D, FINNEY, FISHER, or DALTON;
As Long Distance Swimmer our SOLLY stands first,
His wild watery way never tempted to halt on,
Undaunted by cold as by hunger or thirst.
Nine months in the waves, though, no man may enjoy;
So he's glad that at last he's in sight of the buoy.

In November last year he first entered the water,
To start on this special, most arduous swim,
It was cold, with the wind in a winterly quarter,
But winds, like the waves, have small terrors for him.
You remember accounts that the papers then gave
(Here's an extract) concerning this King of the Wave.

"SOLLY (of Hatfield), and SMIFF (who hails from Greenlands), started
yesterday (November 25), for a second attempt--the first having been
a failure--to swim from Tithes Pier to Purchase Point Buoy. It was
an unfavourable time of the year for such an unprecedented feat of
natation, but the Hatfield Champion was confident of success. He is a
perfect whale at long-distance immersions, and has been heard to talk
of 'twenty years of resolute' swimming against stream as a comparative
trifle. His 'pal and pardner,' SMIFF--more commonly known as the
Sanguine Old 'Un--was equally confident. Two boats accompanied the
Champion, in one of which was his trusty Pilot, SMIFF, and in the
other a Party of their 'Mutual Friends.' One thing, indeed, was in the
Hatfield man's favour; his lately cocky and contemptuous competitors
had been 'weeded out' by a fortuitous series of adverse circumstances,
including what SOLLY, in a spirit of cynical but excusable elation,
subsequently called 'that beneficent disease, the Influenza.' The
Irish Contingent, which not long ago looked dangerous, had become so
thoroughly demoralised by mutual hostilities and disputes between
them and their backers, that there was not a single 'Paddy' prepared
to enter the water when the signal 'gun' fired for the start. SOLLY,
therefore, had it all to himself; the performance practically resolves
itself into a trial of his skill and endurance, and the 'Scythe
Bearer' is the only enemy against whom the Great Swimmer has to
measure himself. Indeed, he covered what may be called the first stage
of his long journey with ease, and in an unexpectedly short time.
Nevertheless, it is to be feared that 'later on' he will have to
contend against cold, little or no sun, northerly breezes, &c.; the
'flowing tide' will assuredly not always be with him, and before he
gets to the end o