{"id":"01KG8AMJBAQAD6N0M7GPDR34R6","cid":"bafkreidbapcr6yz7ju7chq3lvb7inyf4ywwdgb2b34psmj2byq53fd5xyi","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":5336,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:36.270Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 3","source_file":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","start_line":5267,"text":"their shoulders.\r\n\r\nAt a sign from the Captain, John, with a shameless leer, advanced, and\r\nstood passively upon the grating, while the bare-headed old\r\nquarter-master, with grey hair streaming in the wind, bound his feet to\r\nthe cross-bars, and, stretching out his arms over his head, secured\r\nthem to the hammock-nettings above. He then retreated a little space,\r\nstanding silent.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile, the boatswain stood solemnly on the other side, with a green\r\nbag in his hand, from which, taking four instruments of punishment, he\r\ngave one to each of his mates; for a fresh “cat” applied by a fresh\r\nhand, is the ceremonious privilege accorded to every man-of-war\r\nculprit.\r\n\r\nAt another sign from the Captain, the master-at-arms, stepping up,\r\nremoved the shirt from the prisoner. At this juncture a wave broke\r\nagainst the ship’s side, and clashed the spray over his exposed back.\r\nBut though the air was piercing cold, and the water drenched him, John\r\nstood still, without a shudder.\r\n\r\nThe Captain’s finger was now lifted, and the first boatswain’s-mate\r\nadvanced, combing out the nine tails of his _cat_ with his hand, and\r\nthen, sweeping them round his neck, brought them with the whole force\r\nof his body upon the mark. Again, and again, and again; and at every\r\nblow, higher and higher rose the long, purple bars on the prisoner’s\r\nback. But he only bowed over his head, and stood still. Meantime, some\r\nof the crew whispered among themselves in applause of their ship-mate’s\r\nnerve; but the greater part were breathlessly silent as the keen\r\nscourge hissed through the wintry air, and fell with a cutting, wiry\r\nsound upon the mark. One dozen lashes being applied, the man was taken\r\ndown, and went among the crew with a smile, saying, “D——n me! it’s\r\nnothing when you’re used to it! Who wants to fight?”\r\n\r\nThe next was Antone, the Portuguese. At every blow he surged from side\r\nto side, pouring out a torrent of involuntary blasphemies. Never before\r\nhad he been heard to curse. When cut down, he went among the men,\r\nswearing to have the life of the Captain. Of course, this was unheard\r\nby the officers.\r\n\r\nMark, the third prisoner, only cringed and coughed under his\r\npunishment. He had some pulmonary complaint. He was off duty for\r\nseveral days after the flogging; but this was partly to be imputed to\r\nhis extreme mental misery. It was his first scourging, and he felt the\r\ninsult more than the injury. He became silent and sullen for the rest\r\nof the cruise.\r\n\r\nThe fourth and last was Peter, the mizzen-top lad. He had often boasted\r\nthat he had never been degraded at the gangway. The day before his\r\ncheek had worn its usual red but now no ghost was whiter. As he was\r\nbeing secured to the gratings, and the shudderings and creepings of his\r\ndazzlingly white back were revealed, he turned round his head\r\nimploringly; but his weeping entreaties and vows of contrition were of\r\nno avail. “I would not forgive God Almighty!” cried the Captain. The\r\nfourth boatswain’s-mate advanced, and at the first blow, the boy,\r\nshouting “_My God! Oh! my God!_” writhed and leaped so as to displace\r\nthe gratings, and scatter the nine tails of the scourge all over his\r\nperson. At the next blow he howled, leaped, and raged in unendurable\r\ntorture.\r\n\r\n“What are you stopping for, boatswain’s-mate?” cried the Captain. “Lay\r\non!” and the whole dozen was applied.\r\n\r\n“I don’t care what happens to me now!” wept Peter, going among the\r\ncrew, with blood-shot eyes, as he put on his shirt. “I have been\r\nflogged once, and they may do it again, if they will. Let them look for\r\nme now!”\r\n\r\n“Pipe down!” cried the Captain, and the crew slowly dispersed.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 3"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJRBPHFFD3WM83WT59YBT","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AMJBAFZJMKR62CWJCQCEX","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AMJBAC8224VQ50EX4JRSP","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:41.322Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:46.841Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}