Page:Off For Hawaii.djvu/46

34, he regaled us with stories concerning this little-known portion of the globe.

"The islands are twelve in number, but only eight are worthy of mention," he said. "The largest by far is Hawaii, on which the volcano exists. It is about ninety miles long by seventy miles wide. North of it is Maui, next in size but much smaller, and then to the northwest come Molokai, Oahu, Kauai, and Niihau. West of Maui lie Lanai and several smaller islands, including one upon which is located a leper settlement, which, fortunately, is gradually dying out."

"Gracious! we don't want anything to do with lepers!" cried Dan.

"You won't get near them—unless you visit the island on purpose," returned the doctor. "As you know, Honolulu is situated on a beautiful bay on the south shore of Oahu. It is the principal city, and has steamship connections with the United States, China, Japan, Australia, and other important countries."

"And what of the population of the islands?" I asked. "Do the Americans or the Kanakas rule?"

"Neither. Of the Caucasian race there are Americans, Englishmen, Frenchmen, and Germans, and these together rule at present. But there are a great number of Kanakas, Chinese, and Japanese, as well as a mixed-up class of no