The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-08-02
Grapevine Mail
Remarkable Swimming Fe0 of
FIuclty English Girl.
/ From the London Telegraph,

From the London Telegraph
The steamer Volunteer, belonging
to the London Steam boat Company
left Westminster Pier for ,ChoIse;I
yesterday afternoon with Mif9
Bcckwith and II company ~FtWt
hundred ladies and gentlemen "a
board. When the steamer roacFA
Chelsea Old Bridge, thousands" A
persons had gathered on the EIv
kankmont TO see the start OF Mia
Bcckwith on y ten mile swim in t spS
Thames, from the Old Bridge i,
Chelsea to Greenwich Pier, Wit
out any undue delay the yoIHSs,.
for she is not yet fifteen years OF
age made her appearance, alfred
in professional swimming cos
tune, on deck. The company n
the steamer chccrcd agajf )ald
again. so did many spcctatrs ON
the bridge and many thousgds on
the emhankmcnt. The denonstra
ton was renewed when she mpcd.
into lho watermans boat (which
pushed out into mid stream. Stand,
ing on the stern, she W. fl her
hands to the spectators n U then
plunged into the river Tn, exact
time was nine minutes past three
There was fair breeze, which
made the water rather lumoy, but
the force of the ebb tide wa all in
her favor.
With II gentle breast stroke, the
young swimmer, with cveryencour-
agemcnt from the curious public,
proceeded on her arduous fat a
pilot, in u small boat, IN which
were her father and brother, the
latter ready to jump to thu aid OF
his sister in the event Of any emer'
gency, led the way. She swan
close to its stern, and kept elat po-
sition during the whole Of her task.
About ten minutes after 'tartlng
she placed u straw hat on heA head,
but as soon as the sun becalc OBJ,
scured by clouds, she thefI it to
her father and never had Il OCCASION
to use it again. A crowG 1ompoh +,
ed of many hundreds, hd tbIIowdd
her from Chelsea along the Embanf
ment, and at Battersca Sus)ensIoh
Bridge it becam greatly ugment-
ed BY largo crowds, thS%A THO
elimination in the numberNp speck.
ators was reached AT WesmInstFr
Bridge. Vauxhall Bridge g4s
reached in thirty four mjnueb
When she had passed under itthe
several times passed her body
through hoop--u feet which elitlL
ed u special cheer At Wstmins
ter the sight of an immense lopumcG
on the bridge was OF itscN'emark
able. But in addition the Alder
Enhancement seemed to be equally
crowded, and, on passing ulder th'
Victoria Embankment, as fG as tht
eye could reach, was lenselt
thronged. Miss Bcckwitl must
however, have been scarcely visible
owing to u small shoal of waited
mons boats, which crushed INTO on
another with delight Indifferent
in the frantic efforts Of their o{
cupants to get II glimpse of TN
swimmer. In seventy inmates sly
had reached Black Friar| Bridg'
and from this point to the end
the course, spectators appFard o
masts, crowded wharfwintbws, an
occupied every available ? Iition.
SO far the young swim ,ler ha
displayed not the least fatigue o
the contrary, the natural exuboranC
of her spirits and confidence OF mar
nor had not in the least abated, viii
there was no change in the health
rose hue of her countenahce 81
proceeded with the case of II skill,
swimmer, while tho distance hi
not impaired the remarkable gra,
of her style. London Bridg
crowded, of course, was passed.
an hour and twenty.three minut,