the hands
should be paddled in a horizontal kind of sweep, which will sustain the
body. Should the learner wish to swim, he must strike out with his legs,
taking care not to lift his legs too high; in this position the arms may
occasionally be folded across the breast.

[Illustration]

To _tread water_, the legs must be suffered to drop in the water till
the swimmer finds himself upright, he then treads downwards with his
feet, occasionally paddling with the palms of his hands. The swimmer,
when long in the water, will soon find himself tired, changes of action
are therefore necessary; there are many which are highly advantageous to
learn, such as swimming like a dog, porpoise, etc. To _swim like a dog_,
he must strike with each hand and foot alternately, beginning with the
right hand and foot, he must draw the hand towards the chin, and the
foot towards the body, at the same time; he then must kick backwards
with the foot, and strike out in a right line with the hand, and the
same with the left hand and foot: the palms of the hands must be hollow,
and the water pulled towards the swimmer. In _swimming like a porpoise_,
the right arm is lifted entirely out of the water, the shoulder is
thrust forward, and while the swimmer is striking out with his legs, he
reaches forward with his hand as far as he can; his hand then falls, a
little hollowed, in the water, which it grasps or pulls towards him in a
transverse direction towards the other armpit. While this is going on,
the legs are drawn up for another effort, and the left arm and shoulder
are raised and thrust forward, as the right had previously been. When
the swimmer feels tired, he may change these positions for swimming on
the side. To do this, he must lower his left side and elevate his right,
striking forward with his left hand, and sideways with his right, the
back of the hand being in front instead of upward, the thumb side of the
hand being downward so as to serve as an oar. Should the swimmer wish to
turn on his back, he must keep one leg still, and embrace the water
beside him with the other, and he will turn to that side. To shew the
feet, he must turn himself on his back, and bend the small of it
downwards, supporting himself by his hands to and fro immediately above
his breast, and hold his feet above the water. Swimming under water is
performed by the usual stroke, the head being kept a little downwards,
and the feet struck out a little higher than when