The journeys of
Leander across the Hellespont are well celebrated in verse and
prose, but this feat has been easily accomplished many times
since, and is hardly to be classed as extraordinary. Herodotus
says that the Macedonians were skilful swimmers; and all the
savage tribes about the borders of waterways are found possessed
of remarkable dexterity and endurance in swimming.
In 1875 the celebrated Captain Webb swam from Dover to Calais. On
landing he felt extremely cold, but his body was as warm as when
he started. He was exhausted and very sleepy, falling in deep
slumber on his way to the hotel. On getting into bed his
temperature was 98 degrees F. and his pulse normal. In five hours
he was feverish, his temperature rising to 101 degrees F. During
the passage he was blinded from the salt water in his eyes and
the spray beating against his face. He strongly denied the
newspaper reports that he was delirious, and after a good rest
was apparently none the worse for the task. In 1876 he again
traversed this passage with the happiest issue. In 1883 he was
engaged by speculators to swim the rapids at Niagara, and in
attempting this was overcome by the powerful currents, and his
body was not recovered for some days after.
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