In accomplishing long matches against time, it must be observed, that considerable speed is fully as requisite as strength; for no man could walk a hundred miles in one day, if he were not able to go for several hours at the rate of six miles an hour; and it will be found, in general, that those who have performed great distances, were also remarkable for agility and swiftness.

Robert Bartley, of Hutford in Norfolk, who was born anno 1719, was distinguished in his youth for extraordinary speed; and, when an old man, frequently walked from Thetford to London in one day—a distance of eighty-one miles—and returned the next. He was well known among the sporting men of Newmarket as a great walker, and died in the sixty-sixth year of his age.

Reed, the noted pedestrian of Hampshire, in 1774, ran ten miles within an hour, at the Artillery Ground, London. In 1787, he walked one hundred miles in one day at Gosport; and on the sands of Weymouth, in 1791, he performed fifty miles in little more than nine hours.

In May 1762, Child, the miller of Wandsworth, walked forty-four miles in seven hours and fifty-seven minutes, on Wimbledon Common; and in August the same year, Mr. John Hague of Binns near Marsden, performed one hundred miles in twenty-three hours and fifteen minutes.

Mr. Foster Powell was the most celebrated pedestrian of his time; and in the performance of long journies has seldom been equalled.—In 1773, he walked from London to York, and back again, in six days, for a wager of one hundred guineas. In the same year, he beat Andrew Smith, a famous runner, on Barham Downs, in a match of one mile. In 1776, he ran two miles in ten and a half minutes, on the Lea-bridge road, but lost his match by half a minute. In September 1787, he walked from the Falstaff Inn at Canterbury to London Bridge, and back, in ten minutes less than twenty-four hours, being a distance of one hundred and nine miles. On the 8th June 1788, he set out from Hicks’ Hall on a second journey to York, and back again, which he accomplished in five days, nineteen hours, and fifteen minutes. In the July following, he walked one hundred miles in twenty-two hours. In 1790, he took a bet of twenty guineas to thirteen, that he would walk from London to York, and return, in five days and eighteen hours, which he performed in less time than was allowed, by one hour and fifty minutes. He was so fresh on his return, that he offered to walk a hundred miles the next day for a considerable wager. In the same year, he went from Hyde Park corner to Windsor, and back, in seven hours. In July 1792, he undertook to walk from London to York, and back, in five days and fifteen hours, which he accomplished within his time by an hour and twenty-five minutes. In 1792, when in the fifty-seventh year of his age, he offered to walk six miles in one hour; to run a mile in five minutes and a half; and to go five hundred miles in seven days. He required a bet of one hundred guineas on the last undertaking, and twenty guineas on either of the other two. But no person appearing to accept his offer, he afterwards declined all pedestrian performances for wagers.

This celebrated pedestrian was born in the year 1736, at Horsforth, near Leeds, in Yorkshire. He was bred to the profession of the law, and was clerk to an attorney in New Inn, London. He was beat by West of Windsor, in walking forty miles on the western road, for a wager of forty guineas. He was, however, a first-rate walker for either a long or a short journey; and his stature was no more than five feet eight inches; but his legs and thighs were stout, and well calculated for performances of this kind.

Mr. Joseph Edge, of Macclesfield in Cheshire, in 1806, when at the age of sixty-two, walked one hundred and seventy-two miles in forty-nine hours and twenty minutes. He started from the Angel Inn at Macclesfield, at twelve o’clock on Wednesday night, and arrived at the Swan with Two Necks, Ladlane, London, at twenty minutes past one on Saturday morning. This performance is remarkable from the age of the pedestrian, who walked at the rate of three miles, three furlongs, thirty-five perches, and 11/74ths feet per hour.

Long journies have been frequently performed at the rate of from fifty to eighty miles a day, for four, six, eight, ten, or more successive days, which have evinced the great strength and perseverance of the pedestrians.

In July 1788, John Batty, when fifty-five years of age, walked seven hundred miles in fourteen days on Richmond Course. He performed this long journey at the following rate: first day, fifty-nine miles: second, fifty-five and three-quarters: third, fifty-two and three-quarters: fourth, fifty-one: fifth, fifty-one: sixth, fifty-one: seventh, forty-three: eighth, forty-two and three-quarters: ninth, forty-four and three-quarters: tenth, fifty-one: eleventh, fifty-one: twelfth, fifty-four and a half: thirteenth, fifty-one: and on the fourteenth day, thirty-six miles and a quarter, having finished the whole distance within five hours of the time allowed.

In 1792, Mr. Eustace walked from Liverpool to London in four days. He was then seventy-seven years of age, and the distance exceeds two hundred miles. On a journey from Chester to London, when eleven years younger, he went ninety miles the first day.

Mr. Downes is well known as a first-rate pedestrian. In February 1808, he walked four hundred miles in ten days for a bet of a hundred guineas. He was greatly fatigued by the exertion; and his weight was reduced more than two stones. He performed thirty-five miles a day for twenty successive days, without much difficulty. He walked twenty miles in two hours and forty minutes, on the 11th of July 1809. He matched himself to go thirty miles in three hours and a quarter, for a bet of one hundred guineas; but the task was evidently beyond his power, and he failed in the undertaking. He was more fortunate, however, in a match with the celebrated Captain Aiken, which took place this year, on the 26th September, at Thorpe, in Hampshire. The bet was, which of them should go the greater distance in forty-eight hours. They started together at the extremities of a piece of ground of five miles, and met each other. Mr. Downes walked ninety miles the first day, and rested two hours. His adversary went eighty-eight miles, and had only an hour to rest. On the second day, Mr. Downes had accomplished seventy-two miles, and had five hours to spare. Captain Aiken had done only fifty-six in the same time, and therefore resigned the match.

In April 1808, Mr. Podgers walked four hundred miles in eight successive days, for a wager of two hundred guineas. He started at Basingstoke, and from Hampshire went into the counties of Wilts, Gloucester, Somerset, Sussex, and Kent, finishing at Maidstone. He walked twelve hours each day, and slept eight. His weight was fourteen stones, and he did not appear the least fatigued at any period of the journey.

Mr. Dowler, a publican at Towcester, Northamptonshire, walked five hundred miles in seven successive days, for a bet of one hundred guineas. He started on the 3d of November 1808, and finished on the 9th, at three o’clock in the afternoon.

Captain Howe is a celebrated pedestrian, and walked three hundred and forty-six miles in six days, for a wager of two hundred guineas. He started on the 8th of March 1808, at four in the morning, to go from London to Exeter, and made out sixty-four miles by nine at night, having stopped at Basingstoke for an hour. On the following day he walked seventy miles; and on the third day, arrived at Exeter to dinner, where he stopt three hours, but returned to Honiton to sleep. On the fourth day, he reached within nine miles of Salisbury; and on the fifth night, slept at a public house near Basingstoke. He had now forty-nine miles to perform on the sixth day, which accomplished by six o’clock in the evening. Captain Howe, on the 28th of the same month, gained a match of two hundred guineas against Captain Hewetson, having walked eighty miles in less than twenty-four hours.—He also beat Mr. Smith in a twenty mile race on the Uxbridge road, about the end of October 1809. Mr. Smith was the favourite before starting; but Captain Howe performed the distance in two hours and twenty minutes, beating his adversary by half a mile.

On the 9th of June 1812, Captain Howe undertook to go sixty miles in twelve hours for a wager of two hundred guineas. He started at four o’clock in the morning, and did half the distance in twelve minutes less than six hours. He continued at the rate of five miles in the hour, and won the match within ten minutes of the time allowed.

Mr. Canning, a gentleman in Hampshire, walked three hundred miles in less than five days. He started at the turnpike road four miles from Basingstoke, at four in the morning, 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. He was apparently so little fatigued, that probably he could have continued for several days; but in the course of the journey, he lost twenty-six pounds in weight.

Mr. Rimmington, a farmer 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 extraordinary exertion, and became very lame towards the close.

Lieutenant Halifax, of the Lancashire militia, walked two miles an hour for one hundred successive hours, near Tiverton in Devon, in March 1808. This was a great 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 were swollen, and his whole frame was exhausted. His courage, however, never failed him; and he completed the task amidst the shouts of the multitude that this extraordinary experiment had attracted.

Thomas Savager, who died in 1809, in the seventy-fifth year of his age, was a noted pedestrian, although only five feet and four inches in stature, and lame from his youth. In 1789, he undertook to walk four hundred and four miles, in six days. The scene of his performance was on the turnpike road from Hereford through Leominster to Ludlow; and he won his wager within five hours of the time allowed. When the superfluous ground over which he walked to his lodgings at Hereford, Ludlow, &c. was added, it was found that he had walked not less than four hundred and twenty-nine miles in five days and nineteen hours.

On the 18th of September 1811, Mr. Mealing, a gentleman of fortune in Somersetshire, started to go five hundred and forty miles, at the rate of thirty miles a day, for eighteen successive days, and to perform the distance in eighteen different counties, which he accomplished, and won five hundred guineas. He was reduced from fourteen stone eight pounds, to twelve stone four pounds.

To walk one hundred miles within twenty-four hours may be considered an extraordinary exertion; but that distance has been performed in that time by several people: and a great deal more has been accomplished by some of our most celebrated pedestrians.

Mr. Oliver, in July 1811, walked one hundred miles in twenty-three hours and fifty minutes. He was much fatigued, but that he was not entirely exhausted, was apparent from his going the last ten miles in two hours.—Mr. Edward Millen, in July the previous year, accomplished the same distance in twenty-three hours and twenty-five minutes.—But we shall have occasion afterwards to record more difficult performances than these; and, in the meantime, shall take notice of the feats of such pedestrians as have evinced uncommon strength and agility, and who have been distinguished by walking a long distance in a short time.

In September this year (1812), Jonathan Waring, a Lancashire pedestrian, performed one hundred and thirty-six miles in thirty-four hours, for a wager of one hundred guineas. He started from London to go to Northampton, and return. He went the first fifty-five miles in twelve hours, and half the distance in fourteen hours and a half. After resting an hour and a half, he started on his return, and accomplished the whole distance in three minutes less than the time allowed. He was excessively fatigued.

But Glanville, a Shropshire man, accomplished a more extraordinary performance in the year 1806. He walked one hundred and forty-two miles on the Bath road in twenty-nine hours and three-quarters. He started from the 14th mile-stone to go to the 85th, and back, at seven in the morning, on the 26th of December, and arrived at his journey’s end next day, at a quarter before one o’clock in the afternoon. He went off at the rate of six miles an hour, and reached Twyford at five minutes past ten, where he took a basin of soup. He refreshed again at Marlborough, and arrived at the 85th mile-stone at ten minutes past eight in the evening. This part of his journey was performed at the average rate of nearly five miles and a half an hour. He returned a few miles on his way back, and refreshed himself on a bed for an hour and a half, and reached Reading at a quarter past six in the morning of the 27th. He had now twenty-five miles to go in five hours and three-quarters, and appeared to be much fatigued. After remaining twenty minutes, he renewed his task, and arrived at his journey’s end at a quarter before one o’clock—winning, with great difficulty, by a quarter of an hour.

This performance is the most extraordinary upon record, and bets were seven to four, and two to one against him; but his strength and perseverance overcame every difficulty, and thus enabled him to accomplish the astonishing exploit.

On Friday, the 20th July 1804, John Bell, Esq. engaged to walk from Brook Green to Hammersmith—a distance of fifty-eight miles—in fourteen hours, for a bet of two hundred guineas; which he performed, with apparent ease, in thirteen hours, and forty-five seconds.—A distance of sixty miles was performed on the 18th of September, the same year, by a butcher of Whitechapel, in eleven hours and a quarter, for a bet of seventeen guineas.

On the 14th of August 1807, a distance of sixty-nine miles was performed near Lyndhurst, in twelve hours, by Wall, a hawker, on the Bath road. He was matched against Campbell of Dowton, Wilts, a man of local notoriety. The pedestrians started about four miles from Christ Church, at eleven o’clock, morning. By four, Wall had gone thirty-five miles. He was at the same time passed by Campbell; but having rested for half an hour, he overtook his opponent by nine o’clock. A severe struggle now ensued, and they kept together until ten; when Wall made an extraordinary push, and went nearly eight miles in the last hour, beating his adversary by a mile and a half. In this match, the winner walked five miles and three-quarters per hour on the average, including the time he refreshed, which, allowing for the distance, must be considered a very extraordinary effort.

In August 1809, Captain Walsham, of the Worcestershire regiment of militia, walked the distance of sixty miles in twelve hours, with ease; and afterwards rode thirty miles on two curricle horses, in two successive hours, for a wager of one hundred and twenty guineas.

Mr. Hopper of Canterbury, walked sixty-three miles in eleven hours and thirty-nine minutes. He started from the turnpike on St. Martin’s Hill, and at the end of the first hour he had gone seven and a half miles: second hour, eleven miles, including stoppage for breakfast: third hour, and five minutes, twenty miles: fourth hour, twenty-six miles: fifth hour, thirty-four miles: sixth hour, including dinner, thirty-five miles: seventh hour, forty-one miles: eighth hour, forty-five miles: ninth hour, fifty-one miles: tenth hour, fifty-five miles: eleventh hour, sixty miles: and at thirty-eight and three-fourth minutes past the eleventh hour, he finished sixty-three miles, apparently much fatigued.

A distance of fifty miles was performed in nine hours, on the 28th of March 1811, by Clough, a groom, on the Bath road, for a wager of fifty guineas. He regularly walked six miles an hour for the first five hours; and his average rate of travelling was five miles, one half, and one ninth part of a mile, per hour.—Eighty miles, at two starts, were performed by Shoreham, a publican, on the 22d of April the same year. He started from Paddington to go to Nettlebed, Oxfordshire, and to return. He went forty miles in six hours and a half, and after resting three hours, he accomplished the other forty miles in six hours and forty minutes, having completed the distance in thirteen hours and ten minutes, which was at the rate of more than six miles per hour.

On the 15th of April 1812, Lieut. Groats undertook for a wager of two hundred guineas to go seventy-two miles in twelve hours. He went from Blackfriars road to Canterbury, and thence back to Stroud. He performed the first fourteen miles in two hours. When he had gone sixty miles he was much fatigued, but by the aid of refreshment and rubbing, he was enabled to proceed, and accomplished the distance within six minutes of the time allowed.

Six miles per hour, for any distance from twenty-four to forty miles, must be considered as very superior walking, although several of the most celebrated pedestrians have exceeded that rate.—Mr. Pearson performed thirty-seven miles in five hours and twenty-seven minutes, for a wager of one hundred guineas. He started from Pimlico to go to Datchet-bridge near Windsor, and return, at three o’clock in the morning of the 11th July 1807. He went off on a shuffling walk, and stopt at Honslow at a quarter past four, where he refreshed. He halted again at Colnbrook, at twenty-five minutes past five, and reached Datchet-bridge in fifteen minutes; half the distance having been performed in two hours and forty minutes. As he had only gained a few minutes on time, bets were three and two to one against him; but in returning, he quickened his pace, and arrived at Honslow, at twenty-seven minutes past seven o’clock, much fatigued.

On the 13th of January 1810, William Staniland walked fifty-four miles in seven hours and three-quarters, for a wager of eighty guineas. He set off from Driffield at seven in the morning to go to Hull, where he arrived at half-past ten, and having gone round the statue in the market-place, he returned to Driffield at a quarter before three, being fifteen minutes within the time allowed.

Mr. Yardly accomplished forty-two miles in six hours and ten minutes, which was nearly at the rate of seven miles an hour on the average. He started in the morning of the 12th of June, and went twenty-one miles in three hours; nineteen miles and a half in the other three hours; and the remaining mile and a half in ten minutes.

Thomas Miller, of Cowford in Sussex, on the 7th of July 1795, walked from the market-house at Horsham to Westminster Bridge—a distance of thirty-six miles—in five hours and fifty minutes, with apparent ease.

John Jones, a Welchman, and William Williams, a Lancashire man, ran thirty miles on the Hereford road, on Monday the 12th of June 1809, for a wager of five hundred guineas. Williams had the better of his antagonist for the first twenty miles; but Jones soon after passed him, and won the race in three hours and three-quarters.

Spence, a chairman in Paisley, went from the cross of Glasgow to Edinburgh—a distance of forty-two miles—in seven hours and twenty minutes, without much apparent fatigue.

Mr. Ensor, clerk of Highgate Chapel, undertook, in September 1806, to walk twenty-six miles in four hours, for a bet of fifty guineas. He started from the first mile-stone at Hammersmith, at seven o’clock, and went the first seven miles within the hour, and accomplished the whole distance in three hours and forty-three minutes.

On the 26th of October 1805, Mr. King, an optician, undertook to walk the same distance in the same time, for a bet of thirty guineas. He started from the first mile-stone at Hammersmith, and reached the 17th, beyond Colnbrook, in one hour and fifty minutes, and returned to the place whence he had started seventeen minutes within his time, performing the whole distance in three hours and forty-three minutes.

A bet of fifty guineas having been made between Captain Hare and Mr. Cortey of Wigmore Street, that the latter should not go from Sevenoaks to Blackfriars Bridge, in two hours and forty minutes, on the 17th of April 1809;—the pedestrian started on the day appointed, and although the weather was extremely unfavourable, he did nine miles in the first hour, and eight miles and a half in the second. He had now forty minutes to perform the remaining five miles and a half; the whole distance being twenty-three miles. But the weather was so extremely severe as to beat him to a stand-still a mile from the Bricklayers’ Arms, when he resigned.

On Friday the 4th June 1807, Mr. Stevens undertook to go from the Woolpack at St. Albans, to Finsbury Square,—a distance of twenty-one miles—in three hours, for a bet of four hundred and fifty guineas. He started at a quarter before two o’clock in the morning, and arrived at his journey’s end by four. He ran in the first hour, seven miles and a half; in the second hour, ten miles; and in the last quarter, three miles and a half.

A match for twenty miles was run on the 12th September 1809, on a piece of chosen ground near Maidenhead, between Mr. Greig and Matthew Mark, for fifty guineas a side. Mark took the lead at the rate of eight miles an hour, closely followed by his antagonist. They were equal at ten miles, having performed that distance in one hour and eight minutes. They both made play here, and at nineteen miles were together; but Mr. Greig gained by two minutes only. The race throughout was well contested; and the whole distance was accomplished in two hours and twenty minutes.

Captain Thomson of the 74th regiment, while stationed at Aberdeen in the year 1808, undertook to walk twenty-one miles in three hours. He started on the 5th of May at the 7th mile-stone on the Ellon road, returning to the 4th, until he should perform the distance, which he accomplished in four minutes and a half less than the time allowed.

On the 22d of February 1812, James Watson, a glazier, for a wager of £10, went from Whitechapel Church to Romford in Essex, and back, in three hours, the distance being twenty-three miles. He started at six o’clock, and reached Romford at twenty minutes past seven. Having refreshed ten minutes, he started again on his return, and completed the distance in four minutes less than the given time.

On the 11th of February 1812, Mr. Webber undertook, for a bet of one hundred guineas, to ride nine miles within half an hour, and to run five miles in another half hour. He started at Two-mile Brook, near Colnbrook, Bucks, and performed the nine miles in a light sulky, in four minutes less than the given time. He now started on his pedestrian match, and went four miles in a few seconds less than twenty-four minutes, labouring under great distress; but he recovered his wind, and won the match in six seconds within the time.

Mr. Froward of Berkeley-street, on the 14th of April 1812, performed thirty miles in three hours and fifty-three minutes, for a wager of twenty guineas.

CHAPTER III.
THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED.

To walk or run for two or three hours at the rate of eight miles an hour, may be deemed extraordinary speed, conjoined to considerable strength and command of WIND. But more than nine miles an hour have been accomplished on a distance of twenty miles; and upwards of eight on a distance of forty.

A man named Blewet from Crewkerne, Somersetshire, for a small wager, undertook to go twenty-four miles in three hours. On the 5th of September 1808, he started at four o’clock from Shoreditch Church, and reached Theobalds in Hertfordshire, at twenty minutes past six, having stopped at Edmonton four or five minutes. He refreshed, and remained here ten minutes, when he started on his return, and after stopping again at Edmonton, arrived at the starting post at fifty-two minutes past seven. Including stoppages, Blewet, who was a young man, performed the twenty-four miles in two hours and thirty-four minutes, or at the rate of more than nine miles an hour.

Mr. Harwood performed eighteen miles in two hours, on Monday the 26th of October 1811, on the Bath road, for a wager of one hundred guineas.

Rickets, the celebrated Hampshire pedestrian, ran seventeen miles in one hour and forty-nine minutes, for a wager of five guineas. The same distance was performed on the 10th of October 1807, by a man of the name of Keeley, fifty-four years of age, in one hour and fifty-seven minutes. He started at six in the morning from Shoreditch Church to go to Ponder’s End, and back again, being allowed two hours for the performance. He reached Ponder’s End at six minutes before seven, and stopped ten minutes to refresh, when he started again, and returned within three minutes of his time.

In April the same year, a young man, named Whitlock, performed the same distance in one hour and fifty minutes. He started from Shoreditch at half-past five, and reached Ponder’s End at twenty minutes past six; stopped there to refresh ten minutes, and returned to the starting post at twenty minutes past seven o’clock, having gone, exclusive of the stoppage, at the rate of somewhat more than ten miles an hour.

Twenty miles in two hours and twenty minutes have been performed by Howe, Smith, Greig, and other celebrated pedestrians.—Eighteen miles were done in one hour and fifty-three minutes by a youth of seventeen years of age, named Bentley, on the 18th of June 1810. He started from the end of Smithfield at five, and reached Whitestone ten minutes before six. After taking some refreshment, he resumed his journey back, and arrived at the starting post at seven minutes before seven o’clock.

In October 1808, Mr. Williams, steward to Mr. Crouch of Wigmore Street, undertook to go twenty miles in two hours. He started at Hammersmith, and notwithstanding the unfavourable state of the weather, he accomplished the task in seven minutes less than the time allowed.

The distance of ten miles within an hour has been frequently performed, and a shorter distance in proportionally less time.

About the beginning of last century, Levi Whitehead of Bramham in Yorkshire, when in the twenty-second year of his age, ran four miles over Bramham-moor in nineteen minutes, which was at the rate of somewhat more than twelve miles in an hour. He was the swiftest runner of his day, and won the buck’s head for several years at Castle Howard, given by the earl of Carlisle. The five Queen Anne’s guineas given by William Aisleby, Esq. of Studley, were won by him; on which occasion he beat ten others who were selected to start against him. He lived to the age of one hundred; and in his ninety-sixth year he frequently walked from Bramham to Tadcaster, at the rate of four miles in the hour.

In the year 1771, Chr. Orton ran from Middleham to Richmond, Yorkshire, in fifty-seven minutes. The distance is ten computed miles; the road remarkably hilly; and several horses were much distressed to keep up with him.

On the 13th of July 1793, John Barrett ran ten miles on Kersal Moor, near Manchester, for a wager of twenty guineas, against Henry Wilkinson, from Warrington in Lancashire, and beat him with ease, performing the distance in fifty-seven minutes. He also, in the month of August following, beat Wilson of Tenterden in Kent, on Barham Downs, in a match of five miles, which he accomplished in twenty-seven minutes and nine seconds.

Mr. Haselden of Milton, in August 1809, undertook to go ten miles within an hour, which he performed on the Canterbury road, between Key Street and Chalkwell, with considerable ease, in fifty-three minutes;—and Mr. O’Callagan ran the same number of miles on the Edgeware road, near the village of Kilburn, in fifty-eight minutes and forty-seven seconds.

In June 1805, a match was run on the Uxbridge road, between Lieut. Warren and Mr. Bindall, an artist, for fifty guineas. The distance was seven miles; and they started at four in the morning. The lieutenant continued to lead for four miles, when Mr. Bindall passed him, and won the bet, by leaving his opponent a quarter of a mile behind, and performing the distance in thirty-five minutes.

On the 10th of December 1808, a match for five miles took place between Mr. George Frost of Horringer, and Mr. Richard Butters of Ixworth on the Newmarket road, near Bury. The race was well contested, and won by Mr. Frost, who performed the distance in thirty minutes.

In August 1805, the distance of four miles was performed in three seconds less than twenty-one minutes, by James Farrer, of Lancashire, at Knutsford, for a wager of two hundred guineas.

Captain Parfet undertook to run four miles in twenty-four minutes at four starts, the whole however to be done within three-quarters of an hour, which he accomplished on the Hampton road, on the 27th of December 1808. He ran the first mile in five minutes and a second. After waiting five minutes he did the second mile in five minutes and a half; and the third mile in six minutes and forty-nine seconds. Having rested twenty minutes, the captain started again, and performed the fourth mile in five seconds less than the time allowed. This gentleman stands only five feet four inches, and is of thick stature.

On the 21st of July 1777, Joseph Headley of Riccal near York, ran two miles on Knavesmire, in nine minutes and forty-five seconds, for a wager of one hundred guineas. About a month before, he ran four miles over the same ground in twenty-one minutes. He was allowed to be the swiftest runner at that time in the kingdom.

Joseph Beal of Welburn Moor-houses, near Castle Howard, Yorkshire, ran two miles in nine minutes and forty-eight seconds, on the York race-course, the 9th September 1811, beating Isaac Hemsworth of Bolton in Lancashire. Beal is one of the swiftest runners in the kingdom, and he challenged all England for a four-mile match. The Lancashire men accepted it, and were allowed one month to find an antagonist, and one month for training him. The noted Abraham Wood was fixed upon as the competitor of Beal. These pedestrians accordingly started about one o’clock, on Wednesday the 13th of October. Wood took the lead, and kept it for nearly a mile, when Beal passed him with ease. Wood again headed his opponent, but before he reached the two-mile post, Beal passed him, and, keeping the lead, won the race apparently with ease, beating Wood about two hundred yards, and performing the whole distance in twenty-one minutes and eighteen seconds. Beal is a youth only nineteen years of age, five feet seven inches high, and weighs no more than nine stones and seven pounds.

To run a mile within five minutes requires great agility, and none but swift runners could accomplish it, yet that distance has frequently been performed in less time.

Mr. Wallis, a gentleman residing in Jermyn Street, ran two miles in nine minutes, at two starts, in February 1808. And on the 17th of the same month, a mile was performed at one start by Mr. E. Haslern, in four minutes and fifty seconds.—Captain Anning, on the 3d of March 1809, ran a mile in the same time near Hampton, having been matched against a man named Forbes, from Eaton, whom he beat by two hundred yards.—Captain Hewetson ran two miles on the Uxbridge road, on the 21st of March 1809, at two starts, in three seconds less than ten minutes, for a bet of fifty guineas.—A mile was performed in four minutes and ten seconds, by John Todd, a Scotchman, in 1803, who ran from Hyde Park corner to the first mile-stone on the Uxbridge road.

On the 2d of May 1809, a match took place in Bayswater Fields, between Captain Dacre and Mr. Dawes, for a mile. The bet was twenty guineas on the contest between them, and another twenty that the captain should not go the distance in five minutes. They started at the fire of a pistol, and ran together until within a hundred yards of the end, when the captain made a push, and won by about two lengths, the performance having occupied four minutes and fifty-six seconds.

Mr. Francis Martin, Tewkesbury, ran half a mile in two minutes and eight seconds, for a wager of one hundred guineas. The time allowed was two minutes and a half. Bets were two to one against him at starting, but he accomplished the task apparently with ease.

On Friday the 6th July 1804, a well contested match for a mile, took place between Lord Frederic Bentinck, and the Hon. Edward Harbord, for a bet of one hundred guineas. The ground chosen, was from the second to the third mile stone on the Edgeware road; and they started about three o’clock, P. M. The race was closely run for more than half the way, when Mr. Harbord, owing to superior strength, gained considerably on his antagonist, whom he left at a great distance behind. The mile was accomplished in five minutes and a few seconds. On Tuesday following, his lordship ran a match against Mr. Mellish over the Beacon Course for fifty guineas, which he also lost by about fifty yards; Mr. Mellish having performed the distance in thirty-eight minutes and ten seconds.

On the 1st of June the following year, Mr. Harbord again entered the lists as a swift runner, against Lord F. Beauclerk. They started in Lord’s cricket-ground; but the distance being only a hundred yards, and his lordship getting the advantage at first, Mr. Harbord was unable to make up in so short a space, and lost the match by two yards.—But he afterwards ran the same distance against Mr. Lambert, whom he beat almost without a struggle. On the 15th of July 1807, Lord F. Beauclerk beat the Hon. Mr. Brand in a short race, in Lord’s cricket-ground, the latter gentleman becoming quite WINDED[17] before he had run fifty paces.

The Hon. Colonel Douglas of the Forfarshire militia, is a swift runner. He accomplished a mile within five minutes, and has performed shorter distances with great celerity.

Curley, better known by the title of the Brighton Shepherd, is a swift runner for a short space. He ran a mile at four starts in four minutes, on Clapham Common, in October 1807. He was beat, however, by Grinley the boot-closer. They ran a match, in November 1805, of one hundred and twenty yards, on the walk leading to the gates of Kensington Garden, which was accomplished in twelve seconds and a half, Grinley beating his antagonist by half a yard. On the 25th of August next year, they again ran one hundred and twenty yards at Hampton Court Green, for a bet of one hundred and twenty guineas, which Grinley also gained by two yards, performing the distance in twelve seconds. Curley was more fortunate in a match which took place on the 22d of June 1807, with Cooke the soldier, whom he beat by two yards, on a distance of one hundred and forty.

Cooke performed two hundred yards in twenty seconds, on the 19th September 1808. He entered into a match with a gentleman of the name of Williams, to run that distance in Lord’s cricket-ground, for a wager of fifty guineas. They both started at the same instant, and kept together for the first hundred yards, when Cooke took the lead until they did fifty more. Mr. Williams then came up with him, and they ran elbow to elbow for another forty yards. Cooke again took the lead, and kept it to the winning-post, beating his adversary by a yard and a half.

Lieutenant Hawkey, and Mr. Snowden of Nottingham Street, ran a well contested match on the 14th of November 1808, for a bet of fifty guineas, which was gained by the latter gentleman.—And Skewball, the famous Lancashire shepherd, performed one hundred and forty yards in twelve seconds, near Hackney, in February 1808.

Captain Aiken has acquired considerable celebrity as a swift runner, and for any distance under five miles, his performances have been seldom exceeded. He undertook three matches for fifty guineas each: 1st, To run one hundred yards within twelve seconds; 2d, To go two hundred yards in twenty-eight seconds; and, 3d, To do a quarter of a mile in one minute and twenty seconds. He started on the Uxbridge road, on the 23d of June 1809; and the first match he lost by a second; the next he won with difficulty; and the third, he gained by two seconds. He performed a quarter of a mile on the Twickenham road, in one minute and fifteen seconds; and on the 26th of July 1809, he started for two bets of twenty guineas each; first, to go a mile in five minutes, and after an interval of one minute, to run a mile against Mr. Sullivan. The first he accomplished in two seconds under the time; and the second he performed in five minutes and twenty-five seconds, beating his antagonist by about one hundred yards. In the month of November the same year, he ran four miles on a spot of ground near Maidenhead, in twenty-three minutes and fifty seconds, for a wager of one hundred guineas. On the 5th January 1810, Captain Aiken beat Mr. Athol by one hundred yards on a mile, which he performed in five minutes and twelve seconds; and on the 19th of November, he did five miles in twenty-nine minutes and fifty-four seconds, for a wager of fifty guineas. He also performed one mile and a half within eight minutes, on the 4th of March 1812, at Ashford, for a bet of one hundred guineas.

Lieutenant Fairman is a noted pedestrian, but his performances are not so astonishing as those of many others, who of late years have distinguished themselves either by their great strength, or uncommon agility. He is remarkable, however, for undergoing a great deal of fatigue without any refreshment.

He took a bet of one hundred guineas with Colonel Lockhart, that he would go sixty miles in fourteen hours, on Friday the 9th November 1804. A single mile of the race-course at Ipswich was measured off, and he started at two o’clock in the morning. He went the first seventeen miles at the rate of nearly six miles an hour, when he refreshed. He then went off in good style, and did thirty-two miles, including the stoppage, in six hours. He halted here for some time, having been rubbed down with hot towels, his feet soaked in warm water, and his body bathed all over with spirits. He shifted his clothes and breakfasted. He again started about twenty minutes before nine, to perform the remaining twenty-eight miles. He went twelve miles farther, when he halted for a few seconds, and ate a piece of bread steeped in Madeira. This stage was finished in about three hours, which left him four hours and a half to the last sixteen miles. He stopt once more at the end of ten miles, and took a small piece of bread as before. He had now only six miles to go, which he did in one hour and forty-eight minutes, accomplishing the whole distance in thirteen hours and thirty-three minutes.

During the performance of this match, Lieutenant Fairman, contrary to the practice of other pedestrians, refused to take animal food. His breakfast was tea and toast, and when he stopt to refresh, he ate only a small piece of bread steeped in Madeira.

On the 12th January 1808, he performed upwards of twenty miles in four minutes less than three hours. He started from Cumberland Gate precisely at eleven minutes past ten o’clock, to go to Harrow, and back, which he accomplished by seven minutes past one.

This gentleman’s style of walking is peculiar, and therefore deserves to be mentioned. “His arms are compressed, and pinioned close to his sides, and their weight is supported by a loop pendent from each shoulder, into which he places his thumbs.”

Lieutenant Fairman carried his pedestrian spirit into the regions of the torrid zone, and in defiance of a tropical climate and a vertical sun, he entered the list’s with a Mr. Grant, of the colony of Curacao, (August 1808) whom he completely ran down in two hours and twenty-five minutes, having gone upwards of eleven miles without halting or refreshing. His adversary, who is a native of the Indies, presumed on being able to bear the violence of the heat better than Mr. Fairman, and consequently appointed twelve o’clock mid-day, for the commencement of the contest. But he was mistaken, and obliged to acknowledge the superiority of the European pedestrian, who candidly confessed that although he had been successful, yet he experienced more distress from this performance than he had ever done in Europe, in accomplishing feats of infinitely greater speed and continuance.

Captain Agar may be considered one of the most celebrated pedestrians of the present day, either for a short or a long distance; and he lately accomplished a very arduous undertaking. On the 13th of June 1809, he matched himself for one hundred guineas, to go five miles within half an hour, and to walk, heel and toe, the first five minutes; which he performed on the Staines road with considerable ease. But his greatest feat was the accomplishment of fifty-nine miles in eight hours and a half, which took place on Tuesday the 7th of April 1812. He started from his residence in Kensington, to go to Blackwater in Hampshire, and return, for a stake of two hundred guineas. He arrived at Ashford Common in two hours and ten minutes (seventeen miles,) and refreshed at Englefield Green, in five minutes less than three hours from starting, (twenty-one miles.) He continued steadily going on until he did half the journey in four hours and four minutes. After being well rubbed, he resumed his undertaking, and went seven miles an hour tolerably true, but was much distressed during the last two hours. He completed the distance, however, winning his match by three minutes within time, so that the fifty-nine miles were accomplished in exactly eight hours and twenty-seven minutes.

Captain Agar also lately performed a very extraordinary undertaking. He matched himself for a bet of two hundred guineas to go three hundred miles in four days. He started from the Edgeware road on the 1st of June, and did ninety miles within the first twenty-four hours; eighty the second day; seventy-two the third; and fifty on the fourth day. He was much distressed during the last day’s performance.

Mr. Jaques, on the 3d of October 1807, walked fifty miles in eight hours, near Honslow Heath. He went nearly seven miles the first hour; thirteen, in two hours; twenty in three hours; and the remainder, in two hours. Half the distance was performed in three hours and fifty minutes; and Mr. Jaques won his match, quite fresh, although he appeared to be much fatigued when he had gone only thirty miles.

With the exception of Captain Barclay, Abraham Wood, of Mildrew in Lancashire, holds the first rank among pedestrians. He is a remarkably fine, tall, well-made man, and is not only a swift runner, but is also possessed of good WIND and great BOTTOM. In April 1802, he ran against John Brown of Yorkshire, four miles on the York course, for one hundred guineas, which he won in twenty minutes and twenty-one seconds. Wood was the favourite, and the bets were five to one on his success. Brown, however, five years before, (the 16th January 1797,) beat Wood in a race of four miles, near Knavesmire, by about a distance, having performed the whole in twenty-one minutes and thirty-five seconds. But some liquor having been given to Wood just before starting, he fell sick at the three-mile-stone, and, owing to this circumstance, it was supposed he lost the match. On the 23d of August 1802, he ran four miles for four hundred guineas, against William Williams of Ruglyn in Glamorganshire, over Lautrissent Course in Wales, which he won easily. Betting was even at starting, but after running two miles, twenty to one were offered on Wood.

On Monday the 14th of June 1806, a match for four hundred guineas was decided between Wood and Jonathan Powlitt, a famous Lancashire pedestrian, in favour of the former. The parties started to run five times round what is called the four-mile course at Doncaster; and for the first mile they ran elbow to elbow; after which, Wood took the lead for about forty yards, and continued so till nearly the four-mile winning post, when Powlitt made an exertion, passed him, and led for about ten yards, when Wood again took the lead, apparently with ease, and, passing his antagonist several yards, continued to leave him for the remaining three rounds.

Wood did not appear to be the least distressed, and ran the distance in fifty-one minutes and twenty-four seconds, Powlitt being nearly a minute longer. The distance was exactly nine miles, one-quarter, and three hundred yards; twice round the course at Doncaster being three miles, three quarters, and thirty-two yards.

The rounds were as under:

Before starting, and in returning the first round, bets were two to one on Wood; in the second round, five to two, and three to one; in the third round, five and six to one; and afterwards, twenty to one on Wood.

In October following, Wood undertook to run twenty miles in two hours and a quarter, which he performed on the Brighton course with great facility in two hours, five minutes, and a few seconds. He ran the first ten miles in one hour and one minute, which turned the betting in his favour; for at starting, it was greatly against him. A few days afterwards, he ran a quarter of a mile in a minute, and performed it with apparent ease about a second within the time.

On Thursday the 16th of April 1807, this noted pedestrian ran forty miles over Newmarket heath, in four hours and fifty-six minutes, being four minutes within the time allowed to perform the match. He ran the first eight miles in forty-eight minutes, and the first twenty miles in two hours and seven minutes. The stake, it is said, was five hundred guineas; and, during the race, the odds were two and three to one in his favour. He ran without shoes or stockings, and had only a pair of flannel drawers, and a jacket upon him. He did not at any time appear to be fatigued, and few of the riders were able to keep their horses up with him.

Wood’s next sporting performance was his match with Captain Barclay, in which he failed. But as a particular account of that match shall be given, when we treat of Captain Barclay’s performances, it is not requisite at present to notice it farther. On the 12th of May 1809, Wood gained a severe and well contested race with Shipley from Nottinghamshire. It was run over Knutsford Heath—the distance four hundred and forty yards, which was performed in fifty-six seconds; and so close were the competitors, that the judges were for some time doubtful to which of them they should assign the stake, (being two hundred guineas); but finally it was determined in favour of Wood. On the 9th September 1811, Wood ran a two-mile match with Joseph Beal, which he lost, as previously mentioned in page 76.

Of all the celebrated pedestrians of the present day, Captain Barclay is deservedly the most famous, both from the variety and difficult accomplishment of his performances;—and the next Chapter shall be devoted to his astonishing exploits, of which a particular and faithful account shall be presented to the reader.