504 KEPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 



Tlie leper settlements. — Near the center of the northern coast of 

 Molokai is a tongue of land about a mile broad and 10 miles long, pro- 

 jecting- into the ocean. In 1865 this spit of land was purchased by the 

 then Hawaiian Kingdom and set apart as a reservation for lepers. It 

 is especially' well located for this purpose, there being behind the point 

 of land an almost impassable cliff 2,000 to 4,000 feet high. There are 

 ^.^\^\% acres in the tract, most of it fertile soil. On this reservation 

 are two settlements, Kalaupapa and Kalawa, and all known lepers 

 are compelled to reside at one or the other of them, or else leave the 

 islands altogether. The territorial government pi'ovides quarters, 

 clothing, and provisions for all its afflicted wards, and takes the greatest 

 precautions to see that th<\v are completely isolated from the rest of 

 the islands and from the remainder of Molokai itself. The territorial 

 board of health has full conti-ol of the two settlements and a nonleper 

 can visit them only by its permission, which is exceedingly difficult 

 to obtain. As the only vessel allowed to land at the settlements is 

 the steamer chartered ])y the board, which makes a Aveekly trip 

 thither from Honolulu, it is a very easy matter to control ingress to 

 and egress from the settlements. A heavy penalty is provided for 

 other A'essels and l>oats touching or having comnumication with the 

 settlements. 



Some of the lepers were fishermen before being seized with the 

 dread disease, and they have been allowed to continue the same occu- 

 pation at the settlements. During 1903, 31 natives engaged in iishing- 

 and used 4 haul seines, 12 cast nets, 1 bag net, 1 corral net, and 9 

 si)ears. Should the tishermen secure more fish than they can dispose 

 of themselves, the board will purchase the surplus at a uniform price 

 of 5 cents per pound, and issue the same to the lepers in the settle- 

 ments in lieu of their regular meat ration. During the year 1903 the 

 hoard so purchased from the tishermen 15,028 pounds of fish. Some 

 of the lepers have private means, while others, by working for the 

 board, receive regular wages. These are in a position to purchase 

 supplies for themselves in addition to those furnished by the board, 

 and fre({uently the tishermen dispose of the choicer varieties in the 

 catch at a higher price than the, board pays. Being on the w^indward 

 side of the island and exposed to the heav}^ surf caused by the trade 

 winds, Iishing is a rather difficult and oftentimes dangerous industry 

 for a considerable part of the year, hence the number of daj's on which 

 iishing is prosecuted is but few as compared with the southern, or lec- 

 w^ard, side of the island. The season of 1903 was an especial 1}' poor 

 one for the fishermen. In 1902 they sold to the board 25,191 pounds 

 of fish, and in 1901, 20,085 pounds. ' 



Absolutely none of the fish caught by the lepers is permitted to leave 

 the reservation. Even if the fishermen were allowed to carry them 



