Disagreeable Duty Accident
A disagreeable accident occurs while the narrator is discharging his duties as an attendant to the sick. The incident involves an unfortunate mishap with a perfume box that diffuses an overwhelming scent throughout the ship, causing discomfort to all who remain on deck. The consequences extend beyond mere smelling, as the narrator suffers in multiple ways from this disgrace.
Morgan’s Nose Offended
Mr. Morgan, a Welshman and ship’s steward’s mate, possesses an exceptionally sensitive nose. As the narrator descends to the cockpit after the incident, Morgan detects the approach of something extraordinary before even seeing anyone, crying out that the enemy has boarded them in a “stinkpot.” His sense of smell has already forewarned him of the narrator’s unfortunate condition, leading to immediate reproaches directed toward the ship’s steward.
Steward-Morgan Odor Dialogue
A sharp dialogue erupts between Morgan and the steward regarding the origin of the offensive smell. Morgan reprimands the steward for the “freedoms he takes among gentlemen of birth” and threatens to smoke him like a padger with sulphur if he ever presumes to offend his neighbors with such smells again. The steward, conscious of his own innocence, replies heatedly that he knows of no smells but those of Morgan’s own making. This exchange introduces a debate about the source of unpleasant odors aboard the ship.
Additional Complaint Causes Found
After being warned that entering in his current condition would make him unwelcome, the narrator discovers additional causes of complaint beyond the perfume incident. Some unwanted guests have honored him with their company—unwelcome visitors whose presence he did not think seasonable. These guests have taken possession of his “chief quarters” and feed freely at the expense of his blood. Recognizing that extirpating this “ferocious colony” in its infancy would be easier than dealing with them once multiplied and naturalized, he resolves to take action.
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