When almost on the verge of strangulation, however, by a
supreme effort I finally managed to reach the air again, more dead than
alive. It was then some time before I regained my breath and fully
understood what had happened. I assure the reader that it was not a very
pleasant sensation to find myself out in the middle of the ocean without
even the support of a life preserver and the ship sailing away in the
distance. During my adventurous career I had faced death a score of
times without the slightest emotion or semblance of fright, but as I
floated about on that broad expanse of water alone I then realized for
the first time in my life what a tiny, helpless microbe I really was.
Oh, you little mortal known as man; you microscopical mixture of
protoplasm and egotism; you atomical speck of ignorance and avarice; you
who believe that the earth, moon, stars and all creation was
manufactured for your special benefit; if you could only be shown your
actual size in the universe as I was on that occasion, I think it would
result in the eradication of some of your innate vanity and selfishness,
thereby proving an incalculable blessing to you.
And now at last I was placed in a position whereby I could feel and
reflect upon my own littleness. I had absolutely no hope of being saved
from a watery grave, feeling that it was only a matter of an hour or two
before I should succumb to the inevitable and sink to the bottom of the
sea. Still I was unwilling to give up the few bones entrusted to my care
until finally overcome by exhaustion and so I kept afloat by lying on my
back and exerting myself as little as possible.
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