Daily globe., 1879-04-07
A WONDERFUL RUNNER.

will work only harm to the colored race.
A WONDERFUL RUNNER.
From, Parts to M0sco,U in Thirteen, Daus
and Eighteen HoaIrs-Beatt,sOt the Mount |
ed Couriers-A Trip to the Sources of the
NiIe.
New York Times
The present interest in pedestrianism,
manifested by the gathering Of throngs of
people to witness walking and running
was equally great in the early part
Of the century, but was then excited by the
wonderful and almost Incredible perfor-
mances of one man. This was Mensen
Ernst, born in Bergen, Norway, on Oct. 19,
1899. 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 a three-years' cruise on the frigate
Caledonian, before he made public exhibi-
ton of them, which he did by
running race in London when 10 years old.
Though up to this time he had had no train.
ing, and had even lacked pedestrians or
dinary opportunities for muscular develop
ment, he was famed throughout the navy as
q runner, and wonderful stories as to his ex-
traordinary powers circulated among all the
branches of the service. At last heavy sum
of money was wagered by the officers of his
ship 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
tance being covered by the
IL.
hours. Shortly afterward he ran from Lon
don to Liverpool, a distance of $50 miles, in
80 hours. Although thus successful as
after having distinguished himself by
October 20, 1927. Soon after that date he
became professional runner, and, after
winning a number of lesser matches, was in
from Paris to Moscow. He started from the
Place Vendome at o'clock in the afternoon
of June II, 1881, and entered the Kremlin
at 10 o'clock A. NJ. of June 25, having ac-
complished the distance of ZOO in 13 days
and 18 hours.
This feat created decided sensation
throughout Europe, and the employment of
Mensen as courier extraordinary by kings
and princes, became popular amusement
in European courts. He ran from country
to country, and from court to court, bearing
messages of congratulations, coincidence, or
dispatches of great Importance, and when
ever matched against the regular mounted
courtiers easily succeeded in beating them.
He always carried with him map, COM
pass, 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, Norwegian
snow shoes, and in travelling he always
chose the most direct line, turning out
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
| 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 "a 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 a nap he would pursue his way
apparently 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 feeling sens, OF
sufocation. He was very amiable man,
favorite with oil who knew him, and was
made much of by his royal patrons.
Ini1833, he started from Munich at l P
NJ, June 9th, with dispatches from the Kins
of Bavaria to his son Otto, King of Greece
These dispatches we're delivered at Naupli,
at A. NJ. on July 1st; or seven days sooner
than if they had been sent by the regula
post. In 1886, while in the employ of tn
British East India company, Mensen wa
charged with the conveying of dispatche
from Calcutta to Constantinople through
Central Asia. The distance is 5,615 miles
which the messenger accomplished in fifty
nine days, or in one-third of the time mad
by the swiftest caravan. On this won
derful journey he made his wa
across terrible deserts, awful sal
swamps, where for hundreds of miles
he saw no living being, and through coun
tries whose inhabitants were savag
robbers, and who lived in state of contin
ual warfare. The man seemed invested wit
supernatural powers, and his fame spread
far and wide. One of the most interestin
problems of the age being the discovery Q
that this wonderful man bs employed t
follow the course of the river to its sources
and thus determine them. Prince Puckle
| WuO A6O uluSe1l bIdt0l0u cAt0u
sively in Egypt, and had made several un
successful attempts to penetrate to the hea
waters of the Nile, offered to defra
all expenses and reward Mensen handsomel
if he would undertake the trip. The inde
fatigable runner consented to make the al
tempt, and on May II, 1912, set out fror
Muskan, in Silesia, whence he ran to Jeru
salem, where he had some business to atten
to. Thence he continued his W8v to Carl
and up the western bank of the Nile, throug
lower and middle and into upper Egpp
Here, just outside the village of Syane, b
was seen on the morning of January 2;
1843, to stop and rest, leaning against pair
tree, with his face covered by handkerchie1
He rested so long that some persons tried t
wake him, but they tried in vain, for he wa
dead. He was buried at the foot Of th
tree, and it was years before his tsiepda j
Europe knew what fate had befsllen him.