The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1878-06-14
Sandwich Island Bathers.
Thos. Brassey, in Nineteenth Century.

/ AA SAiSohiaS uty AHA Ol TIE 1oIlOWlng
day we witnessed some extraordinary feats
OF swimming performed by the natives of
the island. A copious stream enters the
/ sea abont quarter of mile from the little
town of Hilo. At short distance from its
mouth it forces its way through chasm in
the volcanic rocks, and then winds round
preeipitous crag of lava, at the foot of
which it forms still pool, six fathoms in
depth. We had been invited to witness
two noted swimmers leap from the summit
OF the erag into the pool below. The
whole population turned ont on the occa-
sion, and seated themselves on the grassy
slopes above the river, awaiting the arrival
of the two athletes. Meanwhile number
of the more youthful inhabitants of Hiio, of
both sexes, entertained us with display of
the art of swimming and diving. One ac-
tive girl leaped repeatedly from height of
20 feet into the river. In the interval be-
tween their performances, these amphibi-
Gus people climbed up the rocks that over
hung the river, where they gathered them
selves into the most picturesque groups of
bronze colored yet shspely humanity.
There were few garments to mar the sym
metry of their forms, but there was not the
slightest taint Of immodesty in the scene.
A sculptor, looking on with the cultivated
eye of trained artist, would have revelled
in the graceful movemynts of the forms dis
played before him while painter would
have appreciated not less the harmonious
colors of the picture, in which the olive
nesh tints formed such an admirable con-
trast to the lava rocks on which the SWIM
mers reclined. Many laborious student
OF the Academy has racked his brain in the
vain effort to produce composition on can
vass or in marble, with not one-half the
the beauty or the truth to nature of these
fortuitous assemblages of graceful figures.
An hour had passed away not unpleasantly
when the heroes of the day arrived. They
were to leap into the pool beneath from the
summit of precipice 90 feet in height.
Thirty feet below the edge crag iuts out
Is feet from the face of the rock. 1t was
necessary for the swimmers to clear this
projection. We were seated on a ledge of
rock near the edge of the water, to witness
the feat they were about to perform, It
was point of view whence the swimmers
were seen with striking effect, as they first
appeared On the crag above US, and paused
for moment on its brink, before taking
their tremendous leap into the gulf be-
meath. As We looked up to the summit of
the precipice, the powerful forms of these
olive eolored memorable specimens of
the native races of the Pacific-stood out in
magnificent relief against the dark blue
sky. Each wore green wreath fastened
on-ss4;s brow-a trifling touch, which en-
HANGED the resemblance to those admirable
products of ancient art, the bronze figures
of the flying mercury in the museum at
Naples. AS the first swimmer. gathered
himself for The leap, there was brealhless
silence in the crowd, ,nomentary glance
of hesitation in the the courtenance of the
hero of Hilo, succeeded by that set look
which man wears who has determined to
do chivalrous deed or perish in the at |
tempt.
Then came superb elastic bound, an |
agile readjustment of the balance. and the |
agile figure darted downw nd like an arrow
the air, with a Tremendous splash disap-
peared feet below the CLASSY surface, and
after prolonged immersion rose again to
the surface seathless, amid the enthusiastic
ovations of the crowd. The great feat was
followed by performance which, in less
country, would haye excited
wonder. 1t was leap down waterfall
having fall of 10 feet. Not only did the
swo champions take the leap, but even the
nymphs of Hilo, i'll numbers, followed
them. After disappearing for a few mo
ments in the seeting water at the foot of
The cascade, they reappeared laughing and
talking, evidently regarding the feat as an
ordinary bathing incident.