Enter the water until as deep as your waist, when you can stoop and duck
your head and the rest of your body; then advancing until the water
reaches to your breast, turn your face toward the shore. This direction
is given to increase your confidence, as you must remember that as you
advance you are getting into shallower water.
Leaning gradually forward, extend your arms, keeping your hands together
sideways, the thumbs close together, and the palms slightly turned from
you; and just as your chin touches the surface of the water, draw a long
breath, at the same time bringing your hands round toward your sides. If
you do this steadily and regularly, you will find your feet leave the
bottom, and that you have succeeded in supporting yourself. You may not
do this at the first attempt, or even at the second or third; but that
will be because your heart has failed you, and you have made the motion
too quickly or irregularly.
If you have not yet acquired that perfect confidence necessary to enable
you to become a swimmer, you may at first allow one foot to touch the
ground; but if you find you can manage without doing so, so much the
better.