{"id":"01KG8AMDKGR52XSH4SZNR884VA","cid":"bafkreifam6yfhp77czdiv6jcp5wcxrrnikasthn3raneqcbymbfiuomq7y","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":12733,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:36.278Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 2","source_file":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","start_line":12681,"text":"tell you, is not good for the sick.\r\n\r\nBut, notwithstanding all this, notwithstanding the darkness and\r\ncloseness of the sick-bay, in which an alleged invalid must be content\r\nto shut himself up till the Surgeon pronounces him cured, many\r\ninstances occur, especially in protracted bad weather, where pretended\r\ninvalids will submit to this dismal hospital durance, in order to\r\nescape hard work and wet jackets.\r\n\r\nThere is a story told somewhere of the Devil taking down the\r\nconfessions of a woman on a strip of parchment, and being obliged to\r\nstretch it longer and longer with his teeth, in order to find room for\r\nall the lady had to say. Much thus was it with our Purser’s steward,\r\nwho had to lengthen out his manuscript sick-list, in order to\r\naccommodate all the names which were presented to him while we were off\r\nthe pitch of Cape Horn. What sailors call the “_Cape Horn fever_,”\r\nalarmingly prevailed; though it disappeared altogether when we got into\r\nthe weather, which, as with many other invalids, was solely to be\r\nimputed to the wonder-working effects of an entire change of climate.\r\n\r\nIt seems very strange, but it is really true, that off Cape Horn some\r\n“_sogers_” of sailors will stand cupping, and bleeding, and blistering,\r\nbefore they will budge. On the other hand, there are cases where a man\r\nactually sick and in need of medicine will refuse to go on the\r\nsick-list, because in that case his allowance of _grog_ must be\r\nstopped.\r\n\r\nOn board of every American man-of-war, bound for sea, there is a goodly\r\nsupply of wines and various delicacies put on board—according to\r\nlaw—for the benefit of the sick, whether officers or sailors. And one\r\nof the chicken-coops is always reserved for the Government chickens,\r\ndestined for a similar purpose. But, on board of the Neversink, the\r\nonly delicacies given to invalid sailors was a little sago or\r\narrow-root, and they did not get _that_ unless severely ill; but, so\r\nfar as I could learn, no wine, in any quantity, was ever prescribed for\r\nthem, though the Government bottles often went into the ward-room, for\r\nthe benefit of indisposed officers.\r\n\r\nAnd though the Government chicken-coop was replenished at every port,\r\nyet not four pair of drum-sticks were ever boiled into broth for sick\r\nsailors. Where the chickens went, some one must have known; but, as I\r\ncannot vouch for it myself, I will not here back the hardy assertion of\r\nthe men, which was that the pious Pelican—true to his name—was\r\nextremely fond of poultry. I am the still less disposed to believe this\r\nscandal, from the continued leanness of the Pelican, which could hardly\r\nhave been the case did he nourish himself by so nutritious a dish as\r\nthe drum-sticks of fowls, a diet prescribed to pugilists in training.\r\nBut who can avoid being suspicious of a very suspicious person?\r\nPelican! I rather suspect you still.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 2"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJVA0EMS3G19D4W00145P","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AMDKFRB5YZ6BH53HPHD3D","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:36.464Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:53.864Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}