The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1896-10-10
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BOLD SWEDISH SAILORS:


the journey in small open
boat. Think of it! Three thousand
miles in Il rowboat with the only pro-
polling power the stout arms of the
two occupants! It is the most re-
mnrkable water feat that has ever
been accomplished, and the pluck and
skill of these two sailors will 20 down
into history. One Of the men, Frank
Hurbo, was the originator of the ex.
petition. He was on expert sailor,
brought up on the sea almost,
for before he was sixteen he
h"d been graduated from a
sailors school in Sweden and
had started on his first voyage. When
he WAS eighteen he came to America,
and in tue fourteen years of his resi-
dencc here he has followed sea work
| for living. He had long had the
idea that he could cross the Atlantic
in row boat, and last winter be de-
| termined to carry it out. He had bis
boat built here under his especial SUI
pervision. It is eighteen feet long
and weighs 200 pounds Without its
load it drew on " three inches and
loaded onl y seven inches. 1t had no
cabin, but there was water tank
fitted in each end OF it to hold fresh
| water, and CANVAS stretched over
one of tue tanks served as place
under which the men slept. Having
got his boat ready Harbo found
a friend, George Fox, another
SWede, who was as eager as himeslf
to make the adventurous trial. On
the 9Th day Of June lust the men
rowed down the bay followed by
cheers OF thousands of spectators
along the shores, most of whom were
free to predict that the men would
tsever be heard of again. The men
were very sure, however, that they
could make the trip and said they
would reach the Scilly islands, off the
coast of France, in forty or forty-tive
days. They did reach there August l
iifty-lve days from the start, which is
quite as near accuracy as could be ex-
pected, considering no Que had ever
tried the trip, to know how long it
might take or if it could be
done at all. The men rowed all
night, taking turns in sleeping
five hours each i'll the daytime. In
stormy weather ca Oh man had stout
line tied around his waist, the other
end attached to his seat, so that if the
boat should upset and drift off on a
big wave he could quickly pull him.
self back to it. Tie accounts of their
trip have not yet been received, but it
Is already reported that they upset
only once, and that beyond being
somewhat exhausted after their long
pull they are quite we'll. They carried
canned meats and vegetables and
plenty Of oatmeal. This latter food
can, it seems, be used with half salt
water, probably because it absorbs so
much salt, and they thought if their
supply of fresh water ran low the oat-
z, tal would prove very useful. OF
course the season at which they
crossed was the time when the
ocean is its calmest; but July storms,
if short, are often severe, aud if
any of you have ever watched a
rowboat on the waters of the East or
North River on rough day and no.
ticed how slow was its Roadway and
how carefully it had to be managed to
keep from upsetting, you may have
some idea Of the extraordinary sailing
skill which has been displayed by
these Swedes, to say nothing Of the
courage which was needed to under
take the trip. OF course the trip was
foolhardy and unnecessary, for no one
expects that row6oats crossing the
ocean will become common. But the
daring an3 experiences of the men can
not be questioned, and they and their
staupcl little boat will lie objects oil
interested curiosity wherever they go.
OF one thing, however, you may be
sure-they are not going to row back.
New York Times.