Lelirjahre and Wanderjahre 117 



makes Escape No. 2. Well, as I said, I was insensible, and when T knew where I was, 

 I found myself under a large piece of wood which proved to be the outer side of the 

 paddle box, with part of the top still attached, thus making an angle in which after 

 some floundering I got stuck, and though I dived as well as I could, for I was nearly 

 spent and had swallowed a great deal of water, 1 still on rising bumped against the 

 wood. [Illustrative sketch of floating portion of paddle-wheel, showing submerged 

 angle under which F. G. was caught.] I of course gave myself up, but determined to 

 have a regular good push for life. I felt the wood round me and could see a little, and 

 at last I made out the edge of the top part of the paddle-box, grasped tight hold 

 of it, and pulled myself from underneath and cleared it. I then rose rapidly towards the 

 surface, when I bumped against another piece of wood, which, however, I easily pushed 

 aside and rose ; but I rose too high and consequently sank again, but I had had a good 

 breath of air and was a little refreshed. I did not sink I dare.say a foot below the 

 surface, but I got entangled in some long bits of wood, which as I was all but spent 

 nearly drowned me, and when I got to the surface they were too heavy to give me any 

 real support, so I looked round and saw the side of the paddle-box, which had before 

 been so much in my way, floating down with the tide. I struck out and soon reached 

 it — and I did feel happy. I climbed onto it and it was a perfect raft. (Escape No. 3.) 

 On looking about me T found that the steamer was 300 yards or so in front and could 

 not stir. I was quite 200 yards and nearly 300 from the bridge, the whole of which 

 distance I had floated down head under water (only one other man went overboard and 

 he merely got a ducking, swam to a bit of wreck and was quite safe). Well, I was 

 in the midst of the river, plenty of boats and watermen were at the shore, those nice 

 dear fellows who when they see you struggling, look on, and never dream of rowing 

 to you till you are either safe or dead — yes, and if safe, they swear they saved your life, 

 march off to the Royal Humane Society and get a gold medal for their pains, with 

 a long paragraph in the Times about " unparalleled bravery," and so forth. Well, after 

 waving my hat, for I don't know how long, oft' some half-dozen came in a body. I was 

 pulled into a boat and felt very seedy, I was dizzy and very sick. However, to put the 

 captain out of his fright, I took an oar, declared nothing was the matter with me and 

 pulled mechanically. 



I was so dizzy that I scarce knew what I did. On getting to the packet 

 everybody looked horrified, one or two ladies held up their handkerchiefs before their 

 eyes. I couldn't make out what at, but on getting ashore and to an inn, with a looking- 

 glass I found my face, ears and whiskers, shirt, etc., all covered with blood. One nail 

 had hooketl me by the side of the nose, another had " sarved " out my face and I had 

 as many cuts on my ear as a Christmas pig. I got to bed, half dried clothes and walked 

 to London. Now don't fancy I am ill. I took enough calomel and salts to do anything, 

 and except a rather torn face and broken head, I really have nothing the matter with 

 me. I have walked out to-day and am going to Lecture in half an hour. I have 

 gained great glory by my splashes under water and it is a very good tale to tell — at 

 least when the pain goes off". I now know something of what drowning is — I felt 

 no pain, but rather dreamy — and I also know what my feeling will be when I am 

 dying, as I firmly believed I was then. 



Tell Dar that if he had not taught me to swim I should have been stifi" by this 



