This is commonly reckoned the first step to figure skating, as, when
it is once effected, the rest follows with ease. The impulse is gained
in the same manner as for the ordinary run; but, to get on the outside
edge of the right foot, the moment that foot is in motion, the skater
must advance the left shoulder, throw the right arm back, look over the
right shoulder, and incline the whole person boldly and decisively on
that side, keeping the left foot suspended behind. (Plate XIX. fig. 2.)
As he proceeds, he must bring the left foot past the inside of the
right, with a slight jerk, which produces an opposing balance of the
body; the right foot must quickly press, first on the outside of the
heel, then on the inside, or its toe; the left foot must be placed down
in front, before it is removed more than about eight or ten inches
from the other foot; and, by striking outside to the left, giving at
the same moment a strong push with the inside of the right toe, the
skater passes from right to left, inclining to the left side, in the
same manner as he did to the right. He then continues to change from
left to right, and from right to left, in the same manner. At first he
should not remain long upon one leg, nor scruple occasionally to put
the other down to assist; and throughout he must keep himself erect,
leaning most on the heel.
The Dutch travelling roll is done on the outside edge forward, in the
manner just represented, except that there is described a small segment
of a very large circle, thus:
[Illustration]
diverging from the straight line no more than is requisite to keep
the skate on its edge.
The cross roll or figure 8 is also done on the outside edge forward.
This is only the completion of the circle on the outside edge; and
it is performed by crossing the legs, and striking from the outside
instead of the inside edge. In order to do this, as the skater draws
to the close of the stroke on his right leg, he must throw the left
quite across it, which will cause him to press hard on the outside of
the right skate, from which he must immediately strike, at the same
time throwing back the left arm, and looking over the left shoulder, to
bring him well upon the outside of that skate. By completing the circle
in this manner on each leg, the 8 is formed:
[Illustration]
each circle being small, complete, and well-formed, before the
foot is changed.
The Mercury figure is merely the outside and inside forward succeeding
each other on the same leg alternately, by which a serpentine line is
described, thus:
[Illustration]
This is skated with the force and rapidity gained by a run. When
the run is complete, and the skater on the outside edge, his person
becomes quiescent, in the attitude of Mercury, having the right arm
advanced and much raised, the face turned over the right shoulder, and
the left foot off the ice, a short distance behind the other, turned
out and pointed.