I anticipated nothing less than death, and death in a few
minutes. The physical suffering I underwent contributed also to render
me nearly incapable of making any exertion for the preservation of my
life. I had, indeed, little power of reflection left, and the violence
of the pain in my head seemed to be greatly on the increase. Thus I
found that my senses would shortly give way altogether, and I had
already clutched one of the valve ropes with the view of attempting a
descent, when the recollection of the trick I had played the three
creditors, and the possible consequences to myself, should I return,
operated to deter me for the moment. I lay down in the bottom of the
car, and endeavored to collect my faculties. In this I so far
succeeded as to determine upon the experiment of losing blood. Having
no lancet, however, I was constrained to perform the operation in the
best manner I was able, and finally succeeded in opening a vein in my
right arm, with the blade of my penknife. The blood had hardly
commenced flowing when I experienced a sensible relief, and by the
time I had lost about half a moderate basin full, most of the worst
symptoms had abandoned me entirely.
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