Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1891-10-17
KEEP FROM DROWNING,
CAN BE DONE WITHOUT KNOW
ING HOW TO SWIM.
A Few Practical Precepts-To Walk or
FIosS In the water--It Is Per
feotly Natural for All An
imaiI to Swim,

TO keep from drowning it is not
necessary to know how to swim. This
may seem at first a rather strong as
sertion, but much depends on the
meaning that is attached to the word
swim" A man may be able 10
tread water, yet he may not know
how to swim. When a man swims 1t
means one thing, when a dog swims it
means another and somewhat differ
ent thing. In the main the difference
is one of position-of standing up
right or of sprawling in the water. on
course the dog cannot swim as the man
can and does, but Il man may swim on
the first trial as dog swlms IL he
will only do as dog does.
In what follows the object is 10
show how drowning may, under ordi-
nary circumstances, be prevented even
in the case OF persons wholly ignoran,
OF what is called the art Of swimming,
In the first place II is perfectly na-
tural for every human being to float
With the lungs inflated and tho body
below the water, one can not pOssibly
sink There is no easier method OF
keeping ahoat than by simply trcading
water. The operation IS Just like
running up stairs, and about as diff
ficult 1t Is perfectly natural for ami.
mails TO swim. Throw dog into
the water aud at once he begins %
walk the same as when out OF water.
Why should man. woman or child do
differently under like circumstances?
asks the New York Advertiser. Clear.
| ly there Is no good reason why any
human being who cannot swim should
make few helpless struggles. raise
an cutlery, throw up his hands and
sink out Of sight.
The 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 do moro thinking. fewer
would drown. Oddly enough. PEG.
pie have TO be told 10 do Just v hat the
animal does instinctlvely in the water.
The dog, the horse the deer aud even
the cat tread or walk the water at first
attempt. Man ignorance OF so sim.
pie thing Us trcading wafer Is u little
remarkable. II Is nonsense 10 say
that animals have any advantage in
the water over men. On the cont airy,
man has the advantage OF paddle
formed hands, and Of being able 10
rest himself when tired. by floating IA
thing which the animals never do.
The man who cannot swim must fol-
low the example OF tho animal and
should go on all fours. He must strike
alternately with hand and foot. exactly
as the dog does one two; one two.
All human beings can walk In tho
water without any preliminary prac-
tee II they will simply keep cool head
cd. Ia order, then 70 keep from
drowning II Is necessary only 10 freud
or walk the water.
The most simple way 10 preserve
life il out OF your depth l. to aoat
which consists simply In lying flat on
your back. This Is easily accom-.
plishcd by keeping the lungs inflated
the head thrown we'll back, the limbs
extended. but flexible. tho arms placed
close - the ears, with hands over
head. The majority Of tho people
prefer to float on the back rather than
to stand upright Yet my man. wo-
man or child who cau walk on dry
land can also walk in the water with
safety.
It IS surprising how long animals
and human beings are capable Of sus-
tanning themselves in water. In one
we'll authenticated instance a dog swan
ashore with a letter in his mouth a,
the Cape OF Good Hope, while the crew
Of the ship to which tho dog belonged
all persisted. The sailors need not
have been lost had they trcadod water
as the dog did. Although unable n
rest by the way animals swim immense
distances. Last year n dog was
washed overheard during a gale of
Capo Hatteras, and yet made his way
safely to shore Only week or two
ago some cattle were swept from a
vessel during n storm OFF the Maine
coast and more than half Of them
were saved.
II you cannot swim and should fnll
overheard don't scream, but try d
"climb upstairs with hands and foot