How we cite our quotes: (Section.Paragraph)
Quote #10
When he came to the surface he was conscious of little but the noisy water. Afterward he saw his companions in the sea. The oiler was ahead in the race. He was swimming strongly and rapidly. Off to the correspondent's left, the cook's great white and corked back bulged out of the water, and in the rear the captain was hanging with his one good hand to the keel of the overturned dingey. [. . .] Presently the boat also passed to the left of the correspondent with the captain clinging with one hand to the keel. He would have appeared like a man raising himself to look over a board fence, if it were not for the extraordinary gymnastics of the boat. The correspondent marvelled that the captain could still hold to it. (7.25)
Let's treat these two quotes as a pair, because they end up sort of contradicting each other. The oiler is strong. He swims far ahead of the others and the correspondent watches him. We can assume the correspondent is impressed that even after all they've been through, the oiler can still swim so powerfully, although he doesn't mention it directly—but then the oiler turns up dead. Then there's the captain, who stays behind with the others. The way he clings to the boat is a feat of impressive strength as well, and this the correspondent does mention directly. What do these two events suggest about Crane's thoughts on strength and skill? Is there an element of reason or logic or prudence that needs to be considered as well?