So far as I could learn the particulars of their previous history, they had lived flagitiously loose lives; such as must have corrupted their blood long before they became lepers.

In some other cases of native lepers I came upon similar histories; and while I do not believe that every case, or indeed perhaps a majority of cases, involves such a previous career of vice, I should say that this is certainly a strongly predisposing cause.
As to the danger of infection to a foreign visitor, there is absolutely none, unless he should undertake to live in native fashion among the natives, smoking out of their pipes, sleeping under their tapas, and eating their food with them; and even in such an extreme case his risk would be very slight now, so thoroughly has the disease been "stamped out" by the energetic action of Mr.Hall, the Minister of the Interior, Mr.
Samuel G.Wilder, the head of the Board of Health, and Dr.Trousseau, its physician.

In short, there is no more risk of a white resident or traveler catching leprosy in the Hawaiian Islands than in the city or State of New York.
[Illustration: NATIVE PIPE.

NECKLACE OF HUMAN HAIR.] I have heard one reason given why this disease has been more frequent in the last ten years.

Ten or twelve years ago the Islands were visited by smallpox.