The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1878-05-21
WONDERFUL LEAPlNG.
The sand " icll- Islanders Diving from
m Precinice Ninety Feet High.

The ssndwicl-Isian.isys Diving from
Precipice Ninety Feet High.
In the concluding article OF the
sketches published in the Nineteenth Cen
turn, under the title of Round the
World in the Sunbeam" occurs the fol-
lowing vivid account of wonderful swim
ming, diving and leaping, in the Sand
witch Islands:
We returned to the Sunbeam on Christ
mas-Day, and on the following day we
witnessed some extraordinary feats OF
swimming performed by the natives OF
the island. A copious stream enters the
sea about quarter of mile west OF the
little town of Hilo. At a short distance
from its mouth it forces its way through
a chasm in the volt anic rock, and then
winds round precipitous crag Of lava,
at the foot of which it forms a still pool
six fathoms in depth. We had been in
vited to witness two noted swimmers leap
the summit of the crag into the pool be-
low. The whole population turned out
on the occasion, and seated themselves
on the slopes above the river, awaiting
the arrival of the two athletes. Mean,
while number of the more youthful
inhabitants of Hilo, of both sexes, en-
tertained us with display Of the art OF
swimming and diving. One active girl
leaped repeatedly from a height OF TWEEN
ty feet into the river. In the intervals
between their performances these am
phibious people climbed up the rocks
that overhung the river, where they gath
cred themselves into the most pictur~
esque groups of bronze-colored yet
shapely humanity. There were few gar
ments to mar the symmetry of their
forms, but there was not the slightest
faint of immodesty in the scene. A
sculptor, looking on with the cultivated
eye of a trained artist, would have reyel-
ed in the graceful movements OF the
forms displayed before him; while a
painter would have appreciated not less
the harmonizing colors of the picture,
in which the olive hesh-tints formed such
an admirable contrast to the dark lava
rocks on which the swimmers reclined.
Many laborious student of the acade-
my has raked his brain in the vain effort
to produce a composition on canvass or
marble, with not one half the beauty or
the truth to nature of these fortuitous
assemblages of graceful figures.
An hour had passed away not unpleas-
antly when the heroes of the day arrived.
They were to leap in the pool beneath
from the summit of precipice ninety
feet in height. Thirty feet below the
edge of crag juts out fifteel feet from
the face of the rock. 1t was necessary
for the swimmersto clear this projection.
We were seated on the ledge of rock near
the edge of the water, to witness the
feat they were about to perform. 1t was
point of view where the swimmers were
seen with good effect, as they first ap-
peared on The crag above us, and paused
for moment on the edge, before taking
their tremendous leap in the gulf be-
meath.
As we looked up to the summit of the
precipice, the powerful forms of these
olive colored uncomfortable specimens Of
the native races of the Paciic-stood
out in magnificent relief against the blue
sky. Each wore green wreath fastened
on his brow, a tribing touch, which en-
HANGED the resemblance to those admira.
BILE products of ancient art, the bronze
figure of the flying Mercury in the
museum at Naples. AS the first swim.
mer gathered himself together for the
leap, there was breathless silence in the
crowd, momentary glance of hesita
ton in the hero of Hilo, succeeded by
that set expression which q man wear;
who has determined to do a chivalrou.
deed or perish in the attempt. The1
came a superb elastic bound, an agile re
adjustment of the balance, and the ath
letic figure darted downward like an ar
row through the air, with a tremendous
splash disappeared feet downwards below
the CLASSY surface, and, after prolonged
immersion, rose again to the surface
scathless, amid the enthusiastic ovation!
Of the crowd.
The great feat was followed by per
Torrance which, in less amphibiou
country, would have excited wonder. L
was leap down waterfall having fal
of fifteen feet. Not only did the two
champions take the leap, but even the
nymphs of Hilo, in numbers, followed
them. After disappearing for few mo
ments in the seething water at the foo
Of the cascade, they reappeared laugh
ing and talking, evidently regarding tn
feat as an ordinary bathing incident.