The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-08-19
A LONG SWIM.
Incident In the Life Of the Late
Gov. Russell, Of Massachusetts.
Wrecked Five Miles from Shore He and
Some College Companions Have
Very Narrow Escape from
Drowning.

Very Narrow Escape from
Drowning.
| Chief among the characteristics dis
tinguishing William E. Russell in his
carly days was indomitable pluck tina;
stamped him very early as man likely
to succeed in anything which he I'm.
dertook. Examples of this combination
of courage and perseverance were abun.
dant in his athletic experiences at
Harvard, and in one or two instances
of his career, which made him very
famous indeed throughout the universe.
ty in his native city.
One of these was his conduct in IA
nous race Of class crews in 1876. Rus
sells boat was beaten by half length
und he himself had to receive the atten-
ton of friends after the contest He
showed in this race an amount of de-
termination and endurance which not
even his most enthusiastic admirers had
attributed to him. Another instance OF
courage and grit was furnished in an
accident in which he came near losing
his life.
In the summer of 1876 he went down
to Nantucket to pass few weeks on
the water. He had three friends with
him, and the four young men were TO
sail sloop that had been foated for
the first time that year.
On q squally morning the craft was
overhauled and the young fellows de-
cided to make a short trip in her. There
were two strangers at Nantucket.
young men of about the same age as
those in the party Of cellegians, and
they were invited to have sail. The six
went out accordingly.
The sea was high and the wind blew
sharply, and about five miles from the
shore the little sloop was capsized. The
wind struck her 50 that she filled very
rapidly and immediately sank.
The only thing Tat came to the sur
face was a long oar, and by the unan.
imous consent Of the four students this
was placed at the disposal OF the two
who had been invited out to sail.
The situation was nationally dis.
cussed, and it was decided that an at
tempt should be made to reach Coatu
shoals. a point that was farther away
than the shore they had lett, but toward
which the tide WIS running and the
wind blew. Russell and one of his col.
lego mates led tho others OFF.
! The swim before them was a long
ak miles, and, with the heavy sea that
was on, and the wind that was blow.
ing, Il meant at least three hours in the
weter.
On shore the fishermen and their
families were sitting down to dinner
when the accident occurrea-all but
one. This mans wife had been delayed
in the preparAti on Of the MONDAY meal,
and during tho wait he sought to Kill
time by sweeping the sea with his glass.
Thus it WAS that he saw white sail
giisten in the sunlight end disappear.
He didn't know what he'd happened,
but he was convinced something was
wrong.
: He got into dory and made for the
spot where he had seen the sail, leaving
word that others should follow him.
The two young men that held the
oar kept afont but for few minutes,
while the others were battling for the
shore. It was evident that the oar
would longer support only one, and the
elder Of the two sang out: well, good.
by, old man: this car won't hold US
both, and you can have my chance"
Then he sank and was drowned.
When the fishermen reached the Vi.
cinity Of the accident he found the sur.
living young man in the water unoon.
lscious, with his arm wound tightly
around the wooden sweep.
t! The fisherman saw some distance
ahead, when he looked up, white ball
bobbing up and down. This was one Of
the conegians, and he was discovered
by the white handkerchief that he wore
about his head. When he was pulled
into the boat he gasped, family: "My
brother" and sank in a dead faint t<
the bottom OF the dory. These two
words told the fishermen that there
was at least another person ahead. Sc
that when the boat of fishermen whe
had followed the first dory was seen
behind they were signaied to go ahead
as quickly as possible and look for more
swimmers. This they did. and picked
up the brother, who told them that Rus.
sell and his companion were still in the
water. When Russell, who was yet
long way from land, turned about to
catch sight of his companions whe be
supposed were following. he saw sail
coming down like a thing of life with
the wind and tide, and he knew he and
his friends were saved.
Russell had been swimming exactly
an hour and twenty minutes.-Boston
Globe.