Wichita eagle., 1888-04-22
WHY DO PEOPLE DROWN?
A Well Known English Swimmer Ex-
plains the Science of Floating.

A Well Known English Swimmer Ex-
plains the Science of Floating.
u suppose" l remarked to MIR. johnson,
the well known swimmer, that such cork
as yourself cannot quite understand how a
person sinks" "Oh, yes, but can. 1t is only
such myself, who study the science OF
floating, that can understand the mystery OF
sinking. A swimmer becomes swimmer by
endeavoring to find out, not SO much how to
swim, as how not to sink. Man or woman
can fioat-there is no exception. The big
secret is knowing how, and being self pos
sessed enough-that is, in cases of emergency
to take advantage of ones knowledge. But
directly the boat capsizes, or the canal bank
SUBSIDIES or the sands shift, or the deep part
of the river uncomfortably asserts itself, the
ignorant mortal Ignorant of how to use his
powers of buoyancy) sets about to sink him
self"
"Snks himself, Mr.. JohnsonT observed,
obviously. Yes, sinks himself. Up go his
hands, and down he sinks like fiagstone.
OF the ten thousand and one frenzied actions
in which drowning man INDUCES not one is
there that lends title of buoyancy. In the
first place, he clutches at the proverbial
straw, and there is no surer way Of sinking
ones self than by thrusting the hands out OF
the water. The consequent lurch of the body
strikes fatal terror in the mans heart, he
struggles spasmodically, and then, bereft as
he is of all consciousness, vanishes to his
doom. Take, as an instance, the yachting
accident off Ilfracombe the other day. A
jovial party set sail in a crazy fishing smack,
and an extra capful of wind upset her In
stantly there was chaos and confusion, as is
always the case, and fourteen luckless souls
drowned themselves 1t is simply suicidal
for a non-swimmer to risk his life in an un-
certain craft"
Suppose, then, Mr.. johnson. that you and
I are cruising The boat has capsized; we
are in the water What am I, non-swimmer,
to doan If there is anything floating catch
at it steadily. The least particle will support
you. This beading (which was no more than
an inch squarel would keep your bead above
water. But if there is nothing at all within
reach this is what you should do" At this
juncture Mr.. johnson sprang to his feet.
Throwing back his head, and placing both
hands in the small of his back, his form as
sumed slanting position. 80 long as you
remained as l am now, so long would you
float
Then it is not necessary for the require
nlenlS OF uoallns tnat ones tOto suouiu oe
level with his noeer' Not in the least. The
mode of floating in moment Of emergency
is as have just illustrated-or, at least, my
experience tells me that it is the safest
and the easiest 1t would be an inconsider
sble matter for people to familiarize them
selves with the principles Of floating, and
simple acquaintance with the subject might
prove to be of hfe long service. To be Of any
real service, swimming must be studied to
perfection. A man or woman is termed 81
good swimmer tand the man or woman comes
to think SO too who can manage, say, score
lengths of a bath twenty yards long. Here
the water is tepid and smooth, but it is differ
ent at sea How many yards would that
same swimmer traverse in troublous waters.
But the chances are that he could float Till
rescued, which is always the end sought
after Pail Mall Gazette.