West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1897-02-11
CHAPTER V.
TIRE sIuP's DocroR.


In every ship sent out with convict,
tho prisoners were under tho charge ol
the doctor sent along at government ex.
pense. His authority was supreme. Hc
represented the government We of tho
Hindu did no. catch sight Of our doctor
until the last moment before sailing.
and the sight Of him gavo as q surprise
Why, Ralph, the authorities must
be blind or crazy TO send such IA man
along with a gang like this" growled
Captain CLARK after the man had intro
duced himself and walked away.
He was young man, not over two
and twenty, u medical student, or Just
graduated, and we marked him down
nc once for a man without any spirit.
i may as we'll tell you that he had Sc
cured the place through tho influence OF
relatives, and that he had but a faint
idea of the burdens and responsibilities
of the position. he had had some little
medical practice in the charity hospi.
tails and had perhaps been told that all
he would have TO do on shipboard would
be to prescribe EPSON salts or blue mass
and see that the convicts swallowed the
same.
why, we'll have a row before we
ere fairly clear of the land " continued
the captain, who had pretty thoroughly
posted himself us TO matters aboard OF a
convict ship while we were fitting oat.
I'm good mind to cast off, come to
anchor and demand that ho be replaced
by an old baud -
protested against such O step, argu-
ing that the authorities knew their bust.
ness and must have confidence in the
man they had put aboard; but, 70 tell
you the truth. had little faith in my
own words Supper was the first meal
to be served TO the conviots We had n
double galley on deck, with two cooks.
and the convicts were TO DO supplied
with government provisions. It was for
the doctor 10 see that things were prop
eriy cooked, TO set the hours for the
meals and TO take general charge OF the
provisions while Oh deck. The cages, as
have tcld you, We're built one in rear
OF the otlsar, beginning at the fo'castle
bulkhead. The gangs of convicts were
numbered 1, 2 and 3, and each had its
captain or boss. Every man was SUD-
piled with tin plate and CUP. The
first gang to come up was No. l. A la1-
der which was kept on deck when not
III use was let down through the fore
hatch into space between the first two
cages. Two men stood there with mus
kets, and the doctor unlocked the door
and called TO the men TO come out in
line. headed By their captain AS they
passed up they marched to the galley.
placed cup and plate on a shelf outside
Of sliding window, and the cook gave
them their food and drink. Then the
line marched around the galley and de-
scended TO its cage TO eat the meal.
Thus. only one gang was On deck at a
time.
/ am telling you how things went
with doctor who knew his business
and how they did go with as after a
time. but that first meal settled all
doubts as TO what sort of a man our doc
tor was. He had to call upon the can
tain 10 post him, and when he learned
that he must go down and unlock the
iron doors it was plain to see that he
had no more nerve than woman. I
very much doubt il ms would have put
foot on the ladder IL the second mate
hadn't shown him the way and tho cap
tain given him q hard rub about his
eowsrdice. As told you, we had seven
regular gusrdR Had the doctor been
the right sort Of a man this force would
have been sufficient. Knowing that the
conviets would size him up for COW
ard, the captain ordered two of the crew
Below with the guards and armed two
more for the deck.
Things passed OFF all right, so far az
having the convicts up and down again.
but suoh Of us as wero closely watching
the fellows made sure that they had tax
en the DOCTORS dimensions. I looked
every one Of the so full in the face. and
though / laid no claim to being o pbysi.
oguOInist, decided for myself that we
might az well have had GO red handed
pirates aboard. The idea of boy at
tempting TO govern such a gang would
have brought O smile had 1 been ashore
and clear Of consequences.
The passengers had q table to them.
selves, while the three officers OF the
snip and tho doctor ate at "A smaller
one. We did not have our supper until
after the cOnvicts had been served.
Captain Clark was not a man to niucs
words WITH any man living, though ne
was neither brutal nor lacking In good
manners. he had seen enough to war
rant bin IN opening the subject with
tho doctor, and they wero scarcely seat
cd Of che table When he led oil with:
Row, then, I suppose this is your
first voyage as doc, 0r2''
Yes, FIR. "
and / suppose you have had no OK.
periehce whatever with couvicts
sehoro?'
- Not the slightest "
And yet you are expected 10 have
The government Of 60 as desperate vii.
iain8 as ever wore chains-see through
all their schemes and plans, tbwart any
attempt st nutiny, find work for them
every day for four or five months, pan.
ish The refractory, look out for sickness
oisd land tho gang safe at Botany Bay. Z"
Why, I didn't know that an that
was expected Of mep exclaimed fhe
young man in tones Of sunrise and
fright ~ didn't know that ] wonld
ever come in contact with a convict *.
cept be needed medical services
believe your name is Haxt0nFp
soldig quefied the captain.
Yes, sir--Coicboster Hazton.
''Wcll, mr. Hauon, you arc not only
Che biggest fool 81 has been my roiefor.
tuno % encounter bot whoever heIr,od
WEIf - ff.t.r