Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-01-28
A FEAT.
Performed by the Champion Swim
mer of Australia
He swims Across the Golden Gate at
San Francisco In One Hour and
Fifteen Minutes Against
the Tide.

The most important feat in swim
ming in the history of the coast was &c
complished recently by Charles Cayill,
the champion swimmer of Australia.
Cavill managed to breast tides and cur
rents between Fort Point and the Mar
in county shore and swan across the
Golden Gate. 1t was $3.50 o'clock when
Cavill left DEVILS Point. and just /
hour and Is minutes later he touched
the rocks about 200 yards seward
from Fort Winfield Scott, having COW
cred n distance, as the crow flies, of
over IL miles.
The Australians performance drew a
big crowd. The shore about For Point
was lined with people and the waters in
the gate were crowded with small craft
of every description. The ferryboa'
Sausalito had a place in the stream
with almost a thousand people aboard
From a swimmers standpoint the day
was an ideal one. The water was as
smooth as could be desired, its surface
only rippled by the curling edges of thu
long swells that came irom the ocean.
There was a slight wind blowing, but il
was not strong enough to kick up any
disturbance.
Cavill left the Sausalito when the boat
arrived in midstream off Lime Point.
He had as companions Adolph Kahn.
the high diver of the California Swim
ming club, and Prof. Kllick, of the
Sutro baths life saving crew. The tide
was at "A standstill. and the three MN
chose as a starting point for the swim
mler. Il bunch of rocks about 100 yards
north of Devils Point and n mile north
of Lime Point. \ selected crew from
the Dolphin Boat club acted as escort
in a whitehall boat.
CaNill wore the regulation tights. He
dipped into the water easily and natur-
ally. and started for the San Francisco
shore with energy. Killick and Kahn
and the Dolphin crew accompanying
him in boats. The swimmer led off with
Il long. easy, right-side stroke. and for
| the first few hundred yards of the
course the way was easy and his pace
was rapid. About IA quarter of "A mile
| from shore the Australian encountered
what he say was the swiftcst current
he ever met.
The tide had turned since he left the
ferry. and was now pouring through the
channe with the speed of "A mill race.
The ripples Ioared Ike "a miniature sea
and threatened to engulf the boats.
Cavill struck into it bravely, and at
tempted to stay its progress by turn
ing his face toward SausaIito and swim
ming north. The rowers in the boat
attempted similar tactics, but the rush
of waters toward the ocean carried
80. 81 S.4.-z .L-4 :. 800.
useless to attempt TO Withstand the
force of the tide Cavill drifted with it.
lie was carried out almost to the Heads
before he encountered the counter
currents on the Presidio shore. The
eddy opposite Point Lobos caught him
in its grip and whirled him Jack again
toward the bay. From this time on
Cavill's work was comparatively easy.
He swan ~leisurely and easily toward
the fort, followed by half a hundred
boats and tugs. A half a mile from the
landing point he picked up an old felt
hat that was floating in the water and
put it on his head, much to the amuse-
ment of the spectators.
As he neared the shore Cavill in
creased his speed. The Dolphin crew
and a boat from the l~ife-saving service
cleared the way. There was a long.
slow swell smashing against the rocks,
and on top of one of these breakers
Cavill landed easily. There was a grea,
crowd awaiting his arrival. and as the
swimmer walked up the beach he VAS
given an ovation by everything and
everybody, from the small boy on the
fort parapets to the big whistle of the
steamer Sausalito. Cavill returned to
the water almostimmediately and swan
to the Dolphin clubs boat, from which
he was transferred to the Sausalito.
Cavill's performance adds a new
notch to the swimming record of the
coast. The time spent in covering the
distance is remarkably short, consid-
ering contrary tides and currents and
the fact that he was carried almost a
mile out of his course. Throughout he
swan on his right side, using a side
stroke.
At the finish he was almost as fresh
as when he started. The water was
cold, and when he touched shore after
his long swim his right arm and leg
were ~benumbed to the point of use
leSsness.
The swimmers physical dimensions
are: Height, 5 feet 10 inches; weight, Isl
pounds; chest measurement, ~ inches,
with the phenomenal expansion of
yS, inches. He is the SOL of Prof. fred
Cavill. of England. who swan across
the English channel in IL hours, max
ing a worlds record.-San Francisco
/ Chronicle