IN THE BRINY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 420, 1 February 1909, Page 2

IN THE BRINY.

v jflßSf; LESSONS iN;SWIMM(^te^O

YISIT ABO/BATHS.

\ l ,. It is. the afternoon : qf.:a-long t -idle sumnjei '■''*■ ■ 'day vin - : .the school --vacation; a ■ Bay ; foj;. ' i.squashes,'ice-creams,, and,"best of all, a'dip" : iii. the; briny;.the' baths' at Tβ;■ :Aro ••■are-'■• ■''• a-splash" with, happy ;utohins/.whp look'as'if-V v they/;had arrived.'shortly':.'aft4r ;;u breaKf astr-^/^ • spentHhe;whole' : ;day,''there;: aiid-"fain : would* :i -' spend .the;. evening- ther«:v Soffle.'<:an ; and bask "in ;the envious ■: admiration' 'of Ath'eir'; : less:"f6rtunate fellows;..taking b'rave r he'a'ders;-'^' , ■furibus/spwts, ;'and?j)uffihg; and bjb'wing-like'-?' whales;v' ! Those\wK"o:"can't"swim","'bui''would ; '«! very/ihuoh; likeitoy: splashlin ; a" futile way,." well -in" their, depth, : or-'-kick; one'i.leg L ':v along -the'''-bottom as:they aohieyes6methiiigr ;s ;' of ihe"benßa'tibn , 'Mog-paddle;" ; ';-:-Boine;;'-sit/'^sunning' :,their ■-•"•■•''■■ .browning-bodies;.'on;the , concrete walls of the". ■: .baths,-"or"stroll .up;and,down■ theigangwaysj^r ; luxunating-.in their Nakedness:- , ; ■:,>;>- -,'U^<-■*■■■ .-' Tho'hope'-Pf J thaseswhb can't' swim is .'den-. '•%. tred .upon; a ''figure •-which; i has just .emerged: •-; > frpmVofleiipf:'the"'|d^cairig-roota;' , ---He'Cirn'ea-'-'j'=' i:"long of ; whicli ; *e a rope dangles,'aud-'under ; his.arm are"'ainim-- ' t: ber- of paper /packages.'-- .The 'tibg-paddlers! , .- s. splash eagerly.'to:the T foof'of the steps/..and** indulge iiv a -lively 'game .of iS'catch" as 'the , '~'. instructor (Mr:'.T.- i .Snields)'un , does the'paper: ;■ ■paokageSj.. and .throws the. conteritij- intp ; "the"'i; water. The; contents-"are S"wihgs"-^butter-.-.: ■■!. fly-looking;--■ wingsj' i gaudily--designed." Tha'"i' ■'. youngsters: catch: them ; as 4hey^fall,-anS-api i; '- : -ply ■~the.mselvea.:.td.;-the task i of-'-fillingi the .'- '.'-'wings'.'.'with;air—a/.slow/.and-.tedious pro; -.•/ ,!B^.^■Thβ^vdy«i•iOTβ , bicycle-.pump'si)aii(t;thbjr.rnrake Mow.ip'rogress*m : .until ;some;-student-pf : pneumaticsi'disooyera i" ■the : knaok.';of-. doingVit, .••triumphantly::diste'ridsl : : - :.hi4 "wingSj."-.arranges.',them-on hisfshouldeia, : - ; v ancL,plupges ■ bqldly •; intp^hg, iThoughV-:' ha pannot.-sw.ip3p.'he',-,can;aii;kast,,ilqat 1 anjLV.-v". : ' ■ I b.is-..le'Es:aUd.Xrm's".si>taw.l[:and\kick : about in'-.,, ridiculous erideavpurs,to -grasp,-the- elenien- ''■'■•'■■ ;taryprinciples : ' of; and .the f "kick." -:..' ; rv :v ; w?) !/■''.>-];,■ ■•'•:,\..:-\ ir^i' : This is^where. ; the .bambqoiro"dlcbmes-"in.' : '". -The*'.'instructor, steps, along'"; t)ie^fidge''. : df l a .-. cross-beam,. ; and; -holds ,his-:rod"-,.out,-: lopking"i'., : . for all the; world' like an ogre' fishing' , for/'i. small.. boys. ■~,.; Jio then ."summons "> ,tha' great" ' .".untauglit)"" a''bunch.of ftye or-.sis young-.',:': sters, and .puts them some: element. ■:,-. ■;t.ary-drill.' -;■"■'■.'•/■',■•'. v ■ : i:- : .' : :-\--.': i '\ "-f- :■■}:■■■] • ■ : ;; ! - : 'V' : -I "One!" They .close'.their: ( hands prayerfully "-I jin front'of their ; chests.;.'.■'; : " 'V;'';':■;:"^ : >-. r / -:.I V 1 .'.-.', -"Two!!!'.-Several pairs pf arms shoot;vig- :: '■■' .prously^o'ut..; ::; ';; 7-^-/. : ''.:;: : a - : --'■.:'.■■'.:- -r ■'■■■■-: ,'■ ."Three!" The., arms ■ sweep", back to the chest;:Tesunling:the first;posktion; :/'After ; t a,brisk..:r'ehearsal: of- the. prin- : .ciples, .comes'-the test; 'sv'- : - ; " r ..^Jv;>' : : *-;.,: : .-;.- -."Come here,".;says the. instructor, holding ■'■ put the nßhingirodj-inntingljy and- singling put one of the.class.;. : A small-boy detaches" :'; .h.imself 'from' the;_ group;, and '.splashes :.fpj>'.' - '. ':• .ward.' - He puts.his'armB i .t.hrpugh the' rubber^" ■■■ slinga."-.at the'end qf-the-tope^and'trustfully?;. : and rijgorpusly. jerks His;avps and legs" yrfailo- J " the: man with "the' fishing-rod plays his catck;.' into.'.deep::water.::;:!"That , s 'fight,!!.:says; the I instructor, enoouragingly. ■■.■■^.Kick ; "yqur-;"Jegs-''';-;ouf : the' : 'way';l told ypu!'i':Sweep'yoOr arhis '-/ I out!, : That's; and";the;, youthfiil'">i: iiatatori blowing .like :a: "grampus,: an a, -splaSh-' i v." i ;in'^'-'tremefa36u'slyV. ; pb'eys.:.to'; , iability..\ Then the. ; 6thers:are:taken'in %hd, ■ ' and by-the.time. the ,lesson , '.is\pver ) vpriejor- I '.' two'have graduated from "..; ;and can make : a" fair 'attempt', fpr.-i;shSrt ]'■' distance, at the, breast' stroke.'■_-. As;'with:thei. ■-■'•:'. •iirt ■ of .'.cycling, wherein : ; once ; the'ifick. o,'--'. v equilibrium is learnt/ the 'rest .beconies' easy, ;H.. ■ih;.swimmjhg:the',firetobstaqle : is the'natural v':. .fear of:;Si'nking;;.once' r that is pyer6dme/-'tb>:':''.; : .rest, is nothing, practically.-' >%:/"'- :<a ;:'■-•.- ;." In ; a, short ■ conversation with "Mr; 'Shields r -y 'afterwaids,, tho' subject'- of ; resuscitating; , the'■'. . : ■■apparently- drowned > was" touched -. oa":v '.'Mr.; •-.. . Shields is : an:adypcato:,of ; the.-'•'•;VSchafer , ':'':-'-v ;niethod; of restoring animation. v'Tor' a 'long ,j- : \ ■ 'time, , .. , , he'-. said ; - to:, a representative',,Of ':" Dominion,;.: VI have? had,, an.: idea'that - this 'principles of; the Mother metiiods.'-were' sot 't' ;right; •'-. They .are ..too complicated.-.'for ione thing,-..and.require;too jnany;-.assistants.--t)ne '•-■■. .man ,can :operato:/m;.tho.,'SchaferV:nietbx)di'■■'--' which is at once the simplest.'and,most;effec-'i' tiye-way-pf; expelling'theiwator.from anVaft.) -~ parentiy-^drowneia;-^fson/'o;asd,i^Kiig.'.:ifwe : .jM . lungs SvitE'.air,.''.:.;Hei.esplained v. principlesl of 'the,;methoQ...-;' r i r ou.-make.. Iβ?. pillow, or ;p.adT~ah:overcoat,.jaokei,;sack, or.:-", anything softj and_ place ;theS; subject,- face .. downwards,-with; his-stomach resting on the• pad, thusithrowing^he'head,lowenthan. thfi -~ lungs. l ; The. tdugue falls i forwardj-i>: ; ■ and ;the pressure.on ;the stomach, caused- bj ; '.; ; the: weigh Vof "the body lying- on.; the pad,.^'.;' assists'.ito .expel th'e';\yater;': The operatoi-j.; then "stands over •'■. the 1 subject; :aud, . placing ,-;_•.' the: hands .under/:the; stomach, raises" ./.; body-up and down; each motion produces a.'vf,!respiration';'; and ; 'at the ;same; time drives.-,';j . thewater-put.- It is simplicity, itself i." .■ ■'.-.■'/},.. :': It is quite probable that .a demonstration',: v: of the I'Schafer'' method of resuscitating the.,-.-,•.;.-apparently (drowned will be arranged: to- be,' ':, • given at the baths in the :near; futur^.. Slr. : . ;'•;.: .Shields is in-posscssion, of all the.latest lit.,:;''" . orature pertaining to. ,'-.. ■;;■:-;;.:.