MY LEPER FRIENDS.
[Illustration:
_Photo. by Walery._ _Frontispiece._
Alice Hayes]
MY LEPER FRIENDS.
AN ACCOUNT OF
PERSONAL WORK AMONG LEPERS, AND OF THEIR
DAILY LIFE IN INDIA.
BY MRS. M. H. HAYES.
WITH A CHAPTER ON LEPROSY,
BY SURGEON-MAJOR G. G. MACLAREN, M.D.
_ILLUSTRATED._
LONDON:
W. THACKER AND CO., 87, NEWGATE STREET.
CALCUTTA: THACKER, SPINK AND CO.
BOMBAY: THACKER AND Co., LIMITED.
1891.
PREFACE.
The objects I had in view when writing this book were to interest the
public in the white lepers who are homeless in India, and to obtain
money for the “Leper Fund” which I raised, and which is now being
administered by the Very Reverend Archdeacon Michell of Calcutta. My
publishers, Messrs. Thacker & Co., 87, Newgate Street, E.C., have
kindly consented to forward to this gentleman any profit that may
accrue from the sale of the book, which, on this account, I trust will
be large. I venture to think that, apart from the good intent, all
classes of readers will find this small work worthy of perusal, in that
it is a series of true pictures of a very sad phase of human misery,
namely, the inner life of sufferers whom I have known so well and have
cared for so much, that I can in all sincerity call them “My Leper
Friends.”
I hear, with deep regret, that, since my departure from India,
subscriptions to the “Leper Fund” have decreased. As it is the means
of brightening the lives of the most wretched of all human beings,
I would appeal to the generosity of the public to support it by
sending contributions to Archdeacon Michell, Calcutta, who personally
superintends the distribution of the fund. I may mention that aid is
given without any distinction as to creed.
My best thanks are due to Dr. G. G. MacLaren for his sympathy in my
labours, and for his kindness in writing a chapter on leprosy for this
book. I, also, am glad of this opportunity of expressing my great
indebtedness to “Brother John,” who was my fellow-worker among the
lepers and in the hospitals of Calcutta.
I shall be happy to answer inquiries on this subject. My address is,
care of Messrs. W. Thacker & Co., 87, Newgate Street, London, E.C.
ALICE HAYES.
LONDON, _3rd September, 1891_.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
CHAPTER I.
Settling in Calcutta--Our “Sporting News” 1-4
CHAPTER II.
Brother John--Mr. McGuire--Government officials--The
leper asylum--An Irish woman--The Jewess--Daisy
and Bella--A death scene--Eurasian lepers 5-23
CHAPTER III.
The account I wrote--Bridget--An official visit to
the lepers 24-33
CHAPTER IV.
Newspaper criticism--“Truth” and Mr. Prinsep--“The
Queen” 34-38
CHAPTER V.
Efforts to comfort--Our subscription fund--Improvements 39-47
CHAPTER VI.
Miss O’Brien--Amateur actors--A performance in
aid of our fund 48-55
CHAPTER VII.
White lepers--Dr. MacLaren--Heat and misery 56-62
CHAPTER VIII.
Need for a home for European and Eurasian lepers--Our
public meeting 63-73
CHAPTER IX.
Hope--Kate Reilly 74-80
CHAPTER X.
Archdeacon Michell--Disposal of our fund--The
leper cat--The idiot boy 81-88
CHAPTER XI.
The nuns of Loretto Convent 89-94
CHAPTER XII.
Medicine--No warm baths--An ugly looking-glass--Christmas-day
in the Leper Asylum--The leper boy--Mr.
Bailey 95-111
CHAPTER XIII.
Lepers in Bombay--A lecture at the Sorosis Club--Our
departure from India 112-119
CHAPTER XIV.
Remarks on Leprosy, by Surgeon-major G. G. MacLaren,
M.D. 120-127
MY LEPER FRIENDS.
CHAPTER I.
SETTLING IN CALCUTTA--OUR “SPORTING NEWS.”
In the early summer of 1888 my husband and I found ourselves enjoying
a well-earned holiday in Japan. He, I may explain, writes books about
horses, which have rendered his name widely known among English
readers; and having a special talent for making these animals conform
to his wishes, he conceived the idea of going on a tour, with the
object of teaching all he knew about “breaking” to those interested in
the subject. In England, horses, as a rule, are so well “made” that the
equine instructor finds much difficulty in illustrating his lessons.
But abroad the case is very different. In India he had, during the
year he was there, hundreds of buck-jumpers, man-eaters, jibbers,
and other refractory creatures, the subjugation of which gained him
great credit, as well as a goodly sum of money. Even in China, from
which we had just come, there were plenty of examples among the sturdy
Mongolian ponies to test his skill and patience. When a horse or pony,
which previously would not allow anyone to mount him, was reduced to
obedience in an hour or two, a side-saddle was usually put on him, and
then I mounted him, took up the reins, put him through his paces, and
jumped him over some improvised fences. Although our work “caught on”
wherever we went, it proved somewhat monotonous, and I longed for a
settled home after this continued round of hotel and steamer life. My
husband wanted to go to California, and then on to New York, while I
suggested India, where I had spent a pleasant time in the indulgence
of my then hobby--theatricals. In those days I looked upon my dear
old teachers--Mr. Hermann Vezin, Mr. John MacLean, and Miss Glyn
Dallas--as the greatest of man and womankind, and thought more of a
favourable notice in some obscure local print of my acting, than of
the praise in the _Field_ and _Graphic_ accorded to my riding, when
my husband gave a performance at Neasden, near London, in aid of the
funds for the “Home of Rest for Horses.” Knowing what a charm novelty
had for my husband, and wishing to get back to India, I suggested the
advisability of his going to Calcutta and starting there a sporting
paper, which, with his name as editor, would be sure to draw! My
counsel proved so acceptable that I had only barely time to pack up
my boxes and get them on board the French mail, for which my husband
had taken tickets. We arrived at Calcutta, started our paper, and, in
a short time, settled down to our work as journalists. This came easy
to my husband, as he had been connected with the press for many years,
and not very difficult to me, as I was deeply interested in the success
of our venture, and had been accustomed, during my travels, to write
articles for various papers. My _rôle_ on our _Sporting News_ was that
of dramatic and musical critic, as well as that of describing events
of passing interest, with a certain dash of sporting flavour, from a
lady’s point of view. The habit of observation which was forced on me
probably sobered down my thoughts a good deal; for I was gradually
led to pay more and more attention to the sadder aspects of human
life, which were but too common around me. In India, I found death was
such an intimate acquaintance that his terrors, in the case of others,
were too often regarded with callous indifference; and that the fact
of the English residents being but temporary sojourners made them
disinclined to support permanent charitable institutions, although they
are extremely liberal, at the time, when personally appealed to, in the
cause of suffering humanity. With the view of counteracting the apathy
displayed by the local public towards its institutions for the good of
the poor, and to furnish readable “copy” to our paper, I began a series
of articles called “Calcutta Charities.” One day while I was writing,
my husband came back from a visit to an old broken-down jockey, who
used, many years ago, to ride for him, and who was then living in the
Calcutta Almshouse. He told me all he had seen in this institution, and
I became so interested in it that I resolved to call and see its female
inmates.