The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-08-17
TO KEEP FROM DROWNING.
1t Is Not Necessary to BE Able to Swim

1t Is Not Necessary to BE Able to Swim
If You Keep Cool.
To keep from drowning it is not neces-
sary to know how to swim. This may
seem at first a strong assertion, but much
depends on the meaning that is attached
to the word ''swim," says the New
York Advertiser. A man may be
able to "tread WATER yet he may not
know how to swim. When a man swims
it means one thing, when a dog swims
it means another and somewhat different
thing. In the main, the difference is one
sprawling in the water. OF course. tho dog
cannot swim as the man can and docs, but
a man may swim ON the first trial az a dog
swims, if he will only do as the dog does.
In what follows the object is to show how
drowning may, under ordinary circum-
stances, be prevented even in the cases of
peruon wholly ignorant of what is called
the art of swimming.
In the first place it is perfectly natural
for every human being to float. With the
lungs inflated and the body below the water
one can not possibly sink. There is 10
simply treading water. The operation is
just like running upstairs and about as
mals to SWIM Throw a dog into the
water and at once he begins TO walk the
same as when out of water. Why should a
like circumstances? Clearly there is no
reason why any human being who can not
swim should make a few helpless struggles.
raise an outcry. throw up the hands and
sink out of sight.
Th trouble is that nine persons out of
ten lose their presence of mind when for
the first time in water beyond their depth.
II, instead of struggling, people would
think moro, fewer would be drowned Odd
ly enough, people have to do just what the
animal docs instinctively in the water. The
dog, the horse. the deer, and even the cat
tread or walk tho water at the nrst attempt.
Mans Ignorance of go simple a thing as
treading water Is a little remarkable.
1t is nonsense to say that animals have
any advantage in the water over men. On
the contrary man has the further advan-
tags of paddled-formed hands. and of
being able to rest himself when tired by
floating, a thing which the animals never
do. Tho man who can not swim must
follow the example of the animals, and
should go on all fours. He must strike
alternately with hand and foot. exactly rs
the deg d~oes-one, two, one, two.
All human beings can walk in the water
without my preliminary practice if they
will simply keep cool-headed. In order,
then, to keep from drowning it is necessary
only to tread or walk the water.
1ae AuoAs aIupic way W pIoa0EN0 llIo, II
out of your depth, is to float, which CON
sists simply in lying fiat on your back.
This is easily accomplished by keeping
the lungs inflated, the head thrown we'll
back, the limbs extended, but flexible,
the arms placed close to the ears, with tho
hands over the head. The majority of peo-
pie prefer to float on the back rather than
to stand upright. Yet any man, woman or
child who can walk on dry land can also
walk in the water with safety.
II is surprising how long animals and
human beings are capable of sustaining
themselves in water. In one we'll
authenticated instance a dog swan ashore
with a letter in his mouth ut tho Cape
of Good Hope, while the crew Of the
ship to which the dog belonged all per-
isLed. The sailors need not have been lost
had they treaded water us the dog did.
Although unable to rest by the way animals
swim immense distances. Last year a dog
was washed overheard during a gale off
Cape Ha,teras. and yet made his way
safely to shore. Only a week or two ago
aome Cattle were swept from a vessel dur
ing n storm ell the Maine cosst, and moro
than half of them were saved.
Ii you can not swim and should fall
overheard don't scream, but try to ''olimb
up stairs" with hands and feet.