MONTE CRISTO SACK TRICK
The sack to be used must be large enough to allow plenty of room for the swimmer to move about. At the bottom of the sack place a number of heavy weights. A hole must be cut at the top to allow the rope to be passed through.
The swimmer gets into the sack, taking firm hold of the loosened ends of the doubled rope and that part of the sack close to it. The assistant then takes hold of the ends of the rope and ties them around the sack. The knots must be made on the other side of the sack from that on which the ends have been passed through. After warning the swimmer, so that he may inflate his lungs, he is thrown into the water. The weights at the bottom of the sack will cause him to sink feet first.
After remaining in the sack a few seconds the performer releases the ends of the rope held by him and pushes the sack open with his hands, when he is free to rise to the surface.
This appears to be a very dangerous feat, but in reality is a very simple one for a good swimmer.
NOTABLE FEATS BY CELEBRATED SWIMMERS
Considerable interest was aroused in the early part of August, 1875, when the statement was made that Captain Matthew Webb, an Englishman who had served as second mate on several ships in the Indian and North Atlantic trade, intended to attempt the remarkable feat of swimming across the English Channel. His first attempt resulted in failure. This took place on August 12, 1875. After swimming for 6 hours 48 minutes and 30 seconds, during which period he covered 13½ miles, Webb was compelled to leave the water owing to having drifted 9¾ miles to the eastward of his course by a northeast stream and stress of weather. Webb started from Dover 2 hours 25 minutes before high water on a tide rising 13 feet 7 inches at that port. When he gave up no estimate could be formed as to the probable distance he would have gone west on the tide.