I never forced the men to cross, but they themselves, knowing why I had to hurry, would decide at a given moment that an attempt must be made. ‘There are not seven deaths in one’s life, and one cannot be avoided,’ they would say, and, signing themselves with the cross, would seize the oars and pull over.
Petr Alekseevich Kropotkin: “I never forced the men to cross, but they themselves, knowing why I had to hurry, would decide at a given moment that an…”
Editor's note · Context
Kropotkin reflects on the courage of his rowers who willingly faced danger despite their fears.
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