The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-12-18
SWIMMING IN SALT LAKE.
Easy Enough to Float, but to Float Right
End Up, There's the Rub.

During visit to Salt Lake "enioyed"
a swim on summer afternoon, making
the trip from town to Lake Point, the
Coney Island of the region, on an excur-
sion train in company with 3 number Of
Mormons. The little railroad runs through
a diversified tract, in which garden. farm,
rocky uplift and mud plain are oddly jum-
bled, the plain being spotted with tufts of
pale and bristling sage brush that grows
on the rocky mountain country where
nothing else will There Is bathing pa
vilion at Lake Point with fresh water
tanks, in which to rinse ones self after the
bath, but elected to try a swim without
spectators; so, walking southwark along
the shore for a mile or so, found place
where the rounded rocks that formed the
emblance of beach were not too numer-
Gus.
1t was a trifie difficult to keep steady
footing in the water and at first attrib-
uted this to inequalities on the bottom,
but on getting where it was deeper found
that my legs had disposition to come to
the top, and it was apparent that the diff
Guilty of wading across arose from the
buoyancy that the body has in so dense a
medium as this brine When had waded
out so far that the water came up TO my
neck / scaled boIvlder and dived. As it
is my custom TO open my eyes under water,
I did so as soon as was fairly immersed.
In an instant it seemed as if vitriol had
been poured into them.
Springing to an upright position as soon
as possible, tried to get the salt out Of
them, but the more / rubbed the more it
seemed to get in. Nature removed the
smart after a while, by pouring through
the tear ducts enough of milder solution
of salt 20 clear the irritated cornea of the
fluid, and l took pains not TO let the water
into my eyes again. After that the bath
was more enjoyable, If only as a new ex-
perience.
There was singular and unaccustomed
sense of hghtness, and it was not difficult
to float high out of water either in re-
clining or sitting posture; yet bather
who is not swimmer will fare as badly
here as anywhere, for the head being heav-
Ter than the lower extremities, has a ten
dency to sink, unless one has the skill to
keep it above the surface To a swimmer
there is no especial danger, unless he is
choked by the brine or blinded and con-
fused by il.
To float requires less exertion than in
the sea, a slight motion OF the hand being
sufficient 10 keep the body balanced even
~. for one depends less for his buoyancy
on breathing than in ocean water. On
striking out to swim was surprised at
splashing noise behind me, and discovered
that it was made by my own feet, for /
was so high out OF water that they went
into the air at every stroke. This ightness
at one end OF the body tends, as / have
said, 10 depress the other, but 10 one who
is used TO swimming this is a triae.
On emerging from the lake L found that
every inch of my skin was sparkling with
salt crystals. and though l rubbed and
sCrapeS they were not 20 easily to be got
nd Of These crystals were sharp enough
TO create discomfort and 70 suggest an
undue intimacy with thistles- Ny hair
was full OF them, and they even adhered
TO my clothing, so that a vigorous shak-
ing Of raiment and fresh water bath
were IN order on reaching my hotel.
When l told the people IN town OF my
swim and the manner OF X I WIS laughed
&, and informed that IL was not the cor
rect thing 20 swim except 81 = bathing
pavilion, where one has fresh water 10
shower away The salt thzt STICKS 70 him
Goldthwait' 5 Geographical Msgazre.