GREAT FEATS BY STRONG MEN.

Waikato Times, Volume XX, Issue 1660, 24 February 1883, Page 4

GREAT FEATS BY STRONG MEN.

Mao is always at the head of any list, ancient 01 modem, of men oi v.i&t physical slioiitl), and liiocauying an ox louiul the fo; urn, and then Avith one Wow from his list killing it, is certainly a i emarkablc fe.it, ; hut histoiy docs not give the weight ot the ox not its size. Our own Topham, a century ago, has tlu> beat English record for many events. One performance of his was clone in Bhmingham, where the Mayor, whose weight was -2ost-, was lifted by Topliam out of lm chair and feet on the table. Another ie.it, w.ib to lift a dining table, six feet long, with f>olb. at one end, with his teeth. Tho County of Kentpioduted thestiongest man in the kingdom about the year 1770. A young faunei's son, byname Ham omit, was vmlo.uhug a load oi o.xto at Y aiding, in Kent, when, for a tiining Miig-n, he under took to carry five sacks at onoa tip a plank into a barge, and only failed by the breaking oi the plank, which plunged him and the oats into the livev. In those days it was not consideicd deiogatoiy to the standing ot a man to engage occasionally in pugilistic onconntcis. Hamount, by degrees discovoiiug that he had the sticngth of Hcioules, was often engaged in combats, and as often came oil' suece'sful, from tho fact of his getting hold of his opponent and throwing him over his shoulder into the air, and almost smashing him by the fall. His fame reached London, and a noted bruiser^ at that period came down into Kent to find out this young Samson. He arrived] in the village and in the evening at the inn lnqmmi 'tor Hamount, and stated what lie wanted to see him for. A tall young man fitting in the corner of the room taid lie knew the man veiy well, and also his strength, and if the stranger would stand up in the room and have a friendly v> restlc he could tell him exactly whether lie would have any chance with him or not. They stood up and got hold ; the young man fixed the stranger, one hand on his neck and the other on his breech, lifted him up and shoved him on the bacon I.lok overhead, quietly looking at him and saying, "I am Hamount." The gieatesl feat refolded of him is tha,t ho engaged for a wager for himself and a hoise to cany a load of wheat aiound Oianbrook market- place— that is to sayfive sacks for each to carry. They st,utcd with the ten sacks on their backs, and the hoi so sweived and fell ; upon which his master quietly said that if he had only known that such would have occured he a\ onld have taken another sack himself. On one occasion, finding a turnpike gate shut and locked at night, he took his horse out of the cut, and hist put the cart over then lifted the hotse over. In oiu 1 own time we had a " Mona. Gve^otio" preforming gieat foats in the West of England ; who, it i-> said in Worcester, had done Mile's kat, of killing a bullock with his fist in a slaughtoi -house ; he could carry 7cwt. I easily) He held a table in the air with his hands and teeth while three gipsies danced and fiddled on ifc. He and Ins brother could bear a sort of wooden 1)1 id<_'C on their shoulders while a cart laden with stones and two horses would be diawn over it. Another modern Samson is Joignery, a Fienchman, who on a ti.ipeze, with his ankles fixed, suspended over a hor.se and rider, would ser/e the stout giidlc holding horse and lider, together, won hi lift them of the giound and hold them for somo seconds, and let them down as easily as he lifted them. — " Athlete'" in Land and Hater,

■\Vai:nkti and his cliilcivcn passed through Munich the other clay in the King's saloon car, and dined in the King's pavilion, while on the same i day Eugenic passed tluough Munich, on her way to Venice, in an ordinary car, and dined in the second-class eating-room of the station. Tick steamer Brooklyn, of the United Stntes Navy, got in the way of a yawlboat, and was citt down to the water's edge and had to be dry-docked for repairs. Now, if thpy will keep that navy on the dry dock it will be comparatively safe, unless the wind blows a piece of tin looting against it. The Government is very careless in trusting its navy in the water where there are other boats. The navy should have trucks on it, and run ashore when it sees a skiff coming. A wr.KMJs'fi-ouT process is going on in the Russian army, Geheral'Vanosky, the Minister of War, endeavouring to remove all the corrupt and tyrannical officers. It is a very difficult <task, but within the last three months some progress has been made, and nine officers, ranging in rank from colonel to captain, have been cashiered and exiled to Siberia for life. At the present time the Minister has seventy-five other oncers on his black list, most of whom are' expected to share the same fate. - The parcel system in sewing machines. — Singer (hand),' £(> Is : Singer's, jmpioved with cover and all extras., £f> 5s :, \V\jrthcim, £4 10s ; Home Shuttle, £3 ; Knitting Machine, £7. How*,' White?, Davis, Sec, always 'in stock at D. SChambers, 70, Queen-street, Auckland, Wholesale and Retail Sewing Jilachine Depot. Where shall I 'buy my furniture and* carpets ?You cannot do botter than purchase, from Garlick and Carnwell,' who have now a* very large assortment of iro> bedsjeds, varying in price from _l(is Oil to to ten pounds, and keep in stock bedding ol all sizes and, kinds. Iheir, large factory is completed, and machinery in full, swing, enabling ithem "to ■ ,tiifrn out furniture quicker and cheaper than hitherto. G. 8c C,> always have ready a largo yaf jety of drawing and) dining-room' suites. Special attention is'yajd.^ to bedroom furniture, suitable to- all classes.* Great variety of i'cnrpfrts,-> 'Kidderminster, Brussels, and itapeptry fro'miii2j ! 6d;no^jyj£rd. Linoulera and oil cloth for halls of f iMa,nchestor | (roods,, S)ipctings,,calicoes, hollorids/toweiling, flanneli,' blanlccts, curtnlm, cretonnes, damask, &p., fcc^ookcatnlogu^fceyitpoiJt free, Ladifs atfd gentteman about to H??rry •will Jind; our, cstaloarup'of erpnt sprvipM,,,<,Qarlick .and Cim-;. well, qfy