A LONG TRAMP.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2490, 1 May 1909, Page 3

A LONG TRAMP.

ROUND THE WORLD ON/FOOT. A VISITOR FROM HOME. “I’m walking round the world and my name' is Seaton —Captain Henry Seaton,” was the manner in which a tall bronzed man introduced himself to a “New Zealand Times” reporter soon after he had landed in {Wellington from the Sydney steamer. He explained further that he had set himself the task of tramping 45,000 miles within six years and also that of earning his living by - the way. It was onMarch 28th of last year, he said, that lie started on his journey by taking boat from Southampton for New York, but it was not until April 9th that he actually began his walk by setting out on loot to cross the American' Continent.. This was accomplished successfully and on reaching San Francisco lie took steamer for Honolulu and thence came on to Wellington by the Manuka. That .meant that after being on the way for just over twelve months he had actually walked about- 8200 miles, or an average of twenty-five miles per day. His total task of 45,000 miles in six years represented an average of twentyone miles per day, so that ho felt sure he would be able to get through all right and have something to spare at the end.

•Questioned as to his programme in the future, he said that hep purposed staying in Wellington for a couple of days and then, moving on to Auckland'. There he would take steamer for Japan, and after walking- from Yokohama to Kobe cross to Shanghai and start on the walk across Asia. .His idea was to go right through China and Tibet into Afghanistan, thence through the Ivhyber pass into India. After that ho would cross Behiehistan, Persia, Arabia and Palestine, and reach Africa by going over the Suez Canal. A - walk the length of Africa to Capetown would follow and then he would take boat to Odessa, on the Black Sea. The walk through Europe would take him across every one of its countries. He expected to reach London-and ,so finish his tramp in about four and a-lialf years from now, or just six months ahead of his allotted time. According to the conditions laid down, lie had to leave England without any money and to earn his living as he went along by giving lectures on his travels, hints on physical culture and exhibitions of club-swinging. Ho had done this in every town so far visited and proposed to do the same in V e.lington before he left. A$ evidence that lie had actually visited tho towns ho claimed to have been in he produced an album which had accompanied him .on his travels. In it lie had induced post office and municipal officials to, sign their names arid impress their date stamps, the latest addition being the signature of the Wellington Town Clerk and the Wellington .municipal St When asked what had induced him to set out on the tour, he said that Jus reason was to show that the thing could ho done. So many had failed to cover the prescribed distance in the allotted time that the papers at Home had stated that the feat was -an impossible one. The “Daily Mail,” however, had sought for a man to attempt the task and he had taken the challenge up. /:.