e of
about six hundred and seventy miles. He was determined to make this trip
in one continuous run, intending it as a feat to test his endurance.
Paul's knowledge of Italian was very limited and his knowledge of the
river he was about to embark on, less. All the inhabitants of Turin
seemed to have turned out to see him start. To carry his provisions,
map, etc., he had a little tin boat made about two feet, six inches
long and eight inches wide. This little craft bore the name, "Irene
D'Ungeria," Irene, belle of Hungary, and was the model from which his
well known "Baby Mine" was the evolution. The weather was cold and the
water intensely so. Its source was the Alps, then in plain view and
covered with snow.

He started on a Saturday morning at nine o'clock. The current was
exceedingly strong, rushing over gravel beds on which he frequently
grounded. The country in the vicinity was very beautiful with high
ground on each side. At every little village and hamlet, he was
received with enthusiastic "vivas" and many were the kind invitations
he was tendered to stop and take refreshments. All these he declined as
he had ample provisions in his little boat for a four day's run. This
boat he had attached to his belt by a line about three yards long. She
behaved very well; but when he reached very violent rapids he was
compelled to pick her up and place her on his legs before him. About
nightfall a lady and gentleman came off in a small boat and requested
him to stop for the night assuring him that the danger in the river
below was very great. It contained many mills under which he might be
carried; but his mind was made up and he went steadily along on his
perilous voyage. The night was very cold and the struggling moon
occasionally lit up the valley. He struck many times heavily on the
rocks and frequently entered false channels. About three o'clock
Sunday morning, he heard a loud roaring noise and supposed it to be some
freight train passing over the bridge at Casale, a village below, which
he considered was then near. About the same time a thick, white fog
peculiar to the Po, settled over the river. Through this he picked his
way cautiously and as the current swept in around the bend of the river,
the noise he heard before seemed to be no great distance away. The
speed of the current seemed to increase and in a few minutes afterwards,
he was shot over a dam and hurled in the tumbling