impossible to carry some of them on the deck, without imminent danger of
their lives: but, as we likewise knew it would be to no purpose for us
to remonstrate against it, we repaired to the quarter-deck in a body,
to see this extraordinary muster; Morgan observing by the way, that the
captain was going to send to the other world a great many evidences to
testify against himself. When we appeared upon deck, the captain bade
the doctor, who stood bowing at his right hand, look at these lazy
lubberly sons of bitches, who were good for nothing on board but to
eat the king's provision, and encourage idleness in the skulkers. The
surgeon grinned approbation, and, taking the list, began to examine the
complaints of each as they could crawl to the place appointed. The first
who came under his cognizance was a poor fellow just freed of a fever,
which had weakened him so much that he could hardly stand. Mr. Mackshane
(for that was the doctor's name), having felt his pulse, protested he
was as well as any man in the world; and the captain delivered him over
to the boatswain's mate, with orders that he should receive a round
dozen at the gangway immediately, for counterfeiting himself sick; but,
before the discipline could be executed, the man dropped down on the
deck, and had well nigh perished under the hands of the executioner. The
next patient to be considered, laboured under a quartan ague, and,
being then in his interval of health, discovered no other symptoms of
distemper than a pale meagre countenance and emaciated body; upon which
he was declared fit for duty, and turned over to the boatswain; but,
being resolved to disgrace the doctor, died upon the forecastle next
day, during his cold fit. The third complained of a pleuritic stitch,
and spitting of blood, for which Doctor Mackshane prescribed exercise at
the pump to promote expectoration! but whether this was improper for one
in his situation, or that it was used to excess, I know not, but in less
than half-an-hour he was suffocated with a deluge of blood that
issued from his lungs. A fourth, with much difficulty, climbed to the
quarter-deck, being loaded with a monstrous ascites, or dropsy, that
invaded his chest so much, he could scarce fetch his breath; but his
disease being interpreted into fat, occasioned by idleness and excess of
eating, he was ordered, with a view to promote perspiration and enlarge
his chest, to go aloft immediately. It was in vain for this unwield