The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-09-02
THE MAN-FISH.
Capt. Webb's Extraordinary Swim Across
the EngIiGh Channel.

Capt. WeDDS extraordinary swim Across
the EngIiAh Channel.
The greatest physical feat of the CEN
fury was performed when Captain-why
are the swimmers of the age all Captains
Matthew Webb swan the English
Channel from Dover to Calais, 81 miles.
He started from the chalky cliffs of Do
yer Wednesday afternoon with strong
stroke of twenty to the minute. He
seems to have maintained this stroke for
nearly the whole distance. Stimulants
were administered to him lavishly. He
began at $50 p. N. with beetles and ale.
At s the dose was beef-tea and beer.
This kept him all right until l O'Clock in
the morning, when the moon rose, and
he celebrated the event with drink of
brandy and tea. Coffee was tried for a
change at o'clock. This failed to be
of service. He seemed to be exhausted,
and the trainer who accompanied him in
a small steamer was about to spring to
his help when he rallied and SWAIN on.
In an hour he took coffee and brandy.
ThencefOrward he drank brandy straight
every twenty minutes, SO that he may be
said to have been brandG)ed as the best
swimmer in the world when he stepped
on Calais sands. King Alcohol kept him
afoat while he was in danger Oh death
from too much water. His feat can
scarcely be considered frst-class Illus
tration for temperance lecturer. But
it is a marvel. It must have required
muscles of iron and sinews OF steel The
swimmer had to meet cross currents,
chopping seas, winds and tides. Theirs
is no more difficult strait to- CROSS In the
world. It is said that the tide carried
him A miles out of his way. If so, he
must have swTn over 25 miles. While
there were boats near him. all the while,
he seems never to have left the water for
q second between the cliffs of England
and the sloping shores of France. A
skiff, and afterward a steamboat, was
kept to the windward OF him, and he
was thus partly saved tine necessity of
bufeting with very rough weather. The
/ only other help he received was the adj
ministration of alcoholic drinks and the
stimulus of cheers from the spectators
Upon landing, he was taken to hotel,
put to bed, and rubbed down. He was
soon TRANQUILITY sleeping, and the doctors
entertain no fears of amy serious results.
This far exeels any previous feat IN
! nata6On. AS the college, song has 1t,
/ Leander swan the Hellespont
For to meet his dear,
and Lord Byron and Lieut.. Eckenhead
initiated him In 1910. The preservation
of the latter's name in the encyclopedias
is a striking proof of the fact that a man
is known by the company he keeps
The Hellespont, however, at the point
where these three crossed it, is only 2, 400
feet wide. The two points of Abydos
and Sestos run out into the strait, and
max cit strait indeed. Leander, Byron,
and Eckenhead swan less than half a
mile the web-footed Webb has swrlm
% miles. Boyton, who converted HIM
self into canoe and let the wind blow
across the channel, did nothing in COM
rarison with Webb's feat. He not only
i had a score of helps denied the latter,
but he took two hours longer in crossing
the narrow sea. Webb is ahead. We
see no immediate practical benefit to be
derived from his success. The average
man. though a good swimmer, would
probably prefer to cross the channel In
a dry steamer than wet skin, with
UNDERGRADUATES served hot and to
gether, instead of taking the brandy In
side and the water outside, with such an
overplus of the latter. But the deed
was feat OF physical strength and pluck
without parallel. - Chicago Tribune.