The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-09-16
DROWNING SUGGESTIONS.
In Many Countries it is Considered Folly
to Save the Victim.


In many parts of this country the
superstition still survives that it is folly
or madness to save the life of drown
ing man, as he will sooner or later do
an injury to one rescucr. The super
stition comes down to us from our Euro
pean ancestors, yet traces of it exist
among the Sioux and other Indians,
who seem to have inherited it from
aboriginal sources. In Great Britain
the belief is most prevalent in Cornwall
and various parts of Scotland.
Sir Walter Scott, in "The Pirate"
tells how Bryce the peddler refused TO
help Mordaun to save the shipwrecked
sailor from drowning, and even remon-
strated with him on the rashness of
such deed. Are you mad" says the
peddler, you that have lived sac lang
in Zetland, to risk the saving of a
drowning man? Wot We not if we bring
him to life again he will be sure to do
you some capital injury?" 1t is found,
too among French sailors and the boat
men of the Danube, and is widely
credited in Russia. Mr.. Barry, in his
''Ivan at Home" gives a striking
instance of the Russian repugnance to
save life from drowning. One day a
drunken man walked into the water
and disappeared. A number of specta-
tors stood by and gazed on the scene
with the utmost Indifference, but no
one tried to rescue him. A court of in
quiry was held, but as, on examination,
no cross was found on his neck, a YER
dict was quickly agreed upon by the
villagers, who dec Jared that the man was
drowned because he had no cross on
his neck" The Bohemian fisherman
shrinl;s from snatching drowning
man from the waters, fearing that the
water demon would take away his luck
in fishing and drown him at the first
opportunity. This, as DR.. Tylor points
out in his primitive Culture is a lin
gering survival of the ancient signii-
canoe of this superstition, the explana-
ton being that the water spirit is nat
urallg angry at being despoiled of his
victim and henceforth bears special
grudge against the unlucky person who
has dared to Illustrate him. Thus when
some one is drowned in Germany the
remark is made: "The river spirit
claims his yearly sacrifice" or. The
nix has taken him." Out of Europe,
also, the accidental drowning of per-
son is attributed to similar seizure,
and the Samese breads the Punk, a
water spirit that seizes bathers and
drags them under to his dwelling. The
Sioux Indians have a similar fancy, and
tell how men have been drowned by
Unktahe, the water monster. For the
same reason, it appears, the KAN
tchakais far from helping a man out of
the water would drown him by force.
If rescued by any chance no one would
receive such man into his house, or
give him food, but he was reckoned for
dead. The Chinese reluctance to save
drowning man arise from quite differ
spirit of person who has met his death
in this way continues to fit along the
surface of the water until it has caused
by drowning the death of fellow-crea-
ture. "A person, therefore. - writes Mr..
Jones in his ''Credulities Past and Pres
ent, '''who attempts to rescue another
from drowning is considered to incur
the hatred of the uneasy spirit, which is
DESTROYS, even at the expense of a mans
life, to escape from its wandering"
Superstition everywhere has many
curious modes eff recovering the body Of
a drowned person. Again, the univer-
salty of this form of superstition is
shown by the fact that in one form or
other it is shared in this country BY
white man and Indian alike. Sir James
Alexander, in his account of Canada,
tells us: "The Indians imagine that in
the case of a drowned body it's place
may be discovered by floating chip of
cedar wood, which will stop and turn
round over the exact spot. An instance
occurred within my own knowledge in
the case of Mr.. Lavery, OF Kingston
Mill, whose boat overset and himself
drowned near Cedar island, nor could
the body be discovered until this ex-
pertinent was resorted to-
Not many months ago a man was
drowned at St Louis After search
had been made for the body, but with
out success, the mans shirt, which he
had laid aside when he went in to
battle, was spread out on the water and
allowed to float away. For while it
floated and then sank, near which spot,
it is reported, the mans body was
found.
4 loaf of bread is favorite talisman
in most European countries. Sometimes
it is found sufficient of itself, sometimes
it needs the aid of some other sub
stance. Thus in England the loaf is
usually weighted with quicksilver The
London Standard recently told story in
point. Some years ago a boy fell into
the stream atsSherborne, Dorsetshire,
and was drowned. The body not
having been recovered for some DAYS.
the mode of procedure was thus: A
four-pound loaf of best -four was pro-
cured, and a small piece cut out of the
side of it, forming cavity into which
a little quicksilver was poured. The
piece was then replaced, and tied firmly
in its original position. The loaf thus
prepared was thrown into the river at
the spot where the body fell, and was
expected to float down the stream till it
came to the place where the body HAD
L. 10, I.