Now,my well being is simply the result of a careful and measured mode of living and perhaps the most astonishing thing is that three times in my youth Iwas rendered by illness a hopeless physical wreck and given up by physicians.More than this,thru ignorance and lightheartedness,Igot into all sorts of difficulties,dangers and scrapes from which Iextricated myself as by enchantment.Iwas almost drowned a dozen times;was nearly boiled alive and just mist being cremated.Iwas entombed,lost and frozen.Ihad hair-breadth escapes from mad dogs,hogs,and other wild animals.Ipast thru dreadful diseases and met with all kinds of odd mishaps and that Iam hale and hearty today seems like a miracle.But as Irecall these incidents to my mind Ifeel convinced that my preservation was not altogether accidental.
An inventor"s endeavor is essentially lifesaving.Whether he harnesses forces,improves devices,or provides new comforts and conveniences,he is adding to the safety of our existence.He is also better qualified than the average individual to protect himself in peril,for he is observant and resourceful.If Ihad no other evidence that Iwas,in a measure,possessed of such qualities Iwould find it in these personal experiences.The reader will be able to judge for himself if Imention one or two instances.
On one occasion,when about 14years old,Iwanted to scare some friends who were bathing with me.My plan was to dive under a long floating structure and slip out quietly at the other end.Swimming and diving came to me as naturally as to a duck and Iwas confident that Icould perform the feat.Accordingly Iplunged into the water and,when out of view,turned around and proceeded rapidly towards the opposite side.Thinking that Iwas safely beyond the structure,Irose to the surface but to my dismay struck a beam.Of course,Iquickly dived and forged ahead with rapid strokes until my breath was beginning to give out.Rising for the second time,my head came again in contact with a beam.Now Iwas becoming desperate.However,summoning all my energy,Imade a third frantic attempt but the result was the same.The torture of suppressed breathing was getting unendurable,my brain was reeling and Ifelt myself sinking.At that moment,when my situation seemed absolutely hopeless,Iexperienced one of those flashes of light and the structure above me appeared before my vision.Ieither discerned or guest that there was a little space between the surface of the water and the boards resting on the beams and,with consciousness nearly gone,Ifloated up,prest my mouth close to the planks and managed to inhale a little air,unfortunately mingled with a spray of water which nearly choked me.Several times Irepeated this procedure as in a dream until my heart,which was racing at a terrible rate,quieted down and Igained composure.After that Imade a number of unsuccessful dives,having completely lost the sense of direction,but finally succeeded in getting out of the trap when my friends had already given me up and were fishing for my body.
That bathing season was spoiled for me thru recklessness but Isoon forgot the lesson and only two years later Ifell into a worse predicament.There was a large flour mill with a dam across the river near the city where Iwas studying at that time.As a rule the height of the water was only two or three inches above the dam and to swim out to it was a sport not very dangerous in which Ioften indulged.One day Iwent alone to the river to enjoy myself as usual.When Iwas a short distance from the masonry,however,Iwas horrified to observe that the water had risen and was carrying me along swiftly.Itried to get away but it was too late.Luckily,tho,Isaved myself from being swept over by taking hold of the wall with both hands.The pressure against my chest was great and Iwas barely able to keep my head above the surface.Not a soul was in sight and my voice was lost in the roar of the fall.Slowly and gradually Ibecame exhausted and unable to withstand the strain longer.just as Iwas about to let go,to be dashed against the rocks below,Isaw in a flash of light a familiar diagram illustrating the hydraulic principle that the pressure of a fluid in motion is proportionate to the area exposed,and automatically Iturned on my left side.As if by magic the pressure was reduced and Ifound it comparatively easy in that position to resist the force of the stream.But the danger still confronted me.Iknew that sooner or later Iwould be carried down,as it was not possible for any help to reach me in time,even if Iattracted attention.Iam ambidextrous now but then Iwas lefthanded and had comparatively little strength in my right arm.For this reason Idid not dare to turn on the other side to rest and nothing remained but to slowly push my body along the dam.Ihad to get away from the mill towards which my face was turned as the current there was much swifter and deeper.It was a long and painful ordeal and Icame near to failing at its very end for Iwas confronted with a depression in the masonry.Imanaged to get over with the last ounce of my force and fell in a swoon when Ireached the bank,where Iwas found.Ihad torn virtually all the skin from my left side and it took several weeks before the fever subsided and Iwas well.These are only two of many instances but they may be sufficient to show that had it not been for the inventor"s instinct Iwould not have lived to tell this tale.