The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-02-04
LONGBOAT AND DEERFOOT.
Two Indian Runners Said to Surpass
Any White Men in Speed.

nero OF the Marathon race in the
Olympic games in Greece, says he is
the greatest runner on earth. Nhom-
as LoAoboat is his name. he is a Cana
dian Indian and. says the Van Nor
den Magazine. he is lean and Strinwv,
has long arms and big. flat, bony
feet.
lie carries not an ounce Of super
flnouS flesh. his stride looks longer
than the broad jump Of an ordinary
man and his ability to run is Inherit
ed from generations whose very cx-
istcncr depended upon their stamina
and speed
LonHN'nat trains al: home on a
farm upon which he is employed.
Every day h2 runs from five to twrn-
ty miles. Sometimes he runs alone.
but often is paced Ivy Il horse. He
wri"hs lao pruAd>. and is ) feet 7
inches; tall.
Vntil ne won the Marathon race in
Toronto l.unwhnat was unhcard Of in
the w"rld Of sport In that rae, he
WAS matched against thr fastest mon
in the Dominion and until tnr race
he was not thought TO have Il chance
20 win.
He arrived ut Toronto lhr day be-
fore lhc race from his home in Gale
donia and slept at farmhouse. On
The day of the race he arose at )
O'Clock in thc morni;rg and before
the other contestants were out of
bel he ran. over the course lust to
see if he could do it. When he had
Finished he showcl no sign OF fatigue.
When the race started in the af
i2rn""n the Indian took the lead and
with long. swinging stride that
never seemed TO tire he kept the
lead to the finish and was as fresh
when the race was done as before h.
had made the distance the first time
in tha earl v morning..
When racing lon2boat Uses his
brain quite us much as ne uses his
lres. He falls behind the leaders.
hut keeps within striking diStanc.
Enlll the last miles. when he comes
I" the ''rrIt and generally wins with
rldlcn!omI ease. He trails along be-
hind th2 flying leaders. matrlin~
their sprlntS with Il barely prrcepti-
Die lcn2; ;hcMln" of bis strife until
ms eagle eyes see signs Of ditreSs in
his rivals running.
Thnn he lets himself ont and be-
Gins his effort. Uphill and dnwn he
Keeps The same mrrcilcss clin. but
pom" al"n" as easily rs though he
was "nt for Il practice Joe.
N thc distance race where he
smashed tIail'rcy'S 1901 record bv
more than five minute rs the conditions
under which the Indian raced, an |
won, were hearubreakin@. Blinded by
dust first aAd then by rain and snow,
with the Il t ten miles OF going de-
cldedly mudy, the plucky rcdskin
bettered the record of Caffrey-ad-
mttered the record Of Caffrcy.-ad-
mit'tcd to be one Of the greatest
Marathon runners that ever lived
by nearly mile, and to do this Long
boat had to run every mile Of the
twenty-five in about five minutes AMI
f"riy-five seconds.
In the Historical Bnlding at Buff
falo there han"s a picture. draw
ln% of Dcerfoot, the greatest Of all
Indian runners. He was Seneca
Indian.
One one occasion in 1861, before
tn" Prince Of Wales, now King Ed
ward. he ran twelve miles in 81
minutes and Sc seconds. Think Of it
AN average Of d minutes 33 see
ondS t, the mile. II takes Il first
class male runner to do this now.
Dcerfoot Frequently raced with
horses; he often chased large game,
hnrfalo. moose and deer. on foot. Ills
height was 6 feet in his stockings
and he WEIGHED TO pounds. he nev-
or cared for the medals he won by
his rnnnin", and rs soon as he 90.
them he would Land them to some
lalv or little 4iYl who rnanred to
b. ;,an1i1o Near nv