The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-05-29

pie of these beautiful islands may help
to change if together all work in har-
mony / have often read of methods
of loading livestock on island vessels,
but was unprepared to see in use in a
civilized country such barbarous prac-
tees as | witnessed this week To my
last day on earth l shall never forget
those scenes. Tears came to the eyes
of sturdy men, and many could not
watch the process at all, in one par
ticular instance, of loading cattle. Ny
first shock came at Hilo as we landed
boarded the hotel bus. Looking back
to dock scenes, l was Mortified to
see sheep to the number, probably, of
sixteen or more, piled into a mesh
basket of some sort in one big heap.
Little slender legs sticking out here,
a wild-eyed head there, and all kinds
of humps and humps where their poor
bodies were heaped and piled on each
other till it seemed as if those under
meath must be crushed, made a spec
tacle / was glad to turn away from.
To be sure, the animals seemed to have
on them a little jacket of some sort,
but why pile the poor things in such
awful crushing heaps7 If | was shock
ed at the sight of the sheep, how shall
/ find words to express the horror of
the scene when cattle were loaded on
the Mauna Loa on the return voyage.
The crew of the boats seemed to work
kindly as possible, but tits not posi-
BILE to be very kind where the whole
method is one of barbaric cruelty.
Fancy the cattle being driven down
from the upland ranches, penned up in
the corral for hours in the hot sun,
then, just at evening, their natural
time for slipping to peaceful sleep, be-
ing forcibly driven into the sea-lashed
bv the ropes under the horns to the
sides of the small boat, fifteen to the
boat; side of the poor head bound close
to the tossing boat. with their poor
sides to the pillows in such a way that
tits impossible for them to swim any
and too close together to swim any
way. The boats start out, the sea IS
comparatively smooth, but the weight
of the animal naturally drags its body
backward, the heads are bound tightly
to the boat side, and the long necks
look to be bent almost to the breaking
point as the horns rub about on the
boat side. You hear the bellows of
fear and suffering, and you think what
is our boosted civilization worth If yet
we can carelessly infiict such miserles
on Gods creatures, partly because or
financial greed and partly because we
are still cannibals. AS the termed
suffering beasts were being hoisted on
to the ship, dinner was announced, and
we filed to our places at the table to
the music (O of the groans and signs
of those struggling animals. Many OF
us felt that we were fiddling while
Rome was burning, and some of US felt
we must give a hint of the awful scene
to humane Honolulans, in the hope that
something might be done TO alleviate
the horrible suffering of the wretched
animals which are shipped from one
port to another In 1.-The States
there is constant agitation in regard to
the shipping of livestock, and much
has been accomplished, although ''cat-
tie barons' make the fight a hard one.
But there are established laws for feed
ing and watering stock in transit. The
cattle on the Mauna Loa were tied
tightly to the boat side for two nights
and over a day, lurching against their
poor bruised heads as the ship rolled,
the rain of the NIGHT and the hot sun
of the day beating on their unprotected
backs, and ! was unable to trace any
evidence of food or water during their
fearful experience. ! beg the humane
people of these beautiful islands to rise
in protest against these barbaric meth
DDS of a past age, work here, get the
question before the Congress of these
United States, if necessary. Any rea-
TO hrir in
keeping with a Christian civilization
Let your churches rise against it, do
everything possible to bring about a
rule of greater mercy, in the name of
humanity, to these suffering creatures.
LILLIAN c. OLDS.
May %, 1908.