Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-01-31
AMONG THE LEPERS,
The Settlement on the Island of Nc
lokai.


population of 1000 OF these less than
one-half are in custody There is no
physician on the island who knows
enough 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 confirm
eel lepers. There is no cure recorded
in the rather meager history of the
disease, unless we except that miracu-
lous publication when Miriam was
made whole.
THE DETENTION HOSPITAL.
When leper is reported to the po-
Ice OF any district in Hawaii an officer
IS sent TO fetch him or her to Honoloiu,
where there is q 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-
cldes whether it is a case of leprosv or
not. Once declared a leper the per-
son is ciYilIY dead and is incapable of
suing in the courts or being sued At
the hospital there are accommodations
for. about l20. 1t is filled every two
months. The establishment consists of
a plot of ground, say five acres. around
which is very high picket fence, with
deep ditch outside of it. Within are
cottages 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.
PARTING FOREVER.
The hospital full, a steamer comes to
take to the Island of Molokai those
whose condition is most advanced.
there to remain until death. 1t was
with such party that | travelled final
ly to Molokai, his EXccIIency having at
last exhausted his reasons foc nv not
gong. i has been my lot 10 witness
many sad scenes, but none of them APP
preached in any way those which at
tended the separation of families as
these handful of lepers sailed away to
their exile. Daughters reached out
their arms to mothers, whom they might
not embrace; wives held up their
mouths for kisses which their husbands
strangers, laughed and cOoed to their
mothers, to whose breaking 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 hopeless
condition. Presently the lines were
cast of, the little steamer turned her
head away and steamed slowly toward
the bar. [ 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 suddenly it was
darkened and, looking up, saw the
dark but beautiful face OF woman
whose young husband was on his way
to Molokai. She had SWAN out to in
tercept the steamer and bcing-as, in
deed, are all her racers much at
home in water rs on land, she had no
difficulty in accomplishing her purpose.
'.Ah, she said, you are not 4 doc
tor nor constable. Tell my husband
to look over the side to me and God
viii bless you"
A FAITHFUL WIFE.
Invent on deck We were steamino
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 wo-
men were rocking on their launches
moaning, q young half white girl had
flung herself on the deck in wild |
abandonment of grief, and behind the |
smoke-stack | found the husband kneel- /
ing in prayer. His face, serrated 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 supplica-
ton.
William" / said, ''your wife is
alongside. Go quietly to the place L
shall point out to you and you will see
her
The man sprung up, and for mo- |
ment was perfectly beautiful, such a
JOY as came in his face. Then he turn
ed and ran to the place [ indicated. |
Half an hour afterward [ saw him
alone. We were then under full head |
Of steam passing Diamond Head.
Where is she?'' 1 asked He point
ed astern, and there, not an eighth of a |
ulIe away, we SAW uCf, S"lLun1luS ~
ward some fishing boats, her soft black
hair floating out behind her and her
arm now and again waving to us good
bye.
The leper settlement is generally
called Molokai, but that, in fact is the |
name of the island upon which it is
placed. Kalawai is the official name of
the town or village. 1t is situated at
the foot of q great ravine, through |
which at some time q stream of lava
has poured. On either side are great
precipices reaching into the sea. At
their bases the surf beats high, some
times breaking as high up their brown
hard fronts as seventy feet. Here the
n. E. trades roll up the seas they gath
er in q passage of two thousand miles
over an unobstructed ocean. But the
rocks stop them and sullenly they fall
back again with a heavy monotone.
The two cliffs run backward in sharp |
+ill