204 'i'"i-- HOMF., FARM AXD m SIXKSS CYCLOPEDIA. 



just at first. Take it in both hands, and lay yourself very gently in the 

 water, arching the spine backwards as much as possible, and keeping the 

 legs and knees perfectly straight and stiff. 



Now press the head as far back as possibly can be done, and try to force 

 the back of the head between the shoulder-blades. You can practise this 

 attitude at home, by lying on two chairs. 



When you have thus lain in the water you will find that you are almost 

 entirely upheld by its sustaining power, and that only a very little weight 

 is sustained by the rope. On reflection you will also discern that the only 

 weight which pulls on the rope is that of your hands and arms, which are 

 out of the water, and which, therefore, act as dead weight. 



Indeed, you might just as well lay several iron weights of a pound each 

 upon your body, for the hands and arms are much heavier than we gene- 

 rally fancy. Just break an arm or a leg, and you will find out what heavy 

 articles they are. 



Now let your arms sink gradually into the water, and you will see that 

 exactly in proportion as they sink, so much weight is taken off the rope ; 

 and if you have only courage to put them entirely under water, and to 

 loose the rope, your body will be supported by the water alone. 



SWIMMING ON THE BACK, HEAD FIKST. 



There are many modes of swimming on the back, head first ; some in 

 which the hands are the moving power, others in which the force is derived 

 from the legs, and some in which the legs and arms are both exerted. 



To practise one of these methods viz., that commonly called floating 

 you should throw your head gently back, as before, bringing your feet to 

 the surface ; let your arms lie in the water close to your sides, using the 

 hands in the same manner as when sculling, with a swift pushing motion 

 of the palms towards the feet, returning edgeways, thumbs first, by bend- 

 ing the arms ; and pushing again towards the feet by straightening the 

 arms close to the sides. This produces a very rapid progress through the 

 water, and may be continued for some time. 



Another method is as follows : Throw yourself round on your back 

 without stopping (which may be done with a swing of the body, while 

 swimming in the first described method), and you will retain part of the 

 impetus already acquired. Then throw both hands out of the water, as 

 far as you can reach, in the direction you wish to proceed, entering again 

 edgeways beyond your head, and describe a segment of a circle in the 



