SISTER HOSE GERTRUDE AT HER WORK.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 2502, 6 September 1890, Page 5

SISTER HOSE GERTRUDE AT HER WORK.

A VISIT TO THE LEPERS AT MOLOKAI. (FAI-L MALL BUOQB'r.) Sister Rose Orertruele is now at work amongst the lepers. She arrived at Honolulu in March, and after paying a visit to Molokai she v/as stationed at the receiving station at Kalihi on the outskirts of Honolulu. Mr. Louis Stevenson is the latest European visitor, as we mentioned the other day, and he, following the excellent example of the Broad woods, has presented the settlement with a grand upright piano. We take the following from a temperate account of a visit which has just bean paid to the lepers by a correspondent! of the JSFew York Herald f _ -» ~ Molokai, me says, ib rar iron, being barren and uninhabitable. Great herds of cattle graze on tho hills throughout the year, thousands of deer live in the forests on the tops of the mountains, wild goats thrive in great numbers on the sides of the pali, while curlew, plover, pheasants, and quail are seen on every hand. It is not a barren place. The grass grows luxuriantly, and in places sheltered from the trade winds trees of all kinds are cultivated. Two or three valleys open into the pali. They are nearly a mile ia length, and terminate as abiuptly as the face of the pali itself. They contain hundreds of aci'es of very fertile 1 ;nds. Ia these valleys and along the base of the cliff the natives raise sweet potatoes, onions, sugarcane, taro, bananas, pine-apples, figs, and napaias. If a leper has the disposition and is industrious he can raise many of our common garden vegetables or cultivate a nice garden that will surpass anything elsewhere. He can raise ©hlekens or pigs for his own use. He eaa own horses. He can improve his own home and surround himself with such comforts as to approach almost to the degree ©f luxury. I saw many eases where these things bad been accomplished. USE HOtfEs of the lepers. The water supply is perfect. In one of the valleys I havo mentioned a reservoir has been constructed, from which a constant supply of pure spring water is obtained. It is distributed m pipes to all parts of tho settlement where the cottages are located. Almost every house has a hydrant near the front door. The houses arc comfortable frame buildings ®f three to six rooms. They arc strongly built, well lighted and ventilated, painted or whitewashed, and most ©f them comfortably furnished with the modern bedstead, bureau, chairs, and tho like. All are raised above Ihe ground to ensure dryness. They are built by the Government. In some eases a leper who may have money ©r friends able to help him will build his own cottage to his own tastes. He can locate it auy place it pleases him, provided the ground has not already been appropriated. Tho walls of many of the houses 1 went into were decorated with photographs, chroinos, lithographs, or clippings from the illustrated panels, according to the taste of the occupant. The floors were bare or covered with mats made of the leaves of the pandanus tree. Nearly all were clean and well kept. The people themselves were clean also. Tho Hawaiians are a well-behaved, cleanly race. lIOW TIIE LEPERS AMUSE THEMSELVES. Tn the hospital and seme of the houses the disease was exhibited in more aggravated forms, but as to the disgusting things the penny-a-liner has written, they do not exist. Disease is horrible in any form in any place. The settlement is si© worse than many a hospital in our larger cities. Aside from the terrible name attached to it, leprosy is no worse, if it is even as bad, ihau other diseases we suffer from. To have a cancer is painful beyond expression, and death is certain within a few months at the longest. Insanity ia far worse thanloprosy. Even some of our familiar acute diseases do more damage to the body and claim a larger percentage ©f deaths than does leprosy. The lepers are contented. They are better clothed, better housed, and better fed than they ever wore before going to the settlement. They de not work. They have no re- , sponeibilitiea or cares. They are indifferent regarding tiie disease. They have no fear of it. They are actually happy. The boys fiy kites constructed by themselves. They play “ mumblety peg,” baseball, and exciting games of hide-and-seek, or tag. They go fishing and swimming. They spin tops. Father Cunardy told me they made these themselves. The first were copied from some sent by friends. They used needles first for pegs, but, finding they broke too easily, they resorted to half of a nail sharpened. I saw some shaped from blocks with au ©rdiuary jack-knife, ami they would spin and even split one another in two as readily as do the well-turned tops of our own boys. The men ride, cultivate their gardens, repair their houses, play games, loaf, or make love. Almost everyone owns a horse, there being ever eight hundred of these animals. THE WOMEN AND THE MUSI-.’. The women prepare meals, take care of those who are disubled, gossip, or 101 l about. Those who are not crippled often go about on horseback, decked with wreaths of roses, and dashing along at a breakneck pace. Tho women, as is tiie custom in tlieee islands, all ride astride. The men have organised ten brass bands, and pluv remarkably well. I wis serenaded one night by an impromptu orchestra. The music was creditable, considering that all the players were lepere with the usual deformities. They have also a club, or fraternity, the exact object of which I did not learn. THE MISSIONARIE S My, pleasantest experience while visiting Molokai was in making tho acquaintance of the religious people who are working there. They are Father Cunardy, Father V/endslen, Mr. Dutton, and the six Franciscan nuns. I cannot speak too highly of the six nuns who are working among the lepers. In 1833 they came to Honolulu from their convent; in Syracuse, N.Y. Sister Leopauldina guided me about the premises. The buildings and management would do credit to any similar institution in our larger cities. Here they cure fer some eighty girls aud women—most oi them young girls. Tho buildings are well-planned and kept scrupulously clean. The girls are neatly dressed. Many had flowers tastefully placed in their hair. Some were sowing or crocheting, others were playing games. I saw an animated group discussinga fine point over croquet. The flower-beds were well kept and covered with blossoms. Tne lawn was as smooth and as closely cut as if cared for l>y a landscape gardener. These women are the true martyrs if any ore to ho regarded so. They are gentle, loving, enthusiastic, energetic. The good that they have done gives evidence of their industry. WHAT THE LEPERS EAT. Every leper, regardless of age or sex, receives per week twenty-one pounds of paiai (a kind ol : soft food made from the taro-root) or twelve and a half pounds of flour with one pound of sugar, or nine pounds of rice with one pound of sugar, or eight and a half pounds of bread, with one pound of sugar, or fifty cents, cash in lieu of either. Also seven pounds of beef or seven pounds of mutton, or seven pounds of fresh flail, or three pounds of salt salmon. Besides this, each one receives per month half a bar ef soap, live pounds of salt, and one quart of kerosene. Besides each leper deceives £2 a year for clothing. Friends outside can send money, clothing, or food. Those having money cun buy many useful articles of food and clothing at the store. The store is in a sense co-operative. Tho board of health is the - management, and what profit results is put in tho fund for meeting the expenses in running the settlement. SOME STATISTICS. On the Ist of March last 1,205 lepers were at the settlement. Since the beginning of segregation 4,262 lepers have been cared for. The mortality at tho settlement is twenty-five per cent, per annum. It is estimated that there are in the island about two thousand lepers, eignt hundrei of whom are scattered about, hiding, or not sufficiently pronounced to be sent t© Molokai.