HOW I SWAM THE CHANNEL.”

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 29, 19 September 1911, Page 8

HOW I SWAM THE CHANNEL.”

BURGESS TELLS THE STORY. To use his own words, Burgess'was once within an ace of failing to accomplish his great cross-Channel swim. Speaking of his achievement to the newspaper 'representatives by whom lie was .interviewed after returning to liis hotel at Deal, Burgess declared that he had covered fully sixty miles as a result of the zig-zag course ho was compelled to take. He went on to say: “I should have' icon able to cross twice but for the idvorsd currents. I had a terrific ight with them, and was once within in ace of failing. “When 1 was approaching Capo Trisnez 1 mot with a strong outward let, and was forced to alter my course three times. After rounding the set I found slack water, and then 1 kntw t was all, right. “It was Just slack tide when I got in, and if I had not managed it tiion L might have drifted to Calais. It ■ opk three’full and Iwe part tides to carry me over, “I was severely stung several times with 1 jellyfish, and once in midcliannol, after a spell of sickness, I felt heart-broken'; 1 hut my pulse quickened and brought courage to me to! persevere.’? U : n Once under the lee of Cape Grisncz he swam hastily: ashore, the journey haying occupied 23hv. 40miu. Upon fining his feet he stumbled a few steps, but was able... to walk -without assistance, and appeared to ho remarkably fresh. ■ Burgess iis a native of Yorkshire, cut for s'hme time past lias been a naturalised''French subject. The present was his sixteenth attempt to cross tho Channel. sillier i