Oh! I had tried to "keep a good heart" before the others, but it is
beyond my powers to describe the deadly fright I felt, perhaps the
worst of all my life, which is saying a great deal. Here I was
starting on one of the maddest ventures that was ever undertaken by
man. I needn't put its points again, but that which appealed to me
most at the moment was the crocodiles. I have always hated crocodiles
since--well, never mind--and the place was as full of them as the
ponds at Ascension are of turtles.
Still I swam on. The estuary was perhaps two hundred yards wide, not
more, no great distance for a good swimmer as I was in those days. But
then I had to hold the rifle above the water with my left hand at all
cost, for if once it went beneath it would be useless. Also I was
desperately afraid of being seen in the lightning flashes, although to
minimise this risk I had kept my dark-coloured cloth hat upon my head.
Lastly there was the lightning itself to fear, for it was fearful and
continuous and seemed to be striking along the water.
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