Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-12-11
SURF RIDING.
Tho Exciting Sport Practiced by the Ma
tlvcs of the Hawaiian Islands.

Tho Exciting Sport Practlced by the Ma
tlvcs of the Hawaiian Islands.
Owing to the entire absence of cSral
reef, the surf at all times breaks on
these shores with prodigious violence.
But in stormy weather this is of course
increased tenfold, and the great green
pillows come rushing in with over
whelming force. These are the delight
of the surf-riders. Each carries a surf
board, which is simply wooden plank.
and raiment is of course almost nil.
Plunging beneath the first wave, they
rise beyond it, and swim out to sea un-
til they meet another, in each case
diving just at the right moment to al
low the billow to pass over them. II
they mscalculate by one second, the
surf catches them and dashes them
shoreward, when they need to be good
swimmers TO escape being battered on
the rocks. But long practice makes
perfect, and many of the surf-riders
dive safely beneath each success
sive wave till they reach the COM
paratively smooth water beyond the
swell. Then laying themselves flat on
their board they prepare for their ex-
cling ride. Their first care is to secure
q winning sea-horse. They calculate
that every third wave is larger than
the rest and rushes higher on the bea oh,
30 their aim is to mount the biggest
billow, which carries them shoreward
at almost lightning speed.
The ride has all the excitement of q
race; for should the rider fail to keep
his plank at exactly The right angle on
the crest of the green billow, he will
be overtaken by tho breaking surf ol
the wave which follows, and to AVOID
this must again dive beneath it and
swim out to sea to make fresh start.
Should he fail to select the right
wave as his courser. and find himsel
on one of the lesser waves, the result
is the same, as it VIII break
ere he reaches the shore, and he must
again do battle with the pitiless surf and
swim for his life. But the man wllost
skill and luck are alike good has Q
wildly exhlarating race. He lie.
poised on the rushing wave, apparently
in perfect security, with the tunldlIuOu:
waters and the flashing surf raging or
every side. If he can direct his cours,
toward the sandy beach, the wave VII
carry him right on to it; but there /:
always danger of being swept on tC
the cruel black rocks. where the ablesl
steerer finds it hard to discern the nar.
row passages through which the secth
ing waters rush so madly, and ter
he is compelled to abandon his trust,
surf-board, and again turning scaward
plunge beneath the wave and make hii
way to some point where he ciln swim
ashore in safety. His surf-board i
probably reduced to splinters in Il fnp
! seeonds-a loss which is us serious %
that of favOrite bat TO Il cricketer
The boards most in favor are mad
from the wood of the v;ri-viri. which i
, , very light. 1t grows in the mountains
and is much used for making fences, n
1t is a kindly shrub. You have but :,
stick one of its branches in the earth
and it takes root and is soon covered
| with blaze of scarlet blossoms.
good surf-board is about an inch and
half in thickness. about eight feet long
and should be slightly followed dow
the center and rcunded at one emil.
is stained black. frequently rubboi wit
cocoanut oil, and preserved with III
greatest care, being wrapt TIP in clot
: and hung up in some safe corner of tli
l house. 1t is called papa he nalq
which means wave-sliding board = an
!. is so named from the papa. or slcdg,
e formerly used in game called horu;
I. which exactly answered to the tobog
;. gan of the Canadians. = Chicago Ial,
' riOr