Boon Island - Kenneth Roberts [39]
About the latter End of December, the Carpenter, a fat Man, naturally of a dull, heavy, phlegmatic Constitution, and aged about 47; always very III from his first coming on Shore, and had since lost the Use of his Feet, now, in particular, complain'd of an excessive Pain in his Back, and stiffness in his Neck; and, moreover, was almost suffocated with an Inundation of Phlegm. He soon grew Speech'less tho' retaining his Senses, and drawing near to his End, in all Apprehension, they pray'd over him; and in all Things, to the Best of their Power, were serviceable to him in his last Moments. Dying that Night, his Body remain'd in the Tent 'till the Morning, when the Master, as usual, going out in quest of Provisions, order'd the People to remove the Corps to some distance. Finding Part of a green Hide, fasten'd to a Piece
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of the Main yard, newly thrown up by the Sea; he first endeavour'd to eat it, but his Teeth made no Impression; at Noon returning, the Men importuned him to bring it into the Tent, and mincing it small, it was soon swallow'd down with a voracious Appetite. The Master, then observing the Carcass not carried off, began to expostulate warmly, demanding the Reason of their Disobedience: They excus'd themselves on the Score of Inability; he, imputing this to their Want of Spirit and Resolution, already the Cause of much Chagrin and Fatigue to him, and Mischief to themselves; he gave them a Rope, bidding them, make it Fast to the Corps, and his Spirits being still in a Ferment, he essay'd to draw it out himself, but was soon convinc'd of the Decay of his Strength, by not being able to stir it: Another however assisting, the dead Body, at length, was haul'd a few Paces from the Tent. The Master, afterwards, returning into the Tent, with his Powers enervated by this violent Exertion of himself, and his Mind oppressed with the most acute Sense of the various Miseries they were involv'd in, occasionally reinforced by the present melancholic Instance, was ready to expire with Faintness and Anguish; and placing himself so as to receive some Refreshment by Sleep, he observ'd an unusual Air of Intentness in the Countenances of all the People, when, after some Pause, Mr. Whitworth, a young Gentleman, his Mother's darling Son, delicately educated, amidst so great an Affluence, as to despite common Food, as he then, with Remorse of Conscience, acknowledg'd, began, in the Name of the Assembly, to court the Master's Concurrence in converting the Humane Carcase into the Matter of their Nourishment; and was immediately seconded by a great Majority, three only opposing, on account of their esteeming it a heinous Sin. This affair had been thus consulted, and concluded upon in the Master's Absence, and the present Method concerted of making it known by a Gentleman reputed to be much in his Favour. The Master remain'd in his former
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Posture, observing an invincible Silence, whilst they were urging their Desires with irresistible Vehemence, for nothing that ever befel him from the Day of his Birth, no not the Dread and Distress of his Soul upon quitting the Wreck, when he did not expect to live a Minute, was so amazingly Shocking as this unexpected Proposal; but, after a short Interval, resuming his Reason, and concealing his infirmity for Decency Sake, he maturely weighing all Circumstances, pronounc'd in Favour of the Majority, arguing the Improbability of its being a Sin to eat Humane Flesh in a Case of such necessity, provided they were no ways accessary to the taking away of Life. The Master then acquiesing, on Condition of throwing into the Sea the Skin, and all parts discovering it to be Humane; and receiving from Time to Time their respective Portions, according to his Prescription, the People appear'd in a Transport of Joy; but all to a Man excused themselves from engaging in so odious a Work; alledging their Inability of abiding so long in the Cold, and therefore most