A LONG SWIM.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue VII, 20 November 1889, Page 2

A LONG SWIM.

■ «■ . The Swedish Beokwith, Professor Gustavo Akey, has just aooomplished a long Bwitn In the Seine, from Oharenton to Bas-Meudon, which is, roughly, about the iftmo dietance as from Blaokwell to Battersea. The professor is oalled m his own country the "human tug boat," as he has a habit occasionally of displaying hie strength and skill by towing twenty pleasure boatß oarrylng two hundred people. The proteHsor has also dietinguished himself by Bwimming across from Denmark to Sweden ; from Oland to Kalmar, m Sweden; ftpm the Grohara lighthouse m Finland to Helsingfors and along the Nova for a distance of about twenty-two miles. He went into the Seine at Aifortville, near the Asylum of Oharenton, at ten o'olook m thejmorning, wearing a shirt, three pairs of troua >«*. boots, and hat. He also kept up to his striot programme by holding a lighted cigar m hia mouth, and when he had finished his " weed " he digested himself of his clothes, and cad only m a pair of drawers ho atruok out "/or hb goal. Despita the fact that the wind was m his teeth Akey awami fast. Behind him, In a flat- bottomed boat, followed Madame Akey and a friend, who (supplied the swimmer, from tim,e. {$

tirao with raw and hard boiled eg«. eoap, and blaok coffee. In a yacht, also accompanying, wer e M. Hasaelberg, a Swoosh Bcnlptor, a » atfaohe of the Swedish Legation, and the jadges. At hßlf.past six tho same evening Abey rorchod BsiMendon; but iaateid of m king for the chore he began to cat onpfMu In the water, each as balancing a glass oq hifl forehead, iolciog up an urn- • ii, ? nd Bmokin X, nutit the epeotators cried ['Asset] Assezl" and begged the Scandinavian aquatic obampioa tocume out of tie water. The professor then landed and entered a room m the Bwimming baths, dried himself with a rough towel, and, having dressed, sat down to a big „ meaj, which he despatched with th« traditional appetite of a plonghman, and 1 then called for more.— Home paper.