Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1896-01-30

from mid ocean, whole villages some
times adjourn to the water, and spend an
entire afternoon in the daring pastime OF
surf-playing.
The Hawaiian practises this sport upon
a surf-board, which he calls papa he nalu.
"wave-sliding board" 1t is made of firm,
light wood; is equal in length to the
swimmers height, about foot wide,
slightly oval in outline, and often convex
| upon both sides. 1t is polished and
stained black, and preserved with great
care.
The natives choose spot where i'm
mense pillows, driven in by the trade
winds, break furiousIy upon the coast.
Sometimes hidden reef or coral, ten or
fifteen feet below the surface, or, more
frequently, the black Stag Of a cooled
lava-stream, long since disgorged into
the ocean, agitates the waves sufficiently
for this perilous sport; and sometimes
the swimmers play in the measured
surges that beat upon the sand beaches Of
their bays.
| Each person, taking his swimming
board under him, plunges into the surf,
and strikes out for the deep water, half
mile or more from the shore. He does not
trouble himself to rise over the great
waves that approach him threateningly;
when they reach him, he ducks his head
like loon, and the billow passes thun-
dering over him without checking his
course. Arrived at last at the outside OF
the reef, where the waves first begin to
| break, he turns, and extends himself at
full length upon his board, faces the
shore, and throws quick glances behind
him, watching for a larger wave than
usual to ride upon.
Three or four waves pass, but he laughs
at them, though the smallest OF them
under and drowned him. At last he sees
a mighty billow approaching him. 1t is
the very king Of waves.
1t comes with its crest high in the air,
its liquid edge already trembling and
swapping in the sunlight; but it is huge,
dark, and swift, and it utters hollow
roar as it sweeps down upon the swimmer.
1t draws him backward for an instant
toward it, as il to swallow him up; then,
him with inconceivable speed toward the
shore. He lies upon his board on the
front surface Of the wave: his head is
down, his heels slant upward into the
flashing foam which half envelops him.
A score OF his companions are dashing
madly onward with him: they become a
part of the billow-they shout more
loudly than the roaring of the wave.
The sensation is delicious, exultant,
almost maddening; it is beyond anything
that The rider OF horses or of the untamed
velocipede can feel.
But to the stranger nothing can seem
more daring and dangerous than surf
riding. To be swept along by these
tremendous waves-to be 'made one with
nature" so intimately as this, would be
death to the ordinary civilized man.
You look to see the swimmer dashed
against the black and jagged lava from
which he is now distant not more than
the length OF his surfboard He is going
with the speed of racer-there seems no
escape for him-when suddenly he dis
appears from sight: the wave has lost its
victim. By a backward movement of the
hands, he retreats into the heart of the
wave, sinking away from it's front sur
face, where its whole propelling power
resides.
He "backs his engine" as steamboat
man would say, and instantly stops his
career at the very moment when you had
expected to see him dashed to pieces. For
an instant, you almost fancy that shark
has seized him-for sharks sometimes
attack the swimmers-but soon he re-
appears from the seward side OF the
wave that now skaters itself upon the
lava-rock. His head is already turned
from the shore, and he is again making
his way into deep water to mount anot her
billow.
Some Of the natives become SO expert in
this sport that they will kneel, or even
stand upright, upon the surf board while
in full career, feat which is little
similar to that of the velocipedists who
balance their steeds without using their
hands. They even change their position
upon t he board while they are in motion
The greatest skill is necessary to keep
the surf board at the proper angle of in
clination, and to retain he rig hit position
upon the front surface of the wave. If
the swimmer gets too far forward he will
be sent heels over head by the combing OF
the pillows, or stopped instantly and
hurt by the point of the surf-board strik-
ing the ground. II, on the other hand,
he rides too near the top of the wave, 1t
will pass over him and leave him behind
But accidents never happen through
the unskilfulness OF the swimmers. 1t
would be strange if they should, for the
Hawaiian is familiar with the sea from
his birth, and seems almost an amphlbl-
Gus being Most of the native children,
indeed. are taken into the sea when but