The record-union., 1891-08-27
OF INTEREST TO BATHERS.
How One Can Keep Afoat, Even if He
Cannot Swim.
Some Practical Hints to Those Who
Seek the Water-How to Walk
or Float Therein.

In view of the increasing popularity Of
bathing and swimming, both in the public
oathlng-houses, the rivers and at the sea-
side resorts, the following hints advanced
by the New York AdUertGSer will be of
interest to bathers. The writer holds
that, to keep from drowning, it is not
necessary to know how to swim This
may seem at first a rather strong asser-
ton, but much depends on the meaning
that Is attached to the word ''swim."
A man may be able to "tread water" yet
he may not know how to swim. When
man swims it means one thing, and
when dog swims it means another and
somewhat different thing. In the main,
the difference is one of position-of stand
ing upright or sprawling in the water.
Of course, the dog cannot swim as the
man can and does, but man can swim
on first trial as dog swims, if he will
only do as the dog does. In what follows
the object is to show how drowning may,
under ordinary circumstances, be pre-
vented even III the case of persons wholly
Ignorant Of what is called the art of
swimming.
In the first place it is perfectly natural
Tor every human being to float. With
the lungs inflated and the body below the
water one cannot possibly sink. There is
no easier method of keeping afloat than
by treading water. The operation is just
like running up strairs and about as diff
cult. 1t is verfectly natural for animals to
swim" Throw dog into the water and
at once he begins to walk the same as
when out of water. Why should man,
woman or child do different under like
circumstances Clearly there is no good
reason why any human being who can
not swim should make few helpless
struggles, raise an outcry, throw up the
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.
If, instead Of struggling, people would
do more thinking, fewer would be
drowned. oddly enough, people have to
be told to do just what the animal does
instinctively III the water. The dog, the
horse, the deer, and even the cat tread or
walk the water at first attempt. Mans
ignorance of so simple thing as treading
water is little remarkable.
1t Is nonsense to say that animals have
any advantage in the water over men.
On the contrary, man has the further ad-
vantage of paddle-formed hands and of
being able to rest himself when tired. nv
floating, a thing which the animals never
do. The man who cannot swim must
follow the example of the 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 the
water without any preliminary practice
II they will simply keep cool-headed In
order, then, TO keep from drowning it is
necessary only to tread or walk the
water.
The most simple way to preserve life if
out OF your depth is TO float, which con-
sists simply in lying flat on your back.
This Is easily accomplished by keeping
the lungs inflated, the head thrown well
back, the limbs extended but flexible
tho arms placed close to the ears. with the
hands close to the head. The majority of
people 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.
1t is surprising how long animals and
human beings are capable OF sustaining
themselves in water. In one well-authen-
ticated instance dog swan ashore with
letter In his mouth at the Cape of Good
Hope, while the crew of the ship to
which the dog belonged all perished.
he sailors need not have been lost had
they treaded water as the dog did. AL
though unable TO rest, by the way, ami
mails swim immense distances Last
year dog was washed overheard dur
ing a gale off Cape Hatteras. and vet
made his way safely TO shore. Only a
week or two ago some cattle were swept
from vessel during storm off the
Maine coast, and more than half of them
were saved.
II you cannot swim and should fall
overheard, don't scream, but try to
climb up stairs" with hands and feet