Every inch of the body that is raised above the surface becomes a dead weight, pressing the body under water and calling for great exertion on the part of the swimmer. Many persons, when they fall into the water, plunge about and try to lift themselves out of it, acting as if they were attempting to kneel upon its surface. This action is instinctive, and is one of those where instinct is inferior to reason. In point of fact, ninety-nine out of every hundred who perish in the water, drown themselves as effectually as if they had tied a heavy weight round their necks. The weight of the head, breast, and arms of a human being is, on the average, about forty pounds; and when a drowning person lifts those portions of the body above the surface, he practically acts as if he fastened a forty-pound weight upon his head. RULE 2.-Hollow the spine and throw the back of the head upon the shoulders. Bulk for bulk, the body of an ordinary human being is about the same as that of the water. There are, however, two exceptional portions-namely, the head, which is somewhat heavier, and the chest, which is much lighter. Any one will, therefore, see that it is most essential to support the former upon the latter, as well as to make the water support both as much as possible. By hollowing the spine and throwing the back of the head upon the shoulders, the heavy, solid mass of the brain is supported by the air-filled lungs, and the eyes and nostrils are kept above the surface. As to the mouth, that may be above or below the surface, for, if the lips be kept firmly closed, and respiration conducted through the nostrils, no water can enter. The chief object in hollowing the back is, that it aids the swimmer in keeping his nostrils out of the water. No viler habit can be found than that of rounding the back, and there is none which is so difficult to eradicate. RULE 3.-Move the limbs quietly. A good swimmer is at once distinguished by the ease and quietude of all his movements. The arms and legs are flung out to their fullest extent, sweep round in the water equably, and are drawn up for another stroke, without the least hurry. The bad swimmer, on the contrary, never waits long enough to make a full stroke, but gives short and hurried jerks with his arms and legs, never extending them more than half their length. The slow stroke is the very essence of good swimming. Of course, we are not speaking of racing, when the strokes are necessarily quick and powerful, but merely of the method of obtaining a good and enduring style. Try how far you can go at each stroke, and do not draw back the limbs until the force of the stroke is all but exhausted. At first you will appear to make but little progress; but the endurance of the long, slow stroke is surprising, and its speed by no means contemptible. Aids to Swimming. The plank may be serviceable to enable the beginner to throw out his legs and feet. A piece of wood, a yard in length, two feet in breadth, and about two inches in thickness, will be found best adapted for the purpose. When the pupil can support himself, the plank being thrown into the water, he should grasp one end of it with both hands, and striking out his legs, push it on before him; but if he let go the plank, he will probably be left to sink. The best aid to a young swimmer is a judicious friend, himself a good swimmer, who will hold up his head, when he strikes off, by the "tip of the finger to the tip of the chin," and who at the same time will show him how to strike off, and how to manage his hands and feet. It is not a bad plan to put a spar from a boat, to which a rope is attached, which the young learner may make use of by affixing it to a belt round his body under his arms, which will afford him support while he learns to strike his legs in the water. The rope may also be held in the hand of a friend, by the side of the boat, and the learner may strike off hands and feet as the boat proceeds. The plank is a dangerous aid, from its tendency to slip about, and to take the swimmer out of his depth, and although it has many advantages, is very unsafe. The safest plan of all is, for the learner to advance gradually up to his armpits in the water, and then turning about, to strike slowly out toward the shore, taking care to keep his legs well up from the bottom. Rigid perseverance in this course will in a very short time enable the youngster to feel himself afloat, and moving at "all fours,"—a delight equal to that experienced by the child who first feels that he can walk from chair to chair. Striking off and Swimming. In striking off, the learner, having turned himself to the shore, as before recommended, should fall toward the water gently, keeping his head and neck perfectly upright, his breast advancing forward, his chest inflated; then, withdrawing the legs from the bottom, and stretching them out, strike the arms forward in unison with the legs. The back can scarcely be too much hollowed, or the head too much thrown back, as those who do otherwise will swim with their feet too near the surface, instead of allowing them to be about a foot and a half deep in the water. The hands should be placed just in front of the breast, the fingers pointing forward and kept close together, with the thumbs to the edge of the forefingers; the hands must be made rather concave on the inside, though not so much as to diminish the size. In the stroke of the hands, they should be carried forward to the utmost extent, taking care that they do not touch the surface of the water; they should next be swept to the side, at a distance from, but as low as, the hips; and should then be drawn up again, by bringing the arms toward the side, bending the elbows upward and the wrists downward, so as to let the hands hang down while the arms are raising them to the first attitude. How to Manage the Legs. The legs, which should be moved alternately with the hands, must be drawn up with the knees inward, and the soles of the feet inclined outward; and they should then be thrown backward, as widely apart from each other as possible. These motions of the hands and legs may be practised out of the water; and whilst exercising the legs, which can only be done one at a time, the learner may rest one hand on the back of a chair to steady himself, while he moves the opposite leg. When in the water, the learner must take care to draw in his breath at the instant that his hands, descending to his hips, cause his head to rise above the surface of the water; and he should exhale his breath at the moment his body is propelled forward through the action of the legs. If he does not attend precisely to these rules, he must invariably have a downward motion, and as the boys say, swim furthest where it is deepest. Swimming under Water. When under the water, the swimmer may either move in the usual way, or keep his hands stretched before him, which will enable him to cut the water more easily, and greatly relieve his chest. If he observes that he approaches too near the surface of the water, he must press the palms of his hands upward. If he wishes to dive to the bottom, he must turn the palms of his hands upward, striking with them repeatedly and rapidly whilst the feet are reposing; and when he has obtained a perpendicular position, he should stretch out his hands like feelers, and make the usual movement with his feet, then he will descend with great rapidity to the bottom. It is well to accustom the eyes to open themselves under the water, at least in those beds of water that admit the light, as it will enable the swimmer to ascertain the depth of water he is in. Swimming on the Side. In this, the body is turned either on the left or right side, while the feet perform their usual motions. The arm from under the shoulder stretches itself out quickly, at the same time that the feet are striking. The other arm strikes at the same time with the impelling of the feet. The hand of the latter arm begins its stroke on the level with the head. While the hand is again brought forward in a flat position, and the feet are contracted, the stretchedout hand is, while working, drawn back toward the breast, but not so much impelling as sustaining. As swimming on the side presents to the water a smaller surface than on the waist, when rapidity is required, the former is often preferable to the latter. Swimming on the Back. In this the swimmer turns upon his back in the water by the combined motion of the arm and leg, and extending his body, his head being in a line with it, so that the back and upper part of the head may be immersed, while the face and breast are out of the water. The hands should be placed on the thighs straight down, and the legs moved as in forward swimming, taking care that the knees do not rise above the surface in striking them out. Sometimes the hands are used after the motion of a wing or fan, by which a slight progression is also made at the same time that the surface of the body is well lifted out of the water. Swimming on the Back without Employing the Feet. This is twofold: 1. In the direction of the feet. Lie in a horizontal position, the feet stretched out stiffly, and the heels and toes in contact: then the body is to be somewhat curved at the seat, the hands are to be stretched flatly forward over the body, and, slowly striking in small circles, the loins are somewhat drawn up at each stroke 2. In the direction of the head. The body is placed horizontally, but somewhat curved in the seat, the head in its natural position, the arms are kept close to the body, with the elbows inclined inward, and the hands describe small circles from the back to the front, at about a foot and a half from the hips. These modes serve to exercise and strengthen the arms in an extraordinary degree without in the least fatiguing the breast. Floating. Lie horizontally on the back, the head bent backward as much as possible, the arms stretched out over the head in the direction of the body, the feet left to their natural position; if they sink, the loins must be kept as low as possible. In this position, the bather remains, and may float at pleasure. The lungs should be kept inflated, that the breast may be distended, and the circumference of the body augmented. In order not to sink while in the act of taking breath, which the greater specific weight of the body would effect, the breath must be quickly expelled, and as quickly drawn in again, and then retained as long as possible; for, as the back is in a flat position, the sinking, on account of the resistance of the water, does not take place so rapidly but the quick respiration will restore the equilibrium before the water reaches the nose. Treading Water. This is a perpendicular position of the swimmer, and is of great use to enable him to save a person from drowning. It is in general thought to be extremely difficult, but it is very easy. There are two ways of performing the action in the first the hands are compressed against the hips, and the feet describe their usual circle; the other mode consists in not contracting both legs at the same time, but one after the other, so that while the one remains contracted the other describes a circle. In this mode, however, the legs must not be stretched out, but the thighs are placed in a distended position, and curved as if in a halfsitting posture. To Swim like a Dog. In this motion each hand and foot is used alternately, as a dog uses them when swimming, as the term implies. The hands are alternately drawn toward the chin in a compressed form, and then expanded and slightly hollowed, with fingers close, and, as they strike the water, the feet are likewise drawn toward the belly, and struck backward with a kind of kick. This mode of swimming is of use to relieve the swimmer, from time to time, when going a distance. Hand Over Hand Swimming. In this process the right hand is lifted out of the water from behind, swung forward through the air with a kind of circular sweep, to the extent of its reach forward, then dropped into the water edgeways, and immediately turnedwith the palm a little hollowed-downward, the body being at the same time thrown a little on one side, and the right leg struck out backward to its full extent. The hand descends toward the thigh, and then passes upward through the water in a kind of curve toward the surface. The left hand and leg perform a similar movement alternately with the right, and the measure of progression attained by these combined similar movements is very considerable. Plunging and Diving. There are two kinds of plunging; that belonging to shallow, and that belonging to deep water. In shallow-water plunging, the learner should fling himself as far forward as possible into the stream at a very oblique angle; and when he touches the water he should raise his head, keep his back hollow, and stretch his hands forward. In the deep-water plunge, his body is to descend at a greater angle; his arms are to be stretched out, his hands closed and pointed, and his body bent, so that his nose almost touches his toes. Diving is one of the greatest amusements connected with swimming. There are many kinds; the two most common and easiest and necessary modes of going below the surface are: 1. The feet-foremost jump. 2. The head-foremost jump. In the first, the legs, arms, and head are to be kept perfectly rigid and stiff. The pupil must not allow fear, or the strange sensation felt in the bowels in leaping from considerable heights, to induce him to spread the arms or legs, or to bend his body. In the second mode, or head-foremost plunge-which is the safest mode for persons who are heavily built about the chest and shoulders, if they have to enter the water from heights,--the head is drawn down upon the chest, the arms stretched forward and hands closed to a point; and as soon as the swimmer feels that he has left the bank, his knees, which till then were bent, are to be stiffened. The diver must avoid striking on the belly-the general consequence of fear; and turning over so as to come down on his back or side-the consequence of pushing with the feet. When he has gone as deep as he wishes, the arms are to be raised and pressed downward. Saving from Danger. Above all things, the good swimmer should be anxious to save life, and to rescue those who are in danger, without himself becoming the victim, as it often happens. The following rules are highly important to be observed: The swimmer must avoid approaching the drowning person in front, in order that he may not be grasped by him; for whatever a drowning person seizes, he holds with convulsive force, and it is no easy matter to get disentangled from his grasp: therefore, he should seize him from behind, and let go of him immediately if the other turns toward him. His best way is to impel him before him to the shore, or to draw him behind; if the space to be passed be too great, he should seize him by the foot and drag him, turning him on his back. If the drowning person should seize him, there is no alternative for the swimmer than to drop him at once to the bottom of the water, and there to wrestle with his antagonist; the drowning man, by a kind of instinct to regain the surface, when drawn down to the bottom, usually quits his prey, particularly if the diver attacks him there with all his power. For two swimmers the labor is easier, because they can mutually relieve each other. If the drowning person has still some presence of mind remaining, they |