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- 11387
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:14.843Z
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- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 11318
- text
- personal uncleanliness, brought on a malignant fever.
The first report was, that two persons were affected. No sooner was it
known, than the mate promptly repaired to the medicine-chest in the
cabin: and with the remedies deemed suitable, descended into the
steerage. But the medicines proved of no avail; the invalids rapidly
grew worse; and two more of the emigrants became infected.
Upon this, the captain himself went to see them; and returning, sought
out a certain alleged physician among the cabin-passengers; begging him
to wait upon the sufferers; hinting that, thereby, he might prevent the
disease from extending into the cabin itself. But this person denied
being a physician; and from fear of contagion—though he did not confess
that to be the motive—refused even to enter the steerage. The cases
increased: the utmost alarm spread through the ship: and scenes ensued,
over which, for the most part, a veil must be drawn; for such is the
fastidiousness of some readers, that, many times, they must lose the
most striking incidents in a narrative like mine.
Many of the panic-stricken emigrants would fain now have domiciled on
deck; but being so scantily clothed, the wretched weather—wet, cold,
and tempestuous—drove the best part of them again below. Yet any other
human beings, perhaps, would rather have faced the most outrageous
storm, than continued to breathe the pestilent air of the steerage. But
some of these poor people must have been so used to the most abasing
calamities, that the atmosphere of a lazar-house almost seemed their
natural air.
The first four cases happened to be in adjoining bunks; and the
emigrants who slept in the farther part of the steerage, threw up a
barricade in front of those bunks; so as to cut off communication. But
this was no sooner reported to the captain, than he ordered it to be
thrown down; since it could be of no possible benefit; but would only
make still worse, what was already direful enough.
It was not till after a good deal of mingled threatening and coaxing,
that the mate succeeded in getting the sailors below, to accomplish the
captain’s order.
The sight that greeted us, upon entering, was wretched indeed. It was
like entering a crowded jail. From the rows of rude bunks, hundreds of
meager, begrimed faces were turned upon us; while seated upon the
chests, were scores of unshaven men, smoking tea-leaves, and creating a
suffocating vapor. But this vapor was better than the native air of the
place, which from almost unbelievable causes, was fetid in the extreme.
In every corner, the females were huddled together, weeping and
lamenting; children were asking bread from their mothers, who had none
to give; and old men, seated upon the floor, were leaning back against
the heads of the water-casks, with closed eyes and fetching their
breath with a gasp.
At one end of the place was seen the barricade, hiding the invalids;
while—notwithstanding the crowd—in front of it was a clear area, which
the fear of contagion had left open.
“That bulkhead must come down,” cried the mate, in a voice that rose
above the din. “Take hold of it, boys.”
But hardly had we touched the chests composing it, when a crowd of
pale-faced, infuriated men rushed up; and with terrific howls, swore
they would slay us, if we did not desist.
“Haul it down!” roared the mate.
But the sailors fell back, murmuring something about merchant seamen
having no pensions in case of being maimed, and they had not shipped to
fight fifty to one. Further efforts were made by the mate, who at last
had recourse to entreaty; but it would not do; and we were obliged to
depart, without achieving our object.
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