The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-07-18
MRS. BEOKwITHs SWIM.
She Completes Eighteen Miles, but the Tide
Prevents 2 Landing at ROckaway.

She Completes Eighteen Miles, but the Tide
Prevents Landing at ROckaway.
New YORK Herald.
Through a mistake in the calculation of
tides, Mrs. Agnes Alice Beckwith, the young
English swimmer, failed in her attempt to
swim from Sandy Hook to Rsckaway Beach.
She made heroic struggle for eighteen
miles. and almost cried when she found that
the ocean currents had set in against her,
and there were no hopes of reaching the
shore.
THE FIRST PLUNGE.
It was almost 9 o'clock when the Sandy
Hook buoy was reached. The blue waters
spsrkkd and the white-iaTed breakers
curled over the bar. while the deep green
sides of the Navesink Highland were seen
through a haze Immediately 10 the west ward.
As the engines stopped and the yacht rolled
lszily in the ground-swell Mrs. Bsckwiih
appeared on the deck wrapped up closely in
Persian rug. She advanced to the side of
the yacht, and, throwing her wrap aside,
poised herself for plunge. Her brown hair
shone in the sunlight like coils of gold on her
white shoulders, and her graceful figure was
incased in her close-htting swimming dress OF
pink and blue, with ruff ct the shoulders
and wrists. For an instant the girlish form
crcuched, and then the bright water was
cloven by the plunge, and her wet hair
streBmed behind like sea weeds. As she went
forward at a pee of twenty-four full strokes
s. minute she kept her head we'll up out of
the water. although her body lay close along
the surface. Her movements were full OF
grace, and she worked with that peculiar
stesoiness which characterized CaDt. Webb
when he swan from Sandy Hook 70 Man
hatisn Beach. On each side OF Mrs Beck
with was q roxboat, one occupied by her
brother and the other by her husband. After
few minutes the lsdy asked for her straw
hat, which she wore upon the side Of her head
for long time.
Hour after hour the plucky swimmer went
through the ocean, now on the crest OF 8
billoW and sgain in the hollow, but always
moving on with the same even movement
Occasionally she used the overland stroke,
leading alternately with her right and left
arms. At 1880 o'clock she treaded water
while she drank some beef tea, aud half an
hour later SIZE repeated the operation. At
this time almost every one on tho yacht
was lying on the deck sc sick. Mrs. Beck
with amused herself now and then by asking
how many we're Ia the hospital.
At half-past l o'clock she had almost
reached the "bell-buoy," and Rockaway
Beach, only five miles away, was plainly in
sight. II was then discovered that the tide
bad changed and was drifting her back to-
ward the Hook. The swimmer was informed
that it was impossible for her to reach the
shore. She took il very much to heart, and
begged her husband to allow her TO continue
the struggle, as she had made about eighteen
miles in her circuitous course.
Il can keep sf,oat for six hours and swim
IN when the tide changes" she pleaded in a
broken voice. 1t was in vain, however, and
she was almost forced out of the water by her
| friends and taken on board of the yacht,
where she appeared 70 be quite fresh, though
heertbroken over . failure that was not due
to any fault OF hers. When the boat reached
the iron pier at Rockaway the seaslck guests
and reporters crawled from under the seats
and from the cabin floor and went ashore,
while Mrs Beckwlth and her brother gave
an interesting exhibition of fancy swimming.