The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-07-29
TRUE ART OF SWIMMING.
ONE VIEW or THE CAUSES u
SONE DROWNING ACCIDENTS.

Iyndertow and the See Pousse-uow a Drop
Of water May Cause . swimmer 20 Drown'
This 10 the time Of year when the newspapers
contain 40 many accounts OF the drowning Oh
expert swimmers that the reader Is almost
forced 10 the conclusion that the less one knows
about expert swimming the less risk one runs
of being drowned. At many Watering places
h has almost passed into a proverb that IL Is
only the good swimmers who drown. AS a
matter OF fact there Is ground for deciding
that all these stories are based on two funda-
mental f~allacies: The swimmers are not
experts and they arc not drowned. They
really know very little about swimming, and
when they get into a tight place they die OF
frisht. tho water sfterward nllipg up their car
assss and celebrating all signs OF the agitation
and OK citement, the true causes OF death.
DID you ever stop to think what q rare thing
an expert swimmer is7 There are probably
moro swimmers at Asbury Park during the
summer than at any other American watering
place, yet the life savers there say that the
Rev. A. p. Sullivan OF Philadelphia and a KnicS-
srbocker A. {. man named Foster are tho only
two really expert swimmers who have been
seen on that beach In ten years. These two will
bavs the beach at half-past 10 In the morning
and 70 straight out TO sea, completely out OF
sasht Of svsry one. and will not show up again
until 1 O'Clock. They are able TO get out through
brssksrs that . lNsboat cannot be launched In.
and they can come lahore In . rolling surf
that would knock IN ordinary man silly. 1t u
Q common thing for the crowds to stand on the
beach and applaud the Rev. Mr.. Sullivan when
n comes In from one Of his adventurous swims.
II b very easy TO get . reputation as a SWIM
nsr. The nero art Of keeping sfoat and pro-
pelins yourself through the water Is q very
ordinary accomplishment and 10 about a. easy
a. sailing Q boat In q white-ash breeze. 1t 10 In
difficulties that the expert shows his mastery
Of the art, just as the true sailor shows his
skIl In Q sQuall. The dangers which the SWIM
nsr should DO prepared for and must know how
% meet before he can consider himself an ex-
pert are OF two kinds: The condition OF the
body and the condition Of the water In which
\ floats.
There used to be Q time when every unknown
uslady was labelled malaria, and It u still tho
sustom to attribute to cramps every drowning
accident whose real cause Is not known. 1t
would be a safe wager Of so TO l that the cramps
never drowned any one. although the fright the
cramps give a person may induce him TO swal-
low enough water to drown himself. People
speak Of the cramps as II it was something that
got hold Of you by the leg and pulled you to the
bottom. In spite OF your fercest struggles.
whereas II Is nothing but a little contraction OF
the muscles, which will be over In q Moment,
and would not alarm you In the slightest II you
were anywhere but In the water. nor there. II
you were really an expert swimmer.
The thing that browns a man is his Inability
to get his mouth or nostils above the surface
Of the water long enough or often enough to
breathe regularly. The two things that
usually sink his mouth below the water so that
he cannot get his breath are his own stupidity
In wasting his strength In the effort to keep
the back OF his head UP as II he breathed through
tho parting In his hair. and his getting SO ex-
cited that he tries to take in air while his mouth
y under water.
Unless q man gets his lungs full Of water
he can never drown. His stomach will hold
Q quart or two without troubling him very
much. and a. long as he can keep the air space
IN his lungs clear Of water he can live for hours
In the toughest sea that ever ragged. Gases
are on record In the minutes OF the Royal Hu,
lost over board In shipwreoks have lived in
the water for three or four days without. so
much a. q llfe-buoy or a spar 70 ollns TO. After
the storm that carried away the Cow and Calf
lighthouse on tho coast OF Ireland the cap-
tain OF Q trading schooner was picked up about
. hundred yards from the beach at Kilkee.
hHsSa been ' IN the Water Yor two days in one Of
the worst storms on record.
The greatest safeguard In the water Is the
hoat In salt water the first time he tries It and
any one can float In fresh water after a little
practice. The only reason q person cannot
be IL told-put the back OF the head clear under
but. ths mouth and nose. People win Insist
Of their toes. The head is the heaviest part
Of the body In proportion to its size, and It re-
Quires the expenditure Of 9 considerable amount
q q i ;:ss9t En- Sea sH sb RsT, S VI sne 'T Foq tEis ; soasog
the head we'll down into the water, and, many
q %h them as SSsy Il x sltGss sna h SlStRs!ll1ssS s sR' S @ea.h
Any person who win lie upon bis back and
y rS5:, NJ s.s chin .i s1t,St; q <. e sy Dss tAs f i@%sSii
a lie. T aSs' h IN isls ss ssd i e mf TSs ls sn.s ms ss
s Ss :t5a Ign. q 70 ; tRs .fd}e sna be ihs at tRS b %sy Be Be
extended behind the head. When the arms
are 10 q line With the body and above the head,
they bring the feet to the surface. and this po-
Ing TO throw the head so far back. The most
dangerous thing that can happen to any one
In the water Is to faint, but the expert swim
Immediately assume this position and throw
the arms straight out beyond the head. the
bands slightly apart. In this position he will
water Is 80 rough that 1t washes completely
Cramps do not add an ounce to tho weight
Of the body and can therefore, have nothing
10 do With shaking II. The only cramp that
Sould possibly drown a good swtmmer would
down on the chest Every other part OF a
PERSONS body may be doubled up and twisted
out Of shape, but 90 long as the head can be
and nose free for breathing. In salt water.
unless In o rush Of foam or scum thick enough
TO smother, one can float and breath indeti-
pitelv. and a. person OF discrimination would
Cramps are never Of long duration. and can
usually be kicked out In a few minutes II In
the legs, II In one lex only, Q good swimmer
The great trouble with 50 many alleged ex-
ports Is. that they cannot float. Even II they
know how IL should DO done, they have not
the courage to throw them selves into tho safest
floating position, but. prefer to continue their
power In shouting for help. Instead Of turn
Ing quietly over on the back and kicking out
the cramp. they stay on the breast, kicking
furlonsly, sweeping their arms In foaming
clrc. - and screaming. with fright, swallowing
water by the pint and drowning themselves.
No one l. 4 good swimmer. who cannot float
easily In either salt or fresh water. In salt
water, the specific gravity OF the water Is enough
70 float the human BODY instantly, but In fresh
the balance" before one can float easily.
Tho first Tina YOU try 10 font in fresh water
Won will. ind thet after you have thrown YOUR
cell on your, back your mouth and eyes will
OF waiting q second or two for them TO come
IN again. YOU Immediately duck your chin