River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-10-15
FAMOUS ENGLISH WALKERS.
Royalty numbered Among the Ex-
pOneRts of Pedestrianisn-Son
Remarkable Iseats.


The present interest in long-diStance
walking, first aroused by the stock ex-
changes little jaunt to Brighton, is but
another instance of history repeating it
self. Barely century ago the feats of
Capt. Barclay and others attracted sufi-
cient attention to send the town almost
mad with excitement, says Strand Mag
azine.
bered among the opponents of pedes-
trianism, and that much-abused mon
arch, Charles H., is certainly entitled to
respect as a fine specimen of an all
round sportsman. Apart from enjoying
perhaps the unique distinction among
English Sovereigns of riding his own
horses to victory at Newmarket, Charles
was also noted for his walking powers,
and it has been stated that none could
excel him in his favorite walk from
Whitehall to Hampton Court.
The earliest long-distance walker
whose performances were authenticated
appears to have been Foster Powell,
limb of the law with a penchant for
walking from London to York and back.
His first journey was made in 1773, when
he covered the distance of 1894 miles in
six days, with nearly six hours to spare.
At the close of 1903 Capt Barclay fairly
electrified the whole country by under
taking for wage of 1 900 guineas to walk
1000 miles in 1000 consecutive hours,
mile in every hour, such a performance
being then unprecedented. The match
was much discussed, start being made
over Newmarket heath on June /, 1909
lasting until July II, or nearly AZ days in
all No performance was ever better
authenticated, and so thoroughly did the
judges perform their task that the state
OF the weather was recorded and an elab-
crate diary written up each day setting
forth the pedestrians condition. As
nearly every one knows, Capt Barclay
proved successful in his lengthy under
taking. This interesting diary, however,
discloses the fact that he not only came
within an ace of losing the match, but it
was only by exercising the most deter
mined courage that he succeeded in over
coming the painful exhaustion resulting
from the loss of regular sleep for such
lengthy period. His weight at starting
was substantial, being 13 stone four
pounds, while at the finish, after taking
bath and nourishment and sleeping al
most continuously for II hours, he was
able to turn the scale at II stone. The
pedestrians bill of fare during this walk
was no less gigantic than the task ac-
complished.
Breakfast at five consisted Of such
trifies as roast fowl washed down with
pint of strong ale and followed by two
cups of tea, with bread and butter. After
what appears very lengthy interval
lunch followed at IL, either from beef
steaks or mutton chops, of which latter
commodity his chronicler aguardedly re-
marks that the captain ate considerable
quantity. Dinner at six consisted either
of roast beef or more chops, with which
he drank porter and two or three glasses
of wine, and to wind up the day as he COM
menced, supper at II consisted of cold
fowl, the pedestrian having, we are told,
consumed five or six pounds of animal
food during the "a hours, garnished with
such vegetables as were in season.
After 1917 the craze for long distance
walking seems almost to have died out,
only to appear again quarter of CEN
fury ago; although in the interval two
members of the fair sex were credited
with equaling Capt Barclays great walk,
truly remarkable instances of feminine
endurance if properly authenticated. In
Il
wanting barely 16 years to become CEN
tenarian, suddenly resolved to see some
thing of the world, and, accordingly,
Mary Callinack, Cornish fishwoman,
actually succeeded in walking from PEN
zance to London, distance Of nearly 300
miles, in order to view the wonders of the
great exhibition in Hyde Park. Mary
created great sensation there, being
noticed by Queen Victoria.