Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-08-01
The Potomac in Adams Day
By John cIoqett Proctor

BY John cIosett Proctor
Did President John Quincy Adams
ever 60 swimming@in the Tiber, as
a distinguished gentleman said re-
Gently? Well, hardly, for during this
Presidents administration from
1924 to 1929, this stream was prob
ably very dirty. used largely at that
time and later for carrying OF the
sewage of the city.
But If John Quincy Adams knew
what he was talking about, he GER
tainly went swimming IN the Poto-
mac many times, and he did not
hesitate to get up before sunrise,
probably to avoid the intrusion of
others. Upon one of these occasions
he had close shave, as We find
from his diary Of June Is, 1926,
where he says.
II attempted to cross the river
with Antoine in q small canoe with
view to swim across it coming
back. He took boat in which he
crossed 1t last summer without acct
dent. The boat was at the shore
near Van Ness property; but In
crossing the Tiber to the point, my
son John, who was with us, thought
the boat dangerous and, instead of
going with US. went and undressed
at the rock to swim and meet us
In midway OF the river as we should
be returning. I thought the boat
safe enough, or, rather, persisted
carelessly in going without paying
due attention to its condition; gave
my watch to my son: made q bum
die of my coat and waistcoat to
take in the boat with me, put of my
shoes and was padded by Antoine,
who had stripped himself entirely
naked.
Boat Was Swamped
Before we had got half across
the river the boat had leaked itself
half full, and then We found there
was nothing on board to scoop up
the water and throw it over. Just
at that critical moment q fresh
breeze from the northwest blew
down the river as from the nose of
bellows. In Ave minutes time 1t
made q little tempest and set the
boat to dancing till the river came
in at the sides. jumped overheard,
and Antoine did the same, and lost
hold of the boat, which filled with
water and drifted away. We were
as near as possible to the middle
of the river and swan to the oppo-
site shore. Antoine, who was naked,
reached it with little difficulty.
had much more on and, while
struggling for life and gasping for
breath, had ample leisure to re-
fleet upon my own discretion.
My principal dif1culty was the
loose sleeves of my shirt, which filled
with water and hung like two S.
pound weights upon my arms. I
had also my hat, which I soon gave,
however, to Antoine. After reaching
the shore I took of my shirt and
pantaloons. wrung them out and
gave them to Antoine to 90 and look
for our clothes, or for q person to
send to the house for others and for
the carriage to come and fetch me.
Soon after he had gone my son
John Joined me, having swum
wholly across the river, expecting to
meet us returning with the boat.
Antoine crossed the bridge, sent a
man to my house for the carriage,
made some search for the drifted
boat and bundles and found his own
hat with his shirt and braces in 1t
and one of my shoes. He also
brought over the bridge my sons
clothes. with my watch and UNI
brella, which had left with him.
Went Home Half Dressed
while Antoine was gone John
and I were wading and swimming
up and down on the other shore or
sitting, naked. basking on the bank
at the margin of the river. John
walked over the bridge home. The
carriage came and took me and An
tome home half-dressed. lost an
old summer coat, white waistcoat,
two napkins, two white handker-
chiefs and one shoe. Antoine lost
his watch, jacket, waistcoat panta-
looms and shoes. The boat was also
lost. BY the mercy OF God Our lives,
we're spared and no injury befell our
person.
I'VE reached home about quar-
Ter before 8, having been out nearly
five hours. I had been about three
hours in the water, but suffered no
inconveniedce from it. This incident
gave me a humiliating lesson and
solemn warning not to trifle with
danger. The reasons upon which !
justify to myself, my daily swimming
in the river. did not apply to this
adventure. It is neither necessary
for my health, nor even for pleasure,
that I should swim across the river,
and having once swum across, 1t, I
could not even want it as an ex-
pertinent Of practicability. Among
my motives for swimming, that OF
showing what I can do, must be
discarded as spurious, and I must
strictly confne myself to the pur-
poses of health, exercise and salu-
tary labor"
1Iyhop Nv Adovs fret heca mo