453 
P E D E S T 
bridge to Chatham, and back again, being a diftance of 
fixty-four miles, in fifteen hours ; which he performed in 
forty minutes lefs than the given time. For the greater 
expedition, he chofe to go without flioes and dockings. 
July 12, 1809, Capt. Barclay completed at Newmarket 
his (then thought very extraordinary) talk of walking 
1000 miles in 1000 fucceflive hours ; which certainly was 
no trifling exertion, fince he mull have been kept out of 
bed for fix weeks. 
But the talk completed by Jofiah Eaton, in December 
1815, upon Blackheath, not only exceeded all former ex¬ 
periments of this nature, but gave a convincing proof 
that man is fcarcely acquainted with his own capacity 
and powers, and that it needs but refolution and practice 
to effeft even the moft apparently improbable objefts. 
The match completed by Eaton with fo much eafe, was 
imitative of that performed by Capt. Barclay with fo 
much difficulty. Barclay, it is well known, endured the 
utmoft fatigue and pain, and was roufed from his inter¬ 
vening hours of reft by the moft fevere treatment: but 
Eaton was ever found upon the alert; and repaired from 
his refting to the flatting place with cheerfulnefs and vi¬ 
gour. The fame uniform health and ftrength alfo which 
marked his career diftiriguilhed his laft hour’s perform¬ 
ance ; at the conclulion of which he went before the 
lord-mayor, and made the following affidavit, which, 
with other certificates by perfons who witnefled his per¬ 
formance, removes all doubt as to the complete achieve¬ 
ment of this undertaking: “Having undertaken to walk 
1100 miles in 1100 fucceflive hours, on Blackheath, I 
hereby make oath, that I commenced the fame at twelve 
o’clock at noon, on the 10th day of November laft, and 
that from that time to the concluflon of the talk, at 
eight o’clock on the morning of the 26th of December 
inft. I continued to walk eight furlongs every hour, and 
fo on fucceffively, until I completed 8800, which is 1100 
miles. And this I declare to be the truth: fo help me 
God. Josiah Eaton.” 
In the preceding month, namely, on the 20th of No¬ 
vember, one Baker concluded a walk of 1000 miles in 
twenty days. It appears, by meafurement, that Baker, 
in performing the 1000 miles, had made 1,921,920 Heps, 
and gone 8008 times up and down the courfe : on being 
weighed, he had loft, during the time, only one-half pound 
in weight. 
Feb. 11, 1818, a Mr. Howard completed the talk of 
walking 600 miles in ten days. This match is beyond 
the powers of a horfe; and the man was greatly dif- 
trefled at the latter end of his journey. It was for a 
wager of 200 guineas. 
May 9 of the fame year, D. Crifp accomplilhed the ex¬ 
traordinary undertaking of walking to and from Oxford 
and London for feventeen fucceflive days, being fixty- 
one miles each. He performed the whole within fifty-two 
minutes of the allowed time. 
James Bigmore, of Sudbury, in Suffolk, a poor lad 
whole exertions in running by the fide of Itage-coaches 
have been often noticed, accomplilhed an extraordinary 
feat on the 26th of April, 1819. He ftarted from Sud¬ 
bury with the Phenomena coach at half-paft twelve at 
noon, and ran elevfen miles in the fir ft hour. On flop¬ 
ping at the different ftages he took no reft, but aflilled in 
putting in the horfes, and again fet off with alacrity. 
In this manner he kept up with the coach the whole 
way to Norwich, a diftance of nearly fixty miles, where 
he arrived five minutes before feven : nor did he feem at 
all diftreffed, but walked about to view the city. I11 or¬ 
der to breathe freely, he places a piece of cane between 
his teeth, fo as to keep his lips partly open. The only 
recompence he obtains for fo hard labour is the volun¬ 
tary contribution of accidental admirers of his feats. 
In the year 1820, George Wilfon, calling himfelf 
ci the Blackheath Pedeftrian,” publifhed the following 
lift of his feats in this way. 
“April 16, 1813.—At Newcaftle-upon-Tyne, 50 miles 
R I A N I S M. 
in 12 hours, in a fmall flagged yard, 33 feet by 25J, ta¬ 
king 10,300 turns to make up the diftance; and accom- 
pliflied this talk four minutes and forty-three feconds 
within the time ftfpulated. 
Aug. 30, 31, 1814.—At Shooter’s Hill, on the Dover 
road,in the county of Kent, between the feven and eight 
mile Hones, 96 miles in 24 hours, and accompliflied this 
talk 28 minutes within the time ftipulated. 
Sept. 11-27, 1815.—At Blackheath, 7515 miles in 15 
days, and on the morning of the fixteenth day was flop¬ 
ped, by order of part of the magillrates of the diftrift. 
May 23, 24, 1816.—At Cambridge, 100 miles iff 24 
hours, and loft this match by 3^ minutes, owing to a 
very heavy fall of rain, which continued between three 
and four hours. Commenced at fix o’clock in the even¬ 
ing, and finished at fix the following day, on the Hill’s 
road, near Parker’s Pieces, in the county of Cambridge. 
July 10, 1816.—At Norwich, in the Pruflia Gardens, 50 
miles in 12 hours 5 and accompliflied this talk 15 mi¬ 
nutes within the time, in the mid ft of a fevere thunder- 
ftorm. 
Aug. 1, 2, 1816.—At Yarmouth in Norfolk, 100 miles 
in 24 hours, in Vauxhall Garden, North Ferry ; and ac- 
complifhed this talk minutes within the time. 
Aug, 8, 1816.—At Loweftoft, Suffolk, 50 miles in 12 
hours, on the Bowling Green ; and accompliflied this 
tafk 15 minutes within the’time, which took i6| rounds 
to make a mile. 
Aug. 27, 1816.—At Lynn, in Norfolk, 50 miles a-day, 
for 5 fucceflive days, at 13 hours to the day, to begin at 
6 o’clock in the morning and to finifli at 7 o’clock in the 
evening; and was always done within the time ftipu¬ 
lated. 
Oft. 14 to Nov, 2.—At Hull, in Yorkfliire, 1000 
miles in 18 days; which he accomplilhed 2 days fooner 
than any other man in the kingdom, and finiflied his 
talk 40 minutes and 50 feconds within the time amidll 
a heavy fliower of rain, in a garden near the town. 
July 7-26, 1817.—At Manchefter, in Vauxhall Garden, 
which took five rounds to make a mile, 1000 miles in 18 
days, being the fecond time of accomplifiiing this extra¬ 
ordinary tafk. 
March 9, 1819.—At Weymouth, on the Efplanade, 
50 miles in 12 hours; which lie performed 20 minutes 
within the time, on a half-mile courfe. 
June 1, 1819.—At Newport, in the Ifleof Wight, 100 
mile, in 26 hours, which took fix rounds to make a mile; 
and performed this tafk 5 minutes within the time. 
Sept. 20-25, 1819.—At Lewes, in Suflex, 300 miles in 
6 days, at 50 miles a-day, which took twelve rounds to 
make a mile. 
And, laftly, at Chelfea in Middlefex, 1000 miles in 
18 days, with four rounds to make a mile; being the 
third time of accomplifhing this extraordinary talk, and’ 
which he will not again attempt, being 54 years of age 
on the 24th of June, 1820, and having accompliflied fo 
many extenfive and arduous undertakings.” 
1822.—Mr. Barnard Weft, a noted pedeftrian, ftart¬ 
ed at twelve o’clock on Monday, Sept. 30, to go from 
Kenfington to Maidenhead Bridge and back, 48 miles 
in 7 hours, for a flake of 200 guineas. The pedeftrian, 
on his return, halted at Brentford, having the laft five 
miles to do in 40 minutes. He won the match with 
great difficulty, having only three minutes to f'pare. 
A match, which equals any pedeftrian feat on record, 
took place on Wednelday, Oft. 2, in Cranbourn Grove, 
Windfor Foreft. Bumftead, a gentleman’s groom, was 
matched by his mailer for one hundred guineas, to run 
10 miles in 56 minutes. The firft five miles were done 
in 27 minutes and 25 feconds, without vifible fatigue, 
but in the ninth mile there feemed fomething amifs, and 
betting was 2 to 1 on time. It was a momentary lofs of 
wind, which the pedeftrian recovered, and won in 55 
min. 51 fee. having 9 feconds to fpare. 
On Monday, Oft. 14, at Sheffield, a man named Town. 
fend 
