REMARKABLE PEDESTRIAN FEAT.

Dunstan Times, Issue 653, 23 October 1874, Page 3

REMARKABLE PEDESTRIAN FEAT.

—o—(Pleasant Creek News.) Nothing has caused so much excitement here for some mouths past. as the running of Ably, the French pedestrian. It will be remembered that h«advertised in the News that ho would travel from Stawcll to Ararat and back within five hours, exclusive of one hour’s rest at Ararat. The start was made from Simpson's Hotel punctually at half past 9 a.m,, the challenger appearing in excellent form and thoroughly fit. Nothing further'was heard of him until just before noon, when a telegram was received from Ararat stating that Ably had arrived at the Bull and Mouth Hotel at a quarter to 12 a m , having covered the distance between the towns >n two hours ami a quarter. This give him two hours and three quarters in which to do the return journey, and after the hour’s restat Ararat, be started back at a quarter to one. When near Great Western ho cut his foot, and from liia own account of his trip, fainted. He recovered after a short delay, however, and continued his journey. By 3 o’clock the crowd at the Corner was worth seeing, and both sides of Pstrick-street were lined with spectators. Every one was watching the minute?, as they slipped away without bringing any sign of the traveller, until at la?t tho crowd could he seen to he moving from the south end of the street, and soon after Ably came up, running gamely, and with an elasticity of stop which no one could have expected. Time was known to he nearly up, and until the result was declared the excitement in front of the Commercial Hotel was intense It was promptly announced, however, on the authority of the gentleman who consented to act as time keepers, that the feat Wild been accomplished with a little less than half a minute to spare. The exact time, as recorded by the most exact of the watches, was 4 hours 59 minutes 35 seconds. The distance by surveyor's measurement is about eighteen and a half miles each way, and it must be remembered that this is over bail roads and through hiUy country. The feat is a surprising one, and the runner well deserves the amounts collected for him both here aad at Ararat.