During His Sickness He Reposed Entire Confidence In Us.
Although a stranger
to medicine, and nauseating the taste of it, he swallowed with patient
submission innumerable drugs,* which the hope of relief induced us
to administer to him.
The governor, who particularly regarded him, caused him
to be buried in his own garden, and attended the funeral in person.
[*Very different had been his conduct on a former occasion of a similar kind.
Soon after he was brought among us he was seized with a diarrhoea,
for which he could by no persuasion be induced to swallow any
of our prescriptions. After many ineffectual trials to deceive,
or overcome him, it was at length determined to let him pursue his own course,
and to watch if he should apply for relief to any of the productions
of the country. He was in consequence observed to dig fern-root,
and to chew it. Whether the disorder had passed its crisis, or whether
the fern-root effected a cure, I know not; but it is certain that he became
speedily well.
**The regard was reciprocal. His excellency had been ill but a short time
before, when Arabanoo had testified the utmost solicitude for his case
and recovery. It is probable that he acquired, on this occasion,
just notions of the benefit to be derived from medical assistance.
A doctor is, among them, a person of consequence. It is certain that he
latterly estimated our professional gentlemen very highly.]
The character of Arabanoo, as far as we had developed it, was distinguished
by a portion of gravity and steadiness, which our subsequent acquaintance
with his countrymen by no means led us to conclude a national characteristic.
In that daring, enterprising frame of mind, which, when combined with genius,
constitutes the leader of a horde of savages, or the ruler of a people,
boasting the power of discrimination and the resistance of ambition,
he was certainly surpassed by some of his successors, who afterwards
lived among us.
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