Swimming Scientifically Taught Part 6

This work is often performed by experts, having their arms tied to their sides or behind their backs. When performing in this manner, one must swim on the back, and the legs only can be used for propulsion. In this instance better progress is made, as it is much easier to swim on the back with the hand and feet tied than it is to swim on the breast under the same conditions. One of the main essentials in the performance of this trick is ability to float. These performances, also, are much easier in a tidal river or stream than in still water, as the body is carried forward with the motion of the water, and less exertion is necessary to remain on the surface.

OVER AND UNDER

[Ill.u.s.tration: OVER AND UNDER]

This is one of the prettiest exhibition tricks that can be accomplished in the water. If performed by a lady and gentleman it never fails to elicit great applause. The swimmers begin with floating alongside of each other. Then one slowly paddles ahead of the other with his hands until his toes are in line with the shoulders of the other. When in that position, the first grasps the neck of the other with his toes. Then the other slowly brings his or her arms back under water and catches hold of the ankles of the first. After balancing for a moment, the other dips his or her head below the surface, at the same time giving a strong pull at the ankles of the first, which draws the first directly over him. The first one allowing his arms to float straight behind him. While the first is slowly sailing over the other submerged, the latter watches the former, and when the neck of the first is in line with the feet of the other, the latter raises his feet and grasps the neck of the former, who allows his body to rise to the surface. The performance is then repeated by the first grasping the ankles of the other, and continuing as before.

These movements must be done slowly and gracefully, each swimmer allowing the other time to inflate the lungs before the next pullover is made. After these movements have been gone through about a dozen times, and when in position for the final pull, the forward one should loosen the grip on the neck and propel himself ahead to the side of the other swimmer, when both can bend forward in unison, making a very neat and graceful finale.

SWIMMING UNDER WATER

To be able to swim under water is quite an accomplishment and often may be of very valuable service, but as an achievement in compet.i.tion or for exhibition purpose it is not to be encouraged because of the danger of prolonged immersion, and the fact that many compet.i.tors do not know when to desist.

Under-water swimming should be practised by experts only, but care must be taken not to prolong the immersion in order to reach a definite point or to accomplish a certain distance before rising to the surface. It often happens that swimmers, in order to achieve a certain distance, remain under water after pains in the back of the neck give warning of oncoming unconsciousness, in which case they may lapse into a state of insensibility, and there is grave danger of drowning.

When these contests take place in baths, it is not a pleasant sight to watch a swimmer struggling on, against odds, in the hope of beating a rival for the coveted prize. The action of the arms and legs become slower and slower, until at last, from sheer exhaustion, the body rises toward the surface for a short distance and then sinks to the bottom motionless.

One of the advantages of being able to swim under water is the ability it imparts to the swimmer to reach the body of a drowning person, or to bring the body of a drowned person to the surface.

In swimming under water, the ordinary breast stroke is the one used. To swim downward, the head is prest down toward the breast, and when wis.h.i.+ng to rise the head is deflected backward.

If swimming under water for a long distance, the body should be kept near the surface, for the reason that the pressure is greater in the corresponding depth. Care should be taken to fill the lungs before starting, and as soon as the first symptoms of asphyxiation are noticeable, the swimmer should rise to the surface.

Among the notable feats accomplished under water may be mentioned that of James Finney, in England, in 1882, who accomplished a distance of 340 feet. William Reilly, of Salford, an amateur, swam 312 feet under water.

The time limit for under-water swimming is about a minute and a half. At the Crystal Palace, London, England, in 1892, in a diver's tank 15 feet deep, Prof. F.E. Dalton picked up 74 plates in a single immersion.

MONTE CRISTO SACK TRICK

This is one of the most sensational performances of the professional swimmer. From a spectacular point of view it is very effective. To do this trick one must be an adept at under-water swimming; an a.s.sistant is necessary in order to tie the knots properly.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MONTE CRISTO SACK TRICK]

The sack to be used must be large enough to allow plenty of room for the swimmer to move about. At the bottom of the sack place a number of heavy weights. A hole must be cut at the top to allow the rope to be pa.s.sed through.

The swimmer gets into the sack, taking firm hold of the loosened ends of the doubled rope and that part of the sack close to it. The a.s.sistant then takes hold of the ends of the rope and ties them around the sack.

The knots must be made on the other side of the sack from that on which the ends have been pa.s.sed through. After warning the swimmer, so that he may inflate his lungs, he is thrown into the water. The weights at the bottom of the sack will cause him to sink feet first.

After remaining in the sack a few seconds the performer releases the ends of the rope held by him and pushes the sack open with his hands, when he is free to rise to the surface.

This appears to be a very dangerous feat, but in reality is a very simple one for a good swimmer.

NOTABLE FEATS BY CELEBRATED SWIMMERS

Considerable interest was aroused in the early part of August, 1875, when the statement was made that Captain Matthew Webb, an Englishman who had served as second mate on several s.h.i.+ps in the Indian and North Atlantic trade, intended to attempt the remarkable feat of swimming across the English Channel. His first attempt resulted in failure. This took place on August 12, 1875. After swimming for 6 hours 48 minutes and 30 seconds, during which period he covered 13-1/2 miles, Webb was compelled to leave the water owing to having drifted 9-3/4 miles to the eastward of his course by a northeast stream and stress of weather. Webb started from Dover 2 hours 25 minutes before high water on a tide rising 13 feet 7 inches at that port. When he gave up no estimate could be formed as to the probable distance he would have gone west on the tide.

In his second and successful attempt, on August 24 of the same year, Webb started from Dover 3-1/4 hours before high water on a 15-foot 10-inch tide, which gave him one hour and three-quarters of the southwest stream. His point of landing was 21-1/2 miles from Dover, as the crow flies, but the actual length of the swim was 39-1/2 miles. Very little rest was taken by Webb on the way. When he did stop it was to take refreshment, and then he was treading water. During the whole time he had no recourse to artificial aids. Of this there is indisputable proof. The journalists who acompanied him across in a boat were careful in their observations, and were men whose accuracy could be depended on.

The temperature of the water was about 65 degrees. Webb never complained of cold.

For the first 15 hours the weather was fine. The sea was as smooth as gla.s.s, the sun obscured during the day by a haze, so that the heat did not affect Webb's head, and in the night a three-quartered moon lighted him on his way. The worst time began at 3 A.M. on August 25th, as drowsiness had to be overcome and rough water was entered. At this hour he was only some 4-1/2 miles off Cape Grisnez, France, and altho he was not then strong enough to strike out a direct course athwart the new northeast stream for land, he was fetching well in for Sangette, where he would undoubtedly have landed between 7 and 8 A.M. had adverse weather not set in. He finally landed on the Calais sands after having been in the water 21 hours 45 minutes. After performing this feat, Webb for some years gave exhibitions of diving and swimming at an aquarium in London and elsewhere. In July, 1883, he came to America for the purpose of swimming the rapids and whirlpool at Niagara, and in this attempt lost his life.

On September 1, 1875, Miss Agnes Beckwith, then only fourteen years of age, swam from London Bridge to Greenwich, a distance of five miles.

Beginning her journey at eight minutes to five, Miss Beckwith covered the first mile and a half in 18 minutes. Limehouse Church--a trifle over halfway--was pa.s.sed in 33 minutes, and Greenwich Pier was reached in 1 hour 7 minutes 45 seconds.

On September 4, 1875, Miss Emily Parker, who had previously undertaken to swim the same distance as Miss Beckwith, not only equalled but excelled the performance of Miss Beckwith. She went on to Blackwall, a distance of seven miles, the time being 1 hour 37 minutes.

On December, 1899, Captain Davis Dalton swam for 12 hours continuously at the Latchmere Public Baths in London, England.

On August 17, 1890, Captain Dalton left Folkestone for Boulogne with the intention of swimming back across the Channel to Folkestone, a distance of 27 miles. Dalton exprest his conviction that he could perform the journey in 20 hours, and if successful would beat the time of Captain Webb. He entered the water at four o'clock on Sunday afternoon, and accomplished the journey, without any remarkable incident, at half-past three the following afternoon.

In July, 1891, Captain Dalton swam from Blackwall to Gravesend in the River Thames, London, covering the entire distance on his back.

In December, 1891, Captain Dalton swam for 16 hours continuously at the Dover Baths, England.

On August 27, 1902, after several brilliant attempts, Montagu Holbein swam the English Channel, but was compelled to desist when only two miles from the finis.h.i.+ng point, after staying in the water for 22-1/2 hours.

The following feats have been recorded as accomplished during the year 1911:

William T. Burgess, of Yorks.h.i.+re, England, crossed the English Channel from South Foreland, Dover, England, to La Chatelet, two miles east of Cape Gris Nez, France. Burgess started at 11.15 A.M., September 5, and finished at 9.50 A.M., September 6. Time, 22 hours 35 minutes. The distance is 40 miles. Burgess is said to have covered nearly 60 miles, owing to changes in the tide and currents.

On June 11th Martin M. Harris, in an attempt to swim from Chester, Pa., to Market Street, Philadelphia, Pa., a distance of 16-1/2 miles, was forced to retire at Greenwich, after covering 13-1/2 miles in 4 hours 8 minutes.

On June 25th Charles Durburrow swam from the Million Dollar Pier, Atlantic City, N.J., to Ocean City, about 8 miles, in the open sea in 5 hours 33 minutes.

On July 22d Jabez Wolffe, in an attempt to cross the English Channel from Sangatte, France, had to retire when within a mile of St.

Margaret's Bay, England, owing to adverse tides, after 15 hours'

swimming.

On July 23d Charles Durburrow, in an attempt to swim from the Battery, New York City, to Sandy Hook, was forced to give up, owing to adverse tides, when 1-1/4 miles from Sandy Hook, after swimming about 20 miles in 6 hours 43 minutes. About this time Joseph O'Connor swam from Watertown, Ma.s.s., in the Charles River, to Cambridge Bridge, Boston, a distance of about 8 miles, in 6 hours 46 minutes.

On August 6th Samuel Richards swam from Charlestown Bridge, Boston, to Boston Light, a distance of about 10 miles, in 6 hours 15 minutes.

On August 13th Noah Marks swam from Chester, Pa., in the Delaware River, to Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa., a distance of 16-3/4 miles, in 5 hours 19 minutes. Miss Rose Pitonoff swam from East Twenty-sixth Street, New York City, to Steeplechase Park Pier, Coney Island, a distance of about 20 miles, in 8 hours 17 minutes.

On August 20th Miss A. Akroyd swam from Charlestown Bridge, Boston, to Boston Lights.h.i.+p in 7 hours 12 minutes 57 seconds.

On August 27th Miss Elaine Golding swam from the Battery, New York City, to Steeplechase Park Pier, Coney Island, a distance of about 14 miles, in 6 hours 1 minute. Raymond Frederickson finished first in a swim of the U.S. Volunteer Life Saving Corps from the Battery to Coney Island in 6 hours 2 minutes 30 seconds.

On September 3d Miss Adelaide Trapp swam from North Beach to St. George, Staten Island, New York, a distance of about 14 miles, in 5 hours 10 minutes. William D. McAllister won a long-distance swim from L Street bath, Boston, to Spectacle Island and return in 4 hours 50 minutes.

All of these swims were made with aid from tide or current.