Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-08-03
HOW TO SWIM.
THE USEFUL ART EASILY AND
QUICKLY ACQUIRED.
Plain Suggestions to Those Who
Fear to Enter the Water-How to
Dive and Float.

learned how to swim Will, in the course
of his life have occasion to regret it.
Swimming is such useful art that it
should be learned by every one, and 1t is
a well-knOwn fact that no one fOrgets
how to swim after the stroke has been
once acquired.
The best thing learner can do is to
first acquire confidence in the sustaining
power of the water. One of the best
plans to do this is to walk into the
water until it reaches your armpits, then,
turning about, strike out for the shore
keeping your feet we'll up from the bot
tom. Rigid perseverance in this course
will in a short time enable youngster
to feel himself aflOat and at 'Eall tours, :"
adelight equal to that experienced by the
child who first feels that he can walk
from chair to chair If the beginner is
timid, the aid of a judicious friend,
himself a good swimmer would be desir-
able. The friend could hold up the
young swimmers head when he strikes
out, by the tip of the finger to the tip
of the chin. and who at the same time
will show him how to strike off and
how to managehis hands and feet.
JUST BEFORE STRIKING OUT.
In striking off the learner, having
turned toward the shore, should fall
upon the water gently, keeping his head
and neck perfectly upright, his breast
advancing forward in unison with his
legs. The back cannot be too much
followed or the head too much thrown
back. The hands should be placed just
in front of the breast, the fingers point
ing forward and kept close together,
with the thumbs to the edge of the fore
fingers; the hands should be made rather
cOncave on the inside, though not too
much. In the stroke of the hands they
should be carried forward to the utmost
extent; they should next be swept to
the side at distance from but as low as
the hips. and should then be drawn up
again, by bringing the arms toward the
side bending the elbows upward and
the wrists downward, so as to let the
hands hang down while the arms are
raising them to the first attitude and
so on.
SIMPLE POINTS FOR LEARNERS.
The legs should be moved alternately
with the hands. They should be drawn
up with the knees inward, and the soles
of the feet inclined outward. They
should be thrown backward, as widely
apart from each other as possible.
These motions of the hands and legs may
be practised out of water, and it would
be well to do so and become familiar
with the motions. When in the water
the learner should draw in his breath
when the hands are descending toward
the hips, and eXpel the air from the lungs
when beginning the stroke with the
hands.
Diving is one of the greatest amuse-
ments connected with swimming, and
to dive is the first ambition of the young
swimmer In learning to dive the head
oh ha n eli " n I'd
the chest, the arms stretched forward.
The knees should be bent trife and an
oblique plunge should be made, taking
care not to keep the body TOO stiff. The
diver must avoid striking on the breast,
the general consequence of fear, or turn
ing over so as to come down on his back
or side, the consequence of jumping or
pushing too hard with the feet. After
entering the water, the head should be
thrown back, the face toward the
surface, and the back followed, which
will make you rise to the surface. If you
have gone a considerable depth and do
not rise fast enough, strike out with
your hands, pressing downward, and
you will Immediately ascend
In jumping or leaping from great
heights, the legs, arms and head are to be !
kept perfectly rigid, and the pupil must
not allow fear, or the strange sensation
felt in the bowels in leaping from great
heights, to induce him to spread the
arms or legs or to bend the body.
To swim under water is to swim the |
usual way only taking care not to come
too near the surface. If the swimmer |
observes that he is coming too near the |
surface he should draw his head toward |
his chest, which will depress his body
1t is well to accustom yourself to keeping
your eyes open under the water, at least
in those beds of water that will admit /
the light, as it will enable the sw INNER
to ascertain what depth of water he
is in.
FLOATING.
The position in the water is the same
as that in swimming without the legs. !
The arms should lie stretched out over
the head in the direction of the body. If !
the legs begin to sink you should throw !
out your chest and keep the loins as low
as possible. In this position the human
body, which is specifically lighter than
water, may float at pleasure. In floating
the mouth should always be kept closed, |
and respiration should be rapid.
SWIMMING ON ONE SIDE.
The body is turned either on the left
or right side, as the swimmer chooses.
The feet perform the usual motions in
this style of swimming. The arn from
under the ShouISor cfrotobac itcoIf ont