. The paradise of the Pacific: the Hawaiian Islands [electronic resource] . abroad, hercapital will soon be not only Mistress of thePacific, but Empress of the maritime world. CHAPTER XV. GRIM MOLOKAI. I HE Garden of Eden had its serpent, and ashadow fell across the path of man even inthat fairy-land. The modern Adam is not alwayssatisfied with seeing only the bright side of thepicture, and he must look for the darker imagines there is a shadow somewhere, — askeleton in the closet. Hawaiis skeleton is theleper ; its closet grim Molokai. Though he really hears less of them after re
. The paradise of the Pacific: the Hawaiian Islands [electronic resource] . abroad, hercapital will soon be not only Mistress of thePacific, but Empress of the maritime world. CHAPTER XV. GRIM MOLOKAI. I HE Garden of Eden had its serpent, and ashadow fell across the path of man even inthat fairy-land. The modern Adam is not alwayssatisfied with seeing only the bright side of thepicture, and he must look for the darker imagines there is a shadow somewhere, — askeleton in the closet. Hawaiis skeleton is theleper ; its closet grim Molokai. Though he really hears less of them after reach-ing the islands than he had before coming, thenewcomer feels that it is his duty to visit thatdark corner holding the banished victims of anincurable disease. It is not as easy as he hadexpected to obtain passage to the out-of-the-wayplace. It is true the Board of Health make asemi-annual trip, but only those in the secretknow when it is to be made. The object of thisis not to be overcrowded with a mob of curiousforeigners or natives who have friends and rela- 196. GRIM MOLOKAL 197 tives there. Havings through some special influ-ence^ gained permission to accompany one of theseparties^ he is likely then to find a stormy passage,as if it were not intended that the lonely spotshould be easy of access. The history of leprosy on the islands begins in1853, when, in addition to other epidemics andevils thrust upon the inoffensive Hawaiians, a newdisease appeared among them, which they namedMai Pake^ or Chinese sickness, as it had beenbrought to the islands by some Chinamen. In thepoor condition of their blood, this new disordersoon gained a startling hold on the native popula-tion, so that as early as 1864 it had spread to analarming extent. January 3, 1865, the Legisla-ture passed an act to have those afflicted with thedread disease taken from the midst of others whohad so far escaped its contaminations. Thisnecessitated the breaking up and separation offamilies, but it would
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