IN PERIL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 312, 26 September 1908, Page 12

IN PERIL.

CHANNEL SWIMMER NEARLY DROWNED. WEIRD SCENE OFF THE FRENCH COAST. Tllero was a sensational finish to tho splendid first attempt to swim across the English Channel by James Mearns, tho amateur longdistance champion swimmer of Scotland. He started at a quarter to eight on Saturday morning, August 8, arid his progress was reported by carrier pigeon messages till halfpast two in tho afternoon. A thick hazo settled down after that time, and nothing furthor was hoard .until ho was brought back to Dover on the steam yacht Sea Wolf. Mearns got to within three miles of the French coast after fourteen hours in tho water. Ho wasted no breath in conversation. A oboppy sea punished him throughout the afternoon, and during the last hour it was noticed by those on board tho Sea Wolf that his stroke' had weakened. In reply to inquiries as to his condition, however, he stated that he could go on a bit. The powerful light on Cape Gris Nez just ahead flashed vividly across him and apparently proved encouraging. _ • At length even his bulldog tenacity gave out, and just before ton o'clock he acknowledged himself beaten. His muscles were cranlped, and he could keep afloat no longer. In fact, to the horror of thosd in the yacht he suddenly collapsed. He lost all feeling'in his/hands, and was in danger of sinking. It waS .seen at onco that the greatest care would hale to be taken in getting him out of tho sea in view of his exhausted condition and the long, rolling swell OH the wator.. :Mearlls was dirfectod to swim to the side of tho Sea Wolf, while the small attendant boat, in which wore Wi Kellingley, the Brighton swimmer, and threo others, got as near as possible to him to help him over the side. When, however, he had been assisted on to the ladder of tho yacht,- his -position betweon the two boats was ono of extreme peril. The rolling waves brought the boats into collision time after time, and Mearns was absolutely helpless. He clung to the ladder, half in and half out of the sea, and Awing to the grease With which his body had been oovored. it was impossible to maintain a grip of him from either boat. Added to this, it was almost pitch dark, so that his friends could hardly see him. More than ohce it was thought he had gone under, or had been. Crushed between the boats._ ; Grasping the situation, Kellingley jumped into tna sea with all his clothos on. He dived, and supported the exhausted man r from beneath, lidding him as much as possible against the stern of the small boat. Even then there was the greatest difficulty in getting Mearns on board. Those in the boat were holding him by the arms, but owing to the grease, and the .fact _ that Mcanis could not hold his arms rigid, it appeared every moment' that ho would slip from their grasp, baok ; into the sea. At length a' toWel was brought ;from the yacht and slipped under his armpits, and a long pull from above and a heave from Kelilngley brought him like a log into, the bottom of the boat in a state of .collause. A start was at once made to rub-iim down, , but he complained that he was cold,; and the difficult operation had to be performed of getting him from the small boat on'board the yacht. ' . When this was done he collapsed in a semicohsoious state on deck, but being taken bolow ho was given a warm bath and massaged, and in about an hour had recovered and was in good spirits again. His swim was one of the finest and. most plucky attempts that has been made by any swimmer to Cross 'the Channel. . It. was started from under the South Foreland ■ lighthouse at 7.44 a.m. in excellent weather, hut with a heavy swell on the sea. Mearns is a Scottish international "water polo player, 32 years old, and weighs over J3st. His chest measurement is 46-J inches. His long distanoo stvims include One of 12 hours in a temperature of 48deg., lode'g. lower than that in which ho had to make his Channel swim. Ho makes no great through' the water, but lie swims as though be could go on indefinitely. He is a total abstainer.