Strunk & White: Rewrite

First Draft Edit

It happened one day about noon, going towards my boat, I was exceedingly surprised by the print of a  man’s naked foot on the shore, which was very plain to be seen. I stood like one thunderstruck, or as if I had seen an apparition. I listened, I looked round me. I could hear nothing, nor see anything. I went up to a rising ground to look farther; I went up the shore and down the shore, but it was all one, I could see no other impression then that one. I went to it again to see if there were any more, and to observe if it might not be my fancy; but there was no room for that, for there was exactly the very print of a foot, toe, heel, and every part of a foot. How it came thither, I knew not, nor could in the least imagine.

Second Draft Edit

It happened one day about noon, going towards my boat. I was exceedingly surprised by the print of a  man’s naked foot on the shore, which was very plain to be seen. I stood like one thunderstruck, or as if I had seen an apparition. I listened. I looked round me. I could hear nothing, nor see anything. I went up to a rising ground to look farther. I went up the shore and down the shore, but it was all one; I could see no other impression but that one. I went to it again to see if there were any more, and to observe if it might not be my fancy; but there was no room for that--for there was exactly the very print of a foot, toe, heel, and every part of a foot. How it came thither, I knew not, nor could in the least imagine.

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