Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-02-12
Special Correspondence Herald and Trlbun,
HAWAII, The "PEARL OF
The PACIFIC"
A Visit to MOlOaki, the Home of the
Lepers.'HOw these UnfOrtunates
Live.
Copyright. 1895, by Funk & Wagnalls Com.
pany, New York.

Molokai is the curse of the Hawaiian
Islands. 1t is their skeleton in the closet
There dwells the dread disease of leprosy,
the Oldest known and perhaps the most
fatal maladies. There is no we'll au-
thenticated cure for 1t, For some reason
Hawaii has become known as the land of
lepers, yet one might live In the islands
q lifetime and never see a leper or even
hear Of one.
On the north side Of Molokai there is a
strip Of land which forms sort of a
a tongue, projecting out into the sea
some ten miles. This tongue of land is
about two miles wide at the south side,
where there is a precipice Of over two
thousand feetextending across the island
and cutting off all communication with
the main island. There is but one place
at which it IL possible for human being
to scale this cliff, and that is narrow
winding path known as the "Pali."
This portion Of the island, naturally
isolated from the rest of the world, was
wisely selected by the Hawaiian govern
ment as proper place for segregating
those unfortunate people, the lepers.
Here they live, some to good old age.
They have houses, small fields, gardens,
horses, cattle, poultry, and pigs, Some
marry and children are born to them. If
the child born Of leper parents shows no
signs of the disease at certain age. il is
taken from the island and kept in con-
hnement for certain number Of years.
Then, If found "clean," is so declared by
the "board OF health" and permitted to
go about freely everywhere. 1t is edu-
Gated at the expense of the government,
and may never be afflicted by the disease.
Leprosy, moreover, is not very conta-
gious. One of the best authorities on
the subject declares that leprosy can be
contracted only by innoculation, and
that 1t is not more contagious than con-
sumption.
1t is not an easy matter to visit the
lepper settlement. One can only 20 as a
guest of the board of health, and these
officials make but two trips year. l
was very fortunate in being in Honolulu
when the board made one of its semi
annual visits, On the afternoon of No
yember %, ]. 7. Waterhouse, the presi-
dent of the board Of health, told me over
the wires of the telephone to be at the
dock of the Inter-1sland Steamship Com
pany at $3.50 sharp. l reported on time,
and found the Ke-an-hon, lying at the
dock with steam up and Kissing from
every valve.
Going on board the little craft we
found Bishop Ropert with Father Pam
phile and the young priests who were
| going to work as missionaries among the
lepers. There were many prominent
visitors in our party among them Mrs.
III. Lewellyn Jenkins, deaconess of the
Methodist Church and member of the
Washington Square M. f. Church, of
New York, Miss Kate Field, Senator
Waterhouse, Judge Wilcox, DIR. Day,
and others.
Shortly after nine o'clock the whistle
sounded, and our craft pushed out from
the dock and steamed down the bay. 1t
was too dark for us to note the tropical
beauties along the shore. Night in the
tropics came quickly. There is no after
glow, no twilight. The sun sets and it is
dark. If the sky is clear, the stars shine
wonderously bright, and if there hap
pens to be moon, it is almost as bright
as day. No poet ought to sing of moon
light beauties until he has seen the
moonlight of the tropics.
Shortly after passing Diamond Head
the ship began to roll, and some men,
bers of the party complained Of head
ache and began to "turn in" as rapidly
as they could
ave are crowded for room," the presi-
dent of the board of health said. "You
will have to sleep on the deck"
There were less than dozen cabins on
the little vessels, and these were given
to the ladies and "elderly gentlemen
while the remainder of us cheerfully
consented to sleep on the deck with
nothing but the starry heavens and
some of the ships rigging above us. Tho
it was in the last part of November, the
night was quite warm.
Not feeling desire to turn in at once,
| I Of ha a;,,1,
and. taking seat on the deck, gazed on
the brilliantly lighted heavens, while my
thoughts wandered to home and the
loved ones far away. Wearied of sit
ting, gazing, and thinking, at last went
aft, where the deck was covered with
cots, and men lay snoring everywhere.
"Are all the beds taked?" / asked the
steward, citizen Of the Orient
"Me gettee bed and blanket?" he an
swered
He darted below, and in few moments
returned with a mattress, a blanket, and
apillow. There was spare place aft
the mainmast and just forward of the
~ was vel SpdlO, lOl W
my head was jammed up against the
mast my feet extended over the hatch
way. Notwithstanding my cramped po-
sition, however, 1 fell asleep, and, had
all gone well, would have slept until
dawn of day. But about half past three
in the morning l became conscious Of
water falling on my face, and while half
sleeping and half waking l was trying
to determine what it was, the officer of
the watch cried out:
"You'd better go below out of the
rain.'
sprang to my feet and found the rain
pouring down upon the deck almost in
torrents. To snatch my collar, necktie,
and cuffs, which lay ON the deck at my
| cido apd ruch doxur tho aofnNop;on xra ",