The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-06-29
.LEPER ISLAND OF M0L0KAI.
a Land Where one Does not Have to Pay
Taxes or Rents.

.AceuU gOVeIumcuG pTOV1u0o ooo9oSoo
and rations, herds and clothing. and
where not only blankets, but even
medical attendance are without cost.
is not this veritable Utopia? Yet
such land is our nearest neighbor in
the Pacific, and is only some two
thousand miles distant.
As ones steamer leaving San Fran
cisco approaches the Hawaiian Islands
before it can drop anchor in the beau
tiful harbor of Honolulu it must needs
pass Molokai. And Molokai? Why
that is the fifth island in size Of the
entire group Of the Sandwich Islands,
and is some forty miles in length,
with an area Of about 200, 900 acres.
On its eastern side are elevations of
fully 2, 800 feet, while on its western
slopes they diminish to feight OF
about 1000 feet. Its valleys are
beautiful and are filed with deer. A
herd Of spotted deer, presentedsby the
Mikado Of Japan some thirty years
ago, were placed by the king Of the
Sandwich Islands on Molokai, and
now number some three thousand,
roaming at large over large part OF
the island: Here are many kinds OF
the most luxuriant tropical vegetation,
the balmiest air, the most invigoratiDg
sea breezes, even such spicy breezes
as blow. soft Ger Ceylon's isle. But
{ though every prospect pleases. few
persons can be induced to make their
home on Molokai. The entire popu-
lation is only some three thousand,
and year ago eleven hundred and
twenty Of these were lepers. Prob
ably nowhere in the world is the
census more carefully taken and more
accurately known than is the case in.
the northern part Of this interesting
inland.
Molokai, as lis well known, is the
name Of the leper colony Of Hawaii.
The lepess do not occupy all the,
island, kut only grassy plain, ten.
miles in length, and varying from one
to Two miles in width on the north
side Of the island, and yet separated
wholly from the rest Of the island and
its population by precipice fully q
thousand feet high, which can be
scaled only at one point and here it is
securely guarded.
Despite their freedom from taxation
and rents, their ample supplies Of
food and clothing, their abundant
herds Of cattle and horses, and their
fertile fields which require SO little
labor, the lepers are virtually life
priisonefs, shut in by the ocean on one
side and by the impossible emountain
on the other. Most Of the lepers are
natives, but foreigners are found
among the colonists, and all who
once come TO this part Of Molokia,
save to bring supplies or to inspect,
as the Board Of Health twice each
year. do so with the expectation of
never returning. At "a cost Of some
$4,000 per month the Hawaiian
Government maintains this open-air
Ieper hospital in order to perfectly
quarantine and thus finally stamp out
leprosy among the Sandwich Islanders.
Sheltered from the strong sea wind,
this plain Of Kalaupapa would make
an ideal place Of residence, alike for
It's beautiful surroundings and the
salubrity Of its climate; and here
everything is done, compatible with
preventing the spread of the disease,
to makeIits unhappy victims contented.
The heart-rending walls Of those who
part with loved ones and friends for
the last time as they are about 20 be.
conveyed to Molokai tell the motto Of
the leper asylum: Gall hope abandon,
ye who enter here. But this sepa-
ration from friends is the chief sorrow
of the Hawaiian leper, and that is re-
qnired in order to save loved ones
from the possible contagion Of the
disease.
Among the victims of leprosy are
persons Of excellent families, whose
friends build cottages for them on
Molokai, and see that they lack moth
ing for their comfort. 1t is stated
that the first person to be removed
to the leper island was lawyer who
had been active in securing the regu-
lation which required the removal of
lepers in order to prevent the spread
of the disease. No sooner did the
unmistakable evidence of the dread
disease first appear than he insisted
on setting the example of patriotism
in Voluntarily surrenderinp himself to