Chapter 63

THE OPERATION.

Next morning, at the appointed hour, the surgeons arrived in a
body. They were accompanied by their juniors, young men ranging
in age from nineteen years to thirty. Like the senior surgeons,
these young gentlemen were arrayed in their blue navy uniforms,
displaying a profusion of bright buttons, and several broad bars
of gold lace about the wristbands. As in honour of the occasion,
they had put on their best coats; they looked exceedingly brilliant.

The whole party immediately descended to the half-deck, where
preparations had been made for the operation. A large garrison-
ensign was stretched across the ship by the main-mast, so as
completely to screen the space behind. This space included the
whole extent aft to the bulk-head of the Commodore's cabin, at
the door of which the marine-orderly paced, in plain sight,
cutlass in hand.

Upon two gun-carriages, dragged amidships, the Death-board (used
for burials at sea) was horizontally placed, covered with an old
royal-stun'-sail. Upon this occasion, to do duty as an amputation-table,
it was widened by an additional plank. Two match-tubs, near by, placed
one upon another, at either end supported another plank, distinct from
the table, whereon was exhibited an array of saws and knives of various
and peculiar shapes and sizes; also, a sort of steel, something like the
dinner-table implement, together with long needles, crooked at the end
for taking up the arteries, and large darning-needles, thread and
bee's-wax, for sewing up a wound.

At the end nearest the larger table was a tin basin of water,
surrounded by small sponges, placed at mathematical intervals.
From the long horizontal pole of a great-gun rammer--fixed in its
usual place overhead--hung a number of towels, with "U.S." marked
in the corners.

All these arrangements had been made by the "Surgeon's steward,"
a person whose important functions in a man-of-war will, in a
future chapter, be entered upon at large. Upon the present
occasion, he was bustling about, adjusting and readjusting the
knives, needles, and carver, like an over-conscientious butler
fidgeting over a dinner-table just before the convivialists enter.

But by far the most striking object to be seen behind the ensign
was a human skeleton, whose every joint articulated with wires.
By a rivet at the apex of the skull, it hung dangling from a
hammock-hook fixed in a beam above. Why this object was here,
will presently be seen; but why it was placed immediately at the
foot of the amputation-table, only Surgeon Cuticle can tell.

While the final preparations were being made, Cuticle stood
conversing with the assembled Surgeons and Assistant Surgeons,
his