The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-01-20
NY LAST SWIM At SEA.

lcmu0t rec0llect ever learning 10 swim.
/ swan naturally, and i'm boyhO0d was
almost as much 40 home in as ont Of the
water Diving. am art in general only
acquired by long practice, was 10 me
easy from the beginning My skill in
aquatic sports passed into proverb, and
now that years have passed and / have
reached middle life the rcncwn Of my
boyhool fcats chngs To me yet In my
native place.
But ] ann swimmer no more the love
that was SD strong has given place 70
such loathing hate and horror of the
water chat when ] think of it cold
shudlor comes over me until the tide Of
thought IS turned. An adventure in
tropical waters was the cause of this.
Ithapp0ned thus. was ON my second
voyage The ship lay becalmed amid
the AlOluccd Islands, on the passage for
China. 1t was near midday in the fore
noon watch. The suns hottest rays were
pOun. down upon the deck with scOrch-
ing violence. and vainly did | seek for
some cool spot where momentary COM
fort. 40 least. could be found The pant
ine. half nude forms Of the crew were
spread ont beneath the shade of a canvas
drawn over the forucastlc capstan, which
obey tried 90 persuade themselves yielded
some shelter from the heat.
Above. not "a cloud could be seen in
the broad blue eXpanse of the sky, which
seemed "a heated caldrOn turned above
us. Against it the stately spars and
heavy white sails swayed with the roll
of the ship I'M royal idlencss and majesty.
Too hot o. work or TO read, uneasy,
praying for q breeze which it seemed
would never come, | l0ungcd about tho
leck yainly seeking relief from my dis
comfort
Gazing over the side down into the
deep blue waste beneath, my eve sought
some object 10y which 10 note the vessels
progress, however slow It might be. but
nothing could 1 see save water, dark and
miathomable The polished coppered
side of the ship shone brightly ont upon
the surface for o few feet, and as l
.azed upon its quiverIng beauty, and re-
marked how very still we lay the thought
struck me- "What d chance for swiml'
What q relief from all this brOling,
swcltering. oven like heat.
10 think was to act ! turned to the
boys
Here joint Bnlyl JIMMY Let's
rO in swimming. Never was such 4
chance" cried !, springing down from
ihe rail. Let's sling the ladder over
from tie fore chains 80 we can get up
the side easily, and we'll have a good
Time, she isn't moving a bit; come, bear
% hand and let's see who'll be overheard
lrst"
The ships officers made no objection,
and 1 was quickly joined by four or five
Of my shipmates, each as anxious as my
self for something 20 vary the monotony.
The fore hatch ladder was quickly slung
and dashed TO the side, and we stripped
10 60 in.
The restof the crew had gathered upon
The top gallant forecEtle to watch our
antics. Only one old fellow, an inveter-
ale growler known as "Briton," eau
toned us as he took his seat near the
rail.
you young rascals had better keep
0ut of the water, or the sharks II COB
Die up some of you. There's plenty OF
em round for an you don't see 'om."
ooh. you're always crOakug, you web
footed old barnace backw cried Billy
Option. mounting the rail and posing
himself for plugQV I'VE never can do
anything but vou must throw cold water
ON 1t.
ooh, go ahead! goahcad! don't care
my advice, but ii you were a son Of
mine you'd not 60 overheard in these
waters. growled Briton
"Wel as I'm not your son, and as you
don't caro- what i do. here goesw said
Billy. and suiting the action TO the word,
he sprang lightly 10 the rail, glanced in
mid air tor an instant and the next was
buried fathoms deep III the liquid blue.
Rising quickly 10 the surface with
shake of his curly head to clear his sight
81 the water, which dipped from his
hair, De gave an encouraging cheer TO
tho rest and struck boldly out from the
vessel. side
Emholdened by his confidence, several
more began taking oil their clothes TO
lOin the merry band who were soon
about under the bow or splash
ING water up ut the boxers on above. L
was DELAYED through having to put some
plvs % the ladder, until some seven or
tlglt lldu gone Owl tit ni,t'f AN~i
shouts and laughter and the fear that l
was losing half the Gun fastened my
as throwing my clothing
into my bunk ] ran out and clambered
into the forechains for dive.
AS paused a moment 10 tak0 breath
and cool my perspiring body slightly be-
fore going in, looked down upon the
merry scene Of which / had been the
chief instigatOr.
Below me, clinging with one hand to
some ropes ends thrown over TO them,
and actively scattering water upon each
other. were two OF the less experienced
swimmers Further on toward the bow
were three or four others more expert,
who were wing with one another in
fcats and pranks; diving under each
other. catching hold Of feet and pulling
some other down, and ducking one an
other uuawaros.
Away out. some hundred yards or
more. Billy Option was leisurely swim
ming about, rolling over and over por-
poise fashion, floating and enjoying him
self hugely. As soon as he saw me
ready 10 dive he called 10 me to join him
him and see how handsome the shin