The Hawaiian gazette., 1882-12-13
Boating for Girls

that the most reAkQDAhAt VI AAlr-C
should come now in the shape Of boating
cluhs
The act Of rowing is in fact, one of the most
splendid Of all gymnAstic exercises in its effect
upon the female figure. Given light pair Of
oars and a safe, well built boat, a smooth piece
of water, and man on the shore who can
swim, and there can be no better exercise for
the growing girls % family than the rswign
M and down for an hour in the morning.
There ia almost no danger in it, if the exercise
does not fatigue or cause = sudden shortness
Of breath. II this comes, OF course the prac-
tice must be discontinued, for tits evident that
the heart does not like it. But if the children
return exhiliarated and rosy, it may be pre-
sumed that the rowing is admirable exercise
for them. IL certainly strSightens the back,
develops the arms and bust, and gives even
those who are threatened with lung difficulty
q new lease Of life.
But as a young lady's beauty IS thing to
be considered, the proper attention TO the hands
and the complexion demands that they should
both be covered. The head should be pro-
teeted by a large hat, not tapping one, but
one that shades the face, and the hand by dog
skin gloves which will not embarrsss the free
play OF the muscles.
Then, as the boating children grow older,
they can well become the fit candidates for
boat crew which shall, in its way, emulate in
zeal the great clubs Of Harvard, Columbia,
Yale, and Princeton. For there are many
young women of clear head, slender figure,
good lungs, steady heart beat, and strong mus
eles who can be trusted TO pull an oar with the
test young oarsman Of the day.
Feeling that this amusement as well as
horseback exercise may be utilized 10 the
health and the benefit of the sex, we are glad
10 see that al some female colleges and at
many summer watering places the young la
dies are organizing themselves into boating
Cube, and under professional trainers are
learning 10 row in groups like the well trained
crews Of the various colleges.
Now this adventure must require some he
roic self-sacrihee The fair crew must enter
into the plan as 4 business, give up the tempt
alton to 70 away 10 Newport or Saratoga, re-
sign all the engagements which might inter-
fere with their training, and regard it as
conscientious promise. On certain inland
lake one such crew has been in training for a
year, and the results are admirable. They
nave had shell " built by one Of the best
builders they have oars which are trihe
lighter than those OF their masculine compel
itors: they have secured the services of a pro-
fessional trainer; and SO far no illness, or
weakness, or neglect Of duty has been report
ea. They have all grown better looking, finer
in figure, more robust in health. The brown
Of the complexion has been little trying TO
one young lady, but her friends do not find 1t
unbeconing.
Il is like strain of music to see this fair
crew as they move of with the neatest precis-
ION. Their little coxswain, 4 fairy-like girl,
with the voice Of a curnet-s-pistou, rules them
with rod of iron. and they obey her with SOL
shar- gn the rnkla
captain. Their dress is neatness itself; fan
mel blouse of navy blue belted in loosely,
pair Of woollen pantaloons or drawers with a
foot to them like the tights worn on the STAGE
India rubber soled lawn tennis shoes, and
sailor hat fastened on with an India rubber
strap, dog skin gloves Of bright yellow reach
iuc 10 the elhow-such is the lady crew of this
inland lake.
They have some competitors who disdain
the hat and the gloves. But we DO not ap-
prove Of their disdain. A woman should keep
her hands white and soft, and her face from
being sunburned and freckled, by reasonable
care.
It's curious fact, too, that the young oars
women who wear gloves have distanced their
competitors wtu have none. These young wo-
men commenced cautiously" Festina iente "
is their motto. They did not starve them
selves. LUX ALG oatmeal anu GLtAIl auA a DGCl-
steak, took but short courses at first, aud had
. due regard to headaches (for women suffer
from headache much more than men,) and
these prudent sailors put a cabbage leaf in
their hats on very hot days. They began their
practice in early morning aud late evening,
and learned TO bear the heat OF the sun very
gradually.
As all things slowly done meet with ripest
and quickest and surest success, their prepar-
atorv exercises have brought them into a
thorough physical training, which makes them
a most reliable crew. OF course the bane Of
al the aIausements and all the work OF the
world has entered in 10 their boat and threat
ems 70 swamp il.
Thew arc now full of emulation They want
10 heat somebody else. They have as vet no
rival near the throne Of their own sex, so they
are diving 10 row with Harvard or Yale. Of
course they have beaten the local hatless and
eioveless crew times out OF mind. Bat If they
came in competition with the crew of Harvard
or Yale. no doubt the fair Nereids would be
whipped, for women's muscular system is
usuallv Inferior 10 hardness and durability and
staving power to that of man, and she cannot
do what be can. But she can do what women
can do, and that is very good thing. She
nav not have the superhuman power of Grace
Darling or n Joan Of Arc. They were phe-
nominal women; but if by her boating she
gives herself not unly delightful amusement,
but freer development and a more serene
mind. if she make herself mistress of that dan
-erous element, the waite, she is three times the
person that she would be if she could not take
an oar, and row herself over from one house
70 another on the shores Of Bar Harbor, or
Newport, or NarTagansstt, or on the lovely H.
land lakes of New York or on the Hudson
River, and above all, and first of all, she
should learn TO swim.
A woman can, if she is put in the water early
enough, learn to swim perfectly. She can be-
come :" perfect duck - in other than the con-
ventual formula. There is no such freedom
and such independence as this.
on certain recent wreck near New York
one Of those steamboat explosions which made
every one tremble-a very strong, big man
owed his life to a small woman who could
swim. She held up his head, encouraged him
70 throw out his arms-in fact, taught him to
swim, during those horrible hours when death
waited for them. If everything else failed,
she held his hands down behind him, and he
found himself floating, unconsciously made
aware that unless he used his arms wisely he
had better not have any
u,