—fromRobinsonCrusoe(Chapter3)
DanielDefoe
[1]NothingcandescribetheconfusionofthoughtwhichIfeltwhenIsankintothewater; forthoughIswamverywell, yetIcouldnotdelivermyselffromthewavessoastodrawbreath, tillthatwavehavingdrivenme, orrathercarriedme, avastwayontowardstheshore, andhavingspentitself, wentback, andleftmeuponthelandalmostdry, , aswellasbreathleft, thatseeingmyselfnearerthemainlandthanIexpected, Igotuponmyfeet, andendeavouredtomakeontowardsthelandasfastasIcouldbeforeanotherwaveshouldreturnandtakemeupagain; butIsoonfounditwasimpossibletoavoidit; forIsawtheseacomeaftermeashighasagreathill, andasfuriousasanenemy, whichIhadnomeansorstrengthtocontendwith: mybusinesswastoholdmybreath, andraisemyselfuponthewaterifIcould; andso, byswimming, topreservemybreathing, andpilotmyselftowardstheshore, ifpossible, mygreatestconcernnowbeingthatthesea, asitwouldcarrymeagreatwaytowardstheshorewhenitcameon, mightnotcarrymebackagainwithitwhenitgavebacktowardsthesea.
