{"id":"01KG8AKXGGJY95Z0CN5P9NKVTX","cid":"bafkreihnpukegyiwypmylrrscdzpdj35ogqfhzrim6i72uz52wikoqvyym","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":4839,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:15.149Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 1","source_file":"01KG89J1H7Y803CZ7X80F0QFHZ","start_line":4753,"text":"CHAPTER XXXV.\r\nVISIT FROM AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE\r\n\r\n\r\nWe had not been many days ashore, when Doctor Johnson was espied coming\r\nalong the Broom Road.\r\n\r\nWe had heard that he meditated a visit, and suspected what he was\r\nafter. Being upon the consul’s hands, all our expenses were of course\r\npayable by him in his official capacity; and, therefore, as a friend of\r\nWilson, and sure of good pay, the shore doctor had some idea of\r\nallowing us to run up a bill with him. True, it was rather awkward to\r\nask us to take medicines which, on board the ship, he told us were not\r\nneeded. However, he resolved to put a bold face on the matter, and give\r\nus a call.\r\n\r\nHis approach was announced by one of the scouts, upon which someone\r\nsuggested that we should let him enter, and then put him in the stocks.\r\nBut Long Ghost proposed better sport. What it was, we shall presently\r\nsee.\r\n\r\nVery bland and amiable, Doctor Johnson advanced, and, resting his cane\r\non the stocks, glanced to right and left, as we lay before him. “Well,\r\nmy lads”—he began—“how do you find yourselves to-day?”\r\n\r\nLooking very demure, the men made some rejoinder; and he went on.\r\n\r\n“Those poor fellows I saw the other day—the sick, I mean—how are they?”\r\nand he scrutinized the company. At last, he singled out one who was\r\nassuming a most unearthly appearance, and remarked that he looked as if\r\nhe were extremely ill. “Yes,” said the sailor dolefully, “I’m afeard,\r\ndoctor, I’ll soon be losing the number of my mess!” (a sea phrase, for\r\ndeparting this life) and he closed his eyes, and moaned.\r\n\r\n“What does he say?” said Johnson, turning round eagerly.\r\n\r\n“Why,” exclaimed Flash Jack, who volunteered as interpreter, “he means\r\nhe’s going to croak” (die).\r\n\r\n“Croak! and what does that mean, applied to a patient?”\r\n\r\n“Oh! I understand,” said he, when the word was explained; and he\r\nstepped over the stocks, and felt the man’s pulse.\r\n\r\n“What’s his name?” he asked, turning this time to old Navy Bob.\r\n\r\n“We calls him Jingling Joe,” replied that worthy.\r\n\r\n“Well then, men, you must take good care of poor Joseph; and I will\r\nsend him a powder, which must be taken according to the directions.\r\nSome of you know how to read, I presume?”\r\n\r\n“That ere young cove does,” replied Bob, pointing toward the place\r\nwhere I lay, as if he were directing attention to a sail at sea.\r\n\r\nAfter examining the rest—some of whom were really invalids, but\r\nconvalescent, and others only pretending to be labouring under divers\r\nmaladies, Johnson turned round, and addressed the party.\r\n\r\n“Men,” said he, “if any more of you are ailing, speak up, and let me\r\nknow. By order of the consul, I’m to call every day; so if any of you\r\nare at all sick, it’s my duty to prescribe for you. This sudden change\r\nfrom ship fare to shore living plays the deuce with you sailors, so be\r\ncautious about eating fruit. Good-day! I’ll send you the medicines the\r\nfirst thing in the morning.”\r\n\r\nNow, I am inclined to suspect that with all his want of understanding,\r\nJohnson must have had some idea that we were quizzing him. Still, that\r\nwas nothing, so long as it answered his purpose; and therefore, if he\r\ndid see through us, he never showed it.\r\n\r\nSure enough, at the time appointed, along came a native lad with a\r\nsmall basket of cocoa-nut stalks, filled with powders, pill-boxes,\r\nand-vials, each with names and directions written in a large, round\r\nhand. The sailors, one and all, made a snatch at the collection, under\r\nthe strange impression that some of the vials were seasoned with\r\nspirits. But, asserting his privilege as physician to the first reading\r\nof the labels, Doctor Long Ghost was at last permitted to take\r\npossession of the basket.\r\n\r\nThe first thing lighted upon was a large vial, labelled—“For\r\nWilliam—rub well in.”\r\n\r\nThis vial certainly had a spirituous smell; and upon handing it to the\r\npatient, he made a summary internal application of its contents. The\r\ndoctor looked aghast.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 1"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJJFY2HXAXH018FSHPPHP","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1H7Y803CZ7X80F0QFHZ","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKXGGV8ZN7NJVVAK0RFNV","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:19.984Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:27.311Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}