To support those who cannot Swim.—­If a person cannot swim a stroke, he should be buoyed up with floats under his arms, and lashed quite securely, to his own satisfaction; then he can be towed across the river with a string.  If he lose courage halfway, it cannot be helped:  it will do him no harm, and his swimming friend is in no danger of being grappled with and drowned.  For very short distances, a usual way is for the man who cannot swim to hold his friend by the hips.  A very little floating power is enough to buoy a man’s head, above still water. (See “African Swimming Ferry,” below.)

Landing through Breakers.—­In landing through a heavy surf, wait for a large wave, and come in on the crest of it; then make every possible exertion to scramble up to some firm holding-place, whence its indraught, when it returns, can be resisted.  If drawn back, you will be heavily battered, perhaps maimed, certainly far more exhausted than before, and not a whit nearer to safety.  Avoid receiving a breaker in the attitude of scrambling away from it on hands and knees:  from such a position, the wave projects a man headforemost with fearful force, and rolls him over and over in its surge.  He ought to turn on his back the instant before the breaker is upon him; and then all will go well, and he will be helped on, and not half-killed by it.  Men on shore can rescue a man who is being washed to and fro in the surf, by holding together, very firmly, hand-in-hand, and forming a line down to the sea:  the foremost man clutches the swimmer as soon as he is washed up to him, and holds him firmly while the wave is retiring.  The force of the indraught is enormous, and none but strong men can withstand it.

Floats.—­If a traveller can swim pretty well, it is a good plan to make a float when he wishes to cross a river, and to lay his breast upon it, while his clothes and valuables are enclosed in a huge turban on his head.  In this way, he may cross the broadest streams and float great distances down a river.  He may tie paddles to his hands.  His float may consist of a faggot of rushes, a log of wood, or any one of his empty water-vessels, whether barrels or bags; for whatever will keep water in, will also keep it out.  The small quantity of air, which might escape through the sides of a bag, should be restored by blowing afresh into it, during the voyage.  A few yards of intestine blown out and tied here and there, so as to form so many watertight compartments, makes a capital swimming belt:  it may be wound in a figure of 8 round the neck and under the armpits.  When employing empty bottles, they should be well corked and made fast under the armpits, or be stuffed within the shirt or jersey, and a belt tied round the waist below them, to keep them in place.