The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1885-09-23
THE IEPER SETTLEMENT.
Its Location and Management.

4 visit to the Leper Settlement Nor Is the place
often visited for official inspection scientific in
yestipation. or even friendly errand. Until within
the last year Molokai has been the Island most IN
accessible Of all the group. An Irregular coastlng
schooner or whalebOats from Lanai, have been
the only means of communication. Two steamers,
nc .Jq,1cs T. Dotrsett and the MoIolii now afford
weekly opportunities of comfortable and expedi-
tious travel.
The first Ieper kno1n on the Islands was AHA, a
native Hawaiian Captain of the Palace Guard.
Mr. Brickwood, the late Post -Master-General, had
seen the disease in Egypt, and recognized its char
acteristic appearance. This was in 1910. AHA
died in 1856, and his wife, who survived him four
years, was notaleper. There may have been other
victims of the disease before 1910; but AHA was
the first one recognized Indeed. several Hawai-
ians are mentioned as having had ailments, even
previous to 1895, which have since been known as
indications of leprosy. Whatever may have been
the origin, or the introduction of this loathsome
malady, it had spread so rapidly, that the policy
of segregation was adopted as the only feasible
method of arresting its ravages. An Act of the
Legislature, approved Jan. j. 1865, authorized the
Board of Health to carry out this policy, and to
locate the epers either on Government land, or to
purchase any land suited for this purpose. No
site in the whole group could have been better
adapted than the one chosen at hala1papa, on the
north side of Molokai
This spit of land thrust out from the foot of the
PERCEPTIONS ridge that constitutes the shore line of
that island to windward is almost inaccessible
landward. A dizzy, zigzag trail down the crest OF
a Tlupe Is a pdiuf AliCu lew ptIbOuh
would be ready to take. Seaward the surf beaten,
rocky shore is a barrier, offering no way of ap-
proach. Some volcanic forces have upheaved this
semi-elliptical slope of land. The central emf
nence is perhaps, 100 feet above the level OF the
sea. Kahukoo as this extinct crater is called, has
at the bottom pool of water. Its depth has never
vet been ascertained line of lSOO feet failing to
touch the bottom. Its surface level varies with
the tides. When low, spring of fresh water pours
into it from the DidHka side. Its usual green color
changes sometimes, to yellow or purple, and such
changes, to Hawaiian superstition pOrtend the
death of some high chief.
Kalaupapa is the scene of an incident famous in
an old tradition In regard to LonOikamakahiki,
Moi of Hawaii. Leaving home at one time, with
his wife, Kaikilani, be set out for Kauai with
large retinue IN quest Of woods suitable for spears
The party landed for rest and refreshment at ka
iaupaDa. While playing at kOHdHs, the Hawaiian
checkers, voice from the pail of Puuneenee, gave
unmstakeable evidence of the inhdelity of his wife
with Heakekoa, a young man IN his suite. In his
sudden indignation Lono raised the lkOHdHe board
and struck his wife senseleSs TO the ground. Leay
ing her then and there he went to Kailua, the res
idence of bakuhihewa, Moi of Oahu, and resided
there some time iHoOgHIto. There his wife sought
him out, and a reconciliation was affected. The
identical koRaHe board is now in the Government
museum.
From the rim of Kahukoo, the land slopes gently
in all directions. In irregular curves around the
eastern side are miles and miles of stone walls,
that once kept off the wiEd from the patches of
large population III olden times. The soil, per-
haps only two feet in depth above the lava rock,
bears now heavy crop of MdHicnie, the Bermuda
quaok grass. 1t furnishes excellent feed for the
400 horses and 80 COWS owned by the lepers. A
good saddle pony can be bought for $50. Indeed,
/ have never seen such plump and sleek native
horses, as the hundreds that were gathered at the
landing as the steamers boat pulled up to it.
When the settlement was first begun, the eastern
corner, Kalawao, was chosen as the site of the
Government buildings. Abundant water was sup
piled from Waileia, and the irregular supplies of
paiai were brought thither in whalebOats from the
neighboring valleys of Pelekunu and Wailua. Now
that the steamers come regularly 10 the western
corner, where Father Damien has blasted out
little cove in the rocky shore, and this landing
place is further protected by small breakwater,
built of loose rocks about twenty feet out into the
surf, the lepers prefer to build and live on this
western side. The hamlet, with its Government
storekouse, whitewashed cottages, neat churches,
is as pleasant looking cluster of Hawaiian houses
as is to be seen anywhere on the Islands. There
are over 200 houses in the two hamlets
A carriage road is built from kalaupapa to Ka-
lawao, about two or three miles in length. Sea
ward it is unfenced, and this rich grazing land
the Government ought to have its own herds, in
stead of buying its supplies of beef, as wanted,
from time to time. k)n the maakd side stone wall
encloses the excellent arabic land of the foot
hills Here are patches of bananas, sweet pota-
toes, sugar cane, and any other vegetables the
lepers may choose TO raise for their or for
sale. When the settlement was first opened, 1t
was supposed that the epers with their kokHdS, the
friends who chose to 90 with them, and the few
kdiHGdildS whose kHlerHas had not been bought,
would raise much of their own food. But the fdTO
patches have long since grown up to weeds and the
settlement depends for its main supply of food on
what is brought to the place. Whatever may have
been the case before, good order seems now to be
maintained under Ambrose Hutchinson, the pres
ent manager. The truth cannot be told about the
probable prevailing licenciousness. But that does
not obtrude itself. With the hula dancing it seeks
the vail of night and darkness. The present man
ager is opposed to it and to drunkenness.
/ heard no complaint of the quality or quantity
of food. The steamers make possible regularity
of supply, which in former times not to be Sc
cured; and therefore priyation, and even suffering
from scarcity of food, was in those days not an un
common occurrence. The Government furnishes
each leper twenty-One pounds OF P1idi and seven
pounds of beef weekly: or when by reason of the
high surf, this is impossible nine pounds of rice,
and four pounds of salmon. Each has a monthly
allowance of sugar salt, soap, kerosene oil, and
yearly allowance for clothing which is furnished
from the Government store, as each one chooses to
select, denim, prints, etc. The clothing furnished
costs now about $500 year, the food $4,000,
and tine total expenses for the last biennial period
were $103,4 ,479.72. The lands have cost $10039, ,75
and the buildings SIC, ,19499. The total amount of
money paid during the twenty years. since the first
establshmentof the settlement, is $464, 606l The
Branch Hospital at Kalihi, 1854 cost 2 ST3 40:
at Kakaako, 1882 "a, 4s 295.35. So that this COM
munity of three or four score thousand only, has
paid out in twenty years, through the Government,
S546, ,O29s6 for this class of its sick poor This
is what Christian philanthropy has to show as an
Offset to some of the dark features in the Christian
~ civilization that introduced sixty years ago
among idolatrous savages.
The Government physician, of first class profess
sional education, with his wife, lady of culture
and refinement, resides in a neat cottage to sea-
ward of the settlement at kalawao. In close prOx-
unity is the Government house for official visitors
and little further n'aEku the hospital premises,
neat and we'll kept, due consideration being made
for the fact that nurses, police steward cook are
all Hawaiians. Well trained nurses are as much
needed as we'll educated physician. But their
services are of little avail comparatively SO long
as the Hawaiians cling with supersttious faith TO
their native kuOdS with their absurd and rascally
mummeries, or ignorant use of harmful drugs.
Who the person is that administers medicine,
rather than what the medicine is, the praying and
the fumbling after particular form, rather than
the specific effect of the remedy prescribed-super-
stitious notions in place of rational confidence,
make difficulties hard to overcome in dealing with
sick Hawaiians. There are about forty patients
now IN the hospital, some blind; some with sup
purating sores. One man, Portuguese, with dry
eprosy, lies seepily helpless reused only when ii
is necessary to attend to his bodily wants. Good
and good diet are provided, but the Hawaiians
prefer 10 die unattended rather than submit to the
regulations of hospital treatment.
a want that IS increasingly felt at the settlement
is good supply of fuel. Only a few trees are seen
around any of the houses. If part of the grazing
lanus were enclosed, algaroba trees might pSSlbly
grow, though the wind blows perhaps too strongly.
Every tree every accessible spot on the pail has
been cut down, and with usual Hawaiian Thought
lessness some one was found few days ago cut
ting down one of the few orange trees in Maikolu
valley. The Legislature has appropriated amply
for pipes to furnish a supply of water TO both
hamlets: but nothing has been done. Some one,
with the usual ludicruus bureaucratic lack of com
mon sense, has sent up supply of plumbers tools;
but not shovel OF a pckaxe Is in the storehOuse.
kalawao Is supplied with water from WaiIeia,
brought down in 1873. But the pipe is small. only
one inch and often choked and broken. A reser-
voir was built three or four years ago; but on ac
count Of faulty construction, it IS often cracked
and empty brackish spring is the main source
Of water supply at Kalaupapa.
Many of tho kosHaS, Of whom there are about Co
on one pretent and another 20 away and come
back with no hindrance- Many of them are only
too willing to be put on the leper list fed and
clothed at Government expense. There are about
50 kaHaaiHas, whose kHledHd claims ought long
ago to have been extinGuished. They claim the
right to GO back and forth as they please, and
have their friends visit them. If the landing
place was surrounded by picket fence, it would
be easier to regulate the arrivals and departures
and with the increasing facilities of access this
precaution should be taken at once.
The Reports Of the Board of Health are as mea-
ger, unsatisfactory and scanty as the reports of
the Board of Education. For the biennial period
lSel-S2 no financial statement has been Published
though the law requires it shall be made 10 the
Legislature. Since 1873 no report has been pub
hshed of the number sent, and the deaths. The
reports 70 be of any scientific value should be much