196 



NIMROD OF THE SEA; OR, 



mat of tendons and bleeding arteries. Saved from drown- 

 ing, the man seemed likely to meet a more cruel death, un- 

 less some one had the nerve to perform the necessary ampu- 

 tation. At that time the New Bedford ships were the only 

 ones that carried surgical instruments to meet such a case. 

 But Captain Jim was not the man to allow any one to per- 

 ish on slight provocation. He had his carving-knife, car- 

 penter's saw, and a fish-hook. The injury was so frightful, 

 and the poor fellow's groans and cries so touching, that sev- 

 eral of the crew fainted in their endeavors to aid the cap- 

 tain in the operation, and others sickened and turned away 

 from the sight. Unaided, the captain then lashed his scream- 

 ing patient on the carpenter's bench, amputated the leg, and 

 dressed the hand as best he could. Then, running to the 

 Sandwich Islands, he placed the sailor in the hospital, where 

 he recovered, returning to the United States, and for many 

 years supporting himself by a little shop, and living on 

 borrowed time,' ' another living monument of God's mercy;' 



as Captain Gardiner 

 would say. In my 

 opinion, Captain Jim 

 suffered the most in 

 that operation, be- 

 cause he couldn't 

 scream to let off his 

 feelings. 



" See the portrait 

 of my hero in the 

 prime of life ; see the 

 same man at forty- 

 six years of age, still 

 hale and hearty, erect 

 and powerful, with 

 the rosy complexion 



A NIMKOD OF TllE SEA. 



