THE LEPER COLONY OF MOLOKAI.
Now that public attention is being directed to the example of heroic self-sacrifice displayed in the conduct of Father Damien, theßclgian priest who voluntarily entombed himself amongst the lepers on the Inland of Molokai in 1873, a few remarks on this strange place by one who has iccently been amongst them may not be altogether devoid of interest. The island of Molokai, "which lies between Oahu and Maui, and not fay from Honolulu, was selected by the Government for use ns a quarantine ground, to which to transmit persons affected with the disease. When a case is discovered the patient i^ placed in a small native canoe, or a boat which is ot little value. In this he is to\\ed by a steamer or sailing vessel to the shores of Molokai, where he is cut adrift and allowed to make his way a&hore as be^t he can. The writer has paid several \ wt.s to Molokai—the last a little over two yeais ago. At that period the little colony ot lepers were in a deplorable condition, in consequence of the inclemency of the season. There are several settlements, or townships, on the island, and the communal system of living, so common to Pacific Inland peoples, is much in vogue amongst the lepers. Father Damien, of course, has always possessed a sort of ccnie blanche to " boss "' matters as much as he likes. Much good has been effected by him in setting apart special quarantine spots for seveie and advanced cases. In the old times, before his arrival on Molokai, severe. ca>cs were speedily removed by the tenilicd islanders to a quarantine spot six feet, 01 .->o underground. Of course the large majority of the residents on Molokai are but slightly atfected with the disease, and in many cases leprosy develops very slowly. But the measures which King Kalakana's Government found it necessary to adopt for the suppression of leprosy were of fcuch a drastic kind that the slightest symptoms of the disease were sufficient to warrant the banishment of the unfortunate subject. One Englishman, who was well known in Hawaiian political circles — who had in fact held an important legal position in the Government at one period — had the misfor- ' tune to become slightly affected by leprosy in one of his hands. He wore gloves an ' unusual thing in Honolulu— for some time, to conceal the terrible white spot from public view. But the gloves attracted suspicion, and the " leper detectives" made a raid • upon him. Through his social position and his general popularity, many vain efforts were made to get him away in outgoing ' vessels for America and the Chinese side, but he was eventually cut adrift from a Govern- . ment vessel off Molokai. When the , writer saw him in 1884 he had got into ! considerable practice in his profession ' amongst the lepers, but the scale of fees was somewhat different to that which he : had been in the habib of charging in HonoI lulu and New Zealand. His position was i also more in the character of a judge than an advocate. He had jusfe adjudicated in j an important breach of promise between two patients, and having decided that the would-be deceiver should " marry the girl," | the worthy lawyer was inundated with fees J in the shape of bunches of bananas, baskets of yams, cocoa-nuts, etc., supplied for the most part by the girl's friends and admirers. , In some cases, when the judge obtains fees which appear to be too much in excess of what is " reasonable," Father Damien extemporises himself into a prothonotary, and taxes the costs. This little piece of business is always carried out with the utmost good humour on the part of the I two parties most immediately concerned, ! and the quantity by which the " costs " are reduced is conveyed to the worthy padre's residence, from which, it may be needless to say, it is not again sent into circulation. At the present time Molokai contains about a thousand inhabitants Plantation wox'k of all kinds is followed by the majority of the people, who intermarry, and otherwise follow out all the social customs to which they have been reared. A severe season naturally affects them more than it would a robust class of people. Two years ago some of the villages were in a terrible state. The people had become so reduced as to be unable to help one another, and all the work, of course, fell upon Father Damien. The large numbers of the residents who were lucky enough not to be seriously affected were unwilling to go amongst the stricken villagers, and thus risk a more virulent contagion than they already had. It would be hard indeed — if at all possible—to imagine a scene of greater horror and loathsomeness than the picture of a leper village of " low degree," such as thoso which were to be seen upon Molokai in 1884. Tho writer had the somewhat grim distinction of riding over Isandiwanha when that blood, marked Bpot was but a tew days
known to fame, but the remembrance of ifc is sweet in comparison with the ghastliness of JVJolokai. That men can be found to stand and "die game" amidst the terrors of death Tsandlwanha witnessed ; that men can be found who are prepared to face any danger which the imagination can conjnre up on flood or Hold, we already know ; but it was a new departure in heroism when young Damien voluntarily abjured a life of promise and comparative pleasure to devote the remainder of his days to the misery of an existence in the pestilential slums of Molokai.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TAN18870528.2.22
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 205, 28 May 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)
Word count
Tapeke kupu
943THE LEPER COLONY OF MOLOKAI. Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 205, 28 May 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.