Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands by Mary Seacole - Chapter 13

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter thirteen of Wonderful Adventures of Missus Secual in Many
Lands by Mary Secual. This LibriVox recording is in the
public domain. Chapter thirteen. I hope the reader will give
me credit for the assertion that I am about to make.
That is that I enter upon the particulars of this

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chapter with great reluctance. But I cannot omit them for
the simple reason that they strengthen my one and only
claim to interest the public, that is, my services to
the Brave British Army in the Crimea. But fortunately I
can follow a course which will not only render it
unnecessary for me to sound my own trumpet, but will

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be more satisfactory to the reader. I can put on
record the written opinions of those who had ample means
of judging and ascertaining how I fulfilled the great object
which I had in view in leaving England for the Crimea.
And before I do so, I must solicit my reader's
attention to the position I held in the camp as doctress,
nurse and mother. I have never been long in any

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place before. I have found my practical experience in the
science of medicine useful even in London. I have found
it of service to others. And in the crimea, where
the doctors were so overworked and sickness was so prevalent,
I could not be long idle, For I never forgot
that my intention in seeking the army was to help

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the kind hearted doctors to be useful to whom I
have ever looked upon and still regard as so high
a privilege. But before very long I found myself surrounded
with patience of my own. And this for two simple reasons.
In the first place, the men I am speaking of
the ranks now had a very serious objection to going

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into hospital for any but urgent reasons, and the regimental
doctors were rather fond of sending them there. And in
the second place, they could and did get at my
store sick comforts and nourishing food, which the heads of
the medical staff would sometimes find it difficult to procure.
These reasons, with the additional one that I was very

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familiar with the diseases which they suffered most from, and
successful in their treatment. I say this in no spirit
of vanity, were quite sufficient to account for the numbers
who came daily to the British Hotel for medical treatment.
That the officers were glad of me. As a doctress
and nurse may be easily understood when a poor fellow

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lay sickening in his cheerless hut and sent down to me.
He knew very well that I should not ride up
in answer to his message empty handed. And although I
did not hesitate to charge him with the value of
the necessaries I took him, still he was thankful enough
to be able to purchase them. When we lie ill
at home, surrounded with comfort, we never think of feeling

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any special gratitude for the sick room delicacies which we
accept as a consequence of our illness. But the poor
officer lies ill and weary in his crazy hut, dependent
for the merest necessaries of existence upon a clumsy, ignorant
soldier cook, who would almost prefer eating his meat raw
to having the trouble of cooking it. Our English soldiers

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are bad campaigners. Often finds his greatest troubles in the
want of those little delicacies with which a weak stomach
must be humored into retaining nourishment. How often have I
felt sad at the sight of poor lads who, in
England thought attending early parader hardship and felt harassed of
their neckcloths set a eye, or the natty little boots

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would not retain their polish bearing and bearing so nobly
and bravely trials and hardships to which the veteran campaigner
frequently succumbed. Don't you think, reader, if you were lying
with parched lips and fading appetite, thousands of miles from mother,
wife or sister, loathing the rough food by your side,

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and thinking regretfully of that English home, where nothing that
could minister to your great need would be left untried,
don't you think that you would welcome the familiar figure
of the stout lady whose bony horse has just pulled
up at the door of your hut, and whose panniers
contain some cooling drink, a little broth, some homely cake,

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or a dish of jelly or blemnge. Don't you think,
under such circumstances that you would heartily agree with my
friend Punch's remark that berry brown face with a kind
heart's trace impressed on each wrinkle, sly was a sight
to behold through the snow clouds rolled across that iron sky.

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I tell you, reader, I have seen many a bold
fellow's eyes moisten at such a season when a woman's
voice and a woman's care have brought their mind to
recollections of those happy English homes, which some of them
never saw again, but many did. Who will remember their
woman comrade upon the bleak and barren heights before Sebastopol.

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Then their calling me mother was not, I think altogether unmeaning.
I used to fancy that there was something homely in
the word, and reader, you cannot think how dear to
them was the smallest thing that reminded them of home.
Some of my crimean patients, who were glad of me
as nurse and doctress, bore names familiar to all England,

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And perhaps did I ask them they would allow me
to publish those names. I am proud to think that
a gallant soldier, on whose brave breast the Order of
Victoria arrests a more gallant man can never wear it.
Sent for the doctress whom he had known in Kingston,
when his arm wounded on the fatal eighteenth of June,

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refused to heal. And I think that the application I
recommended did it good. But I shall let some of
my patient's letters taken from a large bundle speak for me.
Of course, I must suppress most of their names. Here
are too, from one of my best and kindest sons,

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My dear Mamma. Will you kindly give the bearer the
bottle you promised me when you were here this morning
for my jaundice? Please let me know how much I
am to take of it, yours truly, f M. C E.
You see the medicine does him good. For a few
days later comes another from the same writer. My dear
missus Secual, I have finished the bottle which has done

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my jaundice a deal of good. Will you kindly send
another by bearer, truly yours f M. It was a
capital prescription which had done his jaundice good. They were
so great a demand for it that I kept it
mixed in a large pan, ready to ladle it out
to the scores of applicants who came for it. Sometimes

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they would send for other and no less important medicines.
Here is such an application from a sick officer. Missus
Secual would confer a favor on the writer who was
very ill, by giving his servant the bearer a boiled
or roast fowl, if it be impossible to obtain them.
Some chicken wrath would be very acceptable. I am yours

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truly obliged j K eighteenth r S. Doesn't that read
like a sick man's letter? Glad enough to welcome any
woman's face. Here are some gentlemen of the Commissariat anxious
to speak for me. Arthur C. Comstaff Officer, having been
attacked one evening with a very bad diarrhea at Missus Sekual's,

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took some of her good medicine. It cured me before
the next morning, and I have never been attacked since.
October seventeenth, eighteen fifty five. Archibald R L. Comstaff Crimea
was suffering from diarrhea for a week or more. After
taking Missus Secual's good medicines for two days, he became

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quite well and remained so to this day. October seventeenth,
eighteen fifty five. Here is mister m Paymaster of the
Land Transport Corps, ready with a good account of my services.
I certify that Madame Seacoal twice cured me effectually of
dysentery while in the Crimea, and also my clerk and

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the men of my corps, to my certain knowledge, and
some of the men shall speak for themselves. Stationary Engine,
December first, eighteen fifty five. I certify that I was
severely attacked by diarrhea after landing in the Crimea. I
took a great deal of medicine, but nothing served me

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until I called on missus Seacoal. She gave me her
medicine but once and I was cured effectually. William Knolly's
Sergeant elt C. This is to certify that William Rowe
elt C had a severe attack of illness and while
in a short time restored to health by the prompt
attention and medical skill of Missus Secual. British Hotel, spring Hill, Crimea.

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Many of my patients belonged to the Land Transport and
Army Works Corps. The former indeed were in my close
neighborhood and their hospital was nearly opposite to the British Hotel.
I did all I could for them, and have many
letters expressive of their gratitude from them. I select the
following headquarters, Camp Crimea, June thirtieth, eighteen fifty six. I

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have much pleasure in bearing testimony to Missus Secual's kindness
and attention to the sick of the Railway Labourer's, Army
Works Corps and Land Transport Corps during the winters of
eighteen fifty four and eighteen fifty five. She not only
from the knowledge she had acquired in the West Indies,
was enabled to administer appropriate remedies for their ailments. But

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what was of as much or more importance, she charitably
furnished them with with proper nourishment which they had no
means of obtaining except in the hospital, and most of
that class had an objection to go into hospital, particularly
the railway laborers and the men of the Army Works Corps.
John Hall, Inspector General of Hospitals. I hope that mister

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p of the Army Works Corps will pardon my laying
the following letter before the public. Dear missus Secall. It
is with feelings of great pleasure that I hear you
are safely arrived in England, upon which I beg to
congratulate you and return you many thanks for your kindness.
Whilst in the crimea the bitter sherry you kindly made
up for me was in truth a great blessing to

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both myself and my son, And as I expect to
go to Bombay, shortly. I would feel grateful to you
if you would favor me with the receipt for making it,
as it appears to be so very grateful, a beverage
for weakness and bowel complaints in a warm climate, with
many kind regards. Believe me, dear Madam, your obliged servant,
Samuel P. Late, Superintendent Army Works Corps. Here is a

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certificate from one of the Army worksmen to whose case
I devoted no little time and trouble. I certify that
I was laboring under a severe attack of diarrhea last August,
and that I was restored to health through the instrumentality
and kindness of Missus Secual. I also certify that my
fingers were severely jammed whilst at work at Frenchman's Hill,

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and Missus secull cured me after three doctors had fruitlessly
attempted to cure them. And I cannot leave the crimea
without testifying to the kindness and skill of Missus Secual,
and may God reward her for it. James Wallen, Fifth Division,
Army Works Corps. Here are three more letters, and the

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last I shall print from a sailor, a soldier and
a civilian. This is to certify that William Adams, Calker
of h M S. WASP and belonging to the Royal
Naval Brigade, had a severe attack of cholera and was
cured in a few hours by Missus Secal. I certify
that I was troubled by a severe inflammation of the

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chest caused by exposure in the trenches for about four months,
and that Missus Seacual's medicine completely cured me in one month,
and may God reward her. Charles Flynn, Sergeant, third Company,
r S M. Upper Clapton, Middlesex, March second, eighteen fifty six.
Dear Madam, having been informed by my son Mister Edward

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Gill of Saint George's store Crimea, of his recent illness jaundice,
and of your kind attention and advice to him during
that illness and up to the time he was, by
the blessing of God and your assistance restored to health,
permit me on behalf of myself, my wife and my
family to return you our most grateful thanks, trusting you

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may be spared for many years to come in health
of body and vigor of mind, to carry out your
benet evalent intention believe me, my dear Madam yours most
gratefully Edward Gill. And now that I have made this
a chapter of testimonials, I may as well finish them
right off and have done with them altogether. I shall

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trouble the patient reader with four more, only which I
have not the heart to omit. Sebastopol, July first, eighteen
fifty six. Missus Secall was with the British Army in
the Crimea from February eighteen fifty five to this time.
This excellent woman has frequently exerted herself in the most
praiseworthy manner, in attending wounded men, even in positions of

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great danger, and in assisting six soldiers by all means
in her power. In addition, she kept a very good
store and supplied us with many comforts at a time
we much required them. William P, Adjutant General of the
British Army in the Crimea, July first, eighteen fifty I

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have much pleasure in stating that I am acquainted with
Missus sikhl and from all that I have seen or
heard of her, I believe her to be a useful
and good person, kind and charitable. C. A. W. Lieutenant
General corm of Sebastopol. The third is from the pen
of one who at that time was more looked to

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and better known than any other man in the crimea.
In the second volume of Russell's Letters from the Seat
of War, page one hundred eighty seven is the following entry.
In the hour of their illness, these men Army Works Corps,
in common with many others, have found a kind and
successful physician close to the railway, half way between the

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colder Balaklava and Cadacoy. Missus Sekul, formerly of Kingston and
of several other parts of the world such as Panama
and Chagraz, has pitched her abode, an iron storehouse with
wooden sheds and outlying tributaries, and here she doctors and
cures all manner of men with extraordinary success. She is
always in attendance near the battlefield to aid the wounded,

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and has earned many a poor fellow's blessings. Yes, I cannot,
referring to that time conscientiously charge myself with doing less
for the men who had only thanks to give me,
than for the officers whose gratitude gave me the necessaries
of life. I think I was ever ready to turn
from the latter to help the former. Humble as they

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may be, and they were grateful in their way, and
as far as they could be, they would buy me
apples and other fruit at Balaklava and leave them at
my store. One made me promise when I returned home,
to send word to his Irish mother, who was to
send me a cow in token of her gratitude for
the help I had been to her. Son. I have

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a book filled with hundreds of the names of those
who came to me for medicines and other aids. And
never a train of sick or wounded men from the
front passed the British hotel, but its hostess was awaiting
them to offer comfort to the poor fellows, for whose
suffering her heart bled Punch, who allowed my poor name
to appear in the pages which had welcomed Miss Nightingale home. Punch,

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that whimsical mouthpiece of some of the noblest hearts that
ever beat beneath black coats, shall last of all raise
its voice that never yet pleaded an unworthy cause for
the mother secull, that takes shame to herself for speaking
thus of the poor part she bore of the trials
and hardships endured on that distant shore where Britain's best

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and bravest rung hardly Sebastopol from the grip of Britain's foe.
No store she set by the epaulet, be it worsted
or gold lace for K. C. B or plain private smith.
She had still one pleasant face. And not alone was
her kindness shown to the hale and hungry lot who

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drank her grog and ate her progue and paid their
honest shot. The sick and sorry can tell the story
of her nursing and dosing deeds. Regimental MD never worked
as she in helping sick men's needs. Of such work,
God knows was as much as she chose. That dreary
winter tide, when death hung o'er the damp and pestilent

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camp and his scythe swung far and wide. She gave
her aid to all who prayed, to hungry and sick
and cold, open hand and heart alike, ready to part
kind words and acts and gold, and be the right
man in the right place. Who can the right woman

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was Dame Seakal Reader. Now that we have come to
the end of this chapter, I can say what I
have been all anxiety to tell you from its beginning.
Please look back to chapter eight and see how the
right woman had to struggle to convey herself to the
right place. End of chapter thirteen,