Episode 9 Chapter 2 p.24-27
The facility appeared to be a gigantic iron cavern with vertical metal
poles spaced at regular intervals. Between the poles were suspended hammocks
three high. The passengers were all young men ranging from 14 years
to 40 years of age. It was very warm due to the closeness to the engine room;
the topless passengers were dressed only in loincloths or baggy cotton pants
rolled up to the knees. The whole room vibrated with the churning and
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hissing of the nearby engine. The room was fairly dark, except for the light
coming from a few elevated portholes and the odd oil lamp. In various areas
there were blankets suspended over ropes. These must be the toilet areas
thought Cheung. There were at least four to five hundred men crowded in
the metal cavern. Comparing these lodgings with his first ocean crossing in a
wooden-hulled ship Cheung thought yes, these metal ships have more space
but they just pack more into them. Not much had changed for passengers in
steerage. Cheung watched the effect of these sights on his son who bravely
tried to hold back his tears of compassion at seeing others endure such hardship
and suffering but the sight was almost too much for a child of twelve
with limited experience in human misery. Cheung knew it was something
that Wing must see and experience to prepare him for the future. You have
been truly fortunate my son but look and learn from these harsh realities as
fate smiles kindly on very few.
All of a sudden from the distant corner came a yell, “Up your mother’s butt
you white demon. Don’t touch me. Leave me alone.”
Wing recognized the voice as the visitors pushed through the crowd to
the injured victim. No longer holding his nose Wing rushed over to see his
friend.”My friend, are you badly hurt? I am happy to see you.”
“Wing, I am happy to see you too,” replied Loun An.
“Loun An please watch your language. My father is here.”
As Cheung approached he gently waved his son aside. “My son I have
heard this language often. Now let me see your injury.” He looked down at Loun
An who was sitting in a corner with a cleaver close by.
The left pant leg of his cotton trouser was stained and dripping with
blood and the ship’s physician was sitting on a stool looking exasperated and
sweating profusely.
Covering his nose with a perfumed handkerchief, the Captain spoke,
“Doctor Mason this is Mr. Dai and his son Master Wing. They are familiar
with the injured passenger. Mr. Dai has some knowledge of Chinese medicine
which may be useful.”
“Glad to meet you Mr. Dai, young master” responded Dr. Mason through
a perfumed handkerchief. “I don’t think the femoral artery has been severed
but the wound needs cleaning and a fresh dressing. As soon as I pulled out
the scalpel to cut away his pant leg, he started to balk.”
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“He was going to kill me,” shouted the injured victim. “A friend from our village
told me his cousin in Gold Mountain wrote and told him when you get injured
and can no longer work for them they just kill you.”
“He’s not going to kill you. He was only going to cut your pant leg to treat your
injury. Now let me see it,” said Cheung in a calming voice and setting Loun
An’s cleaver aside.
The doctor already had a towel, a basin of clean water and dressings
sitting on a small metal tray. As the doctor stood up, the injured man was
helped onto the empty stool, his leg elevated on a large inverted bucket so
that it was lying straight. The doctor started to wash it off but felt nauseous.
He quickly searched for his perfumed handkerchief to avoid vomiting.
Cheung quickly moved closer and gestured that he would take over treating
the injured man. The doctor consented watching closely the technique of
his Chinese counterpart. Instead of cutting the garment Cheung motioned
Wing to come forward to help Loun An remove his pants. I should have
understood this injured man only owned one pair of pants thought Doctor
Mason in retrospect. Cheung scrubbed his hands fastidiously then started
to clean the wound. Doctor Mason was amazed with Cheung’s understanding
of medical technique.
“Thank you, Mr. Dai, can I have a closer look at the wound?”
He probed and inspected the wound “No damage to the femoral. I will
wash and dress it if I can just rest for a minute.”
“Doctor Mason, I can do it for you. I’ve adjusted to the smell. Why don’t
the rest of you go out and catch some fresh air. Is this your solution for
cleansing the wound over here?” said Cheung pointing to a bottle marked
“alcohol”. Doctor Mason responded with a nod.
“Thank you very much Mr. Dai,” replied the Captain as he escorted Doctor
Mason towards the locked door. He rapped three times, a small window
opened from the other side, the door was unlocked and the two departed.
“Wing, why do you not leave? And you no longer hold your nose at the smell,”
said Cheung suddenly very proud of his son.
“Father, I thought that if you could bear the stench so must I. The more that
you resist the smell the more difficult it will be to bear. I think that you once told
me about this in a story from your journey to Gold Mountain.” Wing reminded
his father.
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“You are a good listener, my son. I feel very proud that you can learn from a
story I told you, so long ago.”
Loun An fidgeted impatiently as father and son conversed.
“This is going to sting.”Loun An grimaced in pain as Cheung cleansed the
wound with alcohol. Doctor Mason returned to survey his counterpart at
work. Cheung opened the brown paper packet and took out the shavings
from a deer horn and spread it over the deep diagonal gash on the left side
of Loun An’s left calf. Then he applied a clean dressing and wrapped the
wound snugly.
Wing spotted a bloody cloth that was used by his father to compress the
wound before bandaging and thought just what I need.
Cheung warned Loun An “Your injury is deep, you must wash your pants
and keep these dressings as clean as possible. I will be back to see you soon to change
your dressings. By the way how did this happen?”
“Mr. Dai it was just a silly accident. You see that fool over there” he pointed
at a young boy of approximately 16 years of age.” He was chasing some rats
that had found some food he had been hiding and he tripped over something
and the cleaver fell out of his hand and somehow the blade hit my leg. It was an
accident and I bear him no malice since he promises to do my share of the chores
and agrees to serve me my meals until I am recovered from my injury. His mother
must certainly have been a donkey and he must have come out of her wrong end.”
Loun An spoke purposely loud enough that his perpetrator could overhear
the conversation.
Loun An addressed Wing “Wing you did not tell me that you were going to
Gold Mountain. Why didn’t you tell me?”
Wing had been quietly analyzing and trying to make sense out of the
deplorable living conditions in steerage. He was shocked back to reality by
his friend’s questions.
“Loun An I did not know that I was coming until after you had already left for
Canton. But I am happy to see you, maybe I can come back to visit you.”
The window opened the entry door and the Captain shouted “Mr. Dai
are you finished yet?”
As Cheung and his son proceeded towards the door, they are followed by
their countrymen who bombard them with questions and requests. When
Cheung approached the door, he turned towards the gathering and spoke
out “If anyone needs my help, I will return tomorrow.”
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Cheung rapped three times on the door; the sentry unlocked the door, as
father and son exited.On the other side the Captain said “Mr. Dai thank you
very much. I don’t know what might have happened if you weren’t available.
Is there any way I can show my gratitude?”
“Captain, may I tour your kitchen after lunch today?”asked Cheung. The
Captain acknowledged consent.
“Then that is thanks enough” replied Cheung.
Doctor Mason said “That boy’s gash was pretty deep; he should have had
stitches. His wound will surely infect under those conditions. He doesn’t
have much of a chance, surrounded in that filth.”
“Can I have permission to go back to steerage whenever I wish, Captain?
To check and change the dressings.”
“I will arrange an escort whenever you find the time, Mr. Dai,” replied
Captain Anderson.