The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1903-08-27
FAMOUS PEDESTRIANS.
Even Royalty Has Been Numbered
Among the opponents Of
Pedestrianism.

| Interest in long distance walking. first
aroused by the stock exchanges little
| jaunt to Brighton, Is but another in
| stance Of history repeating itself. Bare
| ly century ago the feats OF Capt. Bar
clay and others attracted sufficient at
| tention to send the town almost mad
with excitement. says the Strand Maya
zine.
Even royalty itself has been numbered
among the opponents Of pedestr'anism,
and that much abused monarch, Charles
H., is certainly entitled to respect as
nne specimen Of an all-round sportsman.
Apart from enjoying perhaps the unique
distinction among English sovereigns OF
riding his own horses to victory at New
market, Charles was also noted for his
walking powers, and 1t 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, a
limb Of the law with penchant Tor
walking from London TO York and back.
His first journey was made In 1773, when
he covered the distance Of 394 miles in
six days, with nearly six hours to spare
At the close of 1903, Capt. Barclay
fairly electrified the whole country by
undertaking for wage OF 900 guineas
to walk 900 miles in 900 hours, .nile
l. nrf o.
ing then quite unprecedented. The
match was much discussed start being
made over Newmarket heath on June
I 1909, lasting until July IL, or nearly
AZ days in all. No performance was bet
ter authenticated, and so thoroughly dld
the judges perform their task that the
state Of the weather was recorded and
an elaborate diary written up each day
setting forth the pedestrians condition.
As nearly every one knows, Capt Bar
CLAY proved successful In his lengthy un-
dertaking This interesting diary, how
ever, discloses the fact that he not only
came within an ace Of losing the match,
but It was only by exercising the most
determined courage that he succeeded In
overcoming the painful exhaustion re-
sulting from the loss OF regular sleep
for such lengthy period. His weight at
starting was substantial, being 13 stone
4 pounds, while at the finish. after taking
a bath and nourishment and sleeping al
most continuously for II hours, he was
able to turn the scale at II stone. The
- o., ~, 4 Ic ua1
was no less gigantic than the task &C
compllshed.
Breakfast at five consisted OF such
trifes as a roast fowl, washed down with
pint Of strong ale, and followed by two
cupfuls OF tea, with bread and butter.
After what appears very lengthy inter
val, lunch followed at II, either from
beefsteaks or mutton chops, OF which
, latter commodity his chronicler guard
eddy remarks that the captain ate con-
siderable quantity. Dinner at six con-
sisted 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 commenced, supper at ii con
sisted OF a cold fowl, the pedestrian hay
ing, 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 authentl-
'atcd In 1851 also a sprightly country
dane, wanting barely lGyears to become
d centenarian. suddenly resolved to see
someth ng OF the world, and. according
ly Mary Callilack. q Cornish fishwoman,
actually eacceeded in walking from
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, be-
I,g pptIcaJ nv nuoon NIctoria