ruby18 won't install, gets stuck in 'sread'

[Jacques S.]

The problem I have now is that I cannot get the latest Ruby18 port will 
not install in one of the FreeBSD systems I look after. After an 
otherwise apparently normal make and make install, process ruby18 stalls 
  at "Generating RI" in "sread" state, thrashing the hd or paging memory 
in an apparently endless I/O loop.
Under top, swap stats are:
Swap: 512M Total, 126M Used, 386M Free, 24% Inuse, with In and Out 
changing like crazy.

Computer in question is a very old box: (i386/Pentium III Xeon/Celeron) 
with very little memory. FreeBSD is version 5.5p8

 From archives, Google, etc., it appears others sometimes have this 
problem--process stalled in 'sread' state--but I didn't find anywhere an 
explanation of the problem or a solution.

Maybe someone here at freebsd-ports can help? I hope so.
Thanks.

-- 
Jacques

"You can't always get what you want."
	- Mick Jagger