LADY SWIMMERS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1351, 12 April 1883, Page 2

LADY SWIMMERS.

The old Greek,story ofjLeander swimming across the Hellespont, from Abydos to Sestos to moet ,his Hero, is'familiar. Byron, having read A of the extraordinary feat, took it into his head that he might immortalise himself, also, by doing the same thing, although for a different pijrpose tha> , j Leander's, Byvon'did itfor-a : s : econd- f '■ fame, which he acquired, succesfully landing on the further side. Captain Webb 1 and Mr Boynton have dono some effective'work in that line in another direction in our day, but then they have been aided by artificial contrivances. Neither would venture to '"' swim across the Straits of Dover, or' ' across the Hellespont, for that matter, without some ingeniously cohstructea ■ support. And let ; be asked, "Would 1 Miss Hero, : however infatuated with 1 ' ,v ' Mr Leander Have ventured to,;swim.'''."'." from Sestos to Abydos to meet himf. Hardly. The very thought of such:, ! a cold bath would , have been apt to affectually chill the ardency of her affection, < Ladies.were'not supposed .

to be particularly versed in the art : of ; swimming in..those., antiquated times,;.!,..■■> They had their baths, to be sure, in '■ ''■•* classic structure and perfumed ' ,l but the baths were hot like the vigo/ : : H, ones of our modern ladies in the sfcrojg .';. . salt waters.'at Black' Point) Monterey, Santa, Cruz, or Alameda.' Ladies in these latter times can swim, ~and can swim well, and'' well' it;'ia they an, At Portsmouth, England, there is a ladies' swimming club.' It exclusively of amateurs. .Professionals •.••■> are.excluded.. Perhaps there ,is' but one real lady-professional in the art in ; the kingdom—Miss.Beckwith. .Shew hardly more thariagirl graduate,'but she publicly distinguished nerself by extraordinary accomplishments in the water,, She,.with' other; if any there, be, 'is not admitted into • the club referred to. Becently the clubihss'competition -fw a gold tVe' championship. The length of the race ..was eighty yards. ; whomreached.the.finishing port, three of them within: fifteen seconds of the winner.''''She made the"time injone inihute and^.thirtis^y&;;seMndß; She. )£a'diughteV;^ grammar school, which not only testifies to the'respectability of the club, outgoes to' shbw that the art of swim- . ming.acqmreiby ladjes may be link<)4>.f» with-intellectiMas' well' u 'physical " :,; yimd.prizes.for, ,cqmpeti|^e, swimming • 'girls w aiuothWadvancVia'the training . of the sex, ~': ' :"H'-v