Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-08-01

AVA
at Niagara he proceeded at once to the
Clifton House, where several reporters
md others were in waiting. He chatted
pleasantly and expressed great conf
lence in his powers. The hour fixed
vas 4 o'clock, and about 3 the crowd
ade him goodbye and fastened to Sc
ure good positions for viewing the
'odhardy experiment..
At q few minutes before 4 o'clock
'ebb appeared at the foot of the bank
I the Canadian side, where a skiff was
iwaiting with the veteran guide, Jack
lnway, at the oars. He entered the
bat and was pulled into the stream.
1e captain was entirely nude save for a
SILL breechclout. Conway pulled as
fadown as the Maid of the Mist land
ing but did not dare proceed further.
"a right, said the captain, "this will
do b."
done expect ever to see you
ID yes, you will" was the pleasant
reply "You don't know me. I am an
EneAman."
Ale, few more words Capt. Webb
stoo, Up in the bow Of the boat and
dive lead first into the water. Then
begin the great struggle for life. It
wasjus 4:2O when the captain entered
the watr. A few vigorous strokes and
hewas hirly in the rapids, going breast
on, his Orm mere speck, as seen from
thu greet bluff above. He went like an
arr.w not from a bow. The first great
waye he struck he went under,
but ! second appeared way
beyond His efforts to strike out in
swimming form were weaker than an in
fant'sgainst the seething waters. The
great waves dashed over him occa-
siona)l. but he always seemed
ready to meet them. His great
chest Ns boldly pushed forward,
and occaionally half of the magnificent
physiqutof the reckless adventurer was
lifted iron the water, but he bravely
kept his position through it all and
seemed perfectly collected and at home.
In a sec,nd more the voyager was
lost to Iew behind a projecting
bank. He passed through the
lower rapids where the waves dash
higher, the water is confined in a nor.
rover spase, and : the trip is
in every way mere perilous. How faz
he went aliveno one will ever know. He
was seen by many while passing through
this awful ses, but ere then he may have
been dead. His body was borne onward,
now rising above, now sinking beneath,
the white capped waves. It was seen to
enter the whirlpool. The life Of
tn. captain was gone and moi
even his body has yet been
found. People who were not appraised
ofthe attempt laughed at the three o,
f0lr newspaper-men who organized q
sorch. This was continued until dark,
bit no trace of Capt. Webb's body was
found. The maelstrom sometimes gives
p its dead in day, sometimes it holds
item in it's embrace a week, until all
sanblance of human being is crushed
oft in the revolving waters.
Capt Webb looked upon it as q pleas.
art undertaking. Those vino saw him
start looked upon it as certain death.
A dozen ladies were among those who
s.w the captains body disappear and
ttey aided all the evening in searching
the banks for some trace of it. Capt
Webb's family is understood to be al
Nantucket Beach.
Before leaving the Clifton House
Cspt. Webb deposited with the clerk o
The hotel an elegant gold watch ans
charm, with seal and Maltese cross
Tie CROSS has engraved upon it: ''Tt
Cipt. Matthew Webb, by the Victoris
Athletic Club, Stok. upon Trent, Dec
a. 1877" The watch was presented K
Oapt. Webb on the occasion of his hav
ins performed r, the Unprecedented
felt of swimming the English
channel, by a few of his friends ani
admirers at London, September 8, 1875
The watch is chronometer, made BY
J.Sewe]], No. 81 Castle Streer, Liver
pool. It is numbered 20, 148. The Sc.
bears the letters NJ. w. The captain
lesves wife and two children, who be
loved that he would not swim. He sale
that his word had been given to the PEG
pie. it had been heralded by the press
and he was in honor bound to go, and a
the appointed hour he proved that h
Was capable Of facing death without
flinching. .r1.yy So. #<7,,, l., '. 49, u
THE SWIMMERS CONTEST WITH BECKw1TH
Last March William Beckwith, 81
English swimmer, and Capt. NJ. Webt
began o six. days match in the tank il
the annex of the Westminster aquarium
London. Two years ago Beckwith de
feated Webb inla similar contest, and
90 q consequence, Webb, who was no
satisfied with / the result Of the frs