TO LADY BATHERS.

Evening Star, Issue 7161, 15 March 1887, Page 3

TO LADY BATHERS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib —A lady correspondent asks for advice os to the best course of action in saving life from drowning. As it would be next to impossible for a non-swimmer to render assistance in snen an emergency, I will, with your permission, preface my remarks with n few bints, which may bo of use to those who are learning to swim, before touching upon the more serious question. Anyone watching the ladies in the bath at St. Clair can hardly fad to notice the want of tact shown by those who goodnaturediy try to teach the uninitiated. I may remark that tho action of the limbs is far more graceful, and less tiring, when the swimmer has been tutored in a judicious manner. One morning last week I noticed in the baths a dark young lady, who, by-tho-way, swam exceptionally well herself, instructing one of her companions, the did SO by catching hold of her costume, and holding her halt out of the water—arras and legs skimming the surface at every stroke. This might ba very well had she been teaching her friend to fly, but for swimming it is a mistake. You should remember, ladies, that nothing but tho feathered tribe can skim over the water in this felicitous manner. Others again place their hand under tho learner’s chin and keep the face, neck, and shoulders right out of the water—a position in which, unless they have tho body of an acrobat or of india-rubber, their legs are too deep, and thoy appear to be performing the useless experiment of climbing a tree. In this awkward and unnatural position they exhaust their strength by striking out their hands and feet with as much velocity as would propel the Plucky; and in a way that reminds one of a machine that is wound up to go for twenty-four hours. This is a very great mistake ; in deep water it would drown anyone. It would drown tho biggest fish in the harbor,, if he were foolish enough to practise the same antics. Now ladies, for a few hints which, if followed, will teach the most timid of you to swim in a very short time iOf course I must assume that you will not be discouraged if you should be unfortunate enough to swallow an occasional mouthful of salt water or get a little water in your eyes, ears, and nose, and, above all, that you are not frightened of taking the curl out of your hair. This is with everyone, swimmer and all, indispensable, It is as useless to try to learn to swim without all these little inconveniences as it is to sit in an arm-chiir and learn to play lawn tennis. Beginning with tho plunge, make sure tho water is sufficiently deep—say three to four feet; stand level with tho water; rate your arms straight above your head, the laltns of your hands turned up; then lend your body until your head is almost level with your knees, when you may take your header, straightening the body as you enter the water. Don’t be alarmed at the sensation when under water, and perform windmill revolutions with your limbs; you will quickly come to tho surface again without any exertion. Quietly bring your head back, still keeping tho arms straight out with tho palms of your hands turned out, as though you were pushing against something; your head, being thrown back as I have directed, will rise above the suiface. Now strike out with your arms slowly (the slower tho better) and don t try to (jet out of the water ; be satisfied so long as you breathe freely; put your arms straight out from the chest, drawing them slowly back with a slight tendency downwards, moving your legs at the same time without keeping them together, ns I notice some of you do. Another mistake which a good many fall into is that of kicking out with tho feet two or three times to each stroke of the arms. This is quite unnecessary. It does not aid your progress, and, what is of more consequence, it is very fatiguing. I would ask all of yell to practise quietly and patiently by these means for two or three days, and what at first will seem most awkward and difficult will become so natural and easy that you will wonder how those beginners around you flounder about so helplessly as they do. ’[f after the first trial you find that you cannot keep yourself afloat, don’t be disheartened, but try again; it is only a matter of a few days’ perseverance. In a little while yon will find that you can go five or ten yards; then some day you will come away from your bath full with piide that you have swam the entire length of tho baths without a rest. If the editor of the Evening Star, upon whose space I am afraid I have already trespassed, will kindly permit mo, I will during tho week deal with tho question of saving life from drowning. —I am, etc., LAWYER HEAD, Dunedin, March 14.