The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1885-07-01
Q he 9RilN 8nlletin.
WEDNESDAY, JULY /, 1855.
ABOUT MOl0KAl,

of the leper settlement on Molokai,
but which is calculated to convey
wrong impressions more than to
communicate information about that
locality. The geographical terms
employed in giving Tho lay of the
land may be Ineligible TO the learn
ed writer in the Gazette, but to
ordinary mortals they are at least
puzzling. To say that "the settle
ment is situated in a bay-likc en-
trance of the coast line" is doubt
less clear enough to anyone who
knows what "a bay-like entrance of
the coast line" means, but if q
traveller goes to the site so specified,
he certainly will never be able to
find it. | do think it is very UNI
called for in any person spending a
few minutes on shore with these
people to give them the cold Shout
der, as is often done. My inform
ant is an intelligent young white
man whom it has pleased God to
afllict and to place in a position of
usefulness which he accepts with
wonderful degree of cheerfulness.
His sympathy with the people is
shown by his desiring to have the
food carried across the point to his
less fortunate brethren who often
have to go without, from being I'M
able to fetch it for themselves.
Another person to whom these
people are greatly indebted is the
late Mr.. VIM. Ragsdale, a voluntary
exile to the place. i would say that
better order and system prevail in
this settlement than among natives
outside of it. l attribute this state
of affairs almost entirely to the late
Mr.. Ragsdale's efforts. This gentle
man, under the sanction Of Mr..
Myers, superintendent of the settle
ment, established among the people,
previously undisciplined, rules of
order, and would always insist on
their being carried out, even if he
had to doff his black kids to do so.
Bila was no less gentleman here
than in Honolulu. When he straight
ened out on the back of his white horse
to harangue the natives on the re-
quirements Of law, they were sure
to gather round him with the most
respectful attention. | saw, in my
visit to the settlement lately, the
good results of his measures which
had caused him no small difficulty
to carry out, especially in the work
of distributing to the people their
rations. To him, more than to any
other man, is due the credit Of start
ing the natives in the cultivation of
taro for themselves.
Visitors who can come away and
describe the people rs miserable
unfortunates are not needed there.
Such remarks are not those of Chris
tan sympathy. One thing a stranger
will observe on landing here will be
the hundreds of anxious faces look
ing towards him to see whether or
not he has smile for them, and
their owners waiting to hear whether
he has an "aloha" on his lips, and
if he adds the "nui,'' or love to you
all, he will very readily see that they
are kin. If he happens to meet some
one he has known in former years
and address him cordially, he will
find that these people are not misera-
bic, but rather contented and happy.
Let the reader imagine the fish
market in Honolulu on q small scale,
on Saturday afternoon, but the
scenes more varied, and he will have
tolerably fair idea of steamer days
here, when the people come down
from Kalawao to get their rations.
Look at the laughing, talking news
mongers around the post Office. Or,
listen to the shouting glee of that
fellow that has just made q big haul
of fish and is keeping the crowd in a
continual roar of merriment. l
cannot help laughing even now at
the quaint comparisons made on the
, fish and mangoes which neighbor
opposite was selling from bucket.
Again, look beyond the crowds of
men, women and children, over and
past the sleek saddle horses, and
bullock-carts, some private and some
Government property, and you will
see the school children piling their
books and states on the sward to have
agame of romp or marbles, just as my
lord or lady's children would do in the
most favored town in the kingdom.
Or if you wish to see these in their
native element and pastime, walk
down to the wharf, and look at them
diving from the rocks into the surf,
and following boat to and from
the schooner or steamer in the offing,
and, if stormy, helping to gather out
of the sea, the paiai which the
sailors have been obliged to heave
overheard rather than endanger the
boat on the rocks, while watching
wives and mothers are enjoying the