The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-08-21

Is there not deep enough for good swim
ming, and every wave that rolls IN strikes
MN amidships," as the sailor would saw.
ana tires him out. Struggling against tho
waves in lively surf Is hard work. and
when continued for half an hour IA very
iatiguing. Women bathers rarely 90
deeper than their waists. and after tho
breakers have beaten against them for a
Time they feel tired and sore and must
have rest. have heard many women
cay they are not strong enough to battle
two days in succession.
The science Of surf bathing Is TO i'm
merse yourself in the water, become n part
OF IL, moving with 10 easily and gracefully
mot permitting 10 TO strike and beat you.
Aour good surfman runs into the water.
and as soon as possible falls into an iproll-
Ing wave and vets himself ali over. re-
ducing the temperature Of every part Of
ms body at the same time. Then he rnoves
Ieisurely out to point at which the quiet
water Is just under his arms. This is
where the good bathing is. The depth of
water makes it easy 10 swim or 10 float.
Persons who have never been able to swim
in still water will be surprised at the ease
with which they can sustain themselves
IN the heavier, moving, surging tides Of
the ocean.
Swimming is one of the delights Of surf
bathing, because it gives the sense Of mas
terry over the sea. The swimmer is not
mere toy Of ocean-he makes IL his play
thing. Those who find pleasure in stand
ing upon the bottom, merely buffetine
the waves, would surely learn 10 SWIM if
they knew how much more delight can DO
won from the waters by riding them.
AS swimming surpasses buffeting, so
floating surpasses swimming. Floating is
the art Of arts in sea bathing. Compare
lively few have mastered it, though it Is
as easy as falling Off the traditional log.
Throw yourself upon your back, straighten
out your muscles, let the head fall in the
water without any effort to hold it up,
place the feet together, throw the arms out
at right angles with the body, have no fear
Of sinking, and you float upon the surface
Of the water. Confidence is everything.
Breathe naturally, make no effort and the
buOyancy Of the water will do the rest.
Only experience will enable you to appre-
ciate the charm Of this. A thrill Of delight
runs through every nerve You have tri-
umphed over the law of gravity-the sea
is your mistress. Gradually forgetting all
the cares Of world-forgetting even your
self-you float In haze Of semiuncon-
seriousness and wish it might 90 on forever.
/ can go to sleep upon the water; tits not a
long sleep, but each second is golden.
This is an art which develops. Soon one
is surprised 10 learn that he can float in
almost any pOsition-face downward, on
your side with legs crossed. The best posi-
tion Of all is with the hands clasped back
Of the head. This raises the face q little ont
Of the water, enabling you to see what IL
going on around you and helps TO keep
water out Of the nostrils. II is the most
difficult position of all that have named.
have never yet seen a woman float in this
manner. Not one man in a thousand can
do it. Only today gentleman who saw
me floating like this said: Il have been
bathing in the surf fifteen years. For ten
years have tried to float with my hands
clasped behind my head, but have never
succeeded, though float in every other
way"
If you battle in the sea, learn TO make the
most Of it. Swim, float, dive under the
breakers with the eyes open; be not afraid
so long as you can touch bottom. If you
like aquatic athletics, walk with your hands
on the bottom Of the sea, with feet in air;
dive of your friends shoulders; swim on