Narrative of the Life and Travels of Serjeant B——Butler, Robert
History
Narrative of the Life and Travels of Serjeant B——
Butler, Robert
Butler, Robert, 1784- -- Travel -- India; India -- Description and travel
We were a very few days here when the flux appeared amongst the men,
and made very rapid progress. I also took this trouble, which
increased upon me to a very great degree. I acknowledge myself to have
acted a very imprudent part, in not reporting myself to the doctor
sooner; but I was at last compelled to put my name into the sick list,
when I was well told of my error; and as I was found to be in a
dangerous condition, I was sent to the general hospital, where all the
worst of our men were; for the medical officers there were better
acquainted with the nature of this disease, and the accommodation was
also much better for the men. The manner in which the sick are
conveyed in this country, is as follows:--The person is put into what
is called a doolie, which is nearly in the form of one of the small
houses or boxes used in Scotland for watch-dogs, being about six feet
long, and three deep. In the middle of each side there is a door to go
out and in by, and upon the top, at each end, there is a strong ring,
through which a pole is put, and borne by four natives. I was
therefore laid in one of these doolies, and carried about half way,
when the bearers stopt. I conjectured that they were resting a little,
as it was three miles between the barrack and the hospital; but I was
rather surprised when one of them demanded some money from me. I told
him that I had nothing for him; but that I would give him something
when they carried me to the hospital. This did not at all satisfy him;
and the other bearers also became clamorous, and I began to fear they
intended me a mischief,--for they might have done what they chose with
me, as I was unable to make any resistance, being both feeble and
unarmed; but I got them to proceed, by giving signs to them that they
should be rewarded for their trouble afterward. But I never heard a
word about money when they set me down; and if I had reported them to
the general doctor, they would have been paid for their trouble with a
witness: but as they made off when I left the doolie, I said nothing
about it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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