MAN’S POWER.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5169, 24 August 1927, Page 4

MAN’S POWER.

SINGLE-HANDED EXPLOITS.

ENDURANCE AND COURAGE.

It would seem, after the magnificent achievement of America’s “Flying Fool” that there are no limits to hupian endurance and courage (says F. S. Stuart in the “Daily News”). The experts scoffed at this attempt to control an aeroplane alone over 3600 miles, of storm-swept ocean, but the result has proved again that, when a man is convinced that he can perform a super-human feat, he often does it. And, what is more, that he can do it without the inestimable aid that, the mere companionship—to say nothing of. the active assistance —of another; human being will lend to a desperate adventure.

Livingstone’s lives for ever as a result of his exploration work in the then unknown wilds of Africa. All his later important expeditions were undertaken alone, save for native porters; and at the historic meeting with Stanley, when the American greeted him witli : “You’re Livingstone, I believe ; I’m Stanley,” there was no chance of a. mistake, for, except for the‘relief party itself, the Scottish missionary was the only white man in that part of the continent.

Another missionary who played a lane hand fearlessly was John Williams, who was murdered by cannibals in November, 1839. He became virtual king of the Hervey Islands, and travelled through the Pacific groups hailed as a law-maker and teacher by untamed natives who usually ate white men when they could capture them. The sea has a splendid record of lonely feats. Captain Slocum, an American, sailed round the world by himself in a tiny, nine-ton boat less tlian 37ft long. The sea journey wa-' about 46,000 miles, and the vessel had been rebuilt from a century-old sloop that had been condemned qs unseaworthy. It needs a sailor to realise what this three-and-a-half years’ voyage must 'have meant. He was wrecked, becalmed, chased by pirates, boarded by savages—but completed his journey. Not till afterwards did it become known tliat he could not swim.

Inspired by this feat, a Canadian, Captain Voss, started to emulate Slocum’s achievement in a canoe. He took a seaman with him, but tragedy interrupted the voyage when this man was swept overboard and immediately drowned. Voss finished his voyage alone.

Captain Blackburn crossed from Americq to England in a tiny boat by himself, and this daring adventurer had neither fingers nor toes, having lost them years before from frostbite. It is almost incredible- that thus handicapped he should have been able to steer, row, reef, and manage .the boat in the great Atlantic rollers.

The memorable single-handed passage of tlje Atlantic by the French tennis player, Alan G&rbault, in his little Firecrest is another of the great tales of the sea ; while one of the finest episodes in an heroic service was provided by the Cornishman who stayed nearly six alone in a lighthouse, attending to the light all the time, and saving hundreds of vessels from wreck when the sea was too rough for aid to come to him.

It has been truly said that “A man’s power is bounded only by his, will.”