Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-12-11
DR.. lack Dawson, After SPEND
ing Months Here Writing,
Sails on Makura


B Neither to peg, borrow, nor steal
for a liying-these were the terms
on which three men left Perth, Aus
tralia, on the first of January, 1905.
for a wagered walking trip around
the world. One of those men was DR..
Jack Dawson, who left Honolulu yes
terday In the Makura on his way to
England
DR.. Dawson is not working on the
wager now. He gave that up on De-
cember 81, almost a year ago, when
he arrived in Vancouver weak from
hunger and exposure and found that
he had missed the steamship Makura
by two days. The same boat which
is now carrying him back to Canada
on his way to England would have
landed him In Australia in time to win
the wager at the end of his 10-year
hike, had he not missed ii.
Both Of the men who started out
with DR.. Dawson are dead now. One
of them died In India Of fever, the
other was Knocked off of bridge on
the Leheigh Valley railroad In Penu-
sylyapia, Dawson saw them last when
each took up his separate way. at the
end OF the main street in Perth. Janu-
airy /, 1905. 6
Prize Of $4,000 Offered. ~ 4.
Ten thousand dollars is the sum the
winner Of the long race was to receive.
The wager started one night in a club
in Perth when. an argument arose over
the staying qualities Of the modern
Englishman as compared with the
Englishman OF old times. sg
Some one offered the suggestion
that the present-day man could not
suffer the priyations that the man Of
100 years ago suffered, and live
through them. Others thought he
could. In the end of the argument
wager Of $4,000 was placed, the test
to be walk around the world In 10
years. or around that part of II where
there is land, a total of $4,000 miles
to be covered. DR.. Dawson and sew
eral others took up the wager.
Preliminary tests we're held before
men were allowed to start on the trip
The competitor must also carry an
s4-pound pack upon his back. All but
three of the large number entering the
first try-out failed to make good, and
gave up the contest.
4. On January T. the three started,
walking down the main street ia
Perth together, and then separating,
each on q different route for the long
"trip ..1, !. ~ . 80
Stopped af Hepoiulu,.; ~ is,s sri-
"a In the 10 years that followed the
three saw more troubles than most
men have ever dreamed OF. One of
the mensg0tias farzaS India another
as Tar as Pennsylvania, but Dawson
got to; Honolulu. He would have gone
on 10 Australia, but could never quite
bring himself to face again the old
friends there after his defeat. s 3
DR.. Dawson's trip covered the fol
lowing intinerarya Across Australia,
New Zealand, Japan, China. Indo-
China, Tibet, North India, Afghanistan.
TufKestan. Siberia, Russia, Hungary,
Southern Austria, Germany. Switzer-
land, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France.
Belgium, England and Canada. He
went from Canada down to San Fran
cisco by rail. and caught the boat for
Honolulu.
In all this trip he carried no weapon
save a walking stick which he still
keeps with pride. HeAwas followed
by wolves in Siberia for Is days and
was thrown into prison for six weeks
soon after, as he was believed to be
an escaped convict from the mines.
Hands and Feet Frozen.
In eastern Canada along the edge
Of Lake Superior he froze his feet;
hands and ears and suffered much
from the raw winds that swept across
the prairies there. Hardships became
so usual that he thought little of them
and he mentions with pride the fact
that in the entire trip he was never
sick for a day.
No chance was allowed for taking.
/ The trip had TO be covered on loot
and without the aid Of money except
what could be made BY featuring and
taking photographs. The doctor car.
ried small box camera with Zeiss
lens.
At every town and village he must
secure the signature of either the
postmaster, the chief of police, or the
mayor. Roads and railroads were al
ways followed when possible, but he
was never allowed to ride.
August, 1915, found DR.. Dawson In
Canada, heading hard for Vancouver
and the Makura A member of the
Star-Bulletin editorial staff, living al
that time In Vernon, B. c., met the
| doctor as he came through the town