The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-01-03

The Settlement on tile Island of MoiokaL
III. III ), NJ, Il m, .ll.r.a Inn o. ln,,nr


than one-half are III custody. There il
no physician on the island who knows
enoush about leprosy to convince any
other physician that the truth has been
reached. There are no white lepers
under restraint, and probably not more
than fifty or sixty whites are afflicted
with the disease. The chief item of the
budget represents the sums used for
the segregation and support of con-
firmed lepers. There is no cure re-
corded in the rather meager history OF
the disease, unless we except that mi
raculous publication when Miriam was
made whole.
/ When leper is reported TO the police
of any district in Hawaii an officer is
sent to fetch him or her TO Honololu,
where there is detention hospital put
on the outskirts of the city and on the
bank of the beautiful bay. Then they
are examined by the doctor, who de-
cides whether it is case Of leprosy or
not Once declared leper the person
is civilly dead and is incapable OF suing
in the courts or being sued AT the
! hospital there are accommodations for
about 100. 1t is filled every two months.
! The establishment consists Of plot of
ground, say five acres, around which is
n very high picket fence, with a deep
ditch outside of it. Within are cot
tages or wards. There is little shade
except that made by the houses, no
sward nor running water. The con-
struction of the houses is primitive
their furnishing plain to the verge Of
discomfort, but they are clean.
The hospital full, steamer comesto
take to the Island of Molokai those
whose condition is most advanced, there
to remain until death. 10 was with such
party that | trave led finally to Molo-
kai, his Excellency having at last ex-
hausted his reasons for my not going
1t has been my lot to witness many sad
scenes, but none of them approached in
airy way those which attended the sepa-
ration of families as these handful of
lepers sailed away to their exile. Daugh-
tiers reached ont their arms to mothers.
whom they might not embrace; wives
held up their mouths for kisses which
their husbands could not give; babes,
held in arms of strangers, laughed and
cooed to their motheS3, to whose break
ing hearts they might not be held in
one last, loving clasp. And sobs- such
sobs, alas that come from the depths
of hearts wrung with the misery of q
hopeless condition. Presently the lines
were cast off, the little steamer turned
her head away and steamed slowly to-
ward the bar. l went into the little
cabin set apart for the captain and
closed the door, determined to hear no
more and see no more of such grief.
The little port was open, when sudden
ly it was darkened, and, looking up, /
saw the dark, but beautiful face of a
woman whose young husband was on
his way to Molokai. She had swan
out to intercept the steamer and being
as, indeed, are all her race-as much
at home in water as on land, she had no
difficulty in accomplishing her purpose.
"Ah," she said, you are not a doctor
nor q constable. Tell my husband to
look over the side to me and God will
bless you.
/ went on deck We were steaminc
slowly, waiting for the Government In
spector to complete his task before TAX
ing his own boat for the shore. The
lepers had become quiet, or compare
lively so, except for pain. A few women
were rocking on their launches anC
moaning, n young half white girl haC
flung herself on the deck in Il wild
abandonment of grief, and behind the
smoke-stackiI found the husband kneel
ing in prayer. His face, serrayed by
the leprous sores, was held toward the
sun, the tears were streaming down his
cheeks and disease-cut features, soften
ing them by their agony of supplication
William" l said, "your wife is
alongside. Go quietly to the place
shall point out to you and you will see
her"
The man sprung up, and for n mo
ment was perfectly beautiful, such JOY
as came in his face. Then he turned
and ran to the place 1 indicated. Hal
an hour afterward saw him alone. We
were then under full head of steam
passing Diamond Head.
Where is she?" / asked. He pointed
astern, and there, not an eighth of q
mile away, we saw her, swimming
toward some fishing boats, her sof
black hair floating out behind her anC
her arm every now and again waving Il
us good-by.
The leper settlement is general,
called Molokai, but that, in fact, is the
name of the island upon which it il
placed. Kalawai is the official name o
the town or village. 1t is situated n
the foot of e great ravine, through which
ut some time n stream of lava ha
poured. On either side are grea
precipices reaching far into the sea. A
their bases the surf beats high, some
times breaking as high up as thei
brown hard fronts as seventy feet
Here the n. T.. trades roll up the sea
they gather in q passage of 1000 mile
over an unobstructed ocean. But tn
rocks stop them and sullenly they fal
back again with heavy monotone
The two cliffs run backward in sharl
, accents till they meet over the marrow
pass through which admission to TIN
leper settlement by land is alone posi-
/ BILE. 1t is as if nature had made
prison. One man could hold thousan,
, at bay over the bride path and on
! guard is sufficient to restrain the thou
, sand lepers who are at this place
, Honolulu Cor. Philadelphia Times.