144 OUT OF DOORS. 



deterred by a threat of having his wrist damaged by a 

 blow of the stroke oar. 



Despite, however, all these precautions, I again fell 

 a victim to the Cyanea in the very next season. After 

 taking my usual half-mile swim I turned towards shore, 

 and in due course of time arrived within a reasonable 

 distance of soundings. As all swimmers are in the 

 habit of doing on such occasions, I dropped my feet to 

 feel for sand or rock, and at the same moment touched 

 something soft, and experienced the well-known tingling 

 sensation in the toes. Off I set to shore, and this time 

 escaped with a tolerably sharp nettling about one foot 

 and ankle, that rendered boots a torture, but had little 

 further effect. Even this slight attack, however, 

 brought back the spasmodic affection of the heart ; and 

 although nearly fourteen months have elapsed since the 

 last time the medusa shook her venomed locks at me, 

 the shooting pang now and then reminds me of my en- 

 tanglement with her direful tresses. 



For the comfort of intending sea-bathers, it may be 

 remarked that although the effects of the Cyanea's 

 trailing filaments were so terrible in the present 

 instance, they might be greatly mitigated in those 

 individuals who are blessed with a stouter epi- 

 dermis and less sensitive nervous organisation than 

 have fallen to the lot of the afflicted narrator. How 

 different, for example, are the effects of a wasp or bee 

 sting on different individuals, being borne with com- 

 parative impunity by one, while another is laid up for 



