Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-12-07
eRkAT PEDEsTRIAN FEATs.

The following rather Munchausenish
story is translated from the Chicago Stats
zeitung of November 80:
In the report of the arrival of Weston,
the pedestrian, in this city, our local editor,
in an excess of Chicago patriotism, for
which our readers certainly will forgive
him, made the remark "At all events,
Weston has performed greater pedestrian
feat than has ever been accomplished by
any mortal before As local puff, whose
words need not be too carefully weighed,
the report may be allowed TO pass. IN
But, in reality, what Weston has per-
formed is mere child's play, and cannot be
mentioned in comparison with that which
was done by man whose name many of
our readers will remember, for, thirty
years ago, he was we'll known in Europe,
as more recently have been Fanny Ellsler,
the magician Bosco, Catalani, or, tenyears
ater, Liset or Jenny Lind. We mean the
Norwegian, Nc asen Ernest This man.
born at Bergen, in Norway. 1899, first a
sailor, then 3 pilot, began his career as a
pedestrian in England at the age of twenty,
walked from London to Portsmouth, dis
lance of seventy-two English miles, in
nine hours, at the rate of one hundred
miles in twelve and a half hours The
distance from London TO Liverpool, one
hundred and fifty miles, he walked in
thirty~two hours, or at the rate of one hun
dred miles in twenty-one hours and forty
minutes. But these remarkable perform
ances we're only an earnest of his future
pedestrian feats .a y
According 10 the terms of bet of lO0,-
600 francs $4,000, Of which in case of
success he was only 10 receive 1000 francs
$500, he agreed TO walk, in fifteen days,
from Paris 10 Moscow. At noon on the
] 1th Of June, 1922, he started from Place
Vendome, Paris, and on themorning ofthe
25th Of June stood before the Kremlin, in
Moscow, accomplishing the distance of 452
German miles, or lG00 English miles in
thirteen aud half instead Of fifteen days,
or at the average rate Of III miles a dag.
And he did this without being accompanied
by carriage and trainers, and food and
drink we're not prepared for him before
hand at every hotel on the route. On his
road lay the marshes of Rokitno and Bob
risk, which gave him untold difficulty,
while between Smoleusk and Borodino he
had pack Of wolves for companions, who
howled aronnd him, though happily at a
distance. But in face of all these diff
culties Ernst never for moment lost bis
temper, and did not distinguish himself as
n great scold, az has Weston, or fancy that
he was some wonderful parsonage in whom
the rudeness Of throwing out of the window
dog presented TO him in the greatest
kinGness must be overlooked and CON
sidered as an interesting piece ef pleasantly.
In Ernst a suitable sense Of propriety and
common sense kept in check the admira-
ton which his great physical feat naturally
excited. IL never occurred 10 any one TO
bring children 20 the road that he might
name them, or to offer him an escort Of
police, or 20 give him such reception a.
is customary 10 give 10 Generals and,states-
men who are deserving Of their country,
| thus degrading all such ceremonials Of
honor. For what dignity can there be in
receptions 70 Grant or Sheridan, if they
must be shared by one of the genus huns
hug. In short, Mensen Ernst walked III
miles a day for thirteen and three.fourth
DAYS, without making complete fools of
sundry hundred thousand Europeans, while
Weston has made America crazy becauss in
twenty-nine days with three days Of rest,
which Ernst did not have, he has walked
from Portland TO Chicago At the rate of
AGA miles day.
In 1888 Ernst accomplished pedestrian
Journey which, IL the remarkable difficult
ties Of the route are considered, must be
| pronounced still more wonderful. On the
9th of June he left Munich with letters
from the Queen Of Bavaria TO her son,
Otto, the then King of Greece, and on July
/ III. Al .a 4
was a most daring undertaking for with
out a guide he had TO make his way over
lofty mountains, through the deep ravines
of the IlyTian Alps and Balksw, to end
his path through trackless forests, and
swim and ford rivers, with only compass
and his seaman's knowledge oguide him.
Sometimes he was Obliged to swim across
rivers two or three times in few hours, 30
that he was obliged TO 90 the whole day in
wet clothes; entirely ignorant Of the Sla-
vonic, Magyar or Turkish dialects, he was
unable 20 make any inquiries about the
road. In Montenegro he was attacked by
robbers, and saved only his letters at
another time be only escaped death by the
use Of his limbs On Turkish territory,
he was detained three days by the Pasha
of Janina. Making allowances for these
three DAYS, he accomplished the journey in
twenty-one days, that is an average OF
eighty-fEe niles day, which, in consid-
Grafton of the extraordinary difficulties Of
the route, is greater feat than the walk
from Paris 70 Moscow.
Hnt the mighty undertaking with which
Weston's feat is as mouiain TO mole-
hill. be accomplished in 1886. On the 18Th
of July he started from ConsiantiBople al
Eve o'clock in the morning, Tor Calcutta,
with letters TO banker there, which he de-
Iliyered in Calcutta on the 9th Of August,