UNPRECEDENTED BICYCLE FEAT.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 167, 15 November 1876, Page 3

UNPRECEDENTED BICYCLE FEAT.

' A' feat as remarkable and unparalleled in the history of bicycling as that ol Captain Webb in the history of natation was concluded at the Molineiuc "Wolverhampton, bn Saturday, ■ (says the' York Herald).' During the six days of last week, S. Rawson, a plucky young fellow, only, twenty-two years of' ago, the son of an engineer in n considerable way of in ' Derby, has been riding against time in the endeavor to cover 600 miles in six consecutive days. "Working well on Monday, he completed 113 in almost exactly twelve hours, including stoppages for meals and' vest. _ On Tuesday he accomplished 102 miles; and on Wednesday he placed 110 to the credit side of his account. On Thursday it was clear that the enor- . tnous effort he had previously made in a temperature almost tropical had begun to tell upon him. \Neverthele3s, . j' ■; jjg, pushed ahead throughout'the whole of the day, and ran 100 miles, and to ’show what he was capable of, he actnally ran. the last, mite in 3min. 4sec.,; .which' is only four seconds behind Keen’s, (the .champion) fastest mile. ■ Whether he was wise in, making this extra effort in a state of-comparative -exhaustion .is questionable ; certainly ■ the poor fellow got little rest that night. .'.On Friday it was-painful for him to-mount';'he had been galled by: the saddle, and his thighs "and calves ■ ' were/ blistered.- alike ' by ' the exertion ‘ ’ ‘and the ; Sdorching . suni He was in <• pain ;>vU the day, but when the ti,me‘ came to leave off, at night fie ha|l got

over seventy-five miles. The rate at which the last guile .was done, as compared with that of the previous night, was a grcit contrast.. Ihc numoious spectators who had'? daily watched and cneeml the courageous youth were now forced almost to abandon any expectation that, he would accomplish bis task. Rawsou, however, secured a little more sleep than on the previous nig’ht, and seemed in less pain when he began his work on Saturday. He went on and got through fifty miles up to early in the Afternoon, never having ridden at a less rate du ing the day than ten miles an hour. By 5.00 he had scored seventy miles, leaving him with only- thirty to do to come off vLtoiv Considerable excitement now began to appear among the multitude, and much hopeful expectation. The assembly rapidly increased, and under the inspiration ot their sympathetic applause, llawson, after taking a brief rest, began in capital style. By this time a ccuple of thunder storms had gone over and (ho atmosphere was less sultry, but the ground was heavier for the rider. Nobly, however, he pelted on amidst the hearty cheers of the assembled thousands, which went up as from time to time the umpire told out the distance accomplished. By half-past seven he had done 585 miles. He now took a brief rest, and began again in splendid style. The spectators could not restrain their enthusiasm. The fine young fellow sped on at. express speed, and finished the 600 th mile at eighteen minutes to nine, having completed the last filteeu miles :in one hour and one minute. Immediately he dismounted the enthusiastic throng raised him upon their shoulders and carried him in triumph the whole circle of the grounds, amidst deafening cheers.