The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-08-01
Bathing and Drowning.

may be aptlv termed the drowning season.
The daredevil spirit and irtpul.ivc. reckless
habits which characterize us as nation, have
rendered us 50 familiar with what We are
pleased to call accidents" that VIC hn%r
come to regard these fortuitous events as
matters of course. and are enabled to calculate
their periodical return with far more certain
" than our astronomers can predict the ap-
proach of comet Paradoxical as it H,ay
scout. .htce i. something like order
and system in our accidents. Our disasters
are regulated by times and seasons. The
wcll-known l.y,nn. slightly altered. states the
case exactly v
Each season ms It's OWL mis:ar.
Its pcrils every hour"
Fires and burning fluid explosions arc in
order from November to March, On the
breaking up of winter falling through the
rotting ice is for few weeks the fayoritc
method of finding premature grave. The
gunpowder mania comes on about the fourth
of July. and accomplishes vas, amount of
mischief i'll very short time. Then comes
the season of steamboat explosions ard con-
flagrations, railroad collisions, &c.. which lasts
until people get home from their summer
jaunts. and the picnic excursions are over
The period which We have dcnonlinatcd " the
drowning season." usually commences in the
latter part of June. and is of about three
months continuance. From river. pond and
. sea>hor the wall of wo has already begun to
ascend. How many bri sht and promising
youths will find Il ''watcry bier Gre the
summer sos;icc is passed. How many hearts
will be crushed, how many hopes bligh.cd.
how many homes darkencd. as the cold and
dripping form of sons and brothers are slow
ly borne from the place of boyis!l revelry to
the silent and darkcncd chamber.
What then. Shall bathing and swimming
be abandoned. because attended with dam
ger? By no means. One might with as
much reason abandon the use of fire. because
that element sometimes DESTROYS property
and life. Children. boys especially. ought to
be encouraged tr learn to swim. 1t is a
healthtul and invi Soratins exercise and most
useful art life itself often depending upon it.
But in acquiring the art. every possible pre-
caution should be taken against the risk to
which the beginner i>cxpo>cd. \ few words
of caution to our Young readers. ard some
directions to the older ones for restoring per
sons apparently drowned. may. therefore
prove no; altogether useless
1t is probable that drowning is usually
"cca>ioncd by excessive fright. The body is
as light as water. and if person OF sudden
II finding himself beyond his depth. could
keep perfectly cool and sclfposScsscd. there
would perhaps be little danger of his sink
ing. He would soon find 4 way to keep hi.
mouth and nostrils out of water. even if h,
knew nothing of swimming. Bat all cxpe
rience shows that it is too much to expect a
novice 10 retain his calmncss and compo.urc
under such circumstances. BOYS, and men
too, ~iN he terribly frightened. when they fint
themselves sinking in an element which the,
have not learned to master, in spite of all tn.
philosophy they may be able to command
1t is about as useful, therefore, to cxhort then
to keep cool when they find themselves drown
ing. as it would be to advise boy to turn,
boldly round and face an infuriatcd bull, rath
or than trust to good pair Of legs for es
cape.
Two simple precautions would. we think
avert most Of the fatal casualties from bath
ing which happen among boys. First. lei
those who cannot swim ST lect a safe place 70,
bathing; and, second let them never vcntur,
beyond their depth unless there are thox,
present who are capable of rendering assis
tance, in case Of danger. The inexperienced
should be especially carefulnot to bathc wher,
the bottom is steep, irregular. or full of holes
They should also shun the ncighborhood OF
mill-dams and waterfalls, where there ar
strong currents and cddics. No place is saf
for novice to bathe in unless Ec knows it t,
be free from those objections: and even then
it would be rash for him to venture furthc
than he can safely wade. unless there ar
good swimmers i'll the party. In diving, SC
lcct deep place, and strike the water ohlique
ly. If seized by the cramp. strike out tn
limb boldly, drawing the toes upward, n
matter how great the pain; meanwhile. max
) for land with your arms. If in a momer
of peril companion comes to your aid. d
not grapplc him, or YOU may both PERISH
The person rendering assistance should a,
, proach the sufferer with care, getting benin
him if possible, and seizing him with on
hand or his teeth.
When life is not exposed, health is oftc
, endangered by the reckless manner IN xhic
!, boys plunge into water in a warm dav.-
!, Swimming. although a very healthful txerci,
in itself, may be perverted into source n
J: great evil to the body. Boys should tnde
n stand that to go intp Che water when in
perspiration, or Immediately after hear,
+ meal, or when greatly fatigued, or at mid-da
in very hot weather, or to go in several tim,
a in ono day, or to remain in too long, or to a