137
Monte Cristo Sack Trick 142
Water Polo 161
Water Polo--Diagram 177
The Best Method of Saving Life 184
Sylvester's Method--Figure 1 191
Sylvester's Method--Figure 2 192
Sylvester's Method--Figure 3 193
Tail-piece 195

PART I

INTRODUCTION

THE IMPORTANCE OF SWIMMING

That all persons ought to know how to safeguard themselves when in deep
water is becoming more and more recognized as time passes. While
swimming is probably the oldest pastime known to man, and has had, and
still has, its votaries in every country, civilized or uncivilized, it
is curious that this most useful science should have been so much
neglected.

For an adult person to be unable to swim points to something like
criminal negligence; every man, woman and child should learn. A person
who can not swim may not only become a danger to himself, but to some
one, and perhaps to several, of his fellow beings. Children as early as
the age of four may acquire the art; none are too young, none too old.
Doctors recommend swimming as the best all-around exercise. It is
especially beneficial to nervous people. Swimming reduces corpulency,
improves the figure, expands the lungs, improves the circulation of the
blood, builds up general health, increases vitality, gives
self-confidence in case of danger, and exercises all the muscles in the
body at one time. As an aid to development of the muscular system, it
excels other sports. Every muscle is brought into play.

In other important ways it is a useful, and even a necessary
accomplishment; no one knows when he may be called upon for a practical
test of its merits. The _Slocum_ steamboat catastrophe in the East
River, New York, several years ago, gave a melancholy example of what
better knowledge of swimming might have done to save the lives of
passengers. That awful tragedy, which plunged an entire city into
mourning, was too appalling to have its details revived here, but,
regardless of the fact that the life-preservers on board were found
unfit for use, the loss of life would have been made much