DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70301#0239
MODERN PEDESTRIANS.
213
the 27th. He had now twenty-five miles to go in five hours
and three quarters, and appeared to be much fatigued. After
stopping twenty minutes he renewed his task, and arrived at
his journey’s end a quarter before one o’clock, winning, with
great difficulty, by a quarter of an hour. This performance
is the most extraordinary upon record.
Mr. Canning, a gentleman of Hampshire, walked three
hundred miles in less than five days. He started at the turn-
pike road, four miles from Basingstoke, at four in the morn-
ing, and went sixty miles in fourteen hours. He finished his
task two miles from Yeovil, in Somersetshire, by eleven at
night, on the fifth day, apparently so little fatigued, that he
might have continued for several days ; but in the course of
the journey he lost twenty-six pounds in weight.
Mr. Rimmington, a fanner at Holt, near Dorchester, in
October, 1811, walked five hundred and sixty miles in seven
days, at the rate of eighty miles a day, for a wager of two
hundred guineas. He was much emaciated by this extraor-
dinary exertion, and very lame towards the close.
On the 18th of September, 1811, Mr. Mealing, a gentle-
man of fortune in Somersetshire, for a wager of five hundred
guineas, started to go five hundred and forty miles, at the rate
of thirty miles a day for eighteen successive days, and to per-
form the distance in eighteen different counties. He accom-
plished the undertaking, but was reduced from fourteen stone
eight pounds, to twelve stone four pounds.
In March, 1808, Lieutenant Halifax, of the Lancashire
militia, walked two miles an hour for one hundred successive
hours, near Tiverton, Devonshire. This was an extraordinary
performance, as he could not have more than fifty minutes
rest at one time during four days and nights. He was much
distressed, his legs being swelled, and his whole frame much
exhausted. His courage, however, did not fail, and he com-
pleted the task amidst the shouts of the multitude whom this
uncommon experiment had attracted.
213
the 27th. He had now twenty-five miles to go in five hours
and three quarters, and appeared to be much fatigued. After
stopping twenty minutes he renewed his task, and arrived at
his journey’s end a quarter before one o’clock, winning, with
great difficulty, by a quarter of an hour. This performance
is the most extraordinary upon record.
Mr. Canning, a gentleman of Hampshire, walked three
hundred miles in less than five days. He started at the turn-
pike road, four miles from Basingstoke, at four in the morn-
ing, and went sixty miles in fourteen hours. He finished his
task two miles from Yeovil, in Somersetshire, by eleven at
night, on the fifth day, apparently so little fatigued, that he
might have continued for several days ; but in the course of
the journey he lost twenty-six pounds in weight.
Mr. Rimmington, a fanner at Holt, near Dorchester, in
October, 1811, walked five hundred and sixty miles in seven
days, at the rate of eighty miles a day, for a wager of two
hundred guineas. He was much emaciated by this extraor-
dinary exertion, and very lame towards the close.
On the 18th of September, 1811, Mr. Mealing, a gentle-
man of fortune in Somersetshire, for a wager of five hundred
guineas, started to go five hundred and forty miles, at the rate
of thirty miles a day for eighteen successive days, and to per-
form the distance in eighteen different counties. He accom-
plished the undertaking, but was reduced from fourteen stone
eight pounds, to twelve stone four pounds.
In March, 1808, Lieutenant Halifax, of the Lancashire
militia, walked two miles an hour for one hundred successive
hours, near Tiverton, Devonshire. This was an extraordinary
performance, as he could not have more than fifty minutes
rest at one time during four days and nights. He was much
distressed, his legs being swelled, and his whole frame much
exhausted. His courage, however, did not fail, and he com-
pleted the task amidst the shouts of the multitude whom this
uncommon experiment had attracted.