narrow and icy Serpentine!

With these facts before the eyes of the world, you will wonder that the
world does not take warning, and at once learn to swim.

It may be wondered, too, that governments do not compel the youth to
learn this simple accomplishment; but that indeed is hardly to be
wondered at, since the business of governments in all ages has been
rather to tax than to teach their people.

It seems to me, however, that it would be a very easy thing for
governments to compel all those who travel by ships, to provide
themselves with a life-preserver. By this cheap and simple contrivance,
I am prepared to show that thousands of lives would be annually saved;
and no one would grumble at either the cost or inconvenience of carrying
so useful an article.

Governments take special care to tax travellers for a piece of worthless
paper, called a passport. Once you have paid for this, it signifies not
to them how soon you and your passport go to the bottom of the sea.

Well, young reader, whether it be the desire of your government or not,
take a hint from me, and make yourself a good swimmer. Set about it at
once--that is, if the weather be warm enough--and don't miss a day while
it continues so. Be a swimmer before you become a man; for when you
have reached manhood, you will most probably find neither time,
opportunity, nor inclination to practise; besides, you may run many
risks of being drowned long before there is hair upon your lip.

For myself, I have had a variety of hair-breadth escapes from drowning.
The very element which I loved so dearly, seemed the most desirous of
making a victim of me; and I should have deemed it ungrateful, had I not
known that the wild billows were unreasoning, irresponsible creatures;
and I had too recklessly laid "my hand upon their mane."

It was but a few weeks after my ducking in the pond, and I had already
taken several swimming lessons, when I came very near making my last
essay at this aquatic exercise.

It was not in the pond that the incident occurred, for that, being a
piece of ornamental water, and private property, as I have told you, was
not permitted to be used as a bathing place.

But the people of a sea-shore town need no lake in which to disport
themselves. The great salt sea gives them a free bath, and our village
had its bathing beach in common with others of its kind. Of course,
then, my swimming lessons were taken in salt-water.

The beach which