PEDESTRIANISM.

Otago Witness, Issue 1816, 10 September 1886, Page 27

PEDESTRIANISM.

The Six Days» Walking Contest at Eannceston. (Launceston Correspondent Hobart Mercury.) The six days' walking match was brought to a conclusion at 11 o'clock on the 28th ult. in the presence of about 2000 people, Harriman being the winner by one mile, and covering in the six days 448 miles 10 laps. The result seemed to be comparatively certain by mid-day, Harriman being by that time three miles ahead, and showing no greater signs of fatigue than he did on the second day, while Scott was walking very stiff. Still there were many who expected to ccc him make up the distance by some of his sensational spurts, and during the evening he reduced the gap between himself and Harriman by that means ; but the latter did not seem to trouble himself about the result, and kept on at the same steady swinging pace that he had » maintained throughout the contest. From 9 o'clock in the morning both men kept on the track, and some very good .records were made, considering the late ■period of the contest, the pace being over five miles an hour for several hours. By 10 o'clock the pavilion was packed, and Scott was loudly cheered as he gained lap after lap on Harriman, who, however, was too far ahead to trouble himself to respond to the challenge till the last few rounds, when he walked level with Scott at about seven miles an hour for a couple of laps, and the band struck up "Yankee Doodle." Punctually at 11 o'clock Professor Miller fired a pistol to denote the termination of the contest amid a good deal of cheering, though there is no doubt the sympathies of the spectators were more with the colonial than the American. After the cheers had subsided, Professor Miller said he had much pleasure in announcing Harriman as' the winner. The contest was a close one, and he was sure all had admired Scott's pluck and the way he had 6tuck to the track under considerable disadvantages, especially that of having a bad knee. The referee, Mr Bradshaw, then announced the record as above and paid a high compliment to Scott for the determination he had shown. Professor Miller, on behalf of Scott, said he was prepared to walk Harriman or any man in Australia 50 miles and give him one mile start, and would walk any man in the world 50 miles, or for 12 or 24 hours for £100 to £500 a-side. He was also ready to make a match to walk any two men in Launceston for 24 hours, one man to start at the expiration of half the time, and also to walk Harriman 24 hours, 46 hours, three days, or a six days' walking match, walking 48 hoars a day. Three cheers were given for each of the competitors, who briefly replied, and the crowd dispersed,