The Washington times., 1894-05-20
A Death on Deck and Funeral on the
Amazon.
MINGLED PATHOs AND COMEDY
Contents Of the Captains Medicine Chest and
It's Indiscriminate Method Of Application.
Brazilian Burial Ceremony-scant Care
for the Sick on River Boats.
WRITTEN FOR THE TrMEsl

of 900 miles in about three days. To obtain
the full advantage of the strong currents the
downward steamers take the middle Of the
broad river, SO that the return trip loses some
of the interest attaching to the journey up
where the ships hug the shore.
One always meets the sea breezes which are
almost constantly blowing westerly, making
the long, hot days less oppressive. We put in
the hours lounging in pajamas and slippers
on steamer chairs or swinging in hammocks
under the ships awnings, only going below
when it rained, or when the ships crew were
washing down decks with the hose, which is
one thing u ship captain thinks he must do
every day, no matter If the decks are burned
clean by hot sun or have been washed for
the previous twenty-four hours by a heavy
sea.
The ships of the Booth line serve the meals
on deck when in the Amazon; passengers
will also be very apt to avoid the close state
rooms, ard avail ofthe privilege and conveni-
ent hooks placed to swing his hammock above
at night.
A greater part of the long days and even
ings is occupied in listening to the captain
spinning yarns for the entertainment OF the
passengers. Whether entertaining or not, one
is obliged to hear, as it is not possible to take
ones hat and walk off the ship with q polite
''boa noite."
Ithappened that young Portuguese gentle
man and myself were two quite sick passen-
gers. both OF whom had to be carried aboard,
while the third, the United States consular
agent ut Manaos, who had entirely lost his
health, and was going abroad with hope of
recovery, was yet able TO be about. This sick
trio comprised the entire passenger list. but
luckily we had for n captain one OF tho heart
,act 7 ~ oil
mandants of the Booth feet, whom l need not
name, rs he will be recognized generally by
the part he took in the story which actually
occurred on board his ship.
The English ships to the Amazon are more
properly cargo boats, though all have good
accommodations for a few passengers. They
do not carry n doctor or a purser. The cap
tain is supposed to be doctor, being sup
piled with Il medicine chest and book of di-
rections as to their use. If. however. Il vessel
has stormy passage at sea, the chest, which
is always on the cabin floor, rolls about,
sometimes mixing up the medicines in n man
ner that will outdo the most efficient prescrip-
tion clerk of a country drug store.
The captain-doctor does not seem to think
it of the least importance what he admins
tiers to the sailor who may come aft with n wry
face to make sick excuses to relieve himself
of duty. If poor Jack should be really suffer-
ing with rheumatism from exposure, he Is
10 peI Il OF dil elnellc. whichever
comes handy. The captain thinks he can
always diagnose a sailors complaint. He
goes away satisfied at having .'taken some
thing, in addition to the curses OF his doc
tor. A captain once said to my inquiries:
"0h, you can't kill a sailor with medicine.
He won't feel it if you give him bucketful."
It's different with passenger patient. The
sick Portuguese on board had brought along
with him quite an assortment of his own med
icines. He was q handsome young fellow of
twenty-five. who could not speak word Of
English. Though quite weak, and seemingly
suffering greatly, he smiled gratefully in
acknowledgment Of our sympathetic interest.
Our captain could not. of course, diagnose the
disease. as he spoke but little of the sick
mans language. The United States consular
agent, who had long been resident. acted as
an interpreter, but even this gentleman was
unable to tell exactly from what the young
man was suffering. At least neither the cap
tain nor the consul told me- though have
always believed it was yellow fever
l was obliged to look on as Il ahelpless wit
ness to the young fellows terrible sufrerings
At times he would lose his mind, writhing in
the agony OF paroxysms, crying out frantic
ally for medicine. The ships steward stood
by the captains side. holding bottles. glasses,
and spoons. from one or the other of which
he would indiscriminately administer spoon
fuls, as he said, Just to soothe him." l no.
ticed that one of the bottles was of that
peculiar dark-green glass, covered with paper
used to protect the contents from the light.
NV impression is that the cover indicated the
Portuguese label for an acid. Whatever it was
can never be known. as IL was thrown over
board. as all such evidences of malpractice at
sea may, but it seemed to be favorite medi- |
cine of the half-delirious man, who, in his
shrieks, pointed to it like u crying child. |
They gave il to him straight, and in as large |
doses as if it were a harmless soothing syrup. |
When l ventured to observe that it was a
powerful remedy that required to be largely
diluted with water, the captain. taking the |
bottle and holding it up to the light, as If to |
measure the remaining contents, observed |
carelessly:
"Oh, he's got it nearly all now."
''But," l said, ''that stuff will kill even |
sailor
well, he wants it all the time and we may |
rs well let him have everything he wants. as |
he's going to die anyhow"
l became sick, and turning away from the |
sad scene, nervously paced the deck alone,
whether l should fall victim to |
that sort of treatment while alone on this |
broad Amazon, thousands Of miles from |
proper medical aid. The poor fellow, contin-
ually tossing about in his hammock, would !
give Shrek like Comanche |
Indian on the warpath. waking echoes in the |
silent wilderness that sent the cold chlils |
down my back.
He had all the attention that was possible to
give sick passenger to whom we could not |
talk. The young English steward was
kind, and stood by constantly to
hold him during his paroxysms. / was
obliged to look on sympathetically, shudder-
ing with every quiver of his frame as he tossed
in his hammock. the hands swinging about
wildly, while he talked incessantly in his
own language. He realized that he must
die. no doubt, and perhaps it was his last
words to his friends that fell upon strange
but sympathetic ears and hearts. The God
of all nations heard the dying prayers, though
uttered in a language unknown to those near
him.
/ realized that if in my weak condition | had
gone on up the river as intended, perhaps it
would have become my fate to SO suffer
amongst his people, who would not have un-
ierstood my dying words. Ones feelings
nay be imagined under such circumstances.
1ut not described. turned my face. and, look
ng up to the starry skies that always seem so
,lose to US in this latitude, breathed silent
PRAYER in another tongue that God would re-
,eive the departing spirit: also of deep thank
illness that my steps had been turned back
ward toward home, where L might regain
health. and be of further use in this world.
When l looked again the arms that had
,een thrown about so wildly clutching the
lir were Yet outstretched over the hammock
ide, the hands tightly clencied, but they
we're still now, as ii in the frantic gropi,g in
he dark they had been clasped by an unseen
land. The life, the vital spark, had passed
rom the suffering body. Heaven is Just as
lear. and the same to those people on tine
he other side of the earth's surface as il is
o US.
Sad rs this lonely death on the Amazon
nay seem, there was yet u humorous ending.
The question of disposing of the body was
ne which at once concerned our energetic
aptain.
The poor fellows eyes had scarcely been
losed to the light when the captain, still
tanding near the body. gave orders to pre-