The Cruise of the Branwen

THE OLYMPIC GAMES by every single member of her population from top to bottom, as was certainly the case in 1906. At least a hundred thousand persons, and probably many more, were massed together, in the stadium and for miles down the course, to watch the Greek champion, Koutoulakis, finish first in this im– portant contest. The shock to the public mind when a Canadian happily cantered home several minutes ahead can only, at this distance, be faintly imagined. There was a gasp of " Xenos ! " (" A foreigner ! ") all round the stadium. As I walked down the course, that was lined with troops for more than a mile through the town, I heard repeated exclama.. tions of H Allos Xenos ! " (" Another foreigner ! ") as two Swedes and an American followed the Canadian. The long-looked-for Greek was fifth, and he was a fellow villager of the hero of I 896. Koutoulakis was not in the first thirteen. The winner was a Canadian, the sixth (Blake) was from Australia, the thirteenth (Cormack) a Scot from South Africa. Sweden provided the second and fourth; France, the eighth. Some time before the finish, while we were all waiting eagerly in the stadium for news, tidings arrived that Daly, the Irishman, was ahead within ten kilo– metres of Athens. This turned out to be un– true ; but when Sherring (who is a small and light– built man) arrived, the maple-leaf he wore upon his jersey looked so like a shamrock that the mistake was easily explained. Daly, who led for a long way, ran on with blistered feet until hardly any skin was left on them and he was compelled 92