Austin's Hawaiian weekly. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1899-190?, 1899-09-23
1.-THE WARDS OF THE NATiON."
Their Homes and Their Surroundings.
BY FRANK GODFREY.

On little tongue of land, protruding seward
from beneath the towering inaccessible cliffs that
form the northcrly coast line of the island of Mo-
loka midway between the eastern and western
points. on this small, irregular, natural peninsula,
in its entirety not containing OOOO acres, is sit
uated the world-known azar-house of the Ha-
waan archipelago, the dreaded Settlements of
kaawai and OF kalaupapa Here dwell, on this
little peninsula, rock-bound and sea-girt, in
guarded secl,ison, comfortably cared for in health
or Sickness the WARDS of the Nation of this
mid Pacific paradise. To the general reader there
is an underlined feeling of the greatness of the
modern territory, and it is very easy for those
to whom the island of NIoloka is a terra iucognita
to assume that the entire island. the fifth in size
OF the group, containing an area of 100000 acres,
is vast lazar hospital. What: :" is questioned,
'onv peninsula of 5000 acres? Containing
less than 200 nhabitants?" Truc That is all
Md it is hoped that the gentle reader will not
fear unexpected, or undesired. forced contact
with. and dreaded contamination from. any of the
well-houscd, well cared-for, comfortable (even in
their forced isoaton) people who inhabit this
small portion OF the great Creators footstool.
On Friday evening" July 2Sth. a dcputation
of the Board of Health. with permitted passen-
gers to relatives and friends and with mem
bers OF the newspaper press of the city. left Homo
lulu in the lntcr-lSand steamer w. e.. Hall, on
the haf-vcarly visit OF inspection to the sick pco
pie on the island OF NIolokai who have been vccpt
the "Wards of the Nation" The mission of
mercy was successfully accomplished and the
visit, even including the official inspection. was
another bright spot in the lives of the unfor-
tunate people doomed to perpetual exile at the
settlements of l\alaupapa and kalawao. where
even death fails to annul the edict of Danish
mcnt. for. Interchangeable as the famed laws of
the Modes and Persians. the Dantean motto
well applies: "Who enters here leaves hope
behind" Not all hope, however. for as the
poet. Pope. has APPLY written:
Hobc springs eternal in the human breast.
SO. with these poor outcasts at the Settlements,
they still have hopes; one, is cver-fond one,
that day may come when the atcfu word TN
clean may not apply; a hope that some vague,
undehnahle miracle may be performed; that their
rock-bound sea-girt cage. will some day open and
a hope of most frequent fruiton, that the official
visits of the Board of Health will be of often oc-
currcncc, giving them, poor creatures their only
look at the great outside world. which they have
parted fronl-forcver.
The visit OF the Board of Health is ALWAYS
most anNiously looked forward to- because then
opportunity. under sanitary restrictions, is given
the WARDS of the Nation to see and speak with
dear ones and friends What wcll-renembered
occasion Everything dates from then until the
next occurs The usual routine (the surround
lnSS compel a strict system even in an official
visD for the party of callers. after arrival and
having acknowledged the martial music and notes
of more joyous nature which the Kala,lpapa Band
of MANNED disfgurctl but cheerful PLAYERS offers,
is to pass up the broad gangwav that lands one
on the main street and directly in front of the
well-kept, welstocked store of general merchar-
disc and at which the wards, with money! NAV
supply particular wants Here too, is the post
office, from whence is dispatched the unstamped