andersonville-第115节

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a　hose；　and　then　I　started　down　in　the　hold　to　see　how　matters　were　with
the　six　hundred　down　there。　　The　boys　there　were　much　sicker　than　those
on　deck。　　As　I　lifted　the　hatch　there　rose　an　odor　which　appeared　strong
enough　to　raise　the　plank　itself。　　Every　onion　that　had　been　issued　to　us
in　Wilmington　seemed　to　lie　down　there　in　the　last　stages　of
decomposition。　　All　of　the　seventy　distinct　smells　which　Coleridge
counted　at　Cologne　might　have　been　counted　in　any　given　cubic　foot　of
atmosphere；　while　the　next　foot　would　have　an　entirely　different　and
equally　demonstrative　〃bouquet。〃

I　recoiled；　and　leaned　against　the　bulwark；　but　soon　summoned　up　courage
enough　to　go　half…way　down　the　ladder；　and　shout　out　in　as　stern　a　tone
as　I　could　command：

〃here；　now！　　I　want　you　fellows　to　straighten　around　there；　right　off；
and　help　clean　up！〃

They　were　as　angry　and　cross　as　they　were　sick。　　They　wanted　nothing　in
the　world　so　much　as　the　opportunity　I　had　given　them　to　swear　at　and
abuse　somebody。　　Every　one　of　them　raised　on　his　elbow；　and　shaking　his
fist　at　me　yelled　out：

〃O；　you　go　to　；　you　　　。　　Just　come　down　another　step；
and　I'll　knock　the　whole　head　off　'en　you。〃

I　did　not　go　down　any　farther。

Coming　back　on　the　deck　my　stomach　began　to　feel　qualmish。　　Some　wretched
idiot；　whose　grandfather's　grave　I　hope　the　jackasses　have　defiled；　as
the　Turks　would　say；　told　me　that　the　best　preventive　of　sea…sickness　was
to　drink　as　much　of　the　milk　punch　as　I　could　swallow。

Like　another　idiot；　I　did　so。

I　went　again　to　the　side　of　the　vessel；　but　now　the　fascination　of　the
scene　had　all　faded　out。　　The　restless　billows　were　dreary；　savage；
hungry　and　dizzying；　they　seemed　to　claw　at；　and　tear；　and　wrench　the
struggling　ship　as　a　group　of　huge　lions　would　tease　and　worry　a　captive
dog。　　They　distressed　her　and　all　on　board　by　dealing　a　blow　which　would
send　her　reeling　in　one　direction；　but　before　she　had　swung　the　full
length　that　impulse　would　have　sent　her；　catching　her　on　the　opposite
side　with　a　stunning　shock　that　sent　her　another　way；　only　to　meet
another　rude　buffet　from　still　another　side。

I　thought　we　could　all　have　stood　it　if　the　motion　had　been　like　that　of
a　swing…backward　and　forwardor　even　if　the　to　and　fro　motion　had　been
complicated　with　a　side…wise　swing；　but　to　be　put　through　every　possible
bewildering　motion　in　the　briefest　space　of　time　was　more　than　heads　of
iron　and　stomachs　of　brass　could　stand。

Mine　were　not　made　of　such　perdurable　stuff。

They　commenced　mutinous　demonstrations　in　regard　to　the　milk　punch。

I　began　wondering　whether　the　milk　was　not　the　horrible　beer　swill；
stump…tail　kind　of　which　I　had　heard　so　much。

And　the　whisky　in　it；　to　use　a　vigorous　Westernism；　descriptive　of　mean
whisky；　it　seemed　to　me　that　I　could　smell　the　boy's　feet　who　plowed　the
corn　from　which　it　was　distilled。

Then　the　onions　I　had　eaten　in　Wilmington　began　to　rebel；　and　incite　the
bread；　meat　and　coffee　to　gastric　insurrection；　and　I　became　so　utterly
wretched　that　life　had　no　farther　attractions。

While　I　was　leaning　over　the　bulwark；　musing　on　the　complete　hollowness
of　all　earthly　things；　the　Captain　of　the　vessel　caught　hold　of　me
roughly；　and　said：

〃Look　here；　you're　just　playin'　the　very　devil　a…commandin'　these　here
men。　　Why　in　　don't　you　stiffen　up；　and　hump　yourself　around；　and
make　these　men　mind；　or　else　belt　them　over　the　head　with　a　capstan　bar！
Now　I　want　you　to　'tend　to　your　business。　　D'you　understand　me？〃

I　turned　a　pair　of　weary　and　hopeless　eyes　upon　him；　and　started　to　say
that　a　man　who　would　talk　to　one　in　my　forlorn　condition　of　〃stiffening
up；〃　and　〃belting　other　fellows　over　the　head　with　a　capstan　bar；〃　would
insult　a　woman　dying　with　consumption；　but　I　suddenly　became　too　full　for
utterance。

The　milk　punch；　the　onions；　the　bread；　and　meat　and　coffee　tired　of
fighting　it　out　in　the　narrow　quarters　where　I　had　stowed　them；　had
started　upwards　tumultuously。

I　turned　my　head　again　to　the　sea；　and　looking　down　into　its　smaragdine
depths；　let　go　of　the　victualistic　store　which　I　had　been　industriously
accumulating　ever　since　I　had　come　through　the　lines。

I　vomited　until　I　felt　as　empty　and　hollow　as　a　stove　pipe。　　There　was　a
vacuum　that　extended　clear　to　my　toe…nails。　　I　feared　that　every　retching
struggle　would　dent　me　in；　all　over；　as　one　sees　tin　preserving　cans
crushed　in　by　outside　pressure；　and　I　apprehended　that　if　I　kept　on　much
longer　my　shoe…soles　would　come　up　after　the　rest。

I　will　mention；　parenthetically；　that；　to　this　day　I　abhor　milk　punch；
and　also　onions。

Unutterably　miserable　as　I　was　I　could　not　refrain　from　a　ghost　of　a
smile；　when　a　poor　country　boy　near　me　sang　out　in　an　interval　between
vomiting　spells：

〃O；　Captain；　for　God's　sake；　stop　the　boat　and　lem'me　go　ashore；　and　I
swear　I'll　walk　every　step　of　the　way　home。〃

He　was　like　old　Gonzalo　in　the　'Tempest：'

　　　　　Now　world　I　give　a　thousand　furlongs　of　sea　for　an　acre　of　barren
　　　　　ground；　long　heath；　brown　furze；　anything。　　The　wills　above　be　done！
　　　　　but　I　would　fain　die　a　dry　death。

After　this　misery　had　lasted　about　two　days　we　got　past　Cape　Hatteras；
and　out　of　reach　of　its　malign　influence；　and　recovered　as　rapidly　as　we
had　been　prostrated。

We　regained　spirits　and　appetites　with　amazing　swiftness；　the　sun　came
out　warm　and　cheerful；　we　cleaned　up　our　quarters　and　ourselves　as　best
we　could；　and　during　the　remainder　of　the　voyage　were　as　blithe　and
cheerful　as　so　many　crickets。

The　fun　in　the　cabin　was　rollicking。　　The　officers　had　been　as　sick　as
the　men；　but　were　wonderfully　vivacious　when　the　'mal　du　mer'　passed　off。
In　the　party　was　a　fine　glee　club；　which　had　been　organized　at　〃Camp
Sorgum；〃　the　officers'　prison　at　Columbia。　　Its　leader　was　a　Major　of　the
Fifth　Iowa　Cavalry；　who　possessed　a　marvelously　sweet　tenor　voice；　and
well　developed　musical　powers。　　While　we　were　at　Wilmington　he　sang　〃When
Sherman　Marched　Down　to　the　Sea；〃　to　an　audience　of　soldiers　that　packed
the　Opera　House　densely。

The　enthusiasm　he　aroused　was　simply　indescribable；　men　shouted；　and　the
tears　ran　down　their　faces。　　He　was　recalled　time　and　again；　each　time
with　an　increase　in　the　furore。　　The　audience　would　have　staid　there　all
night　to　listen　to　him　sing　that　one　song。　　Poor　fellow；　he　only　went
home　to　die。　　An　attack　of　pneumonia　carried　him　off　within　a　fortnight
after　we　separated　at　Annapolis。

The　Glee　Club　had　several　songs　which　they　rendered　in　regular　negro
minstrel　style；　and　in　a　way　that　was　irresistibly　ludicrous。　　One　of
their　favorites　was　〃Billy　Patterson。〃　　All　standing　up　in　a　ring；　the
tenors　would　lead　off：

　　　　　　　　　　〃I　saw　an　old　man　go　riding　by；〃

and　the　baritones；　flinging　themselves　around　with　the　looseness　of
Christy's　Minstrels；　in　a　〃　break　down；〃　would　reply：

　　　　　　　　　　Don't　tell　me！　　Don't　tell　me！〃

Then　the　tenors　would　resume：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Says　I；　Ole　man；　your　horse'll　die。'

Then　the　baritones；　with　an　air　of　exaggerated　interest；

　　　　　　　　　　〃A…ha…a…a；　Billy　Patterson！〃

Tenors：

　　　　　　　　　　〃For。　　It　he　dies；　I'll　tan　his　skin；
　　　　　　　　　　An'　if　he　lives　I'll　ride　him　agin；〃

All…together；　with　a　furious　〃break　down〃　at　the　close：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Then　I'll　lay　five　dollars　down；
　　　　　　　　　　And　count　them　one　by　one；
　　　　　　　　　　Then　I'll　lay　five　dollars　down；
　　　　　　　　　　If　anybody　will　show　me　the　man
　　　　　　　　　　That　struck　Billy　Patterson。〃


And　so　on。　　It　used　to　upset　my　gravity　entirely　to　see　a　crowd　of　grave
and　dignified　Captains；　Majors　and　Colonels　going　through　this
nonsensical　drollery　with　all　the　abandon　of　professional　burnt…cork
artists。

As　we　were　nearing　the　entrance　to　Chesapeake　Bay　we　passed　a　great
monitor；　who　was　exercising　her　crew　at　the　guns。　　She　fired　directly
across　our　course；　the　huge　four　hundred　pound　balls　shipping　along　the
water；　about　a　mile　ahead　of　us；　as　we　boys　used　to　make　the　flat　stones
skip　in　the　play　of　〃Ducks　and　Drakes。〃　　One　or　two　of　the　shots　came　so。
close　that　I　feared　she　might　be　mistaking　us　for　a　Rebel　ship　intent　on
some　raid　up　the　Bay；　and　I　looked　up　anxiously　to　see　that　the　flag
should　float　out　so　conspicuously　that　she　could　not　help　seeing　it。

The　next　day　our　vessel　ran　alongside　of　the　dock　at　the　Naval　Academy　at
Annapolis；　that　institution　now　being　used　as　a　hospital　for　paroled
prisoners。　　The　musicians　of　the　Post　band　came　down　with　stretchers　to
carry　the　sick　to　the　Hospital；　while　those　of　us　who　were　able　to　walk
were　ordered　to　fall　in　and　march　up。　　The　distance　was　but　a　few　hundred
yards。　　On　reaching　the　building　we　marched　up　on　a　little　balcony；　and
as　we　did　so　each　one　of　us　was　seized　by　a　hospital　attendant；　who；　with
the　quick　dexterity　attained　by　long　practice；　snatched　every　one　of　our
filthy；　lousy　rags　off　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye；　and　flung　them　over
the　railing　to　the　ground；　where　a　man　loaded　them　into　a　wagon　with　a
pitchfork。

With　them　went　our　faithful　little　black　can；　our　hoop…iron　spoon；　and
our　chessboard　and　men。

Thus　entirely　denuded；　each　boy　was　given　a　shove　which　sent　him　into　a
litt