Sister Dolorosa, and Posthumous FameAllen, James Lane
Religion
Sister Dolorosa, and Posthumous Fame
Allen, James Lane
Kentucky -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
"As it was expected that the steamer would reach the island about dawn
on Saturday morning, as usual, it had been arranged that many of us
should be at the landing-place to give her welcome. But about midnight
one of the terrific storms which visit this region suddenly descended,
enveloping the heavens, that had been full of the light of the stars, in
impenetrable darkness. We were sleepless with apprehension that the
vessel would be driven upon the rocks--such was the direction of the
storm--long before it could come opposite the villages: and a few hours
before day Father Damien, accompanied by Father Conradi, Brother James,
and Brother Joseph, went down to the coast. Through the remaining hours
of the night they watched and waited, now at one point, and now at
another, knowing that the vessel could never land in such a storm. As
the dawn broke they followed up the coast until they came opposite that
rocky point of which I have already spoken as being an irregular
landing-place.
"Here they were met by two or three men who were drenched with the sea,
and just starting towards the villages, and from them they learned that,
an hour or two before, the steamer had been driven upon the hidden rocks
of the point. It had been feared that it would soon be sunk or dashed to
pieces, and as quickly as possible a boat had been put off, in which
were the leper girls that were being brought from Honolulu. There was
little hope that it would ever reach the shore, but it was the last
chance of life. In this boat, dear Mother, Sister Dolorosa also was
placed. Immediately afterwards a second boat was put off, containing the
others that were on board.
"Of the fate of the first boat they had learned nothing. Their own had
been almost immediately capsized, and, so far as they knew, they were
the sole survivors. The Hawaiians are the most expert of swimmers, being
almost native to the sea; and since the distance was short, and only
these survived, you will realise how little chance there was for any
other.
"During the early hours of the morning, which broke dark and
inexpressibly sad for us, a few bodies were found washed ashore, among
them those of two leper girls of Honolulu. But our search for her long
proved unavailing. At length Father Damien suggested that we follow up
the ravine which I have described, and it was thither that he and
Brother Joseph and I accordingly went. Father Damien thought it well
that I should go with them.
"It was far inland, dear Mother, that at last we found her. She lay
outstretched on a bare, black rock of lava, which sloped upward from the
sea. Her naked white feet rested on the green moss that fringed its
lower edge, and her head was sheltered from the burning sun by branches
of ferns. Almost over her eyes--the lids of which were stiff with the
salt of the ocean--there hung a spray of white poppies. It was as though
nature would be kind to her in death.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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