The Book of Sports Part 7

No boy should be unable to swim, because it is essential to the preservation of life; but the attainment of the art has been held to be difficult, and the number of good swimmers is very small. The whole science of swimming consists in multiplying the surface of the body by extensive motions, so as to displace a greater quant.i.ty of liquid. As the first requisite of oratory was said to be action; the second, action; and the third, action; so the first, second, and the third requisite in learning to swim, is COURAGE. Now there is a vast difference between courage and temerity; courage proceeds from confidence, temerity, from carelessness; courage is calm and collected, temerity is headstrong and rash; courage ventures into the water carefully, and throws himself off with a firm and vigorous lounge forward, and a slow and equable stroke; temerity begins to dive before he knows whether he can swim or sink, and after floundering about for a minute or two, finds that he can swim farthest where it is deepest.

Therefore, let the young swimmer mark the distinction between courage and temerity, and he will speedily become a swimmer.

Before, however, we proceed to offer any remarks on swimming as an art, we cannot refrain from calling the attention of our young friends to the observations of a celebrated medical doctor who has thought profoundly on the subject. "Immersion in cold water," says he, "is a custom which lays claim to the most remote antiquity; indeed it must be coeval with man himself. The necessity of water for the purpose of cleanliness, and the pleasure arising from its application in hot countries, must have very early recommended it to the human species; even the example of other animals was sufficient to give the hint to man; by instinct many of them are led to apply cold water in this manner, and some, when deprived of its use, have been known to languish, and even to die."

The cold bath recommends itself in a variety of cases, and is peculiarly beneficial to the inhabitants of populous cities who indulge in idleness and lead sedentary lives: it accelerates the motion of the blood, promotes the different secretions, and gives permanency to the solids.

But all these important purposes will be more easily answered by the application of salt water; this also ought not only to be preferred on account of its superior gravity, but also, "for its greater power of stimulating the skin, which prevents the patient from catching cold."

It is necessary, however, to observe, that cold bathing is more likely to prevent than to remove obstructions of the glandular or lymphatic system; indeed, when these have arrived at a certain height, they are not to be removed by any means; in this case, the cold bath will only aggravate the symptoms, and hurry the unhappy patient into an untimely grave. It is, therefore, of the utmost importance, previously to the patient entering upon the use of the cold bath, to determine whether or not he labours under any obstinate obstruction of the lungs or other viscera, and when this is the case, cold bathing ought strictly to be prohibited.

In what is called a plethoric state, or too great fulness of the body, it is likewise dangerous to use the cold bath without due preparation.

In this case, there is danger of bursting a blood-vessel, or occasioning an inflammation.

The ancient Romans and Greeks, we are told, when covered with sweat and dust, used to plunge into rivers without receiving the smallest injury.

Though they might escape danger from this imprudent conduct, yet it was certainly contrary to sound reason; many robust men have thrown away their lives by such an attempt. We would not, however, advise patients to go in the cold water when the body is chilled; as much exercise at least ought to be taken as may excite a gentle glow all over the body, but by no means so as to overheat it.

To young people, and particularly to children, cold bathing is of the utmost importance; it promotes their growth, increases their strength, and prevents a variety of diseases incident to childhood.

It is necessary here to caution young men against too frequent bathing, as many fatal consequences have resulted from the daily practice of plunging into rivers, and continuing there too long.

The most proper time of the day for using the cold bath is, no doubt, the morning, or at least before dinner, and the best mode, that of quick immersion. As cold bathing has a tendency to propel the blood to the head, it ought always to be a rule to wet that part as soon as possible.

By due attention to this circ.u.mstance, there is reason to believe that violent head-aches, and other complaints which frequently proceed from cold bathing, might be often prevented.

The cold bath, when too long continued, not only occasions an excessive flux towards the head, but chills the blood, cramps the muscles, relaxes the nerves, and wholly defeats the intention of bathing; hence expert swimmers are often injured, and sometimes lose their lives. All the beneficial purposes of cold bathing are answered by one immersion at a time, and the patient ought to be rubbed dry the moment he comes out of the water, and should continue to take exercise some time after.

Doctor Franklin, who was almost always a practical man, says, "that the only obstacle to improvement in this necessary and life-preserving art, is fear; and it is only by overcoming this timidity, that you can expect to become a master of the following acquirements. It is very common for novices in the art of swimming, to make use of corks or bladders to a.s.sist in keeping the body above the water; some have utterly condemned the use of them. However, they may be of service for supporting the body while one is learning what is called the stroke, or that manner of drawing in and striking out the hands and feet that is necessary to produce progressive motion; but you will be no swimmer till you can place confidence in the power of the water to support you. I would therefore advise the acquiring that confidence in the first place, as I have known several who, by a little practice necessary for that purpose, have insensibly acquired the stroke, taught as if it were by nature. The practice I mean, is this--choosing a place where the water deepens gradually, walk coolly in it until it is up to your breast, then turn your face towards the sh.o.r.e and throw an egg into the water between you and the sh.o.r.e, it will sink to the bottom and will easily be seen there if the water is clear; it must lie in the water so deep that you cannot reach to take it up without diving for it. To encourage yourself to do this, reflect that your progress will be from deep to shallow water, and that at any time you may, by bringing your legs under you and standing on the bottom, raise your head far above the water; plunge under it with your eyes open, which must be kept open before going under, as you cannot open your eyelids from the weight of water above you, throw yourself towards the egg and endeavour by the action of your feet and hands against the water, to get forward till within reach of it. In this attempt you will find that the water buoys you up against your inclination, and that it is not so easy to sink as you imagine, and that you cannot, but by active force, get down to the egg. Thus you feel the power of water to support you, and learn to confide in that power, while your endeavours to overcome it and to reach the egg, teach you the manner of acting on the water with your feet and hands, which action is afterwards used in swimming to support your head higher above the water, or to go forward through it.

"I would the more earnestly press upon you the trial of this method, because, though I think I shall satisfy you that your body is lighter than water, and that you might float for a long time with your mouth free for breathing, if you would put yourself into a proper posture, and would be still and forbear struggling, yet till you have obtained this experimental confidence in the water, I cannot depend upon your having the necessary presence of mind to recollect the posture and the directions I gave you relating to it; the surprise may put all out of your mind.

"Though the legs, arms, and head of a human body, being solid parts, are specifically somewhat heavier than fresh water, yet the trunk, particularly the upper part, from its hollowness, is so much lighter than water, as that the whole of the body, taken altogether, is too light to sink wholly under water, but that some parts will remain above until the lungs become filled with water, which happens from drawing water to them instead of air, when a person in the fright attempts breathing while the mouth and nostrils are under water.

"The legs and arms are specifically lighter than salt water, and will be supported by it, so that a human body cannot sink in salt water, though the lungs were filled as above, but for the greater specific gravity of the head. Therefore, a person throwing himself on his back in salt water, and extending his arms, may easily lie so as to keep his mouth and nostrils free for breathing, and by a small motion of the hand may prevent turning if he should perceive any tendency to it.

"In fresh water, if a man throw himself on his back near the surface, he cannot continue in that situation but by proper action of his hands in the water; if he have no such action, the legs and lower part of the body will gradually sink till he comes into an upright position, in which he will continue suspended, the hollow of his breast keeping the head uppermost.

"But if in this erect position, the head be kept upright above the shoulders, as when we stand on the ground, the immersion will, by the weight of that part of the head that is out of the water, reach above the mouth and nostrils, perhaps a little above the eyes, so that a man cannot long remain suspended in the water with his head in that position.

"The body continuing suspended, as before, and upright, if the head be leaned quite back, so that the face look upward, all the back part of the head being under water, and its weight consequently being in a great measure supported by it, the face will remain above water quite free for breathing, will rise an inch higher at every inspiration, and sink as much at every expiration, but never so low that the water may come over the mouth.

"If, therefore, a person unacquainted with swimming, falling into the water, could have presence of mind sufficient to avoid struggling and plunging, and to let the body take this natural position, he might continue long safe from drowning, till, perhaps, help should come; for as to the clothes, their additional weight, when immersed, is very inconsiderable, the water supporting them, though when he comes out of the water he would find them very heavy indeed.

"But, as I said before, I would not advise you or any one to depend on having this presence of mind on such an occasion, but learn fairly to swim, as I wish all men were taught to do in their youth: they would on many occasions be the safer for having that skill, and on many more, the happier, as being free from painful apprehensions of danger, to say nothing of the enjoyment in so delightful and wholesome an exercise.

Soldiers, particularly, should all be taught to swim; it might be of particular use either in surprising an enemy or saving themselves, and if I had any boys to educate, I would prefer those schools in which an opportunity was afforded for acquiring so advantageous an art, which when once learned, is never forgotten.

"I know by experience, that it is a great comfort to a swimmer who has a great distance to go, to turn himself sometimes on his back, and to vary in other respects the means of procuring a progressive motion.

"When he is seized with the cramp in the leg, the method to drive it away, is to give the parts affected a sudden, vigorous and violent shock, which he may do in the air as he swims on his back.

"During the great heats in summer, there is no danger in bathing, however warm he may be, in rivers which have been thoroughly warmed by the sun; but to throw one's-self into cold spring water when the body has been heated by exercise in the sun, is an imprudence which may prove fatal. I once knew an instance of four young men, who, having worked at harvest in the heat of the day, with a view of refres.h.i.+ng themselves, plunged into a spring of cold water; two died upon the spot, a third next morning, and the fourth recovered with great difficulty. A copious draught of cold water, in similar circ.u.mstances, is frequently attended with the same effect in North America.

"When I was a boy, I amused myself one day with flying a paper kite, and approaching the bank of a lake which was near a mile broad, I tied the string to a stake, and the kite ascended to a very considerable height above the pond while I was bathing. In a little while, being desirous of amusing myself with my kite and enjoying at the same time the pleasure of swimming, I returned, and loosening from the stake the string with the little stick which was fastened to it, went again into the water, where I found, that by lying on my back and holding the stick in my hand, I was drawn along the surface of the water in a very agreeable manner. Having thus engaged another boy to carry my clothes round the pond to a place which I pointed out to him on the other side, I began to cross the pond with my kite, which carried me quite over without the least fatigue and with the greatest pleasure imaginable. I was only obliged occasionally to halt a little in my course and resist its progress, when it appeared that by following too quick I lowered the kite too much; by doing thus occasionally, I made it rise again. I have never since that time practised this singular mode of swimming, though I think it not impossible to cross in this manner from Dover to Calais.

The packet boat is, however, preferable."

PRELIMINARY EXERCISES IN SWIMMING.

We have shown that much of the art of swimming depends upon having confidence, and that that confidence is speedily dissipated upon the swimmer coming in contact with the water. Besides this, a great deal in the art of swimming depends upon the degree of ease with which the swimmer can use his hands and feet. Now this sort of exercise may in part be acquired on land, and it would be of great usefulness to the learner were he to enter upon some preliminary practice which would give him the use of his hands and feet, in the manner required in swimming.

To do this, he should provide himself with two ropes, which should be fastened up in the manner of two swings, at about sixteen inches apart from each other, and one a little higher than the other; these should be joined together with two or three cords pa.s.sing from the one to the other, and on the rack thus made, a pillow or cus.h.i.+on should be placed; upon this, the learner will throw himself on his breast, as upon the water, and supporting himself in this position, and having his hands and feet perfectly at liberty, he will move them to and fro in the same manner as in swimming; this he should repeat several times a day, until he finds that he has got a complete mastery over the action required.

The head must be drawn back, the chin raised, the fingers must be kept close, and the hands slightly concave on the inside,--they must be struck out in a line with the breast; the legs must then be drawn up and struck out, not downwards, however, but _behind_, in such a manner, that they may have a good hold upon the water. These directions being followed for a few days, will give the learner so much a.s.sistance, that when he enters the water he will find little more requisite than calmness and confidence in striking out.

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In proceeding to take water, the first thing the youth should do, is to make himself thoroughly convinced that the spot is safe, that there are no holes in it, that no weeds are at the bottom, that it does not contain any stones likely to cut the feet. Ho must also be cautious that he does not enter a stream whose eddy sweeps round a projecting point, or hollow; the bank should slope off gradually, so that he may proceed for ten or twelve yards from the sh.o.r.e, before the water rises to the level of his armpits. With regard to the use of bladders and corks, although it may perhaps be better to learn to keep ourselves afloat without their aid, yet they may be used with advantage, if used sparingly. The pupil, in using them, places his breast across the rope which unites them, so that when he lays himself over them in the water, they float above him, and thus a.s.sist in buoying him up; thus sustained, he strikes out and propels himself with his hands and feet. In striking out when in the water, the fingers are to be perfectly straight, and the thumb kept close to the hand; the hands are then to be brought forward, palm to palm, and to be thrust out in a direction on a level with the chin; when at their fullest reach, they are to be parted and swept slowly and regularly with the palms in a horizontal position, the full stretch of the arms backwards, they are then brought up from the hips and struck out forward, as before. While the hands are near the hips, is the time for the legs to perform their part; they are to be drawn up as near to the body as possible, and the soles of the feet struck against the water with moderate force, immediately the hands are again thrust forward. Now all this is very easily performed with a little practice, but will be very difficult if the learner have not coolness and self-possession. A slow long stroke, the hand thrust forward with energy, and the legs brought up and struck out with a regular and even stroke, is the whole art of simple swimming. The swimmer must, however, be careful to draw his breath at the time when his hands are descending towards his hips; if he attempt it when he strikes out his legs, his head will partially sink, and his mouth will fill with water. The breath should accordingly be expired while the body is sent forward by the action of the legs.

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The young swimmer will find much use in having a plank, ten feet long, two inches thick, and a foot broad, which he may take hold of at one of its ends, and his body being thus supported he will perfect himself in the action of the legs, and will, by striking them out, drive the plank before him: he must, however, take care to hold it fast, for if he should let go his hold, he will find himself sinking over head and ears in the water. A rope may also be so fixed as to reach over the water, by which the swimmer may support himself while learning to strike out with his legs; but he should be careful always in performing this exercise, to keep his legs near the surface, as, if the legs drop down, he will make very little way in the water. One of the best kinds of a.s.sistance, however, the young swimmer can have, is the hand of some one who is willing to teach him, and is superior to any other methods for very young swimmers. If a grown person will take the trouble to take the little learner out with him till he is breast high in the water, and sustain him with one hand under the breast, and occasionally hold him up by the chin, at the same time directing and encouraging him, and occasionally letting him loose that he may support himself by striking out, the little learner will soon reach that triumphant period when he floats alone on the water.

After this triumph, however, the young swimmer must be exceedingly cautious, though he may feel conscious of his own power, he must venture only a few strokes out of his depth: should he be in a broad river, he must be careful not to do so where there is a strong curling eddy or flood: in a small river, the breadth of which is only a few yards, he may venture across with a few bold and regular strokes; but should he become flurried and lose his time, he will most a.s.suredly be in danger of sinking. Let him then obtain such perfect command over his limbs, and also over himself, that when he ventures out of his depth, he may be able to keep afloat in the water, pleasantly to himself, and without hazard.

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A most important branch in art of swimming, is floating, as the swimmer may frequently rest himself when fatigued, and otherwise engage himself in the water. To do this, he must turn himself as gently as possible on the back, put his head back, so that his eyes, mouth, and chin, only, are above the water, elevate his breast, and inflate his chest as much as possible: the arms may be brought towards the hips, and the hands should be paddled in a horizontal kind of sweep, which will sustain the body. Should the learner wish to swim, he must strike out with his legs, taking care not to lift his legs too high; in this position the arms may occasionally be folded across the breast.

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To _tread water_, the legs must be suffered to drop in the water till the swimmer finds himself upright, he then treads downwards with his feet, occasionally paddling with the palms of his hands. The swimmer, when long in the water, will soon find himself tired, changes of action are therefore necessary; there are many which are highly advantageous to learn, such as swimming like a dog, porpoise, etc. To _swim like a dog_, he must strike with each hand and foot alternately, beginning with the right hand and foot, he must draw the hand towards the chin, and the foot towards the body, at the same time; he then must kick backwards with the foot, and strike out in a right line with the hand, and the same with the left hand and foot: the palms of the hands must be hollow, and the water pulled towards the swimmer. In _swimming like a porpoise_, the right arm is lifted entirely out of the water, the shoulder is thrust forward, and while the swimmer is striking out with his legs, he reaches forward with his hand as far as he can; his hand then falls, a little hollowed, in the water, which it grasps or pulls towards him in a transverse direction towards the other armpit. While this is going on, the legs are drawn up for another effort, and the left arm and shoulder are raised and thrust forward, as the right had previously been. When the swimmer feels tired, he may change these positions for swimming on the side. To do this, he must lower his left side and elevate his right, striking forward with his left hand, and sideways with his right, the back of the hand being in front instead of upward, the thumb side of the hand being downward so as to serve as an oar. Should the swimmer wish to turn on his back, he must keep one leg still, and embrace the water beside him with the other, and he will turn to that side. To shew the feet, he must turn himself on his back, and bend the small of it downwards, supporting himself by his hands to and fro immediately above his breast, and hold his feet above the water. Swimming under water is performed by the usual stroke, the head being kept a little downwards, and the feet struck out a little higher than when swimming on the surface.

BERNARDI'S SYSTEM.

_Upright swimming._--This is a new mode of swimming, introduced by Bernardi, a Neapolitan, and consists in adopting the accustomed motion of the limbs in walking. It gives great freedom to the hands and arms, affords a greater facility of breathing and of sight. It is true, that a person swimming in an upright position, advances more slowly, but as the method is more natural, the person is able to continue his course longer, and can remain with greater safety in the water.

The first object with Bernardi, is to enable the pupil to float in an upright position, and in this the head is made the great regulator of all the motions. After having been by practice familiarised to keep his equilibrium, a variety of motions are gradually practised, until the swimmer is enabled at every stroke to urge himself forward a distance equal to the length of his body, and to travel, without fatigue, at least three miles an hour, and to continue this without great fatigue for many hours. Bernardi, speaking of the success of his practice, says, "Having been appointed to instruct the youths of the Royal Naval Academy at Naples in the art of swimming, a trial of the pupils took place in the presence of a number of persons a.s.sembled on the sh.o.r.e, and under the inspection of authorities appointed to witness and report upon the experiment. A twelve-oared boat attended the progress of the pupils, from motives of precaution. They swam so far out in the bay, that at length the heads of the young men could with difficulty be discerned with the naked eye; and the Major-General of Marine, Fortguerri, for whose inspection the exhibition was attended, expressed serious apprehensions for their safety. Upon their return to the sh.o.r.e, the young men, however, a.s.sured him that they felt so little exhausted, as to be willing immediately to repeat the exertion."

After devoting a month to the investigation of Bernardi's plan, the Neapolitan government state in their official report--

"That it has been established by the experience of more than a hundred persons of different bodily const.i.tutions, that the human body is lighter than water, and, consequently, will float by nature, and that the art of swimming must be acquired to render that privilege useful.

"That Bernardi's system is new, in so far as it is founded on the principle of husbanding the strength, and rendering the power of recruiting it easy."

The speed, according to the new method, is no doubt diminished, but security is much more important than speed, and the new plan is not exclusive of the old when occasions require great effort.

Little more need be said on the subject of swimming, except giving a few directions in diving and plunging, which require to be performed with caution and elegance. When the swimmer prepares to dive, he must take a full inspiration of air, the eyes must be kept open, the back made round, and the head bent forwards on the breast; the legs must be thrown out with force, and the arms and hands, instead of being struck forward as in swimming, must move backward. When the swimmer would ascend, the chin must be held up, the back bent inwards, the hands struck out high and brought sharply down, and the body will immediately rise to the surface of the water.

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_Plunging._--There are two different modes of plunging to be acquired, namely, the flat plunge, which is necessary in shallow water, and the deep plunge, which is used where there is considerable depth of water.

For the latter, the arms must be outstretched, the knees bent, and the body leant forward till the head descends nearly to the feet when the spine and knees are extended. In the flat plunge, the swimmer must fling himself forward in an inclined direction, according to the depth or shallowness of the water; when he touches the bottom, he must rise in the same manner as after diving.