Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 October 1875 — A Remarkable Swim. [ARTICLE]

A Remarkable Swim.

A correspondent of the London-Saturday Review calls the editor’s attention lb a feat of swimming performed just forty years ago—a feat more remarkable than any that the world has eter known up to the time of Capt. Webb’s remarkable natatory exploits. The paragraph, it appears, is abridged from Vol. 21 of the Saturday Magazine of the sth of November, 1842, which runs as follows: 'At about half-past six o’clock on the evening of the 6th of October, 1835, the yawl Increase, manned by nine men, including Brock, capsized in a terrible squall off - the Newark floating-light, at a distance of six miles from the nearest land; seven of the men went down with the boat, and Brock believed himself the only survivor. It was dead low water and the flood-tide would set off’ shore, so if ever he should reach the land he would first drift at least fifteen miles before the ebb would assist him. Still he determined to make the atnwfpt; and puffing his arm through a rush horse-collar (latelyused as a fender to the boat) which floated by, he rid himself by the aid of his knite of his petticoat ffousers, Striped frock, waistcoat and

neckcloth, but did not venture attempting to free himself of his oiled trousers, drawers or shirt, fearing his legs would become entangled, nor of his boots. The horse-collar retarded his swimming, so he left it, and as he swam on to his surprise perceived one of his companions ahead of him. He, too, sank, and Brock waß left alone upon the waters. Winterton light served to direct his cotune, but, the tide eventually carrying hirnbut of sight of it, he made for a bright star in the same position, and with ms eyes steadily fixed upon it continued swimming and calculating when the tide would turn.

The sky became overcast, and a storm of thunder with forked lightning followed. This passed, and was succeeded by a calm. His heavy, laced boots encumbered him greatly, and he succeeded in freeing himself from them. The Lowestoft light came in sight, and occasionally the topß of the cliff beyond Gorlestone on the Suffolk coast were visible. Driven by the swell of the sea over Cross Sand Bridge, the checkered buoy of St. Nicholas Gaft told him he was distant from the land four miles and opposite his own door. The tide did not run strong, and fearing to stay by the buoy, even for a few moments, lest his limbs might not again resume their office, he set off for the shore. Just then he was startled by a whizzing sound followed by a splash in the water close to his eay : ; it was a large gray gull, which mistook him for a corpse, and made a dash at him. The whole ‘ flock came up,

but he frightened them away. Afterward he caught sight of a vessel at anchor a great way off, and to get within hail he must swim over Corton Sands, where, owing to the breakers meeting him, he swallowed a good deal of salt water, but before utter exhaustion some change fortunately occured in, he direction of the swell, and he was driven over the sands into smooth water, and he felthis strength revive so that he could swim to the shore. If, however, he were to attempt this and succeed, there was no certainty of getting out of the surf, or that he could walk, climb the cliffs, or get to a house. If he could not do all this the cold wind would kill him, so he made for the vessel, though it was more difficult than to swim on shore. The nearest approach he could make to the vessel was about 300 yards, and as he was drifting by he mustered all his strength and cried out. His cry was heard, a boat was lowered, and he was taken on board fourteen miles from the spot where the yawl capsized, after he had been seven hours and a half in the water. Once safe he fainted, and for some time continued insensible. Though treated with the utmost kindness Sis sufferings were intense. His throat was in high inflammation and much swollen; round his neck and chest he was perfectly flayed, and the soles of his feet, his hands and his ham-strings were equally excoriated. But in five days he had so far recovered as to walk into Yarmouth to receive the congratulations of his friends and kindred.