The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-04-18
A WONDERFUL NORWEGIAN RUNNER.
Trip Across Asia.

manifested by the gathering of throngs
OF people to witness walking and run
ming matches, was equally great in the
early part of the century, but was then
excited by the wonderful and almost in
incredible performances of one man.
This was Mensen Ernst, born in Bergen,
Norway, Oct. 10, 1899. He was the son
of sea captain, and when still boy en-
tered the English navy. Although his
powers as runner were displayed even
in his boyhOod, he had made three vow
ages to the East Indies, and had com
pleted three years cruise on the frigate
Caledonian before he made a public ex-
hlbitlon of them, which he first did by
running race in London when 10 wears
old. Though up to this time he had had
no training, and had even lacked De
destrian's ordinary opportunities for
muscular development, he was famed
throughout the navy as a runner, and
wonderful stories of his extraordinary
powers were circulated in all branches
OF the service. At last a heavy sum of
money was wagered by the officers of the
ship that Mensen would run from Lon
don to Portsmouth, a distance of T3
miles, in less than 10 hours. The feat
was attempted and accomplished, the
distance being covered by the young sail
or in exactly nine hours Shortly after
ward he ran from London to Liverpool,
a distance of $50 miles in SO hours. AL
though thus successful as a runner, Men
sen did not quit the sea until after hav-
ing distinguished himself by bravery in
the battle of Navarino, fought Oct. 20,
1897. Soon after that date he became a
professional runner, and, after winning a
number of lesser matches, was induced
to undertake the great feat of running
from Paris to Moscow. He started from
the Palace Vendome at 4 o'clock in the
afternoon Of June II, 1881, and entered
the kremlin at 10 O'Clock a. M. of June
20, having accomplish the distance of
200 miles in 13 days and 10 hours.
This feat created decided sensation
throughout Europe, and the employment
OF Ernst as courier extraordinary 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 congratula-
ton, coincidence, or dispatches of greater
Importance, and whenever matched
against the regular mounted couriers
easily succeeded in beating them. He
always carried with him a map, a COM
pass, and as many biscuit 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
Norwegian snow shoes, and in travelling
he always chose the most direct line,
turning out for neither mountains nor
rivers, but climbing the one and swim
ming the other. He never walked, but
invariably ran, keeping up a long, swing
ing 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 10 or Is 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
his handkerchief and slept, and after
such nap he would pursue his way ap-
parently as refreshed as though he had
slept for hours. He was very uneasy
when compelled to be quiet, and could
not sit still for half an hour without feel
ing sense of suffOcation. He was
very amiable man, a favorite with all
who knew him, and was made much of
by all his royal patrons.
In 1888 he started from Munich at 1
p. m, June 6, with dispatches from the
king of Bavaria To his son Otto, king of
Greece. These dispatches were delivered
at Nauphlia at a. m. on July 1, or sew
en- days sooner than if they had been
sent by the regular post In 1896, 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, which the
messenger accomplished in SO days, or
in One-third the time made by the swift
est caravan. On this wonderful journey
he made his way across terrible deserts,
awful salt Swamps, where, for hundreds
of mi ho
through countries whose inhabitants
were savage robbers, and who lived in
state of continual warfare The man
seemed invested with supernatural DOW
ers. and his fame spread far and wide.
One of the most interesting problems of
the age being the discovery Of the sources
of the Nile, 1t was suggested that this
wonderful man be employed to follow
the course of the river to its sources and
thus determine them. Prince Puckler
Muskau, who had himself travelled ex-
tensively in Egypt and had made several
unsuccessful attempts to penetrate to the
head waters of the Nile, offered to defray
all expenses and reward Mensen hand
sOmely if he would undertake the trip.
The indefatigable runner consented TO
make the attempt, and on May IL, 1912,
set out from Muskan, in Silesia, whence
he ran to Jerusalem, where he had some
business to attend to. Thence he con-
tinued his way to Cairo and up the ives
tern bank of the Nile, through Lower
and Middle and into Upper Egypt. Here
Just outside of the village of Syane, he
was seen, on the morning of January D,
1843, to stop and rest, leaning against a
palm tree, with his face covered by a
handkerchief He rested so long that
some persons tried to wake him, but they
tried in vain, for he was dead. He was
buried at the foot of the tree, but it was
years before his friends in Europe knew
what fate had befallen him.-N.Y 7. Times.