MEN AGAINST THE SEA 
5 
the ship by the bow or stern, whichever is lower in the water. 
If the propellers are still turning, leave by the how. Swim hard 
to get away from the ship and around the how or stern. When 
beyond concentrated oil or other dangers, relax and swim or 
paddle slowly toward the nearest floating object or mass of 
survivors. It is well to figure out where you want to go in a 
general way before you go into the water because you can see 
much more from the deck than you can when you are swimming. 
If fuel oil has been discharged, avoid it as much as you can by 
keeping head and eyes high and your mouth closed. Swallow- 
ing oil will make you sick and if it gets in your eyes will 
inflame them for a few days. However, serious effects have 
seldom resulted from contact with oil in the sea. Wounds which 
have come in contact with fuel oil have shown no delay in 
healing. 
Should you have* to jump from the ship into burning oil, you 
may, if you are a good swimmer, avoid being burned by the 
following procedure. It has been tested and proved successful. 
Jump feet first through the flames. Swim as long as you can 
under water, then spring above the flames and breathe, taking 
a breast stroke to push the flames away; then sink and swim 
under the water again. Men have been able to get through 
200 yards of burning oil in this way. To do it, however, you 
will have to remove your life belt and other cumbersome clothing. 
Obviously a seagoing man should take every opportunity to 
learn to swim . However, not losing your head is apt to be as 
important as knowing how to swim. Your life jacket will float 
you and all your clothes. Many men have been drowned through 
losing their heads and thrashing about in the water. Do not 
exhaust your strength by shouting or swimming about uselessly. 
