The Hawaiian gazette., 1910-04-22


the Iwilei road, could easily locate the
camp of the Russian immigrants sim
| ply by the sense of smell. One detects
the odor even before the camp isl
reached, unless a strong wind is carry
ing the scent to seward. 1t is some
thing strong, fetid, disgusting, a little
! like the peculiar odor that one asso-
ciates with a menagerie of wild ami
mals,--a smell as of incredible filth,
sickly, disgusting, almost nauseating.
1t reminds one of hospitals, of abat-
toirs, of decay and disease.
But there is nothing in the appear
lance of the Russians as one sees them
Ilounging about their camp that sug-
gests decay. They look strong, virile,
full of potential energy. And that g
the main trouble, apparently; they are
ltoo strong to work. Their energy is all
potential. Dirty they are, some with
matted boards that contain, one won
ders, what sort of live stock; others
clean-shaven but smutty-faced. The
women are distinctly frowsy and I'M
clean looking, the children what one
might expect of the progeny of such
parents in such surroundings.
The people of almost any other ma
tionality in establishing even tenn
porary camp would have some regard
for the decencies and for their own
health. Not SO the Russians, The
camp is as dirty as the campers, lit
tered with trash of all sorts,-bones,
scraps of food, old rags, pieces of pa
per and uncomfortable filth.
And the shacks that the Russians
he, calxyaS-fhpv
are indescribable. No other evidence
is needed as to the laziness of the i'm
migrants. Most of the rude structures
can not even shut out the wind, let
, alone the rain. They are made of any
: thing that came handy, though old
, mating gathered somewhere enters
{ largely into the construction of large
l proportion of them. Most of them are
: lust barely large enough to allow of
: the inmates packing themselves IN
Y closely. They must sleep spoon fash
lion, foS one could not turn over unless
: all the others were to do the same.
Il Last Sunday when the accompanying
4 photographs were taken was evidently
: visiting day at the Russian camp, for
:. although large proportion of the
: campers were taking their daily consti
n tutional through the city and among
9 the hills, the camp was filed with local
residents of all ages, sizes, colors and
a degrees of servitude.
e In several of the little shacks sal
Chinese talking sign talk with the Rus
i SLAMS. 1t was suggested that they
: might be making offers to buy a few
u of the buxom Russian girls who hunG
about with half shy, half bold glance
$ land seemed to take great interest II
e their callers.
There were many Japanese presen
= in the camp, but they seemed to b'
= merely sightseers, looking at the strang'
,. lpeople with looks of wonder, as If un
. able to understand how men as big ant
= lhealthy-appearing as the Russian
. could be content to lie on their back
= and wait for the ravens to feed them
Whatever else may be said of the Jap
:. anese, they have never been accused
:, of laziness when it is to their own in
e terest to work.
= Carriages drove up constantly, man,
II of them filed by whole Chinese AM
II Japanese families who had come on
v to take in the show.
Il AS one wandered through the camp
Al one constantly came upon tiny shack
is from the open fronts of which protrud
er ed long Russian boots. Closer invest
v. cation disclosed the fact that the boot
IF were attached to some big, tired Rus
y. sian who lay on his back resting fror
at his strenuous labors.
n A large proportion, perhaps th
er larger proportion, of the visitors at tn
ne camp were Hawaiians. The wonder ha
in been many times expressed as to ho'
he the Russians manage to get enough I
eat, how they live without money an
al without work. The answer is, throug
IN the generosity of the native Hawaiian
US and. it is whispered, the price of sham
I'D from Orientals. The Advertiser II
On ported who visited the camp Sunda
he saw several times Hawaiian men, won
en- and girls going off toward the cit
n, with anywhere from one to half do
to en- Russians, chiefly women and chi
q dren, in tow.
OF Two pretty young Hawaiian cir
ey about fifteen or sixteen years of ag
,s- who were leading off sloppy Russia
% woman and little girl were stoppt
II and asked what they intended to
an with them.
at ''We take them home and give the
u something to eat, - replied the Hawai-
I. an girls.
otner IldWHllhHS WIZ were lutSiio
-, ed told the same story.
gu And there it is, the answer to Il
"a a. question Glow can man live in II
~ nolulu without either money or work
ne He can sponge off the generous'heart'
no Hawaiians, or the women may So
~ themselves. Doubtless many of tho
III who are feeding the lazy Russians ha'
In none too much 10 eat in their own j
IA tic houses, but what they have th'
,iy are willing TO share with those wi
m. have not-and they don't wait TO
IRE asked for IL, either They 60 10 n
,aI Russian camp and take home with the
Nv the hungry,
% The camp presents weird appea
Of anee, even for a city where strani
nR sights are the rule rather than the g
m. eeplion, Everywhere are hung o
Ia brightly eolored blankets and quill
q, Tao children, Invariably dirty and u
=. ii. ss4ls4 ls.s.