After falling off the yacht, Rainsford shows his
athleticism by surviving the fall and the long swim past the treacherous rocks to
Ship-Trap Island. He began to doubt whether he could make
it.
For a
seemingly endless time he fought the sea. He began to count his strokes; he could do
possibly a hundred
more...
But when shots rang
out in the distance, Rainsford renewed his efforts.
He was almost on the rocks before he saw them;
on a night less calm he would have been shattered against them. With his remaining
strength he dragged himself from the swirling waters. Jagged crags appeared to jut up
into the opaqueness; he forced himself upward, hand over hand. Gasping, his hands raw,
he reached a flat place at the
top.
After a comfortable
night in General Zaroff's home, Rainsford was forced to be the prey for the Russian's
special game, and Rainsford was used all of his physical reserves to survive his two
nights on the run. He began by moving quickly, then executed "intricate loops" to double
his trail. He crawled when he needed and got no sleep the first night. The next day he
climbed trees, set traps and survived a brush with the quicksand in the Death Swamp.
Realizing he could not evade Zaroff's relentless pursuit, Rainsford chose to dive from
the cliff and take his chances with the rocks below. Another long swim returned him to
Zaroff's chateau, where he waited in Zaroff's bedroom. And then it was off for another
round of hunting--this time with Zaroff as the prey. Rainsford's physical prowess no
doubt contributed to his being the winner of the second hunt, and he was finally able to
enjoy a comfortable sleep in Zaroff's own bed.
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