By Dan Beard
Boys on the coast have all sorts of wonderful novelties provided for them at each picnic, clambake ground, and place of resort for bathers. The coast city boys have such places as Long Beach and Rockaway and Coney Island in which to disport themselves, but the in land boys must rely upon their own ingenuity for their swimming--pool devices, it often being necessary for them to build a dam themselves in some brook or creek in order to make a pool deep enough in which to swim.
But many places have natural pools formed by rocks or other obstructions in the waterways that are shady, secluded, and deep enough for the most ambitious swimmer and diver. All natural advantages, however, can be greatly enhanced by a few rustic swimming pool novelties, and the Pioneer swimming-pool sweep affords an opportunity for any amount of fun.
Figs. 180-184.
A boy can build one of these with no other tool than an axe, and no other material than such as the woods afford, some clothesline, and a few spikes. The sweep (Figs. 180 and 181) is the trunk of a small tree, the butt nailed to a standing tree. Fasten the butt in such a manner that the sweep may move upon the spike without splitting.
Then make a pair of shears (Fig. 182) by lashing two stout saplings together. Point the butt ends of the shears, and force them into the ground at the proper distance in front of the tree to which the butt of the sweep is attached. Lift the end of the sweep so that you can get the crotch of the shears underneath it.
If the sweep is very heavy this can be done gradually by working the shears under it as it lies upon the ground, and then gradually forcing the shears up until they occupy the position shown in Figs. 181 and 182.
The shears should make a square or right angle with the sweep. The swing-rope, of course, should be attached to the small end of the sweep before the latter is elevated. The sweep may be hauled in position by throwing the swing-rope over the branch of a tree and having a crowd of boys take hold of the end of the rope and pull until the sweep has the right elevation. Then make the rope fast temporarily until the shears can be adjusted underneath to support the sweep; after which an additional spike may be driven into the butt to make it more secure.
It is only necessary now to attach either a ring or a cross-stick to the end of the sweep-line and fasten a small line to the rope with which to draw it back, as shown in Fig. 183.
If you have a steep bank from which to launch yourself over the deep pool, you are ready to begin the fun. But if the bank is sloping it is an easy thing to make a platform by driving two forked sticks into the ground, laying a cross-stick in the notches, and nailing one end of a plank upon the cross-stick, as shown in Fig. 184, or you may use a number of small holes in place of the plank by nailing them by one end to the cross-stick, and then have a scramble for the first swing out over the water and a delightful plunge in the cool pool.
