2GG THE SEA. 



failure even at this point was possible, a steamboat put off from Calais, and her commander 

 placed her in such a position that she acted as a kind of breakwater, for the sea was running' 

 so high that it nearly swamped the boats accompanying him. One last struggling exertion 

 and he touched ground, so weak that he could not stand. A couple of men instantlv went 

 to his assistance, and he was able to walk slowly ashore. When the Calais boat left he 

 was comfortably asleep, a medical man watching by his side. 



" I can only say/' says Captain Webb, "that the moment when I touched the Calais 

 sands, and felt the French soil beneath my feet, is one which I shall never forget, were I to 

 live for a hundred years. I was terribly exhausted at the time, and during the last two 

 or three hours I began to think that, after all, I should fail. On the following day, 

 after I had had a good night's rest, I did not feel very much the worse for what I had 

 undergone. I had a peculiar sensation in my limbs, somewhat similar to that which is 

 often felt after the first week of the cricket season; and it was a week before I could wear a 

 shirt-collar, owing to a red raw rim at the back of my neck, caused by being obliged to 

 keep my head back for so long a period ; for, it must be remembered, I was in the water 

 for very nearly twenty-two hours." * 



When Webb returned to London he met with an enthusiastic reception. In the City he 

 was welcomed by the same uproarious heartiness that Tom Sayers less deservedly received 

 after his fight with Heenan. The cheering and hand-shaking of Webb began at the "Baltic," 

 increased in warmth at " Lloyds/' and culminated at the Stock Exchange, where " bulls " and 

 "bears" were eclipsed by the lion of the day, and whence he had to beat a retreat to 

 save his right hand from being wrung off. 



The following will show the value of ingenuity in the midst of great danger. It 

 occurred at a terrible wreck, which took place on the coast, in the sight of hundreds of 

 powerless spectators : " In the midst of these horrifying moments a man was observed 

 to jump from the wreck into the sea. It was concluded by the watchers that he had 

 voluntarily destroyed himself to avoid dying by inches and hunger. After all, who could 

 blame him ? It was a question of only an hour or so, for hope there appeared none. But 

 the crowd was agreeably disappointed, for the man held his head up in the midst of the 

 hissing surges boldly, and although he disappeared every moment, yet by the aid of good 

 glasses his head was seen to bob up again, a conspiciious black object in the surrounding 

 foam. Expectation stood on tip-toe. Would he reach the shore? was asked by a hundred 

 voices in an instant, and everybody was anxious to do something to assist a man who 

 so nobly tried to assist himself. The minutes that followed were intensely exciting ; every 

 movement of the swimmer was eagerly noticed, and it was with difficulty that several generous 

 spirits were prevented from dashing, at all risks, into the sea to his assistance. Slowly, 

 but surely, the poor fellow approached the shore his head well up yet. He is just within 

 the outer tier of the breakers poor fellow ! he will stand no chance now. See, he is caught 

 by a monstrous wave he rides upon its crest, and is urged rapidly towards the beach ; 

 the horrid wave curls and breaks; he is rolled head over heels; he is gone. No; he rights 



* It will be remembered that Captain Webb has since remained respectively sixty and seventy-fico consecutive 

 hours in the water, with, of course, little attempt at natatory exertion. 



