The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-21
CURIOUS K4NAKA cHARAcrEn.
Hii Ragsdaie. the Hawaiian p .rIiamertnry
Intrt prefer.


BrIi Rag dnie, the Hawaiian y .rIiameutnry
Intrt pre- ter.
During the early yenrs Of Kalakaua's reign
and for some years preceding half white
called " Bill" RSgsdale was the official inter
prefer in the elective branch vi the Hawaiian
Parliament. Eagsdac had a great natural
aptitude for acquiring languages. and IL was
told OF him that when he visited u French
man f-war the officers would not believe he
had not been educated in Paris. and that the
Ger nan navy officers wanted 10 bet that he
had been educated from infancy in Berlin.
He was quick witted. eloluent, fop in Dress
and as citizen good -ior-nauEht His off,
cial duties required him to interpret the
speeches OF the natives into English and tho
speeches % the foreigners in 10 Hawaiian. The
latter was necessary. as many OF the native
members from districts remote from Homo
lulu and llilo had little knowledge OF any lam
guaage but their own. The former duty. turn
ing the natives speeches into English. was
seldom necessary. as the foreign members
were. naturally. men who had been on the
islands long enough to master the simple ard
duty haLsdalr loNeI. and Its performance wns
source OF constant delight to the foreign
members and spectators. Ills method waste
Interpret every two or three sentences ana lie
would sometimes suav"ly interrupt II native
struggling H. an inltaesit.le laUyflnth OF gut
turaIs md leave HIN there IN speechess
amH2efhont, while he launched into AL elo-
quent address on the beauties of a moonlight
rainu"w or some other equally unrelated
subject. Or gray haired member from Wal
kiroo might arise in his place and explode
OF his oxen mad been drowned In the Ulure-
akua ford. and he wanted to know when the
Ir2resef TO =, 6T t TINT creek
proceed dramatically in some such manner as
this:
from WAikipou desires to direct tho attention
o. the honorable mrlnners to what lie aptly
that high sense Of duty which most distn-
Cuishes the ratript from tho politician. Not
since the regretted days OF kam.hamcha ].
Of glorious iGcm"ry. whose war club was AS
the thUndcrbOlt. and whose canoes Shimmered
Ger the waters Ike the mysterious lights
which reacOn the spray as II dashes across
the coral reef: not since the taboo was by
royal "dict .a"el on the religion OF our fore
fathers and We all became Christians by
uHnse; not since the enemies OF the great
kan.ham"ha lcl In alright up the valley OF
tho Nuuahu. and fearing death less than the
wrath Of their pursuer- hung themselves over
the Iali. whore their bones in fantastic disar-
ray strrw the cruel rocks even now; not since
the Iuice oi the ava first made the sailors of
Capt Cook ie ifiOus with Joy: not since then
has there teen on all these islands a kanaka
go mad as was the honorable gentleman from
Waikipoo when his of OK sank In the trrachrr-
Gus sands where purl the waters Of the ulupe-
Then the member delighted TO hear that so
little Hawaiian would make so much English.
would utter few more sentences.
Ragsdale. in pretending to interpret this
would attribute to the member the latest
good story the Interpreter had probably heard
On board some foreign man-Of-war. When no
had finished his story he would inform tho
member that he was odt u order. as the River
and HarhOr improvement bill was not before
the House; that the only I'LL before the House
WAS Bin Eagsdale. lie had many f0ppish &C.
contributes in dress, so no particular notice
was taken when iagsdale tcgan wearing one
glove constantly. even while interpreting.
lie furnished An explanation OF that when he
gave himself up TO the authorities as leper
and sked to be transported to Mookai The
fatal disease was manifest only on that
hand he had kept gloyed. Through that hand |
a knife might have been run without kAgsdals |
feeling H.
He went 10 Mol0kai. where he lived several |
years. DYING before Father Damien. That |
good priest gave testimony that Ragsdale's |
example m voluntarily going TO Alol"kAi did |
much 10 Allay the discomfort ~ others there,
and that he was cheerful. Intelligent. and in. |
dustrious aid to the priest in governing and |
caring for their unfortunate COMPANIONS