Ixxii 
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
bound the wound up with my cravat. Then, cutting 
off my coat pocket, I gave it to the captain, and 
directed him to get it filled with poultice, in a house 
where w^e saw a light at a distance. The next day 
a strong fever came on ; so we stopped until it had 
abated, and then we went on again; and stopped 
again on account of the fever ; and again proceeded, 
until at last we reached Paris ; the wound being in 
a deplorable state. Here Doctor Marshall, a friend 
from Demerara, took me under his care until I was 
in a state to proceed to England. He showed 
exquisite skill in his treatment of the wound, and 
would have done wonders for it had I staid a suffi- 
cient length of time with him. 
On my arrival in London, Father Scott, of the 
Society of Jesus, came immediately to my assist- 
ance. Having inspected the wound, he took his 
departure without loss of time, and he brought back 
with him the celebrated Mr. Carpue ; to whose con- 
summate knowledge and incessant attention I owe 
the preservation of the limb, and probably of life 
too. The knee continued stiff for nearly two years ; 
but, by constant exercise, and by refusing the aid of 
a walkingstick, it lost at last all rigidity, and is now 
as sound as though it had never been injured. I 
have often thought since, that I should have laid 
my bones in France, but for the unwearied exertions 
of my friend Captain Alexander. 
In 1824, I caught so severe a cold, by having in- 
cautiously taken a hot bath in the city of New 
York, that all the skill of Doctor Hossack could not 
have saved me from consumption, had I not, at his 
