The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-01-29
AMONG THE DEAD.

The conversation turned on yellow fever,
end gave my experience:
q have had the fever more than once
that is, if the opinion of surgeon be worth
anything. You see, gentlemen, it was this
way: had had the fever in New Orleans
in 1S53-bad case, so the doctor said-but
recovered, and, after drifting around the
world, brought up in the harbor of Ha-
vana one fine day in June, first mate of a
trim little bark
I'm those days there was a yellow fever
hospital there and in the season merchant
vessels crews were taken by NJ Jacques at
so much a head, by contractI If taken
sick, they were cured or killed-generally
the latter-without further charge, but if
no contract was made why, you paid by
the day; but, if i'll, go to the hospital you
must, by a Spanish ordinance.
'tWell, you see our boys commenced to
go under, first one and then another, until
had hardly any one left, and to end this
part was lugged off myself to the Beglas.'
They broke the fever on me, when began.
to get so hungry L could have eaten don
key, 1 think; but it was no use. Soup,
gentlemen a very little bread, and that
was all. 1 complained to the house sur
geon- He spoke of relapse, fatal results,
ETC., but was not satisfied with that, so
watched my chance and got piece of cake
one night at ~ O'Clock. Never did any
thing taste good. Then went to sleep
''Old Down Below, as the sailors called
him, used to come round every morning at
10 O'Clock, and when he entered my ward
I was the first one he visited.
g You have been eating, said he de-
MED it, but he didn' t believe me and passed
on with the cheering remark that I was
dead man laughed, but soon after be-
gan to feel queer. The servant looked very
impertinent, and became oblivious to all
surroundings in my attempt to correct him.
Il became conscious that evening when
some one lifted up my eyelid and then said:
Take him out. It's no use 1t flashed
on me in n second that they were to take
me out to die. When zoo or 500 are dying
daily, they can't waste their time with
theIn-at least they think they can't. I
had seen many go the same road, and they
never came back So L felt the cool nighs
breeze first, and then that sensation that is
indescribable but inseparable from a dead
house. l was put down on my stretcheE
and left there to die, and I knew it. Pret-
ty soon they brought in another one-hs
was raying-and then another one in the
same condition We were given up, and
there was no time to waste on US. The
first one, IN his delirium, managed to get
across my body, and there died. My brain
never was SO clear as it was that night,
and after the other one was dead, which
soon happened, lived my life over again.
''The old songs used to sing came back
to me, and 1 could sing them, SO to speak,
internally. Scenes long forgotten passed
in review, and, after had gone through il
all I thought that it was years that I had
lain there, it seemed so long since left
the bark-so long since I had heard any
one speak. Gentlemen, lived 10, 900 years
that night. 1 could feel my hand against
my side as you feel with your hand asleep,
as you term it. I could feel the dead man
across me- as though he were pressing some
one else, and then by and by slight rose
ate hue took my eyelids. What was it? ]
could not open them. Was it the transla-
ton of the soul to the other, the great I'M
known, world beyond the dark river?
thought so. 1 was not afraid I thought,
I am dead
1.-THE hue became more intense-it was
the sun-and with it came the ca rriers of
the dead. Men dying with Yellow Jack
must be buried soon, and so they bury
early those who die during the night.
was the first in. would be the last out.
81 heard the steps of the negroes as they
became fainter in their retreat, and as
they became louder in their advance fe1e
the stretcher lifted up, the oscillating mo-
ton as they bore me along, when, like q
flash of lightning, came the conviction
that was not dead. 1 could not move
/ tried in vain to open my eyes. I prayed
that they would cast their eyes upon me,
but felt they would not. I could not see,
but knew they were not looking at me.
1 have heard the word agony used, gentle
men, but never appreciated it until that
moment. 1 never felt the meaning of it
until then. Was L to be buried alive? How
long before it would be over? Would they
walk over my head, and could then hear
them? Did the earth transmit sound YER
tically as well as horizontally? And how
long before it would be all over?
AT last one carrier made q misstep, the
stretcher canted to one side and my head
dropped down. They noticed that-then
my face. They dropped the stretcher and
went away. Soon the surgeon came.
q Take him back, - said he. IN try
what I can do
81 had no pulse. My heart did not beat.
They poured something down my throat.
1t cut its way down like thread of fire.
1t increased in dimensions-that warm
feeling-and soon in pleasant swoon
lost all sense of everything 1 awoke to-
ward evening and could open my eyes.
could move. When the surgeon spoke, he
merely said:
g You were saved by Is feet, my boy
In two weeks I was aboard the ship
again, and was the only one left Of Is.
81 did not feel it yet, the horrible thing
I had gone through, until they reported
the death of the captain. Died in the
deadhouse, they said Buried this morn
ing. Then 1 got out of my berth, gentle
men, and 1 believe if ever q sincere prayer
was offered to the throne of heavenly
grace it was mine that night on board
that vessel in the harbOr of Havana. -
Exchange.
The Science of Medicine,