330 



ON THE ART or SWIMMING, 



Account of a 

 man who liad 

 not learned to 



first impressed on the mind, I then assisted in supporting him 

 in assumms; the horizontal posture. The effects tooli place as 

 described; the learner found he could swim, and never after- 

 wards forgot it. 



After this long, and perhaps garrulous, account of my ex- 

 perience in an art, of which the usefulness and value may afford 

 swuii, but who, a sufficient interest to apologize for any prolixity, I must take 

 treme dan^eT' '^^^6, to introduce another story of a man's life being saved by 

 supported him- very simple instructions given him in the moments of extreme 

 con-Jmab/v'to "^^"^ier. The ship Worcester was moored off Culpee, in 

 instiiu tions the Ganges, in November 1770, One of the men, who was 

 employed in some occupation forward about the cables (I 

 believe clearing hawse), slipped into the water, which I am 

 sure was running seven or eight knots (or miles) an hour, as 

 is very common in that river. On the alarm being given, most 

 pf those who were upon deck ran aft, where we saw the man's 

 head rise above the watei, at the same time that he held up 

 both his hands, and, after a few seconds splashing;, sunk again. 

 Soon afterwards he rose a second time, and at that instant. the 

 commanding officer, who had a hand trumpet in his hand, cal- 

 — the principal lee* put to him " Keep your hands down in the water." He 



of which in- jij ^^^ remained a considerable time afloat, while one of 



struct ions ' ' 



was, tj keep his the boats, which were riding astern, was got along side andl 



" "^ manned ; and this relief was also retarded by a blunder from 

 too much haste, by which she was cast off without oars oi\ 

 board. His fears must naturally have increased, as his distance 

 from the ship became greater every moment; and I suppose 

 this impression made him again forget his newly acquired art; 

 for he renewed his elevation of hands and dashing of the water, 

 and again sunk; but soon rose again, and for a short time 

 obeyed the incessant and unvaried instruction which was voci- 

 ferated to him through the trumpet. Whenever he deviated, he 

 sunk; and he, had disappeared in this manner at least five 

 times, and had been carried almost out of hearing before the 

 boat took him up ; which, however, at last happened, without 

 any injury to his health, as he took an oar and assisted in roW' 

 ihg back to the ship. 



The particulars of this accident shew clearly how It happens 

 that man is drowned in circumstances where brutes always 

 swim ; and why young children are not unfrcqoently taken up 



safe. 



hands d 



the waXer, 



Men are: 

 drovrn'id by 

 raising their 

 %niis, tlie 



