The Hawaiian gazette., 1905-03-31
(By A. P. raylor.)

village of Halawa the first place WIS.,
tied DR. Yost was of the opinion that
the convalescent man there had mala-
rial fever symptoms. This conclusion,
duly sent by wireless to the Advertiser,
was arrived at from the statements OF
the natives who had attended the SICK
man, but as their stories Of his illness
were conflicting, 1t was difficult in the
I final analysis to determine whether ne
had really had typhoid or malaria.
Certain Il is that the fever had had
long and alarming run in the village
Of Pelekunu, where, in one family
alone, two boys had died, and another
was diving when the expedition arrived.
Another young man had the fever In
the walking stage" others had par
TALLY recovered and even for some
weeks past death now and then had
mysteriously occurred. Such mortal
ity in village containing but fifteen
huts. was depopulating the place and
the survivors were frightened into be-
lieving that the dread power of kahu-
mas was being exercised over them. In
fact In the delirium of one of the boys,
now dead. he ''conversed" with ka-
huna, giving his name. and he showed
Enthusiastically, that the imprint of the
old Hawaiian superstition was strong
I upon his mind.
THE RELIEF EXPEDITION.
The news of the strange epidemic
was brought TO Honolulu by John VIII
son of Pelekunu. He told of the deaths
that had already occurred in Peleku-
nu. or people supposed to be dying,
and Of the flight OF one family to Ha-
lava. He implored the health author
tiles here to take action toward re-
lieving the sufferers. He pointed
strongly to the fact that the island OF
Molokai, with its almost impossible
pals. was without n government physi-
clan. or one who could now be depended
upon to relieve the distress of the
unpaying poor. In flush times there
had been a government physician. but
under the present retrenchment of ex-
penditures. no government physician
is provided for, and the people are
without medical assistance. DR.. Mour-
itz, the former government physician,
had even sent back his license to the
board when he ceased to be govern
ment physician.
II for nothing else, the epidemic Is
strong plea for establishing gov
eminent physician on Molokai at least.
DIR. YoST OFFERS.
To President Pinkham of the Board
of Health and to Secretary of the Ter
ritory Atkinson, Mr.. Wilson made his
plea. and 1t was then that DR.. Yost,
United States Army, in charge of the
army hospital in Honolulu, was re-
quested to head the expedition. He
agreed to do so and he also offered
( to take along several men of the army
hospital corps. The Likelike was
/ chartered and the expedition left for
Molokai on Monday night. On board
were Secretary of the Territory At
kinson, DIR. Yost, John Wilson, Mrs.
Fulbrook and Miss Birch Tanning. the
two trained nurses, five army hospital
men and an Advertiser man. Medi-
cines, special foods for sick and con-
valescents, and blankets and bedding
were taken along.
The Likelike plunged into rough seas
after leaving Kaunakakai. The vessel
pitched and rolled and the expedition
took to the hunks. 1t Was so rough,
in fact, that the sturdy little steamer
the forenoon.
THE HALAwA SICK.
DR.. Yost, Secretary Atkinson, Depu-
ty Sheriff Cockett and Jonn Wilson
and the hospital men with stretchers
went ashore in the first boat. Halawa
is a pretty. green valley. looking much
like Manoa, Honolulu, rising gracefully
from the shore to the hills, to where the
valley ends in a magnificent pail. Great
palisades, 1000 to 1900 feet high, sur
round the valley on three sides. The
towering cliffs are sheer walls of lava
from summit to sea, the waves break
ing with great fury upon the broken
bases. Long and huge pillows roll in
upon a sandy beach and upon one OF
these the whaleboat was carried as II
IL were a surf board. Landing at Ha-
lava means jumping from the bow in
to the sand at the moment the water
recedes from the shore.
Guided by natives the party wendell
/ its way through green stretches and
along the shore of wide stream which
has its inception in a silvery waterfall
at the end of the valley, plunging,
glittering cascade falling a thousand
feet And here came into view a scene
OF primitive Hawaiian life. Upon q
hillside were three huge hala trees, Cor
Molokai they are trees, not plants.)
and beneath these rose a picturesque
little native house built of grass. Neai
the entrance, man. half-naked was
seated before trencher, pounding poi
Near at hand We're great taro bulbs
while drying in the sun, which now
and then peered through the mists and
showers, were fish and native ii leaves
Water for drinking purposes hung in
shady places in gourds. The interior
of the hut was furnished with home
made lauhala mats. Little gardens OF
tomatoes, onions, potatoes, etc, sur
rounded this primitive abode.
Then came into view the public
school, the yard of which was the best
kept in the whole village. The grass
was green and short cropped. The
walk was bordered with plants and
everything indicated the oversight OF
the painstaking and neat young Ha.
waiian woman who taught schoo
there, Miss Kane. Nearby was tn,
old-fashioned church whose date in
scriptions over the doorway, indicated
! ht,tlt In 1870 ond a,