Patrick O'Brian - Desolation island

"Make a lane, there," he said, addressing the penguins as he hurried Stephen down the road that countless generations of the birds had made.

"Now, Mr Allan," said Stephen in the boat, "what is all this haste? Is there news of this dreadful war do we hear that it has broken ouff

"God forbid, sir," said Allan. "There is my brother in the States, ran from Hermione, though bosun's mate and ripe for a warrant; and I don't want to point no gun at him. No: all I know is the Captain seemed mortal anxious to see you.

The anxiety in Jack's face diminished somewhat as Stephen walked in. Lie laid the case before him, and after thinking for a while Stephen said, "Perhaps the best course would be to let Herapath have his way. lie very much

wishes to go aboard the whaler. The visit is natural; he is under an obligation to the ship; he is a fellow countryman. Let him go, and I believe good will come of it."

"But would he ever come back? I cannot spare even such a landsman as Herapath - he can heave at a pump in an emergency, or haul on a rope. The whaler can sail off whenever she wishes: she will never have to winter here and maybe freeze or starve to death. She is homeward bound, Stephen - think of that! And even if the Leopard were in perfect order, it would not be pleasant for him to have to serve with us, if war breaks out."

"I will answer for his coming back, if for no other reason than that he is an honourable creature: he has a strong sense of duty, and he is very sensible of your having preserved his life and of having promoted him. He has often mentioned it in the course of the voyage, the last time only yesterday. He will certainly return."

"Yes: he seems a very decent sort of a man," said Jack. "Very well: let us send for him. Killick, pass the word for Mr Herapath."

"Mr Herapath, I understand that you wish to visit the whaler, and you have my permission to go. You are no doubt aware that there is a great deal of ill feeling between the United States and England, and that most unhappily the Leopard was the cause of some of it: that is why I thought best to forbid the usual ship-visiting, to prevent quarrelling of any kind. You also know the Leopard's condition: one day's use of a forge and the proper tools would enable her to put to sea rather than winter here. The whaler certainly possesses a forge, but as a gentleman you will understand that I am extremely reluctant to ask a favour of the American skipper, extremely reluctant to expose the service or myself to a rebuff. I may add that he is equally reluctant to come a-begging to me, and I honour him for it. However, on reflection he may feel inclined to exchange the use of his forge for our medical services. You may give him a view of the situation, but without committing

us to any specific request - harkee, Mr Herapath, don't you expose us to an affront, whatever you do. And if it should turn out that he would like the exchange, why, I should be very much obliged to you. Very much obliged indeed, for I should be even more reluctant to use force."

"Surely, sir, you could never do that?" cried Herapath.

"I should find it abhorrent. Anything that might increase the ill-feeling would be abhorrent to me: I utterly detest the notion of a war between the two countries. But necessity is law, and I have my duty to the ship and to the people, particularly the women who may have to winter in her otherwise, with all that wintering means. However, let us hope it don't come to that. Pray see what you can do to prevent such a state of affairs: there are almost no terms that I should refuse. And by the way, Mr Herapath, I remember your telling me that you were an Americancitizen: I need not say that if you had anything of the air of a rat that leaves a sinking ship, I should not allow you to go.

Herapath left, stayed an hour, and returned. "Sir," he said, "I scarcely know what to report. I found Mr Putnam confined to his bed, and at times the pain from his jaw made him incoherent. The mates are his cousins and part owners, and they too had their say. I am sorry to have to tell you, sir, that the feeling against England is very strong indeed. They do have a forge, but Mr Putnam and Reuben swore that no Englishman should ever set foot in their ship: the other two were less violent. The one with the horribly swollen leg and his brother were in favour of an accommodation; they spoke of the health of the crew in very serious terms, and I saw some cases that shocked me. Mr Putnam wavered, and in one bout of pain he desired me to draw the tooth straight away. I told him that I had no instruments with me, and that I must return to consult with my chief."

"Very good, Mr Herapath" said Jack. "I see that you have done all that is proper: well fare ye, my lad, as we

say.' Herapath gave a forced smile, and Stephen, watching his strained face, with its slightly hangdog expression, was convinced that he had not confined himself to the forge and the whalers' health. "Well now," said Jack, "here is your chief. I shall leave you to talk about physic and pills."

"Dr Maturin," said Herapath, when they were alone, ,may I beg you to come with me, if only to give advice? There are men in the whaler far, far beyond my competence. You have taught me the symptoms and treatment of the usual diseases, but here are cases I have never seen. Frostbitten toes that their late surgeon amputated and that are now blue and green, perhaps gangrenous; a harpoonwound that had gone bad; and what I take to be a strangury, as well as . . . I could not even deal with the Captain's tooth, which he has mangled horribly with pincers. And all the time they looked at me with such confidenceindeed, they very much wished me to go with them, and offered me what they call a full doctor's share. I should never have represented myself as an assistantsurgeon; I feel extremely guilty."

"Oh, you would do very well, once things were set in order," said Stephen. "I have known many young fellows who have walked the wards with far less knowledge than yourself. You are a reading man, and with Blane and Lind to refer to, and a decent medicine-chest, you would do very well. Your conscience is too nice: I have noticed this before."

"Will you go with me, sir? I have mentioned that you come from Ireland, and that you are a friend to independence: you would be most heartily welcomed, I know. Heartily welcomed, and I am sure that Mr Putnam would agree to any fee you might choose to name, although he will never ask Captain Aubrey for your services."

"I have never firked a fee out of any man," said Stephen, frowning. "Recollect yourself, Mr Herapath. All we want is the use of his forge. And Captain Aubrey will no more ask for it than Mr Putnam will ask for the Leopard's

surgeon. A foolish, foolish situation. Each, as an individual, would pull the other out of the water; each would succour the other, even at considerable danger to himself. But each, as the representative of his tribe, will batter the other with great guns and small; sink, burn and destroy at the drop of a hat. A foolish, foolish situation, that must be dealt with by men of sense, not by gamecocks stalking about on stilts and high horses. Come to my cabin.'There he opened his locker and said, "Which tooth does it be?"

"This one," said Herapath, opening his mouth and pointing.

"Hm," said Stephen, picking out a grisly instrument and clapping its laws. "Still, we had better take the whole shooting-match. There are sure to be several more, with scurvy aboard. Retractors. Catlins. Perhaps a few little saws: yes, a selection of these capital Swedish-steel saws. Bone-rasp, just in case. Now physic. What is the condition of their medicine-chest, Mr Herapath?"

"They have emptied it, sir, apart from a little lint."

"Of course. just so. Calomel on top of physic-nuts, no doubt, with cassia and James's powders to send it down. Small wonder they are sickly.' When he had filled his bag he said, "We must have someone to row us over. It will never do to have trembling hands, if we are to operate.