The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-07-23

girls learn music and they played for
the visitors. The Sisters are trying
to get stereoptican and photograph
outfits to amuse the unfortunate girls,
and hope the people of Honolulu will
help There are two pianos, one use
less because of long drumming and
no attention. ut needs tuning" said
one Sister but we can't get anyone to
come here and tune it,"
The hour of departure was four
o'clock. There was a very large crowd
at the landing to see the visitors go
and the scenes of parting were even
more painful than those in the greet
ing. The visitors wept and walled as
much as did the lepers. and for about
an hour there was a pitiful spectacle.
AS the last boat left for the steamer
the leper band played Aloha De and
while the anchor was being raised the
Star Spangled Banner came from
ashore. The lepers stayed and waved
handkerchiefs till the people on the
steamer were no longer visible.
There are 9SS lepers at Kalaupapa.
All but fifty of them are natives. Thirty
are Chinese, five American, four Brit
ish, five German and one Norwegian.
There is not Japanese in the settle
ment. The number in the colony
keeps up quite constantly. This, it is
stated is not because the disease is
keeping up throughout the Islands but
on account of greater care in rounding
cases up. The doctors say that the
disease is decreasing. Under the mon
arChY lepers were more safe at large"
said w. o. Smith land those that We're
found and sent away had the disease in
a more advanced form. Consequently
the mortality rate at the settlement
was greater and the total number there
did not increase then. Lepers are
found now in the early stages. This
1fr1gr y nf Of Il a q
papa and consequently the figures there
might show an increase in the dis
ease The male lcpers are in a con-
siderable majority, there being 594 men
and 1914 women at the settlement.
The testimony of all who are familiar
with the life at Kalaupapa is to the
effect that the inhabitants of the col
ony are comfortable and fairly happy.
The sights of a day of greetings and
partingS of long separated friends and
relatives are not at all a sample of the
ordinary routine of settlement life. The
lepers are at liberty to do as they wish,
and the spot they live in is a most beau
tiful one. They have their own society
and their own little homes. Marriages
are quite frequent, eight couples hav-
ing been united with two months. "a
visitor here on an ordinary day." said
superintendent Reynolds would never
know from the actions of the people
Jlat ne was IN a great leper hospital.
Three babies were brought from the
settlement this time. They were volun-
tarily given up by their parents, in the
hope that they might grow up in good
health. There is no compulsory taking
away of babies now. 1t was attempted
at one time and two men were killed
by parents who resisted it. AS a result
only small proportion of the babies
come away. Those who remain die
young in large proportions. If they do
not contract leprosy, some other disease
carries them off.aS the little ones born
of leprous parents, do not seem to have
strong constitutions. One of the babies
brought here on Saturday is only six
months old. The others are three years
old. The youngest one will probably
be cared for by friends.
During the last period of two years
1874 new cases were taken to the settle
ment, This is a remarkable decrease
over former figures. In 1890 the bran
nual report of the Board of Health by
Agent Reynolds, showed over 500 lepers
removed to Molokai. OF the new cases
during the last period SO We're from
Oahu, &c from Hawaii SO from Maui, IS
from Kauai, and from Lanai. The Ha-
waiians among them numbered 107,
half-castes IA; there were Chinese, 5
Portuguese, and one each of British,
Norwegian and South Sea Islanders.
The statistics of ages showed a large
plurality of those between 10 and 20.
Four We're under 10 years old, and So
between 10 and 90 Between 20 and 80
there were 26; between so and 40, 20,
and of the new cases We're over ~
years of age.
The death rate among the lepers is
1896. Since January l this year there
have been 81 deaths of lepers and is
marriages, two Mormon elders having
visited the settlement last month and
performed q number of marriage cere-
monies. The births of children dun ing
the last two year period numbered 45,
out of which number the parents were
both lepers in 80 cases. There were 81
children at the settlement on January
l, and births since brings the number
up to over a hundred.
A tour of investigation of all the ISL
ands is contemplated by Mr.. Reynolds
in the near future, to look for lepers. II
is thought that there are very few at
large in the islands now, but there can
be no doubt that some are in hiding.
There is known to be "a colony in
valley on Hawaii, where they live and
defy capture. If their removal is un
dertaken the task will be difficult and
highly dangerous one. Some years go
four men We're killed from among a
company of soldiers who Went to forci-
bly, remove a similar colony of lepers.
ror of going to Molokai ami they are
armed to resist to the last.
Among those who visited MolOkai this
time were several people who had not
been there for long time, and they had
high praise for the management of the
colony. Agent Reynolds has kept things
in splendid order and the people are
well looked after. DIR. Walters, ply
sician who was there eleven years ago,
stated that the place was vast inn
provement over the settlement he saw
before. The trip was a well managed
one, for which credit is due to Mr. Rey-
nolds, Dr. Garvin, Jack McVeigh and
others. Captain Petersen and Purser
Christian helped to make the guests
comfortable.
Just after leaving the settlement DR..
Garvin captured a small puppy which
had been brought aboard He seized
it and the Board Of Health held an inn
promptu meeting to decide upon it's
fate. The doctors finally allowed the
little dog to stay and DR., Garvin gave
it back to the native woman who had
brought it. AS the Mikahala came past
] III Oh, 10 &c