The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-06
SOUTH AMERICAN LEpERs.
Bishop from Dutch Guiana Asks Aid for
Sufferers There.

"A
Sufferers There.
There are 1t appears. lepers nearer this part
OF the country than the Sandwich Islands.
Bishop W. A. T. WOllngh of Surinam. better
known as Dutch Guiana, is in this country to
call the attention OF the charitable to Tho I'M
fortunate condition OF that province. where
leprosy has taken firm hold upon the wretch
ed inhabitants. and where it has as yet been
impossible to provide even the simplest means
OF preventing the spread OF the disease. How
faithfully tho missionaries have done what
they could themselves before making this ap-
peal to the outside world for relief is shown by
the fact that three OF them have caught the
dreadful disease and one is now dying from II.
Bishop WGlfngh arrived in this country
month ago from Rotterdam, where he had
been to describe the situation OF Surinam to
the Dutch Government. and to charitable Hol-
landers generally. He visited Boston. Phila-
deIphia, and Baltimore, and has been In this
city for q week. He will return to Amsterdam
in a few days and thence will sail on July "a
for Paramaribo, the chief city OF his diocese.
The province subject 10 the Bishop Is on the
northern coast Of South America, between the
Orinoco and the Amazon rivers. and is. to
large extent, an unexplored wilderness, inhab-
tied by aboriginal tribes many OF which are
believed never to have been seen by white men.
The colonists live along the coast. and even
they who have spent their lives there know little
OF the interior or OF the people who live in
the vast forests and swamps which stretch
away hundreds OF miles into tho continent.
One object of Bishop W1lhnGhs work is to open
up this unexplored land and to establish q
chain OF mission posts there at short distances
from each other. His principal work for u long
time. however, must be with the inhabitants
along the coast who are, So far as natives are
o
bean tribes that Columbus found in possession
OF the western hemisphere. They are known
as the Carlb. Arrow, and Arowak tribes, each
differing considerably from the others in
language and customs, but all degenerated to
almost tho lowest state OF existence. Mingled
with hem are many coolies. who have been im-
large contingent OF emanci pated negroes. All
classes alike are sunk In tho doepest immoral
e 'S ei have brought upon them the plague
OF leprOsy. which has increased at a frightlul
rate. eper station has been established at
not enforced. SO there are more lepers scat
tered thu ough The colony than there nre mt the
station. In their work at the missi ions the Re-
demptorst Fathers. who are in charge Of the
work. have been brought into constant con-
John Baker. Is now dying among the lepers at
the station at BATAVIA.
will he o erect ut Batavia II suitable hospital
for the lcners, and TO engage the services Of
tam funds tor this purpose that his visit to
Holland and this country was undertaken. Ha
saws that his mil sion has been success, and
that his applications for financial assistRn
have been generously responded TO. especially
in this country Much money Is needed. how
ever. for Immediate work, and more will be
necessary from time to time for many years.
until the leprosy il stamped out of existence
IN Surlnam. The Bishops companion during
his trip ABOUT this country has been the l'ov.
Charles Curricr OF l,545 fremont street. HoS-
ton, who was himself once II missionary In
Guiana, and who will receive funds for use
among the lepers there.
New Workers might be expected to take q
special interest in Bishop W0liingh's mission.
since Great Britain and Holland 200 years ago
made AN even swap Of the provinces OF New
York and SurInam, or Dutch Guiana At that
time 1862 Great Britain had been holding
New York for a while BY force OF arms. but 1t
WAS really Dutch colony while the Dutch
had captured Surlnnm. which was really nm
English colony When tho terms OF neace were
arranged II was decided that each should keep
what II had. so tho Dutch gave up New York,
and the English yielded Surinam. The Eng
lish believed they had the worst ofthe bargain,
and there WAS great indignation in London
because so great province as Surinam had
been traded oil for SO petty ono as New York.
Suriuam now has about 10000 inhabitants.
and is about the poo est colony tho Dutch
have returning practically nothing for the OK
pense OF governing II. The greater part OF its
inhabitants are casscd as lrotcstants Bishop
WulilnGh is being nided in his work, however,
by both Protestants and Catholics.