WALKING ROUND THE WORLD.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4434, 14 August 1901, Page 5

WALKING ROUND THE WORLD.

Mr George M. Schilling arrived in Kobe, Japan, on the 21st May. on his selfimposed task of walking round the world, having now (says thjo Kobe “Weekly Chronicle”) completed some twenty-three thousand miles. Mr Schilling says he is doing this for a wager, tho conditions of tho wager, made in 1897, being that he should walk round tho whole world in the space of four years, and without begging, borrowing or spending a cent., should return to New York with 5000dol in cash. Ho started out on August 3rd, 1897, attired in a suit made from newspapers and absolutely penniless.

Landing at Nagasaki in the early part of this month, Mr Schilling proceeded on foot to Moji. and crossing the straits to Totuyama, walked to Kobe in. eight days. While stating that he has been well treated by the people, he complains of the undue attention which he obtained from tho police between Toknyama and Kobo. At Toknyama Hr Schilling called at tho police office to obtain the official stamp to a sort of passport which the United States Consul at Nagasaki gave him, and there a policeman was told to accompany him until tho jurisdiction of tho office endodWhen the limit was reached another police station was visited and another police, man took up the work of guarding, tho second man being substituted at tbe next station for another, and so on until Kobo was reached. Mr Schilling says that it made him feel ns if he were in, custody. Rut though he assured the officials that ho could get along very well alone, it made no difference, ns the police determined that he should he guarded in. his own desnitc.

Possibly they had some suspicion that a man who could undertake such, a journey on such conditions needed some on* to look after him. We must confess that we do not blame them. These roundthe world expeditions, without money and without scrip, anpear quite destitute cf utility. They show a certain amount of endurance in .their subjects, doubtless, hut it seems to us that it might bo turned to better account than in tramping round tho world to fulfil the terms of ft foolish wager. As will bo seen, tho four years within which the Journey was to be completed bave nearly expired, and there is still a good portion of the world to ho covered before Mr Schilling lands in New York. We understand that he has been allowed an additional year, but even this seems insufficient.