Hardly a village in the land but owns a fresh-water pond, or small stream, where swimming could easily be learned. And before any one ventures into a boat, or makes even the shortest journey by water, swimming should have been learned so thoroughly, that, no matter how hampered by clothing, presence of mind will not be lost in case of accident, and, even if thrown suddenly into the water, there will be no fear."Can you swim ?"ought to be painted in large letters on every boat-house in the land; and every one who sails or rows, taught how to support themselves in the water, if nothing more. Swimming is an instinct with all young animals, and would seem to be so with one variety of the human animal; the South-Sea-Islander babies being tossed into the water before they are a year old, and, by the time they are three or four, being as much at home in the water as on the land. Climate makes this more agreeable for them than it would be for us : but our long summers give ample time for learning; and, once learned, there is no more fear of the water, and boating follows naturally. Certainly it should never begin till swimming has been learned.

It is wiser always to begin under the direction of an older person.' Swimming may be self-taught, as it often is among boys; but a strong father, or older brother, can give you hints that no written directions will hold as well. A flannel bathing-dress is the best costume; and, if you do not want to wet the hair, wear also an oil-silk cap, with a close-fitting elastic run in the edge. A swimming-tank, of course, gives one a far greater sense of safety, but this requires a building expressly for the purpose; and a pond, or still water by the seashore, where there is an experienced person to direct matters, will, as soon as the first fear is over, be far pleasanter. Never swim directly after eating, or when overheated, and let the first step be to wet the head, as this prevents headache.

Remember first, that, when a human body is immersed in water, one-eleventh of its weight remains above the surface in fresh water, and about one-tenth in salt. One who is afraid of sinking stretches out the arms to catch at something ; and thus the head immediately goes under water, as the head and arms exceed greatly one-tenth of the weight of the body. If a swimmer turns on the back, the head thrown back, so that the face is turned upwards, there need never be fear that the water will come over the mouth, although, at each inspiration and expiration of breath, the face rises and sinks one inch.

It is better always to dispense with corks, or floats of any sort. You should walk in on a clear and gradually shelving bottom, until the water reaches the breast; then turn to the point of entrance, draw a full, deep breath, close the lips, and rest on the water, letting it rise to the chin, and gradually, as this is done several times, letting more and more of the head be covered. If there is fear, and an involuntary throwing out of the arms, let some one support you a moment or two, till it is proved that you need not sink. But decide in the beginning not to be afraid, and not to mind it if you do sink once or twice, or if the water dashes in your face. You will very quickly see that you are far more secure than you dreamed you could be; and, as soon as you have gained this confidence, the rest is easy and pleasant. Then comes the question of attitude, which is a very important one. The head must always be thrown back, the chin raised, the breast set well forward, and the back hollowed and kept steady.

The position of the hands is quite as important. The fingers must be kept close together ; for, if separated, they break the surface of the water, and spoil the stroke. The thumbs must lie closely to the forefingers, and the hands be hollowed

Fig. 48. - Swimming on the Chest.

a little, but very little, as, if they are too much curved, the stroke loses power.

For the stroke, let the fingers be raised three or four inches higher than the thick part of the hand, and let the outer or little-finger side be a little higher than the inner edge. Then project the hands forward to their utmost extent, and then let them fall on a line with the hips, but at some distance from them. Then raise the hands to the breast by a turn of the wrist, and they are ready for another stroke. This motion should be easy and regular, and can be practised before entering the water at all, one arm at a time being exercised, and then both together.

It is the feet and legs which do the chief part of the work, as they are so much larger and stronger; and many of their motions, too, can be practised in one's room, one arm resting on top of a chair, while the opposite leg is exercised. The first motion is to draw one leg up as high as possible (the knee inclining inward, and the ankle a little turned, so that the sole of the foot is outward), then throw the foot out to the full extent of the leg. If in the water, both feet are drawn up at once, and then thrust out strongly, and as widely from each other as possible, bringing them together briskly and closely, to be ready for another stroke.

The legs and arms must do their work alternately, the arms descending while the legs are rising. At first it is easier to let them work together; but, as soon as confidence is gained, the alternate movement must be learned. A quick stroke is tiresome; and a long, steady one will take the learner over a hundred yards, where a quick one would tire out in twenty-five.

How to breathe is one of the most troublesome points. "The breath should be drawn in at the moment when the body is elevated by the hands descending toward the hips, otherwise the mouth will probably become filled with water. The breath should be expired while the body is sent forward by the action of the legs. The head is the principal regulator of the movements in the water,"and the least change in its position affects the position of the body.

Floating is often learned before swimming. For this, turn on the back, and let the crown of the head sink deeper than usual; raise the chin above the line of the forehead ; cross the hands on the breast, or place them, about a foot apart, at equal distances from the head; and let the feet be close together. This is often a rest when tired of swimming.

Treading zvater is also a change. Here only the legs are ized ; the arms being folded on the chest, or pressed against the hips. The stroke with the legs is the same, save that it is made in half the usual space of time. The swimmer is practically standing in the water, and, if the stroke were as slow as usual, would sink too low in the interval between them.

Fig. 49. - Swimming on the Side.

In swimming on the back, the body rests at full length, really gently lying down on the water, with very slight motion of the feet; but, for this, finning, winging, and the countless ways in which an accomplished swimmer varies the sport, it is necessary to have personal teaching, though strokes and methods are carefully described in a swimming-manual, mentioned, among other books of reference, at the end.

Miscellaneous Swimming Instructions

In the first place, practise every possible method of keeping afloat under disadvantageous circumstances; so that, if any accident should happen, you may always know instinctively what to do, and may do it without having to think about it.

That terrible swimmer's bane, the cramp, is always to be dreaded. Perhaps more good swimmers have been drowned by cramp than by any thing else, and only those who have suffered from it can conceive its fatal power. Strong men and good swimmers, when seized by the cramp, have been known to sink instantly, overcome with the sudden pain ; and nothing can save the victim but the greatest presence of mind.

The usual spot where the cramp is felt is the calf of the leg, just below the knee ; and it sometimes comes with such violence, that the muscles are gathered up into knots.

There is only one method of proceeding under such circumstances. Turn on the back at once, kick out the leg in the air, disregarding the pain, and rub the spot smartly with one hand, while the other is employed in paddling towards shore.

These directions are easy enough to give, but most difficult to be obeyed. Cramp seems to deprive the sufferers from it of all reason, for the time, and to overpower them with mingled pain and terror. Still, there is no other hope of reaching shore than that which is here given.

The causes of cramp are generally twofold. The principal cause lies in indigestion, for it is seldom that a person in really good health is attacked by this malady. The second reason is over-exertion of muscles that have been little used; and therefore too strong a leg-stroke should always be avoided.

Another thing which demands great practice is the method of saving a drowning person. The chief difficulty lies in the fact that a person who cannot swim feels, in deep water, much as if he were falling through air, and consequently clutches instinctively at the nearest object. And, if he succeeds in fixing a grasp upon the person who is trying to save him, both will probably sink together.

Therefore, every precaution should be taken to prevent such a misfortune; and the drowning man should always be seized from behind, and pushed, as it were, in front. Should he succeed in fixing his grasp, the only remedy is to dive, when it will be found that he will loosen his hold on finding himself below the surface, and will allow his rescuer to take a better position. This art has often been practised by a swimming party ; each, in turn, enacting the part of a drowning person, and trying to grasp a companion who was trying to bring one ashore. It is capital practice, and one that is much to be recommended.