and rs if coming from the
mysterious cavcrns of death For we can
hardly imagine that intelligence. that the
divine harmony of music, can be attri-
butes of the uniortunates standing before
us, and, strange to relate. apparently las
happy as the day is long" The flesh on
their faces is rolled up i'm masses of a
ruddy. copper-colored hue. the eyes pro-
trude through smaller layers. and the
hand, looking short and st,lnted with the
disease, seems rs if 1t could not hold the
instrument The players are young. mid
dle-aged, and old. all in the medium stages
of leprosy: that that is the afiIiction 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 playing they rush
to greet old companions. and many is the
hearty ''aloha" dove to you) which pas
ses between the lepcrs and their friends.
Crowds of native lepcrs are on the beach
extending their hands and expressing
hearty ''aloha" TO those they greet.
A POLISHED LEPER GOVERNOR.
The leper Governor is man of un-
doubted intellect q lawyer by profession,
and the best orator ia the Hawaiian king
dom, whites included. Whoever has yisi-
ted the Sandwich Islands has heard Of
"Bilr' Ragsdall,, as he is popularity called
ernor Ragsdall. lie it is who is chief ex-
ecutive at kalawood. lie is half.caste,
his mother being native and his father
an American lie 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. lie is apparently 45
years of age, of light graceful build, pol
| ished in his manners, and like Hawaiians,
hospitable to n fault. He first discovered
that he was afflicted with leprosy in pc
culiar way. II was on the Island of
Hawaii, at his home, while hunting up
points on a law case. BY accident the
chimney Of his lamp fell off, and although
it was almost red hot he suddenly picked
it up and placed it on the lamp. Looking
at his hand to see if it was burned, as any
person would under the circumstances, he
discovered that there was not trace of
burn, much less of the first painful sensa-
ton. 1t flashed upon his mind that he was
afflicted with leprosy. and at once, with
true heroism of soul, signed himself to
perpetual exile from wife, family, friends.
and The world. Owing to his talents and
high position, being slightly afflicted, he
might have escaped, but he preferred to
obey the law
The LEPER e rTLEMENT AND ITS SUR
ROUND1NGs.
The valley in which the lepers are loca-
ted is nearly two miles and half long
and apparently from half mile to a mile
and half wide. On one side is noun.
tain range, impossible except at one poinl
and there the exit is very difficult, having
TO be accomplished by the aid of ropes and
clinglng to the branches of trees. On thu
] TContinuetl ON fourth na0e