Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-18
A Party Of Visitors Stormbound
at Molokai.
PROGRESS OF THE PIqIABLE COLONY
Thanksgiving at +! Honolulu and the
Imposing Parade.
r E L E A e D RE B E L S
spe eial Correspondence of The Evening Star.

| eCial Correspondence of The Evening Star.
| HONOLULU. December 2, 1895.
| Our distinguished visitor, Miss Kate Field.
| has just been having livelier time than
| she contracted for on a visit to the lepers
| on Molokai She accompanied thither as a
| guest the board of health with Minister
| Cooper and a number of other visitors.
| They sailed In the little coaster Keauhou
at m. of Friday, the 10Th. steamed up the
| fifty miles due east from here and anchored
off the lepers peninsula at 3 am. They
| landed early and inspected the two leper
villages of Kalaupapa and Kalawao during
the day. visiting the various hospital and
| school institutions under the care of Catho-
| lie Brothers and Sisters of the Order of the
| Sacred Heart. These good people are sup
| ported there by the board of health. Bein e
under the strict rules of their order, they
! work in harmony and are extremely efficient
Well as devoted to their work of mercy
For the sake of harmony no other workers
are encouraged by the government to come
| to the aid of the leperS.
| Miss Field found the horseback mount lit
tie to her mind. being obliged to ride astride
Returning tn Kalaupapa early in the after
noon the party found 4 heavy northerly
swell driving in upon the landing place.
This is mass OF bold lava rocks at which
boats usually find an accessible sort of
piers. both in the usual eas,erly and south
erly weathers. Northsrly seas. which are
quite unusual, break heavily-and this
was their luck at this time. Few sights are
grander than to see the mighty Pacific bill
lows rolling down in vast squadrons from
some heavy gale in distant midocean, and
dealing their giant blows all up and down
the black lava lodges juttns seward, while
the vast masses of spray lily far aloft as if
from Whitehead torpedo explosions.
In the center Of the lepers' peninsula is
vast smooth-sded well, two hundred feet
across and of unknown depth. The green
sea water within rises and falls with the
tide although the nearest shore is over a
mile away. Around this pit are broad
stretches of rich soil, once highly cultivated.
composed of the volcanic ashes once elected
from the well. From beneath this ashheap
stretch out into the Sea irregular knobs and
points of black lava, forming a rugged coast
on which the trade winds perpetually drive
the long waves of the Pacific. The kalau-
papa landing is under the western lea where
a lofty prccipice shuts off all southeriy
winds.
The Storm Rises.
Here the party found the little steamer
pitching ominously at her anchor A boat
from her had just, been upset and stove in
an attempt to land, and the captain, caught
under the boat, was Dbarely saved from
drowning by the active native swimmers
Another boat came IN and took aboard the
disabled one. The steamer then went around
to Waikolu, on the farther or east side of
tHe peHlIiSuid, hoping 10 De dDle tneFe TO
embark her passengers. All remounted
their horses and rode back to the place. Six
got aboard, after much peril and drencling.
The rest gave it up and returned to Kalau-
papa, where they got such shakedowns to
sleep on as the resources of the settlement
could provide unc5ntaminated with use by
lepers. the store supplied new blankets.
The next morning-Sunday-the case was
port of Kaunakakai. fifty miles away by
sea, on the south shore of the island, but
only twelve miles by land The eighteen
white passengers. AFTER breakfast. started
which separates the settlement from the
rest of the island. We used to call this $500
feet high. Accurate measurement makes it
800. The lower 300 feet is up the slopins
talus of rocky debris. To the top of this
Miss Field and two other ladies rode. The
gentlemen fottted 1t, natives packing the
baggage. The rest of the trail is imprac-
ticable for safe transit of animals, having
been ruined by an earthquake twenty years
ago in such way as not to be easily re-
paired 1t was three hours before the whole
of the party reached the summit, after num-
berless zigZags and laborious clambering.
At the top they were in the bamy mountain
air and rich upland verdure. the natural
home of ferns and roses and coffee, and the
ohelo. or mountain cranberry. To right and
left stretched the long and lofty north
precipice wall of the island, and far below
Inc white churches and dwellings of the
lepers dotting their green peninsula Away
in the west was Oahu. golden in the sun,
with the rugged promontory of Diamond
Head hiding the capital To the eastward
lowered a mountain of 5000 feet on whose
upper tanks were forests and a thousand
beautiful spotted deer. Westward stretched
the long, dry plains, pastured by cattle. and
southwark the Pailolo channel and Lanai
Island.
Two miles. descending southwark, brought
the party to the solitary. but hospitable
ranch of R. w. Meyer, where a bountiful
dinner was provided Mr.. Meyer has occu-
pied this place for nearly forty-flve years
He has been general superintendent of the
leper settlement since its establishment
over thirty years ago. To him have always
been subordinate the officials Immediately
in charge, themselves frequently lepers. To
the ju6fcious and humane control of Mr..
Meyer, more than to any other person. has
been due the steady progress and improves
ment in the management and supply of the
lepers from the beginning Of the settlement.
The aid given by the much-lauded Father
Damien was mere incident. and no radical
help. While unquestionably devoted and
laborious, Damien wholly lacked the quail
ties which have rendered his priest col
leagues and successors so highly service
able. The testimony of Robert Louis Stew
enson, from personal observation and in
quiry OH the spot is reliable on this subject.
Eight miles farther on horseback and
Miss Field and her friends descended to
Kaunakaksi. where the Keauhou awaited
them. They were soon away. with
81 eater variety of interesting experiences
than they had anticipated. They landed In
Honolulu before 8 pm, followed in by the
steamer Mikahala, which anxious friends
had dispatched for their relief, had any
serious trouble befallen them. On the
whole. they had enjoyed grand, good
time Presumably the eminent lady jour
Ealist will have found much interesting
material TO entertain her readers.
Honolulu's Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving day was observed in Hon.
olulu with our usual interest. with one i'm
portant exception. It was no longer made
an American day. Heretofore it has been
appointed by the American minister for
Americans. in acc5fdahce with the Wash
ington Presidents proclamation. Two years
ago Minister Willis paused in the midst of
his painful negotiations with the head
hunting queen to pen such call for pub
lie thankfulness. Had we known precisely
what was going OH 1t anight have marred
our festivities. Thfs year President Dole
made proclamationsof the day, and 1t was
observed a Hawaiian day. The former
invariable allusionb to america were omit
ted, and MY Country, IT'S of Thee failed
to be sung. Aftepfyou have annexed us
we will sing 8. 1t. Smiths grand hymn
once more, with redoubled ardor.
Another unprecedented observance of the
day was by grand military turnout in
the morning. Col. Mclean is very proud of
~ Of Ir;1I nd ant 70