DEFORMITY NO IMPEDIMENT TO ACQUIRING THE ART OF SWIMMING.
The world-renowned swimming feats of Lord Byron are confirma tory of the foregoing remarks. His famous swim across the Helles pont affords a striking instance of the power of will to overcome physical infirmities. A little of the sporting man's love of feats and " records" entered into the ,joy which Childe Harold felt in subduing the sea's white horses to his hand. It is a well-known fact that Byron was justly proud of his skill as a swimmer. 'Upon'one occa sion he challenged his friend and companion, Tre]awney, to swim a long distance to a ship and to lunch in the water. The feat was successfully performed by both. This, and other similar feats, caused him to be styled the rival of Leander.
Lord Clandeboye, the eldest son of Canada's popular Gover nor-General, Lord Dufferin, also swam across the Hellespont in •the summer of 1883. One of the most expert swimmers on this continent is an American citizen named Cole, who, with only one arm, has. frequently carried off the principal honors in many well-contested matches. Many persons who are helpless cripples on terra firPa
become extremely active in. the watery element, frequently out stripping their more fortunate comrades who ashore would feel it an affliction to accommodate their vigorous strides to the cripples' labored locomotion.
There is another class of deformed persons who should not be overlooked, viz., those whose limbs are well-formed, but whose body is misshapen. The hunchback for instance, by reason of his deformity, would find it almost as difficult a matter to sink as the novice would to float. The malformation of his body increases his buoyancy to such an extent that it would be almost impossible for him to get his head beneath the waves. The author recalls the skill of an old school mate, a hunchback, who was one of the most daring and intrepid swimmers he ever knew ; lie would swim faster and venture out farther than many of his well-formed companions, who were considered expert in other branches of the art.