St. Tammany farmer., 1901-08-31
HOW PEOPLE DROWN
Old Life-Saver Says They Never
Signal for Assistance.
Impression That a Drowning Person
Comes to the Surface Three
Times Said to BE without
Foundation.
Especial Washington Letter.)


|0F ALL the stories about drown
~ ing people, this is the most
singular and interesting that
the writer has ever heard. There is a
free bathing beach in the Potomac
river which is carefully guarded, and
yet quite a number of bathers have
lost their lives there. One of the life
savers there to-day said: "In all my
experience, and have had consider
able at various watering resorts, I
have never known of single instance
of drowning person calling for
help.
'It is generally supposed that per-
sons struggling in the water call for
assistance, but such is not the case.
For some reason, which can hardly be
explained, they never signal help.
They simply throw up one hand, not
both, mind you, and under they go.
have noticed this particularly at the
Washington beach. In not single
instance has there been call for help.
I have pulled persons from the water
within few feet of the raft who were
struggling for life, yet who never ut
tered a single outcry.
1T was only that happened to no.
tice their peculiar actions in the water,
and not the noise they made, that inn
PEELED me to go after them. Time and
again I have seen poor swimmers
start from the shore and after
padding short distance throw up
one hand and go under. It is the most
remarkable thing imaginable that
they give no signal of distress when
help is so near. I have often asked
rescued persons why they did not call
for help, but they could give no ex-
PLANTATION. They knew they were
drowning, but the only sign Of their
peril was the involuntary raising of
the arm. have become so accus-
toned to this sort of thing-that
peculiar manner in which drowning
person throws up the hand-that
among score of bathers diving, duck
ing and splashing about I can tell the
one in danger in an instant.
"When he goes down it is with head
thrown far back. AS the water washes
over the face up comes the hand.
Then it slowly disappears, going un-
der inch by inch.
"'Then if anything is done it must be
done quickly. I have heard many
stories of drowning person making
great racket to attract attention,
but / do not believe them. When more
than one person is in danger have
known of calls, but invariably they
came from the one who could swim
enough to save himself, but who could
not bring the drowning one ashore.
The one in immediate peril simply
goes under without sound. have
been with fairly good swimmers who
became exhausted, and who, without
a word of warning, threw back the
head as though about to float or swim
on the back, and go under. AS they
sank one arm came up.
"One would suppose that person
who could swim would be exempt
from this dumbness in the moment of
danger, but it is not so. OF course,
many persons who start from shore
get out so far that they realize they
cannot get back without assistance,
and will call for help before their en-
ergy has been all spent. Possibly they
may manage to keep afloat until as
sistance comes, so when they cry out
they are not actually drowning. When
it comes to giving up and going under
they sink slowly, but without sound.
''The more I think of this phase of
the drowning question the more re-
markable it seems. Boys have been
drowned here who would have been
rescued had they but called once.
They have gone under surrounded by
companions and so close to the life
guard that rescue would have been