The motion of the limbs in swimming is simply that of moving
your arms and legs as propellers to push yourself forward through
the water. However, no book rules will suffice to teach you to swim.
Better watch a girl who can swim well, and then try to copy her
movements. Remember this : If you think you are about to sink
when in the water, keep as still as you can, paddle with your hands,
and throw your head back ; but don't struggle wildly. Above all, do
not go near deep water unless you can swim. Many a girl's life has
been lost at watering-places by venturing out too far, and getting
frightened when the water is near her arms in depth.
112 THE HEARTHSTONE; OR, LIFE AT HOME. ^
The editor of the London Truth, after observing that probably not
one in twenty of the persons who indulge in boating on a holiday
can swim, proceeds to tell his readers how to acquire this accomplish-
ment. " Nothing," he says, " is more easy. When the air is out of
a body its owner sinks ; when the air is in the body its owner floats.
Let any one slowly draw in his breath as he draws back his legs and
pushes forward his arms, retain it while-he is preparing for the stroke
which is to propel him, and slowly allow it to go through his lips as
his arms are passed back from before his head to his sides, and his
legs are stretched out. The action of the stroke should not be quite
horizontal, but should be made on a slight decline downward. The
real reason why people take weeks to learn how to swim is because
swimming professors either do not know, or do not choose to teach,
the philosophy of breathing, so as to render the body buoyant."
ROWING.
Rowing a light boat on a stream, a lake, a mill-pond in the country,
or on our city lakes at Central or Prospect Park, is a very pleasur-
able and healthy exercise for girls, as it gives freedom of action to
the much-neglected muscles of their arms and chest; but unless light
oars are used the work is rather heavy for ladies. No girl ought to
enter a boat alone for rowing exercise unless she knows how to swim.
There are so many chances for accidents of one kind or another which
involve risk of drowning that this rule ought to be generally ob-
served by lady rowers. Of course, if you have a gentleman w^ith you
the case is different, or some one who can swim in case of emergency.
Light boats, suitable for a girl to row about in, are easily upset, and
they require careful handling. In learning to row you begin by using
one oar at a time. Don't go to work at it in a hap-hazard way,
but study the thing up. and first know what you have to do to pull
an oar before you set about it. There is the action of dipping the
oar properly ; pulling it forward ; lifting it out of the water and push-
ing it back again ready for the next dip — making four separate move-
ments which require special attention to be given to each one — and
J SPORTS AND GAMES FOR LADIES. II3
Page 67
Presented as published in 1883. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The motion of the limbs in swimming is simply that of moving your arms and legs as propellers to push yourself forward through the water. However, no book rules will suffice to teach you to swim. Better watch a girl who can swim well, and then try to copy her movements. Remember this : If you think you are about to sink when in the water, keep as still as you can, paddle with your hands, and throw your head back ; but don't struggle wildly. Above all, do not go near deep water unless you can swim. Many a girl's life has been lost at watering-places by venturing out too far, and getting frightened when the water is near her arms in depth.
The editor of the London Truth, after observing that probably not one in twenty of the persons who indulge in boating on a holiday can swim, proceeds to tell his readers how to acquire this accomplishment. " Nothing," he says, " is more easy. When the air is out of a body its owner sinks ; when the air is in the body its owner floats. Let any one slowly draw in his breath as he draws back his legs and pushes forward his arms, retain it while he is preparing for the stroke which is to propel him, and slowly allow it to go through his lips as his arms are passed back from before his head to his sides, and his legs are stretched out. The action of the stroke should not be quite horizontal, but should be made on a slight decline downward. The real reason why people take weeks to learn how to swim is because swimming professors either do not know, or do not choose to teach, the philosophy of breathing, so as to render the body buoyant."
ROWING.
Rowing a light boat on a stream, a lake, a mill-pond in the country, or on our city lakes at Central or Prospect Park, is a very pleasurable and healthy exercise for girls, as it gives freedom of action to the much-neglected muscles of their arms and chest; but unless light oars are used the work is rather heavy for ladies. No girl ought to enter a boat alone for rowing exercise unless she knows how to swim. There are so many chances for accidents of one kind or another which involve risk of drowning that this rule ought to be generally observed by lady rowers. Of course, if you have a gentleman w^ith you the case is different, or some one who can swim in case of emergency. Light boats, suitable for a girl to row about in, are easily upset, and they require careful handling. In learning to row you begin by using one oar at a time. Don't go to work at it in a hap-hazard way, but study the thing up. and first know what you have to do to pull an oar before you set about it. There is the action of dipping the oar properly ; pulling it forward ; lifting it out of the water and pushing it back again ready for the next dip — making four separate movements which require special attention to be given to each one — and