A Woman Made of Snow by Elisabeth Gifford

Author:Elisabeth Gifford [Gifford, Elisabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Atlantic Books

CHAPTER 17

Sitting opposite him as the rowing boat returned to the ship, Oliver had time to observe the captain’s brother covertly – not a man one would want to offend by staring at him openly. He was a forbidding presence, silent, shaggy-haired, and with the bulky shoulders of a man used to heavy work, or fighting. He paid no attention to the crew other than to appraise them suspiciously, or turn his head and gaze morosely across the water, a man apart, consumed by inner troubles. He had a heavy sack by his side that he guarded closely. When the sack moved, it rattled like hollow stones.

‘Gillan, take a look at harpooner Grant’s hand, would you,’ said the captain curtly as they went on board.

‘Frostbite, that’s all it is,’ the harpooner grunted when Oliver took the large hand in his and unwrapped a dirty cloth from around rotting shreds of flesh, the dark, bloodshot eyes staring at him hard from beneath a long uncut fringe. His caribou coat smelled of old sweat and something foetid. His breath sour.

The captain came over and stayed to survey the damage. ‘Do what you can, doctor. Mr Grant is a first-class harpooner, needs the use of his hand. And since we could make use of another good harpooner, he will be joining us for the voyage.’

No mention of them being brothers, Oliver noted.

‘Will I now? Your harpooner,’ the brother growled back. ‘And you know full well I’d be captain of my own boat still, if it wasn’t for an abominable run of bad luck last year. Harpooner be dammed. Soon as we get across Hudson Bay I’ll take my chances at the trading post down at Churchill.’

His feet had been bound in rags inside skin boots, but had also suffered badly from frostbite. Oliver did what he could, explaining that they would have to wait while the dead skin peeled away, revealing what flesh would remain. Two fingers of his left hand were beyond help, however, and would have to be amputated. Oliver had never before attempted an amputation, but since it must be done, he went back to his cabin, sharpened his saw, read his medical textbook swiftly, and asked for the harpooner to be brought to the cabin table.

Oliver had to get the help of two men to chloroform him long enough to do the job. He had promised to take the fingers off only to the second joint, but since gangrene had set in badly he had to take both off right down to the stump.

When the harpooner came round he roared with the pain as he stared at his reduced hand, grabbed Oliver by his jacket. ‘You’ll pay for this, you butcher. You’ll wake one morning and find half of your fingers gone. See how you like it.’

Oliver backed away, only praying that the wound would not fester and claim the rest of his hand.

‘And my bag,’ the harpooner said, trying to find it as he tossed his head from side to side.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.