Free Cambridge by Caryl Phillips

McDonald's careful definitions caused some much-needed laughter all around. The divers black attendants, who had been audience to all that we had said, brought forth the Bristol beer and punch, along with dishes of tea. To a person they
displayed the virtuous animal fidelity of the dog. Mr Rogers seemed anxious to leave our contentious zone of discussion. He therefore turned the conversation upon Mr McDonald's work, and skilfully diverted it from any scrutiny of his own duties within the Church.
    He inquired of Mr McDonald if he had explained to me the nature of a physician's responsibilities, and Mr McDonald asserted that he had done so. The doctor then informed us that he would gladly enlarge upon such of these responsibilities as might cause- us further amusement. He re-asserted that the hospital was crowded with patients who have little the matter with them, who can only diagnose their illness as a 'lilly pain here, massa', or 'a bad pain me somewhere, massa', and who evidently visit the sick-house only in order that they might idly sit and jabber away time with friends. Of the authentic negro diseases, chief among them would appear to be lameness. It is principally as a result of the chegoe, that ubiquitous diminutive fly which works itself into the feet to lay its eggs, and, if not carefully and swiftly extracted, will corrupt the flesh around it. It seems the negroes are all provided with small knives for the purpose of extracting the chegoe, but as no pain is felt until the sore is produced, the extreme laziness of the negro frequently leads them to neglect this simple precaution. As a result dirt will enter the wound and make it difficult to obtain a cure. (Sometimes the black will go lame for life.)
    The good doctor's general point about negro illness related to their cowardice. Mr McDonald asserted that in the matter of bodily pain it was not possible to be more craven than the sooty brethren. At the mere application of a poultice to a finger, or some such trifle, strong young bucks often cry out with tears running down their faces as though suffering amputation. At the conclusion of this ordeal the progeny of Afric's despised inhabitants are wont to clap their horny hands together, and, of a sudden, white grinders will shine bright from their black visages. This dread of medical treatment often
leads them to conceal real disease, and such cowardice carries off many negroes each season. With this' final observation of negro life our good doctor, having satisfied his thirst and filled his belly, hauled himself to his feet. He bade us farewell, and declared that once he had attended to his duties on a nearby estate he would send back the carriage for his friend.
    Mr Rogers and I retired to the piazza, where we were able to view the good doctor riding off to repair the negroes of another owner. I felt sure that if I listened closely I might hear Mr Rogers whispering a prayer for their salvation. I looked across at Mr Rogers, having already conceived a design by which I might extract further information from our man of the cloth as to the fate of Mr Wilson and how he came to be replaced by the uncivil Mr Brown. The first strategy of this programme involved enquiring after and then listening to his deliberations upon his fellow members of the Church. His answers proved to confirm what I had suspected, that those in tropical holy orders are often lacking in both learning and piety, and serve as models of ill-conduct. Some are quite addicted to lewdness, drinking and gambling. Indeed, Mr Rogers suggested that some were better qualified to be retailers of salt-fish, or boatswains, rather than ministers of the Gospel. As to the reasons for this, they are two-fold. Firstly, tithes are customarily paid with produce of a decidedly inferior sort. Accordingly, emoluments vary considerably from year to year, but are never sufficient to support the superior churchman. As to the second reason, it would appear that the planters have