The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-08-04
Remarkable Aquatic Perfsrma.ce Of
Pfueky English Girl.


-
The London Telegraph says The
steamer Volunteer, belonging 70 the
London Steamboat Company, left
Westminster pier for Chelsea yesterday
afternoon with Miss Beckwith and a
company Of two hundred ladies and
er reached Chelsea Old Bridge, thou
sands Of persons had gathered on the
embankment 10 see the start OF Miss
Beckvith on a 1O-mile swim in the
Thames, from the Old Bridge at Chel-
sea to Greenwich Pier. Without any
undue delay the young girl (for she Is
not yet fifteen years Of age) made her
appearance, attired in q professional
swImming-cOstume, on deck The
company on the steamer cheered again
and again; 30 did many hundred spec
tat0rs on the bridge, and the many
thousands on the embankment. The
demonstration vas renewed, when she
jumped into a watermAn's boat, which
pushed out into mid-stream. Stand
Ing on the stern she waved her hand 10
the spectators and then plunged into
the river. The exact time was nine
minutes past three. There was q fair
breeze, which made the water rather
lnmpy, but the force Of the ebb tide was
all in her favor
Nitha gentle breast-stroke the young
swimmer, with every encouragement
from the curious public proceeded on
her arduous feat A pilot, in a small
boat, in which were her father and
brother, the latter ready to jump to the
aid Of his sister in the event Of any
\ emergency, led the way. She swan
Z close to lis stern, and kept that position
more or less during the whole Of her
task. About 10 minutes after starting
she placed 4 straw hat on her head, but
80 soon as the sun became obscured by
clouds, she threw it TO her father, and
never had occasion TO use il again A
crowd. composed of many hundreds,
had followed her from Chelsea along
the embankment, and 81 Battersea suS-
pension bridge il became greatly aug
mented BY larger crowds, though the
elimination in the number Of specta-
tors was reached NJ Westminster
Bridge. vaaxhan Bridge was reached
in "a minutes. When she had passed
under il she several times passed her
body through n hoops feat which
elected q special cheer. Al West
minister the sight Of an immense popu-
lace on the bridge was ofitself remark
able. But in addition the Albert en-
bankment seemed 10 De equally crowd
ed, and, on passing under the bridge,
the Victoria embankment, as far as the
eve could reach, was densely thronged.
Miss Beckwith must, however, have
been scarcely visible, owing TO a small
shOal Of watermen's boats, which crush
ed into one another with delightful in
difference in the frantic efforts Of their
occupants to get q glimpse Of the swim
mer- In 20 minutes she had reached
Blackfriars' Bridge, and from this point
10 the end of the course spectators APP
peared on masts, crowded wharf win
dows, and occupied every available Po-
sition.
SO far the young swimmer had dis
played not the least fatigue. On the
contrary, the natural exuberance Of her
spirits and confidence Of manner had
not in the least abated, while there was
no change in the healthy roseate hue Of
her countenance- She proceeded with
the ease Of q skilled swimmer, while
the distance had not impaired the re-
markable grace Of her style London
Bridge, crowded, Of course, was passed
in l hour and - minutes.
The boats after this became more un-
uly than ever, and IN several occasions
Miss Beckwith was nearly struck on the
head BY their bows. The occupants of
two Of them began tc quarrel, and
fought with their oars, 10 the terror of
two women in one Of the
boats, whose screams could be heard
on Shore One OF the c0mbatants had
his oar smashed. audit his craft had not
had substantial breadth of beam the
swimming feat might have been ac-
companied with n fatal disaster. Lon
don Bridge passed, the absence of great
crowds of people robbed the occasion
of n good deal of its interest.
Opposite Greenwich Pier, Miss Beck
with, At 5 minutes to 8, was taken on
board the Volunteer, having swam the
10 miles in ? hours and - minutes.
During the time she was in the water
she declined all offers Of refreshment,
and when she appeared on board the
steamboat she was apparently as fresh
and sprightly a. when first she came