"But, as I said before, I would not advise you or any one to depend on
having this presence of mind on such an occasion, but learn fairly to
swim, as I wish all men were taught to do in their youth: they would on
many occasions be the safer for having that skill, and on many more, the
happier, as being free from painful apprehensions of danger, to say
nothing of the enjoyment in so delightful and wholesome an exercise.
Soldiers, particularly, should all be taught to swim; it might be of
particular use either in surprising an enemy or saving themselves, and
if I had any boys to educate, I would prefer those schools in which an
opportunity was afforded for acquiring so advantageous an art, which
when once learned, is never forgotten.

"I know by experience, that it is a great comfort to a swimmer who has a
great distance to go, to turn himself sometimes on his back, and to vary
in other respects the means of procuring a progressive motion.

"When he is seized with the cramp in the leg, the method to drive it
away, is to give the parts affected a sudden, vigorous and violent
shock, which he may do in the air as he swims on his back.

"During the great heats in summer, there is no danger in bathing,
however warm he may be, in rivers which have been thoroughly warmed by
the sun; but to throw one's-self into cold spring water when the body
has been heated by exercise in the sun, is an imprudence which may
prove fatal. I once knew an instance of four young men, who, having
worked at harvest in the heat of the day, with a view of refreshing
themselves, plunged into a spring of cold water; two died upon the spot,
a third next morning, and the fourth recovered with great difficulty. A
copious draught of cold water, in similar circumstances, is frequently
attended with the same effect in North America.

"When I was a boy, I amused myself one day with flying a paper kite, and
approaching the bank of a lake which was near a mile broad, I tied the
string to a stake, and the kite ascended to a very considerable height
above the pond while I was bathing. In a little while, being desirous of
amusing myself with my kite and enjoying at the same time the pleasure
of swimming, I returned, and loosening from the stake the string with
the little stick which was fastened to it, went again into the water,
where I found, that by lying on my back and holding the stick in my
hand, I was drawn along the surface of the water in a very agreeable