Litchfield enquirer., 1873-02-20

5-. - -s - . and, in fact, foreigI s generally to mine, as none of the ct Ter ait ,ndants could un- fderstand them; .aIv a rs excepting one oth- CT employee Ill the nosoitai, an English Dr., or rather Sec h nan, and indeed he had more to do with the gold hunting than had). As was saying, 8, case was brought in (we- always called them cases, and numbered them, you know-this was No. l3). He was an old man, with hail as white as cotton, but face as swarthy as Jack Spaniard's. He was American. though, or at least they said so: but he was remarkable looking cuss, of what eversnation be was He had been put ashore from San Francisco schooner coasting its down to Valparaiso. He had come as passenger with another chap. a common sailor, along with him. They brought in his sea chest, a big one, and slowed 1t at the foot of his bed. I didn't quite know what to make of him at first, except that he was stark staring mad; but when Dr. McGin saw him he settled the | question at once. Inflammation of the brain, he said; but suppose he meant D. T. The sailor chap who came along with him tried mighty hard to be allowed to stay in hospital with him; but, when he found he couldn't as that was of course
 
 him away again; but that couldn't be. so I he had to content himself with the recu- lar visiting days-twice a-week. It struck me at the time that 1t was queer that he should take such fancy for staying with the patient; but as neither of them had a fgure-head that you would suspect to see come off bishop, guessed that the sail l or was afraid of his mate telling too much and wasn't far out in my guess, you bet. ..-..r'
 'I was sitting out in the verandah when he was brought in, and they put him down in the bed nearest to the window where ! was; then I first heard his voice weak and broken it was, but clear enough for me to catch what he was saying:eIat. 50 27' N,, Ion. S7o 15' W. Steady. bow keep her full-three days more if this breeze lasts. Yes, yes, I shan't forget lat. 50 27 N., lon. S7o 15' W. I shouldn't do, for / took the sights. Call the captain-he knows too-so does Row ley, and Don Pedro the nigger; but the Docs dead, and he won't share -ho, ho!"
 By this time I was by his side, and was assisting to to undress him. The sailor was there too, and I just heard him wh1s- per in the sick mans ear-.sKeep still d-n you-youll blow 1t all;' but the pa- | tient paid no attention to him or to any of us, and kept on chuckling and talking to himself, always, after bit, coming back to lat. 50 27 N., lon. 87o 15' W. Dr. | MGill came and saw him, prescribed, and he was got into the usual course-his head shaved and blistered, and some blood taken from him. This seemed to ease him, and the first night he slept alittle by snatches like; but as l passed his bed, go- | ing my last rounds, could hear him still muttering in his sleep. Lat. 50 27' N 1 lon. 87o 15' w For several days he kept much in the same state; for though the dellrium and fever seemed to get less violent, his strength declined in propor- tlon. Still he talked, though hardly above hard whisper. He had evidently been sailor, and perhaps an officer, as he was constantly giving orders as to a ships course, making or shortening sail. and once heard him growl, sWe might as well heave the long tom, and the bankers, overheard, for we shall never want them again, and then we might put into Bahia with clean decks At first I took no no- tice of his rambling talk, thinking it mere ly the effect of delirium; but the one con- stantly recurring topic at last riveted nv attention. Lat. 5 27' W. ended every ting, but beyond that he gave no sign. Some power. greater even than delirinm seemed to tie his tongue. Sometimes he spoke of going shares with Rowley and Don Pedro. Shares in what Money. no doubt; but how, what, and where? Tat. .5o 27' N., Ion. 87o 15' w. whispered the sick mans voice. My curiosity was more and more excited, the more I thought tho I there, just at the point indicated 1 found marked down in mid-ocean a solitary group of islands. This discovery reused in me the strongest anxiety to find out more; for now entertained no doubt but that the sick mans rawlings pointed to some hidden secret, the value of which I could not guess, but that it was of i'm mense value, I felt no doubt One other In the hospital, began to fancy, shared my idea! Dr. M'Gill noticed that he now came to visit the patient oftener than formerly, and would, instead of asking a few questions and passing on sit by his bedside listening to his rambling talk, and twice saw him making notein his case book, supposed of what fell from the patient Ill his raving. It was, I think, on the eighth day after his admission that he recovered consciousness; he had slept for an hour or two, and I noticed that when he opened his eyes he lay quiet, without speaking. I went up to his bed, and In moment saw that he was sensible. He looked steadily at me for a few mo- ments. and after an intellectual effort to raise himself. asked
 "'Where am I?"
 g. In the hospital at Panama, but you must keep quiet now
 ''He gave sort of groan, and then, aft CT pause, said
 Where's Bill? ?
 I'll send for him if you like ?
 Yes. be quick-quick.
 's1 sent for him, and in half an hour he was by the sick mans bedside; but he was sleeping again, and when he awoke later In the afternoon he was wandering. Sorely against his will, Bill the sailor had to leave the hospital at the usual hour. l thought at the time that the rule might have been waived, for felt certain that No. 13 (that was his number) would sink l in the night. But Dr. M'Gill would not allow it, and, of course, I had nothing to say iR the matter. At about 8 D. m.. M'Gin made his usual round, and stayed for some time by No. 13. He was now evidently sinking fast, and in all proba- bility would never againrecover conscious ness.
 ''The Doctor, when he left, told some of the attendants to put the black screens 1 round the bed, which is always done in hospitals when patient is near his last. Half an hour later M'Gill sent for me to his private room. I was rather surprised, as he had never done so before. When I entered found him sitting at a table, be- fore him some books and papers and g chart rolled up. He looked up quickly as come in, and motioned me to seat op- posite to him. After moments pause he began
 ss You have been in charge of No. 13, believe. What do you think of the easel?
 |" Very bad, sir; he'll hardly live through the night.
 "'I know that we'll enough replied M'Gill; but I mean, have you noticed anything peculiar-rery peculiaF-about