andersonville-第58部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


men；　the　place　was　kept　reasonably　clean　and　orderly　for　Andersonville。

There　was　also　some　improvement　in　the　food。　　Rice　in　some　degree
replaced　the　nauseous　and　innutritious　corn　bread；　and　if　served　in
sufficient　quantities；　would　doubtless　have　promoted　the　recovery　of　many
men　dying　from　dysenteric　diseases。　　We　also　received　small　quantities　of
〃okra；〃　a　plant　peculiar　to　the　South；　whose　pods　contained　a
mucilaginous　matter　that　made　a　soup　very　grateful　to　those　suffering
from　scurvy。

But　all　these　ameliorations　of　condition　were　too　slight　to　even　arrest
the　progress　of　the　disease　of　the　thousands　of　dying　men　brought　out
from　the　Stockade。　　These　still　wore　the　same　lice…infested　garments　as
in　prison；　no　baths　or　even　ordinary　applications　of　soap　and　water
cleaned　their　dirt…grimed　skins；　to　give　their　pores　an　opportunity　to
assist　in　restoring　them　to　health；　even　their　long；　lank　and　matted
hair；　swarming　with　vermin；　was　not　trimmed。　　The　most　ordinary　and
obvious　measures　for　their　comfort　and　care　were　neglected。　　If　a　man
recovered　he　did　it　almost　in　spite　of　fate。　　The　medicines　given　were
scanty　and　crude。　　The　principal　remedial　agentas　far　as　my　observation
extendedwas　a　rank；　fetid　species　of　unrectified　spirits；　which；　I　was
told；　was　made　from　sorgum　seed。　　It　had　a　light…green　tinge；　and　was
about　as　inviting　to　the　taste　as　spirits　of　turpentine。　　It　was　given　to
the　sick　in　small　quantities　mixed　with　water。　　I　had　had　some　experience
with　Kentucky　〃apple…jack；〃　which；　it　was　popularly　believed　among　the
boys；　would　dissolve　a　piece　of　the　fattest　pork　thrown　into　it；　but　that
seemed　balmy　and　oily　alongside　of　this。　　After　tasting　some；　I　ceased　to
wonder　at　the　atrocities　of　Wirz　and　his　associates。　　Nothing　would　seem
too　bad　to　a　man　who　made　that　his　habitual　tipple。

＇For　a　more　particular　description　of　the　Hospital　I　must　refer　my　reader
to　the　testimony　of　Professor　Jones；　in　a　previous　chapter。＇

Certainly　this　continent　has　never　seenand　I　fervently　trust　it　will
never　again　seesuch　a　gigantic　concentration　of　misery　as　that　Hospital
displayed　daily。　　The　official　statistics　tell　the　story　of　this　with
terrible　brevity：　There　were　three　thousand　seven　hundred　and　nine　in　the
Hospital　in　August；　one　thousand　four　hundred　and　eighty…ninenearly
every　other　man　died。　　The　rate　afterwards　became　much　higher　than　this。

The　most　conspicuous　suffering　was　in　the　gangrene　wards。　　Horrible　sores
spreading　almost　visibly　from　hour　to　hour；　devoured　men's　limbs　and
bodies。　　I　remember　one　ward　in　which　the　alterations　appeared　to　be
altogether　in　the　back；　where　they　ate　out　the　tissue　between　the　skin
and　the　ribs。　　The　attendants　seemed　trying　to　arrest　the　progress　of　the
sloughing　by　drenching　the　sores　with　a　solution　of　blue　vitriol。　　This
was　exquisitely　painful；　and　in　the　morning；　when　the　drenching　was　going
on；　the　whole　hospital　rang　with　the　most　agonizing　screams。

But　the　gangrene　mostly　attacked　the　legs　and　arms；　and　the　led　more　than
the　arms。　　Sometimes　it　killed　men　inside　of　a　week；　sometimes　they
lingered　on　indefinitely。　　I　remember　one　man　in　the　Stockade　who　cut　his
hand　with　the　sharp　corner　of　a　card　of　corn　bread　he　was　lifting　from
the　ration　wagon；　gangrene　set　in　immediately；　and　he　died　four　days
after。

One　form　that　was　quit　prevalent　was　a　cancer　of　the　lower　one　corner　of
the　mouth；　and　it　finally　ate　the　whole　side　of　the　face　out。　　Of　course
the　sufferer　had　the　greatest　trouble　in　eating　and　drinking。　　For　the
latter　it　was　customary　to　whittle　out　a　little　wooden　tube；　and　fasten
it　in　a　tin　cup；　through　which　he　could　suck　up　the　water。　　As　this　mouth
cancer　seemed　contagious；　none　of　us　would　allow　any　one　afflicted　with
it　to　use　any　of　our　cooking　utensils。　The　Rebel　doctors　at　the　hospital
resorted　to　wholesale　amputations　to　check　the　progress　of　the　gangrene。

They　had　a　two　hours　session　of　limb…lopping　every　morning；　each　of　which
resulted　in　quite　a　pile　of　severed　members。　　I　presume　more　bungling
operations　are　rarely　seen　outside　of　Russian　or　Turkish　hospitals。
Their　unskilfulness　was　apparent　even　to　non…scientific　observers　like
myself。　　The　standard　of　medical　education　in　the　Southas　indeed　of
every　other　form　of　educationwas　quite　low。　　The　Chief　Surgeon　of　the
prison；　Dr。　Isaiah　White；　and　perhaps　two　or　three　others；　seemed　to　be
gentlemen　of　fair　abilities　and　attainments。　　The　remainder　were　of　that
class　of　illiterate　and　unlearning　quacks　who　physic　and　blister　the　poor
whites　and　negros　in　the　country　districts　of　the　South；　who　believe　they
can　stop　bleeding　of　the　nose　by　repeating　a　verse　from　the　Bible；　who
think　that　if　in　gathering　their　favorite　remedy　of　boneset　they　cut　the
stem　upwards　it　will　purge　their　patients；　and　if　downward　it　will　vomit
them；　and　who　hold　that　there　is　nothing　so　good　for　〃fits〃　as　a　black
cat；　killed　in　the　dark　of　the　moon；　cut　open；　and　bound　while　yet　warm；
upon　the　naked　chest　of　the　victim　of　the　convulsions。

They　had　a　case　of　instruments　captured　from　some　of　our　field　hospitals；
which　were　dull　and　fearfully　out　of　order。　　With　poor　instruments　and
unskilled　hands　the　operations　became　mangling。

In　the　Hospital　I　saw　an　admirable　illustration　of　the　affection　which　a
sailor　will　lavish　on　a　ship's　boy；　whom　he　takes　a　fancy　to；　and　makes
his　〃chicken；〃　as　the　phrase　is。　　The　United　States　sloop　〃Water　Witch〃
had　recently　been　captured　in　Ossabaw　Sound；　and　her　crew　brought　into
prison。　　One　of　her　boysa　bright；　handsome　little　fellow　of　about
fifteenhad　lost　one　of　his　arms　in　the　fight。　　He　was　brought　into　the
Hospital；　and　the　old　fellow　whose〃chicken〃　he　was；　was　allowed　to
accompany　and　nurse　him。　　This　〃old　barnacle…back〃　was　as　surly　a　growler
as　ever　went　aloft；　but　to　his　〃chicken〃　he　was　as　tender　and　thoughtful
as　a　woman。　　They　found　a　shady　nook　in　one　corner；　and　any　moment　one
looked　in　that　direction　he　could　see　the　old　tar　hard　at　work　at
something　for　the　comfort　and　pleasure　of　his　pet。　　Now　he　was　dressing
the　wound　as　deftly　and　gently　as　a　mother　caring　for　a　new…born　babe；
now　he　was　trying　to　concoct　some　relish　out　of　the　slender　materials　he
could　beg　or　steal　from　the　Quartermaster；　now　trying　to　arrange　the
shade　of　the　bed　of　pine　leaves　in　a　more　comfortable　manner；　now
repairing　or　washing　his　clothes；　and　so　on。

All　the　sailors　were　particularly　favored　by　being　allowed　to　bring　their
bags　in　untouched　by　the　guards。　　This　〃chicken〃　had　a　wonderful　supply
of　clothes；　the　handiwork　of　his　protector　who；　like　most　good　sailors；
was　very　skillful　with　the　needle。　　He　had　suits　of　fine　white　duck；
embroidered　with　blue　in　a　way　that　would　ravish　the　heart　of　a　fine
lady；　and　blue　suits　similarly　embroidered　with　white。　　No　belle　ever
kept　her　clothes　in　better　order　than　these　were。　　When　the　duck　came　up
from　the　old　sailor's　patient　washing　it　was　as　spotless　as　new…fallen
snow。

I　found　my　chum　in　a　very　bad　condition。　　His　appetite　was　entirely　gone；
but　he　had　an　inordinate　craving　for　tobaccofor　strong；　black　plug
which　he　smoked　in　a　pipe。　　He　had　already　traded　off　all　his　brass
buttons　to　the　guards　for　this。　　I　had　accumulated　a　few　buttons　to　bribe
the　guard　to　take　me　out　for　wood；　and　I　gave　these　also　for　tobacco　for
him。　　When　I　awoke　one　morning　the　man　who　laid　next　to　me　on　the　right
was　dead；　having　died　sometime　during　the　night。　　I　searched　his　pockets
and　took　what　was　in　them。　　These　were　a　silk　pocket　handkerchief；　a
gutta　percha　finger…ring；　a　comb；　a　pencil；　and　a　leather　pocket…book；
making　in　all　quite　a　nice　little　〃find。〃　　I　hied　over　to　the　guard；　and
succeeded　in　trading　the　personal　estate　which　I　had　inherited　from　the
intestate　deceased；　for　a　handful　of　peaches；　a　handful　of　hardly　ripe
figs；　and　a　long　plug　of　tobacco。　　I　hastened　back　to　Watts；　expecting
that　the　figs　and　peaches　would　do　him　a　world　of　good。　　At　first　I　did
not　show　him　the　tobacco；　as　I　was　strongly　opposed　to　his　using　it；
thinking　that　it　was　making　him　much　worse。　　But　he　looked　at　the
tempting　peaches　and　figs　with　lack…luster　eyes；　he　was　too　far　gone　to
care　for　them。　　He　pushed　them　back　to　me；　saying　faintly：

〃No；　you　take　'em；　Mc；　I　don't　want　'em；　I　can't　eat　'em！〃

I　then　produced　the　tobacco；　and　his　face　lighted　up。　　Concluding　that
this　was　all　the　comfort　that　he　could　have；　and　that　I　might　as　well
gratify　him；　I　cut　up　some　of　the　weed；　filled　his　pipe　and　lighted　it。
He　smoked　calmly　and　almost　happily　all　the　afternoon；　hardly　speaking　a
word　to　me。　　As　it　grew　dark　he　asked　me　to　bring　him　a　drink。　　I　did　so；
and　as　I　raised　him　up　he　said：

〃Mc；　this　thing's　ended。　　Tell　my　father　that　I　stood　it　as　long　as　I
could；　and〃

The　death　rattle　sounded　in　his　throat；　and　when　I　laid　him　back　it　was
all　over。　　Straightening　out　his　limbs；　folding　his　hands　across　his
breast；　and　composing　his　features　as　best　I　could；　I　lay；　down　beside
the　body　and　slept　till　morning；　when　I　did　what　little　else　I　could
toward　preparing　for　the　grave　all　that　was　left　of　my　long…suffering
little　friend。




CHAPTER　XLVII。

DETERMINATION　TO　ESCAPEDIFFERENT　PLANS　AND　THEIR　MERITSI　PREFER　THE
APPALACHICOLA　ROUTEPREPARATIONS　FOR　DEPARTUREA　HOT　DAYTHE　FENCE
PASSED　SUCCESSFULLY　PURSUED　BY　THE　HOUNDSCAUGHT
RETURNED　TO　THE　STOCKADE。

After　Watt's　death；　I　set　earnestly　about　seeing　what　could　be　done　in
the　way　of　escape。　　Frank　Harvey；　of　the　First　West　Virginia　Cavalry；
a　boy　of　about　my　own　age　and　disposition；　joined　with　me　in　the　scheme。
I　was　still　possessed　with　my　original　plan　of　making　my　way　down　the
creeks　to　the　Flint　River；　down　the　Flint　River　to　where　it　emptied　into
the　Appalachicola　River；　and　down　that　stream　to　its　debauchure　into　the
bay　that　connected　with　the　Gulf　of　Mexico。　　I　was　sure　of　finding　my　way
by　this　route；　because；　if　nothing　else　offered；　I　could　get　astride　of　a
log　and　float　down　the　current。　　The　way　to　Sherman；　in　the　other
direction；　was　long；　torturous　and　difficult；　with　a　fearful　gauntlet　of
blood…hounds；　patrols　and　the　scouts　of　Hood's　Army　to　be　run。　　I　ha