The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-11
NUDE BATHERS.
The Juvenile Population Disportinx
Themselves Mt the Piers-Exhibitions OF
Natures Statuary.

The Juvenile Population Disportinx
Themselves Mt the Piers-Exhibiti Of
Natures Statuary.
Travellers on our numerous ferry boats and by
the myriads OF steamers that ply up and down the
North and East Rivers have become familiar
doubtless, by this time with the natural exhibit
tons of statuary that the gan,tns of New York
city afford at every pier stranger cruising from
some Western depot in Jersey City might think
that New Workers were an amphibious race OF q
semi-dolphin species on his first view Of the great
population OF naked, tumbling summersaulting
and plunging humanity congregated on the piers
Sometimes half o dozen OF these little rascals are
wHIRLING AROUND IN THE AIR
at once '1ike the planets their own axletrees,"
Mrs. Darlington pnrased It, disappearing together
under the blue rolling waves OF the Hudson some
times twenty heads and busts are protruded above
the pillows directly in the path OF some swift pad
ding steamer, and again corporal's guard in the
rare uniform that nature supplies may be seen
mustered on the end OF the pier going through a
startling undress parade for the beneft Of the
passing passengers. These exhibitors comprise
boys OF all ages under fourteen, though sometimes
among them may be espied boy unusually large
for that age and, by consequence, more unit to
make an exhibition Of himself Young ladies on
the ferryboats have been so shocked by coming un-
expectedly in their rambes through the cabins on
these exhibitions that they dare not now venture
to cast their eyes through the cabin window while
old ladies have been
SHOCKED OUT OF ALL PROPERTY.
To the threats OF officers OF passing steamboats,
the urchns, usually falling in line to pay their re-
spects to such as within sound of their voices,
return yells of derislon and choice bits OF slang
with such singing effect that usually oficers are
glad to hide their diminished heads, as the
ladies do.
''Hey Johnny, won't You take dipr'
ooh, cheese It'll"
"Give us a rest"
At intervals all along the two rivers and pretty
well at every available place on the Harlem River
and Spuyten Duyvil, these nude bathers perform
THEIR HOURLY ABLUTIONs.
OF course, In most instances they are the "small
the city to whom the free baths are closed at hours
when they enjoy most leisure, and only
the prurient prudes Of Charles Reade's classif-
cation need blush at sight Of them. Frequently,
however, a man or welgrown boy takes his
chances with the rest and such should always be
recently made warlike descent on the little in
nocents with such effect that all the streets for
half a dozen blocks In the neghborhood were
filed with naked little fugitives escaping as best
they could, with clothes In hand, from the sharp
infection OF rattan across the shoulder; such
vistations had their effect and deferred the little
bathers from any further
sTATUARY EXHIBITIONS
on the public piers for some time Bat, as with
aster wore away ere long, and now they are as
serenely lmpudent as before.
At the foot of Canal street, on North River; near
Twenty first street. at Thirty-seventh street. with
in smell Of the great manure heap and the rem
dering dock; at nearly all the isolated piers
above Fiftieth street to the Hudson River
railroad bridge; at High Bridge, within sight
of the pleasuring crowds gathered there for
Sundays entertainment; along the Harlem
River at Third and Second avenues, among the
boat houses and down East River opposite the
Island institutions and under the shadow OF the
bluny gardens OF the cast side, the little sunday
seekers were taking their bareback dips. At one
point above Forty-eighth street two or three
bearded men were also In the water, their chests
at least bare and beyond them, of little shanty,
which apparently served as bathing house, two
women with ragged bathing suits were rolling
around merrily In the sluggish surf Nointerference
was offered by the police, although men and boys,
and even the women, seemed TO keep sharp eye
on the possibilities OF q descent.
SWIMMING wAGERs
are generally an element OF these occasions, and
not long ago three women swan for q medal 10
stake boat In the middle OF East River and return.
The passengers on the passing steamers are inter-
ested spectators OF these exhibitions winch In
deed are no more unpresentable than the daily
exhibition Of fashionable bathers at Long Branch.
Only the rascally little gdrains exceed the pro-
prieties, and they should be sqnelcned at once
THE FREE BATHS
which have been Instituted In the city have proven
inadequate to the demand, not only because OF
there being too fey of them, but because the hours