The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-08-26
THE. DAILY NEWS.
IN THE SURE
BATHING AT LONG DRANCH.
sur B.thing-Un tho Line-swiaming
f.~;t for Ltfe. ab rflt

8uff BRthinR-On tho L1uc-SW1mmtnS In 3
for Lafe. ae5 .t5l,
A correspondents Of the Boston Post gives
This refreshinR ana picturesque description oil
the pleasures aud humors OF bathing at Long
Branch:
SURF BATHING. s.u V
The practici Il use OF all this magnitude and
grandeur is to rufdo up salt water INTO surf Tor
the qualification Of the couple Of thousand
nortals who pay five dollars day for closets
and poor food at the hotels; and, considering 1t
in this light, one must acknowledge that MOTH
ing has en created without q purpose. The
ses-bothinR is the ono attraction which Long
Branch has to present TO the ordinary visitor,
and IL is we'll thatlthis is OF most excellent
quality. There is one professional "bather'
royal disdain for shoes and stockings, an in
difference regarding hats, and comfortable
convection that bathing clothes are perfect
legged 70 tho knee and bare-a-med to the OIL
bow, the better to tread the moist sand and
to handle tho dripping bathing suits. The
bather issues daily bulletin, informing us all
take the water. The time varies according to
the tide, and includes the two hours before and
after it's height. The bather is also the owner
OF the limo of shanlies which dlshgures the
beach, which no let's, with suit OF bathing
clothes, at fifty cents bath. They are not
making 30 much money as usual this year, for
the ladies do not bathe as generally az once
was the case, and the male portion OF tho visi-
tors prefer their company. Yet there seems,
to spectator, to be no lack Of merry rioters
of both sexes in the surf during tho hours
when Neptupes deputy announces that sport
is IN order Iho long Ta
some hundred feet out. aio crowded Oh tho
shore end, and the waves arc full of heads and
hats and upturned hces.
Surf-bnthng at the Branch is O hand-to.
hand tusslo with the wnv, 9. There is no gen.
t1y sloping beach to descend, where the ripples
and foam first lap tho feet and then softly
it the sen rushes to catch you at the first,
wast-high in Its embrace, pull the ground
from under your feet, and perchance throw
you, prone and suck your precious head under.
OF blue fannel have o weakness about tho
button-holes and waistbanu that requires
constant vigilance. 1t lis very suggestive
of a loss and subsequent demand for re-
son at tho bath-house. But Yesterday It was
that portly eNell .nrrayeds himself in this
attire, flannel plumpy filled and grit about
his. generous waist with one stout cord.
beach and stepped in. tho ldge Of the roll
lers. Walking carefully out, ho unfortunately
turned for one glance ut the summer house on
the bank above, where, among Others, she
sat. That glance was bis fate; for behind HIM
thereI came roaring, Missing wall OF green,
just breaking into foam ON it's summit. It
oaught him, reversed him, stuck his head. in
GUS fall, and left him entangled in The rush of
the outAeuing undertow, from which ono arm
and o leg emerged in time to be grasped and
tn!rfed and shot out again on the sand by the
companion breaker wblch followed. The thirl-
Tor the large waves seem to run in tr1pletH=-
caught him q, ,ter5o as he half rose, bewildered,
70 ms kpees, and his wreck was complete.
Buttons, cord and kaots availed nothing. and
dshevelled. sandyand nauseated with unwilling
drau9hts Of salt water. he grasped with both
hands his descending trousers and rushed, we'll
nigh sans c,ltoQes, TO his bath house. which he
found after surprising an elderly female in her
and completed his toilette with the
aid OF pail Of salt water, which the basher
kindly brought him for q consideration.
ION THE LINE. 81 +5E
The safety limo is the nucleus Of the bathing
scene. Those creatures who wear hats-be
they men or women / never could teli--oluster
about and cling to Ii with tenacity which ut.
terly incapacitates them for keeping their feet,
and an evident faith in its being their only
salvation from salt water death. There they
crouch in thatslight depth of water close to
the shore, where the sand is shifting and gra-
vel churning; swaying and bobbIng at the
swash OF each spent breaker, tumbling against
each other, half buried in sand at one mo-
me1t sS. left hsh and dry the next and Sked
cover themselves. Further out those prudent
males, who never feel safe without one toe in
the sand, bold the rope with both hands, and,
Win OOuQtGUhuC6b expI6bblN0 VI LUG RT6aLed6
hilarity, leap to meet each roller asit approach
es, keeping thetrvprecious mouths above theto
generous sea waves. Doubtless there is enjoy
ment in this style OF sea-bathng. There Is in
row or clingcrs. aB q big break tumblee them
into each others arms, and bumps their bon
nsts together and leaves them seated and drip.
ping In CLOSE embrace. And occasionally there
IL an accident. The line will be thrown by the
careless waves over the head OF some gentle
creature, and when the foaminR, rushing surf
aows back ahe Will be seen stretched on her
back, hands convplsiyey cutching the rope
nnder the seething sand and water. and feet
spasmodicaly flying in the air. A dozen help
Ing hands grasp hor by the shoulder and drag
her forth to repeat the adventure.
..-s A swIAnkER. 'a4
It Is dangerous, the bather will tell you to
OF the line There are terrible tales OF strong
men exhausted and sinking after long conteD-
tion with tho subtle and powerful undertoy
which is ever running off the steep bank; In
dead loss to the owner OF the establishment.
In consequence Of this ever present danger,
payment ia dem landed in advance for the use OF
the flannel snlts which propriety requires.
own skin. When there is a strong sea you can
realize something OF this undertow at The edge
OF the surf. II takes email boys off their legs and
will very likely turn your own more steady frame
ouuHlb6 uulebb you are DdullOuS ana prepared
for It. But in ordinary matters my experience
tells me that the fatal power Of this undertog is
exaggerated. Take q straight swim out for.the
horizon; let the ocean buoy you up and toss
you about; never mind the undertow, and II
you and that you can't get back, keep calm and
tRy torealiEe that the value OF your flannel suit
viii urge the batheE and his corps Of assistants
20 superhum6h efforts for your rescue. That
long, bread reach beyond the breakers is an
unknown spot to most who paddle and plunge
IN the surf at Long Branch; and may they
ne!er know what they lose By neglecfing Il.
gathering strength for The plunge on the
beach. rocked on their long swell, upborne
without = motion your own to steady your
sell, gently but with mighty powell You
er, at the grovellipg creatures you have left
behind amid the sand and surf, and realize the
ecstatio sense offreedom and enjoy yinens which
Is found In real ocean bath. s,..isE y u.
This Is not alone possible to masculine nerve
and muscle. lovely girl, the most vigorous