The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1898-04-25
How Some Kanakas Vanish


commanded by the notorious "Bully
Hayes" made Singelap Cor MAS
kills Island), one Of the numerous
atoll groups in the North Pacific, to
buy turtle and ship the cocoanut oil
collected by a white trader whom
he had landed there on former
cruise through the Caroline Arcbi-
pelsgo. Az, with his supercargo, he
was being pulled ashore in his boat
to the beach, he noted with surprise
that not single native was visible.
On the beach he was met by his
trader.
whats the matter herei" asked
the burly captain.
"Everything's the matter" replied
the trader, "the missionary lug from
Honolulu has been here. She land
ed two Hawaiian teachers with their
wives; all the people became Christ
iaus right away and built a church;
and now they've all got measles or
something, and are dying like rotten
sheep. Come and look"
The village of Pingelap consisted
Of thick cluster of pandanus-
matched huts situated on the verge
OF the beach, about twenty feet
above high-water mark, and sur
rounded by a dense forest Of coco.
palms on three sides. AS the white
man walked towards it the trader
told Hayes that the mission brig had
landed a boat-load OF clothing,
which had been distributed among
the people by the teachers. A week
later the disease appeared.
Entering the village they were
met by two OF the head men, wear
ing European clothing; hitherto the
natives OF Pingelap had worn merely
grass airiri or petticoat girdle.
The men shook hands with Hayes
and his supsroargo, aud asked them
to enter their house; the rest Of the
people, once so light and animated,
sat and stared at them with
apathetic indifference. Six months
before every soul on the island had
swarmed off to the ship to welcome
Hayes; now they scarce seemed to
have energy enough left to answer
him as he called to many of them
by name. Entering the house, the
white men saw lying ON the floor
two bodies wrapped in mats, ready
for burial. The head man said they
were those OF woman and boy
who had died two days ago; already
a dreadful odour weighted the at
mosphere of the house, and the
white men retreated quickly. The
two persons had died OF "the new
sickness" the head man said. Sixty
others had died before them. and
now every day four or FIVE more died.
Leaving the head mans house
Hayes visited nearly every other
dwelling in the village. In more
than half OF them were either dead
or dying people; and oh, to even
peer in through the doorways was
horrible. horrible; for many Of the
bodies had been awaiting burial for
a week. And yet the living mem
bers Of these death stricken families
ate, drank, and slept in the same
house!
Presently the two Hawaiian teach
srs, attended by following of
Pingelapese, met Hayes. They car
ried Bibles in their hands, and told
him that they had just been read
ing the Burial Service.
where are you burying these
psople| asked Hayes.
"There," they replied, pointing to
a collection Of opsn-sided cooking
huts, distant about fifty yards.
Hayes walked over to the spot an
open sandy piece OF ground, sur
rounded by the little cook sheds.
The graves were very thick.
"Are the graves deepi" asked the
supercargo, who already felt deadly
ill.