264 THE SEA. 



"good try" but failure made by Johnson, to swim from Dover to Calais. Webb commenced 

 by an excellent swim from Dover as far as the Varne Buoy, about mid-channel. On this 

 occasion he remained four and a half hours in the water. His first public swim was from 

 Blackwall Pier to Gravesend, a distance of twenty miles mere child's play to him. After 

 considerable practice he made a trial trip from Dover to Ramsgate, remaining in the water 

 nearly nine hours. He now publicly announced his intention of attempting to swim to Calais, 

 and he received a considerable amount of encouragement as well as well-meant advice to make 

 the attempt. A number of extraordinary precautions were recommended to him one, how- 

 ever, being sensible enough : that being to cover his body with a coating of some kind of 

 grease. On the Ramsgate swim he used cod-liver oil, and, on the first Channel attempt, 

 porpoise oil. 



The second attempt of Captain Webb to swim across the Channel took place on August 

 24th, 1875, and was crowned with success, after a display of unequalled courage and physical 

 endurance. At four minutes to one o'clock on that day he dived from the steps at the head of 

 the Admiralty Pier, Dover, and at forty-one minutes past ten a.m. next day he touched the 

 sands of Calais, having remained in the water, without even touching a boat on his way, no 

 less than twenty-one and three-quarter hours. 



During the early part of the journey Captain Webb was particularly favoured by the 

 weather. The sea was as calm as a mill-pond, and there was not a breath of wind. The 

 lugger which accompanied him across the Channel had to be propelled a considerable distance 

 by oars. The swimmer was accompanied by two small rowing-boats in immediate attendance 

 upon himself, one containing his cousin, Mr. Ward, who supplied him occasionally with 

 refreshments, and one of the referees, who had been appointed at Webb's own request to see 

 fair play; the other boat was used for the purpose of conveying messages to and from the 

 lugger. 



Everything went on favourably till nine p.m., when Captain Webb complained of 

 being stung by a jelly-fish, and asked for a little brandy. He had previously been supplied 

 with some cod-liver oil and hot coffee. The weather still continued perfect, and the intrepid 

 swimmer proceeded at a good rate, taking a long, clean breast stroke, which drove him well 

 through the water. Owing to the phosphorescent state of the sea, he was sometimes almost 

 surrounded with a glow of light. At 10.30 he was visited by a steam-tug, which had put 

 off from Dover for the purpose, and which, strange to say, left the man who had ploughed 

 through the waves for over nine hours without even the encouragement of a parting cheer. 

 At 11.45, however, a Dover boat, on its way to Calais, gave cheer after cheer to greet him, 

 and one of the small boats burnt a red light, which cast a ruddy glow over the scene, and 

 illuminated the water all around, the face of Captain Webb being lighted up by it, so that he 

 was distinctly seen by all on board the Continental mail boat. 



At two o'clock next morning Cape Grisnez light seemed close at hand, and Captain Webb 

 was still bravely struggling on, although at this juncture the tide not merely impeded him, 

 but was sweeping him farther and farther from the shore. He, however, showed signs of 

 fatigue, and young Baker, a well-known diver, sat with a life-line round him by the side of 

 the referee, in case of accident, as it was supposed by many that the long exposure to cold 

 might cause Webb to become suddenly numbed and insensible, and so sink without a moment's 



