ware of my approach; but I failed to reach
high enough, and, of course, the weight of my arm and the stroke
against the overleaning stern of the boat shoved me down and I sank,
struggling, frightened and confused. As soon as my feet touched the
bottom, I slowly rose to the surface, but before I could get breath
enough to call for help, sank back again and lost all control of
myself. After sinking and rising I don't know how many times, some
water got into my lungs and I began to drown. Then suddenly my mind
seemed to clear. I remembered that I could swim under water, and,
making a desperate struggle toward the shore, I reached a point where
with my toes on the bottom I got my mouth above the surface, gasped
for help, and was pulled into the boat.

This humiliating accident spoiled the day, and we all agreed to keep
it a profound secret. My sister Sarah had heard my cry for help, and
on our arrival at the house inquired what had happened. "Were you
drowning, John? I heard you cry you couldna get oot." Lawson made
haste to reply, "Oh, no! He was juist haverin (making fun)."

I was very much ashamed of myself, and at night, after calmly
reviewing the affair, concluded that there had been no reasonable
cause for the accident, and that I ought to punish myself for so
nearly losing my life from unmanly fear. Accordingly at the very first
opportunity, I stole away to the lake by myself, got into my boat, and
instead of going back to the old swimming-bowl for further practice,
or to try to do sanely and well what I had so ignominiously failed to
do in my first adventure, that is, to swim out through the rushes and
lilies, I rowed directly out to the middle of the lake, stripped,
stood up on the seat in the stern, and with grim deliberation took a
header and dove straight down thirty or forty feet, turned easily,
and, letting my feet drag, paddled straight to the surface with my
hands as father had at first directed me to do. I then swam round the
boat, glorying in my suddenly acquired confidence and victory over
myself, climbed into it, and dived again, with the same triumphant
success. I think I went down four or five times, and each time as I
made the dive-spring shouted aloud, "Take that!" feeling that I was
getting most gloriously even with myself.

Never again from that day to this have I lost control of myself in
water. If suddenly thrown overboard at sea in the dark, or even while
asleep, I think I would immediately r