The daily gazette., 1875-10-11
EngIand's Swimming Girl.
Ten Miles and Quarter in Tue Hours and
Twenty-Five Minutes.


Miss Emily Parkcr's swimming feat
on the 4th ult., created an enthusiasm
among. the professional swimmers of
London that led them to have q gold
medal made in the form Of Maltese
cross, at an expense of $52, to be pre-
sented to her in Woolwich Gardens,
on Saturday, the 18th inst. On re-
ceiving the message, Miss Parker
turned to her brother and said "Har.
ry, shall go ?" Certainly" said her
brother; Ego by all means" "Then
I'll swim down." said she; otis only
ten miles and quarter, and / know |
| can swim it.
| AS the ebb tide was just commenc-
ing its backward trip to the sea on the
18th inst, reached London Bird ge,
and found on it over five thousand
persons anxiously awaiting the start.
Promptly ut five o'clock p. m, a little
boat, in the hands of an experienced
oarsmen, shot under the bridge, and
at three minutes past five, little Emily
threw off loose mantle, and in a close
lifting costume of fine wool, trimmed
with silk, plunged into the current. l
was favored with an invitation to be-
come member of the family party
that accompanied her. In the bow
OF the boat stood an experienced
waterman who was familiar with the
tides, eddies and currents. Behind
him stood the vigilant and athletic
Harry Harkcr, his black frock coat en-
blazoned right and left with q score
or more of gold and silver medals that
he had won by swimming. In the
centre sat II, D. Morgan, esq, sccrc-
tary of the Atlantic swimming club,
who was time keeper; and IN the stern
sat sister of Miss Parker, and my
self.
Miss Emily Parker was fourteen
lyears of age on the 22nd day of Febru-
ary, 1875. She is abou: the usual
height of girls of her age, but in
nlumpness she rivals the fattest of
Berks county girls, for she weighs 140
pounds, She has light complexion,
!her eyes are mild blue, and her hair
a light brown, she fastens up at the
back part of her head in little coquet-
tish knot, while the ends hang down
in natural ringlets. Her nose is Slight
ly Roman, her lips sweetly expressive
and childlike, and the general ex-
lprcssion of her face is that of amiabil-
lity and innocence. In swimming she
makes the "Dreast stroke" puts the
Ipalms close together as far out in front
as she can reach, and then turning the
lpalms out and drawing the hands
back as far as the hips. She uses no
oil or any other medical mixtures on
her body, but trusts wholly to her own
the water. Capt. Webb used porpoise
| oil ha 4hn En,,1sah o1
, When we started from London
Bridge, large, muscular, but spare
tleshed man took to the water At the
expiration of o4e hour, we had made
four and half miles. The man kept
up in the race, but his face and neck
. were blue, and his teeth chartered
with cold. Miss Parker's sister here
I. exclaimed, EMILY, l know you must
be cold! Let me give you glass of
port wine" Emily looked back over
her shoulders at the stalwart swimmer
in the rear, and replied, mo, l thank
Iyou, don't wish any wine, but do, l
beg of you, give some to this poor man
in the water; he is sutfering" The
flask was handed to the shivering
: swimmer, and he gallantly drank the
last dropi A few minutes afterwards
.4e was lifted into one of the boats ex.
hausted.
p At the expiration of one hour and
three quarters we had made IT miles,
. and at o'clock and % minutes-mak-
| the entire time 2 hours and 25 minutes
for the 1O4 miles-Miss Parker stood in
0 .wo feet of water atW oolwich Gardens.
. personally helped to lift her into the
. boat, and can testify that she seemed
entirely free from cold chllls, and that
her swimming costume consisted of the
3 thinnest material, without rubber, cork
or other imitation,
While Miss Parker was swimming
her last mile, "a gentleman amateur" "
{ who desired to exhibit his Aquatic
skill, donned appropriate costume,
plunged into the water, and took the
lead with apparent ease. The girl was
evidently too tired for great speed, and
I noticed that the mans skill, freshness
= and impudence combined annoyed her.
, After about five minutes, she turned
her mischievous eye up to her brother
and said: Harry! that man Is trying
to show himself Do jump into the
water and take down q few of his
ifeathcrs."
throwing off his bejewelled coat,
Harry instantly appeared in complete
swimming costume. He plunged in,
and taking what is here called the
overland or johnson" stroke, he
rose, shot and skipped through the cur
rent like playful porpoise. Within
two minutes, he was to the right, to
the left, under, behind and in front of
the youth, who was exhibiting himself;
:. and with eyes starting from their sock
cts the amatuer screamed to his friends,
"For Gods sake, help me into the
boatI' Mr.. Parker, who is about "a
years Of age, is the winner of over 100
prizes and has swan the quickest 800
yards on record.
Over 5000 persons stood on the banks
in Woolwich Gardens to greet us, and
as we lifted the happy girl into Our
boat wag yelled out, "Three cheers
for the little darling that ought to be
queen of the Sicily Islands" They
| u;uap with antbua;aa,p