Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-08-08


P)-Genial Henry Sullivan of Lowell,
Mass, who yesterday conquered
Neptune by swimming across the
turbulent English channel from
Dover to Calais, was still tired man
tonight and sought his bed early in
order to gain a much needed rest.
While all of Dover was talking of
his conquest-an achievement which
only two men before him have had
the grit and stamina to win-Sulli-
van was sound asleep in his simple
home in the outskirts of Dover,
where he has lived each time he has
come across the ocean to seek fame
by crossing the channel.
In his long fight of 81 hours and Is
minutes with the cold and choppy
waters that divide the British Isles
from the Continent. Sullivan lost
twenty American pounds but picked
up one thousand English pounds.
negotiable. as they consisted of fat
and muscle. but those he gained are
legal tender. They were given TO
London newspaper. which offered
the purse several years ago for the
first man who duplicated the feats
of Captain Matthew Webb and 7. w
Burgcssam. Although Sullivan left
twenty pounds of fat in the waters
of the Channel. he still has more than
200 pounds left.
The American was sick man dur
ing almost every hour of his long and
laborious battle with the waters
whose rcstlessness has made millions
of travellers in ships i'll. Sullivan
swallowed so much of the salt water
during his first four hours on the
way to the French shore that he en-
tirely lost his love for song. When
the Lowell man swims, he always
sings as he goes along. and espcc-
tally during the nighttime. But he
didn't sing n note during the long
dark hours between shutdown Sun
dav and dawn of Monday.
Sullivan's favorite song is: TIN
Forever Blowing Bubbles" The truth
of this statement was vouched for
today by n. L. Smith of Boston. who
has pulled a rowboat after Sullivan
in every long distance swim the
Lowell man has ever taken.
swims." said Smith. land when he
didn't sing Sunday night out in the
Channel I knew he wasn't feeling
we'll We fellows in the boat sang to
cheer him up"
Sullivan lost his appetite as well
as his voice when choppy seas began
Shaping him in the face and the salt
water began to trckle down his
throat on ton of little collation. he
had just swallowed, consisting of a
mixture Of milk, eggs. and sugar. He
drank a little warm water to offset
the consequent nausea. From this
time on he took no nourishment un-
til twentv-four hours later when he
staggered up to cafe on the sands
at Calais and ordered dish of ice
cream and a bowl of SOUP, using the
soup as a "nightcap" before retiring
to start catching up on his lost
slumhcr
Although Sullivan lost his voice
and appetite he never for moment
was bercft of those qualities that
neither meals nor music can give
man-dctcrrination. grit. courage
and a will to win. Through flood tide
and ebb he kept pulling away with a
steady breast stroke. never varying
from it until his toes touched the
sand at Calais.
Just before he'plungcd into the water
Sunday afternoon. Sullivans trainer
John Conlon of Boston. smeared thick
layer of lard over every inch of the
big fellows cpidermis. 1t took three
pounds of lard to cover him and it had
to ho applied Fest in order to keen the
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