Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-11-15
A DRINK FOR LIFE OR DEATH.

in the TIL regiment; and my company
formed part of the garrison at Arcot.
Life in barracks in India is very dull
and | have often wondered that
British soldiers out here are, on the
whole. such II steady, well-behaved
lot OF lads. Compare a soldiers life in
a small Indian station with being
quartered even at Malta or Gibraltar,
and either of these places will seem
like Paradise; though the Rock is by
no means popular, and is always
called a prison by the troops for the
time being a garrison there.
Well, we found Arcot horribly dull,
and ii was with great satisfaction that
we heard an order had been given for
our company 10 march to Nedore to
strengthen the garrison there, which
had been very much reduced by
cholera.
1t was then about the middle of
March, and consequently later than is
usual for moving troops, as the days
began to get very hot on the plains in
the Carnatic about that time OF the
year. But ours was special duty; and
as we should only march in the very
early morning we did not fear the in
convenience of the midday heat but
looked upon the whole thing as rather
lark, and welcome change from
the monotony of garrison duty. AS to
the cholera, not one of us gave it a
thought. Not likely it would touch
one of u.s.
1t was on the second day after leav-
ing Arcot, that Private Thomas Atkins,
who was my right file, suddenly had to
fall out. | expected him to rejoin the
ranks before long; but did not trouble
myself about his absence. 1t was not
until we reached camp, and had finish
ed breakfast that | heard anything
more about him.
i then learnt that he was buried!
knew cholera was awfully sudden
in its attacks and effects, but had not
imagined the possibility of its carrying
off h althy man quite so rapidly. OF
course immediate interment must take
place in case of death on the line of
march. | had liked Atkins much, but
fancy his death and burial were so
sudden that the rest of us failed To
realize the truth of what had happened
10 our comrade, and half expected to
see him turn up again. Anyhow, we
soon forgot the incident
Late in the afternoon | was listening
10 a description of Vellore by one of
our fellows who had been there, and
specializing on the chance of seeing
the crocodiles which Tippoo Suit had
placed in the moat round the fort, as
the best possible sentinels TO prevent
prisoners from escaping or any Of his
troops attempting to desert, when sud
denly i felt spasms and sickness.
"HOlloa! Old fellow, how blue you
look.' remarked IA companion sitting
next TO me; and as he spoke my COM
rades shrank, terror-stricken from
me. 1t needed no doctor to tell what
was the matter. The cholera had
seized me!
| was hastily conveyed TO the
temporary hospital, where our assist
ant surgeon already had several cases
of the disease under treatment, and l
was laid on charpoy., | rapidly
passed from the first to the second
stage of that malady, and by nine
o'clock at night the incessant vomiting
and purging had reduced me to condi-
ton of weakness approaching insensi-
bility. / was consumed by IA burning,
raging thirst, but the dresser Disregard
ed all my entreaties for drink of wa
ter. The system OF treatment for
cholera in those days allowed
the patient nothing more than just TO
have the fps moistened occasionally
with weak brandy and water; and this
supply aggravated the torture of thirst.
Nowadays champagne is given. and
the sufferer is allowed TO drink freely.
The hospital was, OF course, only a
pandal, hastily constructed with
palmyra leaves, with a cuscus mat at
the entrances at each end. Two large
chatties of water were placed just out
side each entrance, from which coolie
from time TO time threw pannikinful
on the cuscus faiths, SO that the wind.
blowing through the wet mats, might
cool the temperature inside the pandal.
This result certainly was attained, but
at the cost of intensifying the pangs of
the patients, whose thirst was tanta-
lized by hearing the splashing of the
water.
had begged, sworn and menaced
at intervals, but no one paid the
slightest heed TO me; and / was sink
ing into that condition of topor which
10 OllC VI TIC
and fatal stage of cholera when /
heard voices in the pandal. The
assistant surgeon was making his last
round for the night, accompanied by
the hospital dresser. With violent
effort / reused myself, and eagerly lis
tened for their approach. wanted to
hear my fate pronounced.
They stopped at length where lay,
and the doctor examined my body.
"Mottled." / heard him remark to
the dresser. was nearly deafened by
the singing or rather drumming in my
ears, so / lay perfectly motionless, so
as not TO let a single word of what they
might say escape me. il possible.
''He is insensible already" the doc.
tor continued, land will not last long.
So Wetherall will make ski"
make SKIP" said TO myself; make
six what?" "Six corpses, of course,
for burial at Daylight to- morrow morn
ing" voice seemed to laugh out, with
fiendish exultation.
The dresser said something which /
could not distinctly hear, but the an
swer enlightened me as to the subject
Al.