Sentence:  But what I like is the excitement of choosing a path carefully, in the fear that the quagmire may reach out and suck me down; to go into the swamp <WSD>naked-handed</WSD> and wrest from it treasures that bring me books and clothing, and I like enough of a fight for things that I always remember how I got them. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  Lacking tools or weapons.