BY WILLIAM HEMMINGWAY.
It is just as dangerous to play with water as it is to play with fire. Probably no sport is more dangerous than swimming, just as none other is quite so delightful. If you use proper caution no exercise is safer than swimming.
But what is proper caution? It is almost impossible to learn how to swim by reading any amount of printed instructions, but it is easy to learn how to take care of one's self in the water. One of the best swimming teachers I ever knew summed it all up in these words: Don't be rash. Don't be frightened. It seems to me that no advice can be better than that. I think that one more rule is safe to follow, Don't "show off."
Let us look at what happens to the rash swimmer and diver. Probably every one of you has known or heard of some poor over-confident fellow who has lost his life by diving overboard without knowing the depth into which he was plunging. Nothing can be more dangerous. There is a fine swimming-beach at the upper part of the Harlem River, near Farmers' Bridge, on the Manhattan Island shore. There are bath-houses in plenty, and a long stretch of firm sandy shore. One of the best oarsmen of his year went swimming there a few years ago. He had just come to the end of five months' hard training and racing. During that long period swimming had been forbidden to men in the crew, because it was feared that they might tire themselves out at it, and use up strength that should be applied to rowing. But now the restraints of training were off, and J—— was having a delightful frolic with his friends. He was a strong swimmer and a graceful diver. Running down the beach he splashed out until he was knee-deep in the river, and then gathered himself for a dive. He plunged head first on a sand-bar. His neck was dislocated. He did not live five minutes.
That young man had been swimming from the same place last year. He thought he was familiar with the shore. Really he had forgotten just where it was safe to dive. If he had been cautious enough to ask his comrades, or even to wade out a little further and learn the depth for himself, he would not have lost his life.
Do you think it childish to be cautious? Put away the idea. The bravest men are nearly always the most careful.
"Your Majesty knows not what fear is," said a courtier to King Oscar of Sweden, who had fought in many hand-to-hand battles with wonderful success.
"The man who does not know what fear is," replied the King, "is a fool."
And fear is only another name for over-cautiousness.
"No matter how well you think you know a swimming-place, take nothing for granted. So many changes take place in a year. Sand bars are formed by the tides. If you dive from a pier, how can you know without actually investigating what timber may have been swung loose by the water's action since last year, and be now lurking for you beneath the surface? And as for swimming in strange water, never do it without learning all you can about the conditions. Henry Guy and I were chumming for bluefish in Fire Island Inlet recently. We had fine luck for a while. Suddenly the bluefish disappeared. After waiting idly a few minutes I began to yearn for a swim. The air was very warm, and the cool, green water was rippling a thousand invitations. Just as I was about to dive off the stern of our cat-boat the skipper touched my arm and shook his head.