Various Modes of Swimming.

There are a variety of ways of swimming, all more or less useful or amusing, which can, by practice, be done by those who have mastered the methods already detailed. I select a few of them, leaving any further curiosity on the subject to be gratified by perusal of a more extensive work.

Treading-water may most easily be done by simply representing the motion of running up stairs; most useful when caught amongst weeds, or for undressing in the water.

Swimming on the Back.—Lie on the water as when floating, kick from outside to inside, striking the water with the soles of the feet, turn the knees out as in the breast stroke. This can be varied page 9 in a number of ways, the most useful and fastest being the Canoe Stroke; bring the hands behind the head under water; when the arms are extended turn the palms of the hands outwards, and press the hands down to the side, striking the leg at the same moment. Another method is by using the arras as paddles, bringing them out of the water and entering them behind the head at the full extent of the arms.

North American Indian Stroke.—Throw the body alternately on the left and right side, raising the arm entirely above the water, and reach as far forward as possible to dip with your weight and force on the arm under you which is propelling you like a paddle; whilst this arm is making a half circle and is being raised out of the water behind you, the opposite arm should describe a similar one in the air over your head to be dipped as far as possible ahead of you, the head being bent inwards.

The Foot Paddle on the Chest.—Lie on the chest with the hands supporting the head, raise the feet backwards out of the water one after the other, putting a strain on the small of the back, and strike the water quickly.

The Perpendicular Float.—Cross the hands on the breast, throw the head back as far as possible, cross the legs, and keep perfectly still.

The Foot Paddle on the Back.—Lift the feet quickly out of the water in succession, and strike them downward.

The Oar Stroke.—Lie on the back, keep the body quite stiff, toes out of water, the arms close to the sides, work the hands from the wrists in continual quick strokes.

Diving, Feet First.—Keep the elbows close down by the side3, using the hands like skulls, by giving them a semi-rotatory motion from the wrists.

The Boomerang Plunge—'Enter the water as in the Flat Plunge, going rather deeper; turn on the side, and bend the body at the hips so as to give it a curve; this, without swimming a stroke, should bring the swimmer round to the starting point.