The Hawaiian gazette., 1908-04-17

] NAURC, N. l.. February 1S-Ws ar
rived here safely on January - on the
s s. Upland OF the Pacific Phosphate
I Company. Ltd. We had q fairly IN
comfortable voyage. but got here safe
Z ly. With the exception Of our little
Mabel tumbling OF the bridge and my
I self falling one dark night into the coal
/ bunkers. nothing Of Importance hap
pened- II was little announcement to
arrive at Nauru with a handaged face
after coming from q vacation. but we
+ were able 10 prove the origin OF nearly
broken noses and black eyes.
The Channons were our fellow-pas-
sengers and we were certainly more
than glad TO travel again with our old
friends We have since heard that they
arrived all right at Ocean Island where
they, without doubt, received a hearty
welcome from their beloved Gilbert Is
landers-
As we arrived at our moorings we
noticed from the ships deck that many
Of our people had gathered on the
beach 10 welcome US When We got
ashore az last their Joy 10 have US
among them again was seemingly very
great Mr.. Cinnamon was remembered
by many also, seeing that years ago
he too had stopped a day or so on the
island. The natives nearly carried US
up the beach. But so many familiar
faces were missing, nearly 80 Of our
people have gone TO better land dur
ing our absence. AS We enQuirej for
this OF that man, woman or chilli we
often received but short answer, e
man" Che or she is dead. In many
respects it was a sad home coming.
The very first news we heard was. that
the local official. Mr.. Geppert, had died
& few days prior TO our arrival. How
sad, He too had just come back from
his furlOugh 10 die.
Our island once so healthy is now
saturated with disease. We have per-
haps SO Chinese on the island at
present but hardly q day passes with
out q death among them. Today te
have, I understand, thirty-fiye mel. in
the hospital sick with beri-beri
typhoid fever and other severe diseases.
Poor Nauru. once so sweet and healthy.
has Joined the long list of unhealthy
tropical islands. We never knew any
thing about typhoid fever, dysentery.
whooping cought, scarlet fever and
ber-Oeri here. but times and conditions
tons have changed
As I an writing these lines FIVE Eu-
ropeans are very i'll The doctor him
self Is unable 10 attend TO his duties
as ne has q most severe attack Of
tropical dyssntsry, while the captain
Of police has typhoid fever and several
employees Of the company are laid up
with various complaints What a REQ
have changed.
I ascribe the introduction of most of
these epidemical diseases to the Chi
neSe who are seemingly not high
grade Of coolies The company does
all il can TO minimize the sunerirgs
OF the people. but our sanitary con-
diIiOns ere such that their, as well as
our efforts are not crowned with re-
narkabie success. Miss Linke, our
assistant, has been i'll in bed several
days. but has recovered again. Our
two children have been more or less
sick since We came, but climatic
changes may be blamed for our own
disorders. At present things look
brighter as far as your missionaries
are concerned
However z beautiful contrast to the
sad physical conditions which prevail
On Nauru is its spiritual state. We
found more real life in the Church than
We had dared TO hope for With the
exception Of a small number Of MAR
breaches Of discipline and one or tEo
cases Of entire backsliding we found
the people. who for the first time since
their conversion had been left without
a white missionary. clinging n their
faith Our young people are as brisk
as ever We have reorganized our
Sabbath School which is quite an I'M
Dortant factor in our work The writer
takes charge OF the senior class while
wife teaches the Junior classes. Near
y 20 people attend these classes.
Our Sabbath services are better at
tended than they were prior 10 our
going on furlOugh. OF course the at
tendance 0f about 100 Ponape. Pinglap
and Turk boys. employees Of the COM
pany. help TO swell numbers Thus
re have Nsuru. Pinglap. 3lotlock. Po-
lape. Turk and Marshall Islands re-
presented in our Church. while one OF
40 Chinese attend our Christian En-
issvor meeting
We reopened our school today with
about Is per cent less scholars than