The Princeton union., 1879-04-16
A WONDERFUL RUNNER.

A WONDERFUL RUNNER.
from Parts to N0sc0sv In Thirtee, Do,,s
ana Es0hteen HOurs-Beat5,,g the Mount
ca CoesTsers-A Trip to the Sources of the
Nile. ~ '''e
| New York Times
The present interest in pedestrianism.
manifested by the gathering of thrones Of
people to witness walking and running
matches, was equally great in the early part
OF the century, but was then excited bv the
wonderful and almost incredible perfor-
mances OF one man. This was Mensen
Ernst, born in Bergen, Norway, on Oct. 19.
1893. He was the son of sea captain, and
When Still boy entered the English navy.
Although his powers as runner were dis
played even in his boyhood, he had made
three voyages to the East Indies, and had
completed three years. cruise on the fripate
Caledonlan, before he made public exhibi-
ton of them, which he did bv
running race in London when 19 years old,
Though up to this time he had had no train
ing, and had even lacked pedestrians Or
binary opportunities for muscular develop-
ment, he was famed throughout the nayv as
runner, and wonderful stories as to his ex-
traordlnary powers circulated among all the
branches OF the service. At last heavy sum
OF money was wagered by the officers of his
snip That Mensen would run from London
to Portsmouth, distance of seventy-three
miles, IN less than ten hours. The feat was
attempted and accomplished, the dis
1ance oelng covered by the
young r, sailor in exactly nine
hours. Shortly afterward he ran from Lon.
don to Liverpool, distance of $50 miles, in
~ hours. Although thus successful az q
runner, Mensen did not quit the sea nn+;1 m
after having distinguished himself hv
bravery in the battle of Navarind. fonoht
October 20, 1927. Soon after that date he
became a professional runner, and, after
winning number of lesser matches, was in.
duced to undertake the great feat of runninp
from Paris to Moscow. He started from the
Place Vendone at o'clock in the afternoon
OF June IL, 1881, and entered the Kremlin
at 10 o'clock A. M. of June 25, having &C.
compllshed the distance of 1 ZOO in l3 days
and 18 hours.
This feat created decided sensation
throughout Europe, and the employment OF
Mensen as courier extraordinary by kings
ana princes, became popular amusement
IN European courts. He ran from country
TO country, and from court to court, bearing
messages OF congratulations, coincidence, or
olspatcnes OF great Importance, and when
ever matched against the regular mounted
courtlers easily succeeded in beating them.
He always carried with him a map, q COM
pass, and as many biscuits and ounces of
raspberry syrup as there were to be davs
occupied on the journey. In winter he took
With him pair of long, slender, Norwegian
snow shoes, and in travelling he ALWAYS
chose the most direct line, turning ont
neither for mountains nor rivers, but climb
ing the one and swimming the other. He
never walked, but invariably ran, keeping up
long, swinging lope for hours at time
W1tnout rest. His only refreshment was one
biscuit and an ounce of raspberry syrup per
DAY, and two short rests of 10 or Is minutes
each in "a hours. These rests he took while
standing and leaning against tree or other
oo]ect OF support At such times he covered
his face with his handkerchief and slept, and
after such a nap he would pursue his way
apparently as refreshed as though he had
slept tor hours. He was very uneasy when
compelled to be quiet, and could not sit still
1or halt an hour without feeling sense of
suHocat1on. He was very amiable man, a
favorite with all who knew him, and was
made much of by his royal patrons.
| In 1888, he started from Munich at 1p.
NJ, June 9Th, with dispatches from the King
OF Bavaria to his son Otto, King of Greece.
These dispatches were delivered at Nauplia
at A. M. on July LIST; or seven days sooner
than II they had been sent by the regular
post. In 1886, while in the employ of the
British East India company, Mensen was
charged with the conveying of dispatches
from Calcutta to Constantinople through
Central Asia. The distance is 5,615 miles,
whlch the messenger accomplished in fifty
nine days, or in one-third of the time made
by the swiftest caravan. On this Won
derful journey he made his wav
across terrible deserts, awful salt
swamps, where for hundreds of miles.
he saw no living being, and through coun-
tries whose inhabitants were SAVAGE
robbers, and who lived in state of contin-
ual warfare. The man seemed invested with
supernatural powers, and his fame spread
far and wide. One of the most interesting
problems of the age being the discovery Of
the fources of the Nile, it was suggested
nat TINS wonderful man be employed to
ollow the course of the river to its sources,
and thus determine them. Prince Puckler
Muskan, who had himself travelled extern
slvely IN Egypt, and had made several un-
successful attempts to penetrate to the head
waters of the Nile, offered to defray
ali expenses and reward Mensen handsomely
if he would undertake the trip. The indie
fatigable runner consented to make the at
tempt, and on May IL, 1912, set out from
Muskan, in Silesia, whence he ran to Jeru-
salem, where he had some business to attend
to. Thence he continued his way to Carlo
and up the western bank of the Nile, through
lower 42 and and 4! middle and into upper Egypt.
Here, just outside the village of Syane, he
was seen on the morning of January 22,
l843, to- stop and rest, leaning against palm
tree, With his face covered by handkerchief
He rested SO long that some persons tried to
wake MIN, but they tried in vain, for he was
dead. ne was buried at the foot of the
tree, and it was years before his friends in
Europe knew what fate had befallen him.
Among the articles now embroidered
| in COlCfs, are. in addition IN tho +oh,o