44
THE OREGOT, PORTLAND. JU2E 11, 1K.
YAURJD AND lDGEtMJJ ?Ip ttvXII
"-v i! ' tVv ..iw - -mimimim . .ii vftirr - wn, wv
HONOLULU, May 20. (Special Cor
respondence of The Sunday Ore
gonian.) Hawaii abounds In folk
lore'and weird legends. The land Is be
lieved to swarm -with gnomes and fair
ies, and the -water with nymphs and
monsters. The simple-minded native,
whose grandfather would have backed
away from a pair of pants like a
mustang shying at new harness, tells
us that the god of the air carries
around the wind In a calabash. He
solemnly relates that an immense
bird once laid an egg In the ocean,
which in time was hatched by the
tropic winds, and thus the Hawaiian
Islands were created.
One of the prettiest legends Is that
of the cocoanut tree. The story goes
that a beautiful Princess was very
much beloved by one of the chiefs who
was a noted athlete. He tried to
please her in every way, swimming
the lakesrand bringing her rare flowers
and choice fruits from the other side
of the island, but sho would not listen
to his suit Ho found life not worth
living without her. and expired from
the pain of his unrequited affectloo.
Before- ho died he said to the Princess,
"The time will surely come when you
will kiss me of your own free will."
Years afterward, while the Princess
was walking one day by the beach, her
attention was attracted to a beautiful
towering tree of a new and strange
variety. Its tufted head nodded proudly
in the wind, and her eager gaze was
centered upon its delicious fruit. An at
tendant procured one of the great green
nuts for her, and as she was in the act
of raising it to her lips, to drink the
milk, she heard a voice say, "Do you
embrace roc with your own free will."
The spirit of the Prince had taken the
form of the cocoanut tree.
The Valley of the Rain.
Another legend concerns the fair val
ley of Manoa, the place of daily rain.
It was here, in the long ago, that a lovely
Princess was murdered by her lover be
cause ho thought she had betrayed him
to a god. The maiden was really Inno
cent of the charge and rather than take
revenge for her murder the gods decreed
that a gentle rain should fall daily in the
place where she had died, the sparkling
drops of moisture representing the tears
of tho angels and the graces of the de
parted maiden. This valley is one of the
most fertllo in the region of Honolulu,
all owing to the fact that the memory of
the gentle Princess Is kept green by the
constant fall of rain.
Still another story deals with the cause
of the reverence which is shown the hog.
This animal was not always a lowly
breast content to root in the mud and
forage for the sake of its appetite. It
once had the power to roam the posses
sions of Kings and live upon the milk of
the land. One bold ruler came to grief
by sending his followers forth to give
battle to the hog and destroy it. When
approached the animal seemed docile
enough and was led away an unresisting
captive. "When the god for the hog was
really that in those days Judged he had
gone a proper distance, he suddenly
turned and tore his captors to pieces. Af
ter this he was treated like a hero and
for centuries was regarded as one of the
country's greatest warriors. This yarn
about the hog's prowess as a fighter. If
It takes a notion, has been handed down
to posterity as a warning to all persons
to approach this much-prized animal with
caution.
Why tho Volcano Cooled.
Another pretty legend Is that con
cerning the fire goddess, who lived in a
volcano. She was the most beautiful
woman on the 'earth, and yet she kept
alive the blazing hell that smouldered In
the belly of the mountain, threatening the
lives of all the Inhabitants round about.
One day she took a journey to a far-off
mountain to rest herself. Soon after her
arrival she was disturbed by the turn
turn of a drum. She looked about and
found that it was being beaten to keep
time for a Prince who was dancing the
hula. -She straightway took part in the
gaiety by singing the refrain to words of
her own composition.
The Prince was naturally surprised and
enchanted by the appearance of the beau
tiful singer. "When the song was ended
fee invited the fair stranger to the royal
offering her Refreshments and (fSSr ' --F ' I Ij IRflrelli&
food. After a short courtship they were I X'fy9f$'- 'MByf ,f '-;jKxtfiWr ' I ' IP ' jmWjfc , . J
for some time the fire" EoddesJ informed
No reference to the old order of things
in Hawaii would be complete without
mention of the kahuna, or native doctor.
He was a sort of wizard or soothsayer,
who was reverenced and feared by all the
people. He was supposed to have the
power -of life and death, and It was ac
cepted as a matter of fact that he could
pray one's life away. Next to the voodoo
priests of Haytl, the Hawaiian kahuna is
the most mysterious Individual of whom
we have any account. They say It is not
at all unusual for a man or woman to be
prayed to death, and the explanation is
the use of suggestion. When the idea of
death becomes fully lodged in the mind
of a patient the end is easy from the
sheer force of Imagination.
It has been charged that I'egetablc pois
ons figure In these fatal prayings, but
there seems to be no evidence to sub-1
stantlato this claim. The reader may
scoff at -tho idea of a man being able to
pray a person to death, but one has only
to see the baneful light In the kahuna's
eyes to recognize the presence of somo
strange power. Once the Idea of death
suggests Itself to a sick person medicine
can do him no good. Thore are those who
assert that the beautiful Princess Kalu
lano was a victim of the kahunas. It is
certain that the house was surrounded by
them at the time of her death.
Wh.cn her mother died she too was
strongly influenced by the belief that the
kahunas were praying her life away. She
remarked to one of her white friends
that it was no uso for her to try to live
against the influence of the native wiz
ards. The white physicians tried to force
medicine down her throat, but she re
sisted with all her strength. She asserted
that her time had come and that she was
ready to go. This is not generally spoken
of, but it is known to bo true by many
people in Honolulu.
Soothsayers Dress Gnlly.
Of course, the kahunas do not hare the
same hold -upon the people that they had
In days gone by. Tho belief in thorn is a
superstition which really belongs to - tho
old generation. They are now regarded
as doctors who practice without a license
and are treated accordingly. Sometimes
an old inhabitant will Insist upon being
treated by a kahuna, but if the native
doctor falls, a white physician Is then
called In. One of these soothsayers Is
easily distinguished on the streets of
Honolulu by the scarlet handkerchief he
wears around his neck. When Indoors he
is very gay In his dress, but on the street
he only allows himself a trace of scarlet.
There is onevcnerable wizard that is
said to be over JO years of age, living in
the hills near Honolulu, and who is noted
for the wonderful power of his eye. Ho
Is filthy, ragged and unkempt, but the
strange light In his eye holds the natives
In awe and attracts many curious white
people who want to see what he is like.
And now, leaving the legends and super
stitions of the fair island behind, we come
to what may be called Hawaii's skeleton
in the closet. It is the leper settlement
in the mountains of MolokaL It is located
on a peninsula of somo 000 acres in ex
tent. It is surrounded on three sides
from the ocean, and on the remaining side
by a steep precipice about 1500 feet In
height. The settlement can only be ap
proached by a email pathway, and two
policemen are always on goard here to
prevent anyone from entering.
Only a Pew White Lepers.
About 140 Lepers were sent here in 1S55,
and the number has increased from time
to time until there are now about 50
persons In the community. Nine-tenths
of the afflicted inmates of the place are
either Chinese or natives, white people
being rarely susceptible to the disease.
Little is known of this dreaded malady.
It is a cureless but painless affliction, and
, the theory is that It can only be taken
from contact. 1he first symptoms are
generally little snots behind the cars.
One of its strangest features is - that
children born of leprous parents are sel
dom afflicted. AH children born' at Molo-
kai are carefully watched until they are
se von years of age, and if at that time i
they are found to bo non-lepers they are
taken to Honolulu and placed in an instl-
tutlon provided for them. These children I
are carefully sheltered and nurtured and '
The Personal
C w-vROFESSOR" JOHN DONALDSON.
Itcnown as the "Champion of the
West," faced me in 1SS0 at Cin
cinnati for a purse of $150. Think of
mc fighting for such a bunch of chick
en feed! After three rounds, tho "pro
fessor" quit and pulled off the gloves.
The audience hooted and said sarcastic
things.
"I am sick and out of condition," was
the excuse the professor gave.
But he was threatened and coaxed Into
putting on the gloves again, and he went
on for another round. T hammered him
all over the ring, but by running and
holding he managed to .slay. That was
a big feather in my cap. which hadn't
many plumes at the time. Just pin
feathers, except for the one I collected
from Joe Goss.
Donaldson tried to get back his repu
tation by challenging me to a battle with
hard "gloves. "We met again on December
24. The professor was put out In ten
rounds, lasting 21 minutes. Most of the
time he hugged the floor or ran around
the ring, but finally I got him placed right
and the Job was done.
We were arrested the next day (Christ
mas) and as no evidence was brought out
against us we were discharged. One fel
low, when asked by the Judge if he had
seen any fighting, replied:
"No sir, it was a footrace." ,
"Who was ahead7" asked the Judge.
"Donaldson. Sullivan was a dose sec
ond, but could not catch him."
After we were discharged and the case
dosed, the Judge, the Prosecuting Attor
ney, my lawyer, the witnesses and my
self went to a saloon and celebrated In
bubbling champagne during a very en
joyable afternoon.
Cuts Out Red Stuff.
In sizing me up. sports make the mis
take of putting me on the same level
with has-beens who have passed out.of
almost Invariably grow up to -be useful 1 little houses and all may have their gar
cltizcns. J dens and their little fields.
It seems horrible to be sent to an out- j They are permitted to mingle with each
of-the-way island for life, but It is said j other socially, and may marry if they
that few of those who have been com- choose. The state pays for all expenses
mitted to Molokal would care to leave. i of living, and charitably inclined per
There are schools, churches, musical so- j
cietles and a good band. There is even J
a racetrack where those of the lepers ,
who own horses can Indulge in speed con- t
tests. The lepers live in rows of -pretty
Recollections of
the game. I duck that. Nearly all the
fighters who went out quick failed to
hold on because they got punished when
trained to an edge, and they were too
weakened to get back. I never was over
trained but once, and I never received a
bad beating from any man's fists. The
fight has never been clouted out of me.
and that's why I am able to "come
back." though the guessers don't believe
it. But I'll show them. I weigh today
269 pounds, and even If my hair Is white
I'm going to make 230 and a new repu
tation. In all my battles none of my opponents
was able to get near enough to do me
any harm with his fists. In the one case
where I was done up it was owing to
the fact that I bad to chase a dub 25
miles' around a ring.
Fltz's hammering ended Corbett- Shar
key disabled Kid McCoy so that he never
got back, even If he did take five wives
and Is able to reach for the sixth. Terry
McGovem shows the effects of the pound
ing he got in his winning as well as bis
losing fights. There are many other such
cases, but no man living has ever given
me a beating with his fists that counted.
I have yet to feel the experience of get
ting a fair and square walloping, and it's
because rre never had my courage brok
en by defeat "under another man's blows
that I can't be put but by comparing me
with defeated and badly punished boxers.
Gold and Diamond Belt Event.
As the front goes down I am beginning
to hope, that I may once more see myself
as I was In the Summer of 1SS7, when the
citizens of Boston gave me the cham
pionship belt. ThU was presented to me
in the Boston Theater, August 8 of that
year, and there was more gold in It than
was ever used In all the "gold cures,"
and more diamonds than there are In all
the baseball leagues In this country.
There were 97 diamonds In. it, and -250
of these were used to seell say name. It
was a magnificent piece of workmanship,
sons supply many comforts such as books,
magazines, music and other luxuries,
Once each year an entertainment Is given
by the society people of Honolulu and all
the proceeds are devoted to providing
John L. Sullivan
pronounced the finest ever made, costing
between J3CC0 and Jl'J.OCO. and the largest
piece of fiat gold ever seen in the country.
It was 43 Inches In length and 12 Inches
wide. It weighed 2S0O pennyweights and
took three months to make.
The sports In those days didn't have
as much money as they have now, but
they were willing to contribute hand
somely for the real thing In sport.
Think of the ceneroslty that made that
belt, and comparo It" with the state
ment of ISr. Jeffries that he retires
from the ring because there's no money
In fighting. Don't It prove what I
said, that the American people have
lost Interest and confidence in the
wearers of fight titles, which are sup
ported by vaudeville stunts Instead of
fighting. Surest thing you know.
"When fighters will get back to fight
ing and give the stage managers and
the press agents the. go by, the Ameri
can people will pass out the coin by
the. shovelful, and the diamond belts
and things, with Just as free a hand
as they did when the American ring
fighter stood first In the world. Just as
they gave up for Dewey when he won
the belt In his style of scrapping.
"Tainted" Money Where It Belongs.
As to this "tainted money" business.
I want to chip In with old John D long
enough to eay that I think, some of
these geysers who are spouting against
it are Just making a grand-stand play.
The money Rockefeller puts up will
buy Just as many meal tickets for the
missionaries as- if it had been handed
out by some fellow who had never,
smelled kerosene. Never heard of any
body refusing to take my money, did
you? Pv let go of a pile of It. and
a lot of it went to churches and chari
ties, but I can't remember that any
Jbody sent any of it back because I'd
5S "
comforts for the lepers. No Christmas
or holiday is allowed to pass without
sending gifts and goodies to the children
on the Island.
To be committed to Molokai Is really
not such a great hardship upon any un
married or unattached person, but when
a husband or wife becomes afflicted the
separation is, of course, a terrible ordeal.
It, Is worse than If they were sent to
prison for-Hfe. "Worse because the pris
Ex-Champion Lets Loose
8 He Has Cut
made It selling my kind of knockout
drops to put fellows to sleep.
Take Rockefeller's stuff, all you can
get of it, for the same reason Ben
Butler ujed to advise the Democrats
in Massachusetts (when he happened
to be a Democrat), to take Republican
money to spoil the Egyptians. I
wouldn't swap places with old Rock,
but that wouldn't stop me from taking
his coin, because what he has belongs
to the rest of us as much as it does to
him. He has to live on crackers and
milk, and I'll bet he'd give all hl3 pile
If he could eat and enjoy the dinner
I had today of corned beef and cab
bage. His money is not much use to
him, and we'd be doing him and our
selves a good turn by taking It.
The money ought to bejkept right
in this country, though. It belongs
here, and the heathen are not perish
ing for red flannel shirts. You don't
find John D.'s sparring- partner. Rogers,
who used to push a handcart around,
the streets - of New Bedford, throwing
his coin to the heathen. H's keeping
it in the United States, where, some
day it will come In handy when he nas
let go of It.
Coming Bantam Fracas.
The "Job done by Owen Moran, the
British bantam, on Monte Attell, in
New York, ma'kes him fit to meet
F rankle Neil, our champion In this
class, and I understand they will meet
In San Francisco In July. Attell Is en
titled to another try with the Britisher,
for he certainly made a game battle
of it for the last ten rounds of the
twenty, and was on his feet at the
finish-
My opinion Is that while the British
are improving because they are learn
ing our style, any American can" beat
any Englishman of equal weight. Mo
ran deserved the decision, over Attell,
but the work Monte did should, result
oner may be paraoned," but the leper has
not the slightest hope of cure. One of
the saddest sights in the world is when,
a steamer is departing with a new lot
of leper3 for Molokai. Husband and wife
are often ruthlessly torn from each other
and In most all instances those who are
not afflicted, beg for permission to enter
the colony with their loved ones. There
have been instances where a husband
would develop into a leper and be sent
to the island, leaving his wife and chil
dren with no means of support, and these
cases are so pitiful that it seems the
government should provide for all rather
than see them suffer.
At intervals a ship Is sent to Molokal
upon which relatives and friends of the
lepers may have free passage to pay a
visit to the afflicted colonists. On tho
arrival of this boat at the island the
visitors are escorted Into an enclosure
which Is guarded on every side by wire.
They can talk through this fence, but
there must be no contact. These visits
mean much to the afflicted ones and
their friends.
Another sad feature of the island life is
that all children born there must be taken
away at the age of 7 years, unless they
have become Inoculated in the meantime.
Imagine the anguish it must mean to a
father and mother to look upon their
children when they are little and realize
that they will soon be taken away from
them, and that although they may re
turn at intervals to talk to them, that
they will never he permitted to touch
them again. This is really the essence of
tragedy.
The sad case of one young wife who
was sent to Molokai would cause the
stoutest heart to bleed with pity. She
had only been married a year and her
first baby, was about to be born, when it
was discovered that she was In the first
stage of leprosy. Of course, the husband
did everything within his power to save
her from the Island, but the law was
stern and they took her away. The case
was so extremely pitiful that tjre authori
ties agreed to break the rutes for 'once
and allow the husband to remain with
his wife until after the birth of their
child. The baby did not live a day, and
the guard in making his round3 found the
unfortunate couple entwined in each
others' arms, both in the last long sleep
of death. An empty morphine bottle at
the bedside told the silent story of de
spair. Surely a merciful God will deal
gently with souls so terribly tried a3
these! FREDERIC J. HASKIN.
Opinions on "Tainted" Money
Out the "Red Stuff."
in him keeping the confidence of his
friends. Perhaps, after Moran has
tackled Franklo Nell, the Britisher will
have lost some of his steam and At
tell will be more in line for the work
cut out for him. Tom O'Rourke thinks
so well of Moran that he proposes to
back him when he faces Neil, but Tom
doesn't guess right .all the time.
From what I can learn about Moran.
the 20 rounds he will have to go
against Neil Is too far a distance for
him, and his punching ability will be
pretty well used up under the treat
ment the American champion will pro
vide. It will be a nice trial, however,
and I am going to make the effort to
see It. Moran did not have the goods
to put Attell out, and he will need
more than he has shown up to date
to take honors from Neil, who has con
fidence; push and know-how to burn.
Your truly,
JOHN I. SULLIVAN.
The Dollar's Confession.
Washington Star.
The solemn organ pealed in state.
The chqlr melodious sang:
Upon the contribution plate
A silver dollar ranr
The coin was thinking on its past.
And sighed. "Were they acquainted-.
"With me Td from their midst be cast.
For I am surely tainted.' "
The deacon listened as It spoke:
"I've swelled the miser's hoard,
rve fastened on the toiler's yoke
And sharpened many & sword;
Pve fed the proud and scorned distress ;.
I've done, the gambler's mission;
All this and more I do confess.
With sorrow and contrition."
The honest churchman said: "Sly fame
Is scant for wit and learning.
But 'tis my duty sure to claim
A brand forth from the burning.
Perhaps you'll' find aad conquer yet
A nobler destination
A dollar, like a man. should get-
A chance at refo relation."".