The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-15

from the shore as we appeared in the ofing
and pulled rapidly toward the Lackawanna
as she slowed down and stopped her head
way. Yielding to the swell OF the tide, in
creased by a strong southerly wind, the
ship rolled deeply, so that it was impossi-
bic for the heavy boat to be brought to the
ladder, and, after many failures in the at
tempt, 1 descended, hand-over-hand, by
boats fall, dropping from its extremity
into the arms of the Ieper crew, whose
mutilated hands were extended upward
to receive me, their dishgured faces
looking a welcome, while their lips gave an
'Aloha' IN chorus. A long promontory
OF low rocks affords landing, and as we
slipped abreast of them, as if by magic, l
was seized gently by those at the head of
the long line and passed from hand to
hand over the slippery rocks and up the
bluff, where found myself confronted by
at least hundred men and women on
horseback and three times as many on
foot. They formed unique sight in their
gayly colored attire, heightened by bright
flowers in pendent wreaths on neck and
hat as the foreground of a village picture
the village of Kalaupapa-a small collec-
tion of neat dwellings and parish church
surrounded by the emblem of our faith.
To one side beach, to the other pail or
precipice, the inner wall of this leper
prison, and the intervening land the floor
of a half-submerged volcanic crater.
LAS confronted these people, all more or
less indicating by distortion of features or
some deformity of face or limb that they
were the outcasts of the Hawaiian race,
two horsemen advanced and dismounted.
The first came forward and announced
himself as Governor Ragsdaie, presenting
to me his contracted claw-like gloved hand,
and introduced to me the second as Father
Damien, the priest to the lepers of Mo-
lokai.
"Mr. Ragsdale was leper who had vol
unfairly exiled himself as an example to
his people, who then, as now, oppose this
Punishment, and with the aid of friends
try in every way to avoid the officers of
the law. He accidentally discovered that
he was leper by noticing an entire alb
sence of sensation on lifting an exploded
oil lamp intensely heated by the flames,
and at once denounced himself to the
authorities.
"Governor Ragsdale's father was an
American, his mother Hawaiian, the
native characteristics predominating in
features, color of SKIN and hair. His
father was lawyer, to which profession
the son succeeded, and had attained in it
a high reputation, especially as an elo-
quent pleader. At the time of my visit he
had not been in charge OF the settle
ment for more than two years, and Ieprosy
had only developed to the extent of affect
ing his nasal bones. with some fattening
of the nose in consequence, and deformity
of the fingers, carefully concealed by
gloves.
AFTER few words of cordial greeting, a
horse, in new saddle and bride, was led
up, which / mounted, and the procession
moved onward to Kalawao, the central
village, where were located the residence
of the Governor, the agency or Govern
ment stores, the hospital and the principal
Catholic church with it's attached parochial
house, and also a place for Protestant
worship.
81 rode in the center with the Governor
and Father Damien on either hand, the
cavalcade struggling before and behind,
with countless others on foot running
along the road to keep pace with US. En-
route l was entertained by the Governor
with little history of the settlement and
OF the great Improvements since Father
Damien's advent but three years before;
and, as we approached Kalawao, he called
my attention to the churches, the hospital,
the store, the numerous comfortable
whitewashed houses surrounded by gar.
dens-aH the work of the people them
selves under the supervision of my two
comprehensive gardens most attractive
with the scarlet hibiscus, outshining all
the other beautiful tropical flowers.
1.-THE porches were shaded with palms
and other graceful trees. Here were
crowded together men, women and chill
dren in gaudy holiday attire, and, after
the manner of Hawaiians on feast DAYS,
decorated with flowers.
CAL cried, Aloha, Kaukar and we were
compelled to pause many times while girls
and boys came to my horses side and pre-
sented leis of yellow flowers, which /
placed around my neck until I could sus-
tain no more.
1--WE were escorted to the Governors
residence, and there Father Damien said
au revoir, and promised to return after
benediction. With him he drew away the
curious crowd, who otherwise would have
camped within the Governors yard, and
all shouting 'Alohal' they galloped or
ran down the road and scattered to discuss
the visitor who had come to study them
ans their disease. had perhaps. at last