Crittenden record=press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1907-1909, 1907-12-12
Honolulu Letter.


deeper into the queer things across
the Pacific. There is so much in
these islands however, that one could
remain here for weeks, constantly
finding something new to write
about. Through my medical con-
nection was able to visit the leper
settlement on the island OF Molokai,
and have been waking up with shud
ders ever since. 1t is place 30
horrible that it would take pen
stronger and more subtle than mine
to adequately describe it. | can tell
how it impressed me, but do not
believe it possible to make anyone
understand what it really looks like
unless they see it.
Leprosy Is believed by a majority
Of the medical world to be both con-
tagious and infectious. but have
my doubts about the latter part Of
the theory. That 1t is contagious is
proven over and over again on these
islands, and nine out of ten of these
poor unfortunates who are dragging
out their loathsome lives on Molokai
received the disease by contact with
some one who had it, or by using
clothing that had been worn by a
leper.
The settlement on Molokai is a
natural prison, walled in on the land
side by high cliffs, while the ocean
forms an effectual barrier to escape
on that side. Ii Is not necessary to
guard these prisoners for they can
not get away. They have a little
village with form of local govern
ment, and are directly under regula.
ton Of the Board Of Health of the
islands. They are cared for by the
government aud when man. woman
oil child shows signs Of leprosy there
is no help for the victim. They are
hurried to living death aud remain
there until death relieves them of
their suffering. Many tales are told
of natives who have fought against
this imprisonment and have become
outlaws, holding the authorities at
bay for mapy months before they
gave up. All the natives except
the educated ones are on the side Of
the victim who has contracted the
disease aud do all in their power to
prevent the officers from taking him
TO M)lokai. One man who was
touched with leprosy took his wife
and little child to the mountains
where they lived in a cave, defying
the officers for more than a year.
lie was finally captured through his
child who wandered away and was
found by officers. Rather than be
separated from his child the father
and mother gave up and the entire
family went to the settlement
There Is a theory here that leprosy
which is. SO prevalent is caused by
eating raw fish. Natives eat a great
deal of raw fish, and this with poi,
a peculiar custard made of taro root,
forms the staple article of diet. Poi
is the national dish and its use marks
class divisions among the people.
According to the consistency of the
poi it is known as zone finger poi, ~
1.-TWO finger poi and "three finger
poi, 1t is much more elegant to
eat it with one finger, consequently
the more fingers one uses when eat
Ing poi the lower he is in the social
scale
Taro, from which poi is made is
4 peculiar plant which grows in
,wampy land, and in its cultivation
natives utilize the water buffalo,
which they have imported from the
Philippines. This animal takes
kindly to anyone with dark skin, but
woe to the person who is white who
gets within reach of IT, There seems
to be something especially dlstaste-
full in the odor of white person to
this buffalo, but | haye seen native
by the dozen playing about
Il