Canton Weekly Register

Bob Crandell's Swimming

Bob Crandell visited England last summer. While stopping in the metropolis, he happened to drop into a coffee-house, where a lot of cockneys were speaking about the swimming powers of different individuals. One gentleman said his friend William could swim five miles in forty minutes.—Another allowed that Tibbetts could do more than this—Tibbetts in some fifty-three minutes and seven-eighths swam seven miles. Just here Bob asked if he might "offer a remark."

"Yes, certainly," replied they.

On this being decided, Bob opened

"Your friend Tibbetts is some swimmer, gentlemen, but his performance would be considered nothing in America. On the Mississippi men swim with such rapidity that they go ahead and pilot steamboats."

"Nonsense."

"No nonsense at all. To show that I'm not joking in this matter, I'm willing to make a bet with any person who will take me up."

"What is it?"

"That I can outswim any man in England and give him an hour's start."

"For what sum, sir?"

"Anything—from fifty pounds to a California gold mine."

"We'll take that bet, sir, and stake a hundred pounds that you can't beat Mr. Mullins, and give him that start."

"Very good; I will take the bet, gents, and here's twenty sovereigns to bind the bargain."

"When will the swim come off?"

"Now—this instant."

"That's preposterous, the day is too far spent."

"Day? Why, my dear sir, I intend to swim a whole week. In the United States it is considered nothing to swim that length of time."

"Possible?"

"Yes, sir. Harry Slocum, of New Orleans, once swam from Charleston to Cuba. But this is wasting time. Let us proceed to business."

"Where do you wish to start from?"

"Land's End."

"Why there?"

"I intend to swim around the Island, and want lots of sea-room."

The idea of swimming around Great Britain was something that Cockneydom never heard of.

"Such a pull would kill a 'orse," said Mullins, but Bob was used to such things. Mullins persisted, however, in his refusal to undertake anything so absurd, in consequence of which Mullins' friends had to come out with a forfeit in the shape of a basket of champagne. During the remainder of Bob's stay in England, he was looked upon as "the Merican prodigy—the man who talked of swimming from London to Nova Scotia."