The Amateur Emigrant Chapter 5 - The Sick Man

Robert Louis Stevenson (0:12)

CHAPTER V. THE SICK MAN One night Jones, the young O'Reilly, and myself were walking arm in arm and briskly up and down the deck. Six bells had rung, a headwind blew chill and fitful. The fog was closing in with a sprinkle of rain, and the fog-whistle had been turned on, and now divided time with its unwelcome outcries, loud like a bull, thrilling and intense like a mosquito. Even the watch lay somewhere snugly out of sight. For some time we observed something lying black and huddled in the scuppers, which at last heaved a little and moaned aloud. We ran to the rails. An elderly man, but where the passenger or seaman it was impossible in the darkness to determine, lay groveling on his belly in the wet scuppers, and kicking feebly with his outspread toes. We asked him what was amiss, and he replied incoherently, with a strange accent and inner voice unmanned by terror, that he had cramp in the stomach, that he had been ailing all day, had seen the doctor twice, and had walked the deck against fatigue until he was overmastered and had fallen where we found him.

Jones remained by his side, while O'Reilly and I hurried off to seek the doctor. We knocked in vain at the doctor's cabin. There came no reply, nor could we find anyone to guide us. It was no time for delicacy, so we ran once more forward, and I, whipping up a ladder and touching my hat to the officer on the watch, addressed him as politely as I could. I beg your pardon, sir, but there's a man lying with bad cramp in the lace cuppers, and I can't find the doctor.

He looked at me peeringly in the darkness, and then, somewhat harshly, well, I can't leave the bridge, my man, said he.

No, sir, but you can tell me what to do, I returned. Is it one of the crew? he asked. I believe him to be a fireman, I replied.

I dare say officers are much annoyed by complaints and alarmist information from their freight of human creatures. But certainly, whether it was the idea that the sick man was one of the crew, or from something conciliatory in my address, the officer in question was immediately relieved and mollified. And speaking in a voice much freer from constraint, advised me to find a steward and dispatch him in quest of the doctor, who would now be in the smoking-room over his pipe.

One of the stewards was often enough to be found about this hour down our companion's steerage No. 2 and 3 That was his smoking-room of a night. Let me call him Blackwood. O'Reilly and I rattled down the companion, breathing hurry, and in his shirt sleeves and perched across the carpenter's bench upon one thigh, found Blackwood, a neat bright dapper-Glasgow-looking man, with a bead of an eye and a rank twang in his speech. I forget who was with him, but the pair were enjoying a deliberate talk over their pipes.

I dare say he was tired with his day's work, and eminently comfortable at that moment, and the truth is I did not stop to consider his feelings, but told my story in a breath. Stuart, said I, there's a man lying bad with cramp and I can't find the doctor. He turned upon me as pert as a sparrow, but with a black look that is the prerogative of man, and taking his pipe out of his mouth, that's none of my business, said he, I don't care. I could have strangled the little ruffian where he sat. The thought of his cabin civility and cabin tips filled me with indignation. I glanced at O'Reilly. He was pale and quivering, and looked like a salt and battery every inch of him. But we had a better card than violence.

You will have to make it your business, said I, for I was sent to you by the officer on the bridge. Blackwood was fairly tripped. He made no answer, but put out his pipe, gave me one murderous look, and set off upon his errands stralling. From that day forward, I should say, he improved to me in courtesy, as though he had repented his evil speech, and were anxious to leave a better impression.

When we got on deck again, Jones was still beside the sick man, and two or three late stragglers had gathered round, and were offering suggestions. One proposed to give the patient water, which was promptly negative. Another bade us hold him up. He himself prayed to be let lie. But as it was at least as well to keep him off the streaming decks, O'Reilly and I supported him between us. It was only my main force that we did so, and neither an easy or an agreeable duty, for he fought in his parix, and was like a frightened child, and moaned miserably when he resigned himself to our control. O, let me lie, he pleaded. I'll no get better anyway. And then with a moan that went to my heart, O, why did I come on this miserable journey?