Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-06-12
st1istellamtuns @eadiug.
A WONDERFUL RUNNER.

The feats of our pedestrians, though sur
prising enough, are cast into the shade by the
recorded exploits of Ernest Mensen, a Norwe-
gian sailor in the English navy, early in the
present century. Although for a long time
known to his shipmates as an extraordinary
runner, he first attracted public attention by
running from London to Portsmouth, a dis
tance Of 73 miles, in nine hours, ona wager
that he could not accomplish the feat in ten
hours, and soon after he ran from London to
Liverpool, $50 miles, in 80 hours Mensen
did not quit the sea until he had distinguished
himself in the battle of Navarino in 1927, but
shortly after that date he became profes.
sional runner. After winning a number Of
lesser matches he was induced to undertake
the great feat of running from Paris to Mos.
COW. He started from the Place of Vendome
at o'clock in the afternoon of June II, 1881,
and entered the Kremlin at 10 o'clock A. M.
of June 25, having accomplished the distance
of 1,760 miles in thirteen days and eighteen
hours.
This feat, as might be supposed, created q
decided sensation throughout Europe, and
the employment of Mensen as courier ex.
traordinary by kings and princes became a
popular amusement in European courts. he
ran from country to country, and from court
to court bearing messages Of congratuiation,
coincidence, or dispatches of greater impor-
tance, and whenever matched against the reg
ular mounted couriers, easily succeeded in
beating them. He always carried with him
map, compass, and as many biscuits and
ounces of raspberry syrup as there were to be
days occupied on the journey. In winter he
took with him pair Of long, slender Norwe'
gian snowshoes, and in travelling he always
chose the most direct line, turning out neith-
er for mountains nor rivers, but climbing the
one and swimming the other. He never walk
ed, but invariably ran, keeping up long
swinging lope for hours at time without rest
His only refreshment was one biscuit and an
ounce of raspberry syrup per day, and two
short rests Of ten or fifteen minutes each in
twenty.four hours. These rests he took while
standing and leaning against tree or other
object Of support. At such times he covered
his face with handkerchief and slept, and af'
ter such nap he would pursue his way ap-
parently as refreshed as though he had slept
for hours.
In 1883 he started from Munich at P. M,
June 6, with dispatches from the king Of b.
varia to his son Otto, King of Greece. These
dispatches were delivered at Nauplia at 9 A.
NJ, July l, or seven days sooner than if they
had been sent by the regular post In 1885,
while in the employ of the British East India
Company, Mensen was Charged with the con-
veying Of dispatches from Calcutta to Con
stantinople through Central Asia. The dis
tance is 5,615 miles, which the messenger &C.
complished in SO days, or in one-third of the
time made by the swiftest caravan. On this
wonderful journey he made bis way across
terrible deserts, awful salt swamps, where for
hundreds of miles he saw no living being, and
through countries whose inhabitants were say.
age robbers, and who lived in state of con-
tinual warfare.
At last the project was broached to Mensen
to explore the Nile, and attempt to solve the
most interesting geographical problem of the
age, the discovery of the sources of that great
river. He set out from Silesia on May II,
1912, and ran to Jerusalem, and thence to
Cairo, and up the western bank Of the river
into Upper Egypt. Here, just outside the
Village of Syane, he was seen on the morning
of January %, 1S43, to stop and rest, leaning
against palm tree, with his face covered by
a handkerchief. He rested so long that some
person tried to wake him, but they tried in