By June of 1900, Karl M. Creelman wasn’t just cycling north through Australia — he was stepping into a new role: public speaker. The local press covered the entire evening, and the Montreal Star and the Truro Daily News later picked up the story.
Let me take you back, dear reader:
It was a mild Queensland evening, and a crowd of 70 had gathered in Rockhampton’s Hibernian Hall. There were fewer “wheelmen” than expected, but also a surprising number of ladies in attendance, who seemed keenly interested in the lecture—or perhaps the lecturer?
Sadly, the Mayor—who was to preside over the event—had an “unavoidable absence,” and Mr. Wallace Nelson, editor of The Queenslander newspaper, stepped in. Mr. Nelson explained to the audience that Mr. Creelman was not acting as a promotional figure for any cycle agency, nor was he riding to win a bet or earn a living. He was simply a young man determined to get beyond the “narrow confines of his hometown”, and he had chosen the bicycle as his means of exploration. Sharing Karl “had already proven himself full of pluck, grit, and considerable ability by riding around the world, and now he was attempting to encircle the globe—a feat for which everyone present surely wished him success.”
But before Karl took the stage, the first part of the evening’s program got underway:
🎵 Song: “The Old Brigade” – Mr. H. Portus
🎭 Comic Song: “I Happened to Be There” – Mr. A. Cerr
💪 Club Swinging Exhibition – Mr. R. G. Carter
🎵 Song: “The Little Hero” – Mr. W. Hearn
🎵 Song: “Mary of Argyle” – Mr. J. Murphy
Each performance was warmly received.
The Chairman then formally introduced Karl, noting that the audience was about to witness one of the most interesting milestones in a person’s life: their first public speech. He shared that Mr. Creelman had spoken once or twice at a debating society, which pleased Mr. Nelson—it was proof that their young guest didn’t just train his muscles, but also exercised his mind.
When Karl rose to the podium, dressed in his cycling costume, he was greeted with applause.
He began by reflecting on how ten months had passed between deciding to tour the world and actually setting out from Truro, Nova Scotia. On his very first day, he covered 23 miles—and confessed he had never felt so tired in his life. He doubted anyone had eaten quite the hearty meal he had that evening.
He then “in simple language, unadorned by attempts at oratorical flair—but utterly engaging—recounted the places he’d passed through, interweaving history with tales of both pleasant and perilous adventures.”
What followed, dear readers, were the stories we’ve come to know from his trip across North America:
“The St. Lawrence River was one of the sights I most wanted to see, and when I came to it, it was twenty miles wide. Later, I had to cross 285 miles of sand to reach Chicago. From ‘Porkopolis’ there were some good roads, and on one of the cycle paths I was riding in high spirits. Seeing a cow lying near the path, I thought I’d scare it and let out a wild ‘hurroo.’ The cow jumped up,” continued the speaker, “and I then discovered it was tethered to the fence, with the rope stretched across the path. It caught my machine between the wheels—and I finished ten feet ahead of my bicycle.”
Next came a tale of getting lost on the prairie. Then, being stalked for 23 miles by coyotes—“animals somewhat like Australian dingos.” Though they never got within striking distance, he finally reached a rancher’s hut at 2 a.m.
He shared how he’d been chased by wild cattle and rescued by cowboys, tortured by myriads of mosquitoes while crossing a swamp, and had to wade through rivers. A vivid description of the Rocky Mountains followed—including their deceptive distances. Of the last 800 miles to the coast, Karl followed the railway lines for 300, and after that was snowed in multiple times. Muddy roads followed the thaw, and one day he only covered nine miles—ten the next.
Eventually, he reached Puget Sound and tried to secure a passage to China or Japan. He was unsuccessful—but was accepted as a crew member on the sailing vessel Ivy, bound for Melbourne.
His travels across Australia had been pleasant, but he found Queenslanders more hospitable than those in the Southern States. Rockhampton stood out as the only place where the “boys” had come out to meet him. He was grateful for their kindness and had enjoyed his stay more than in any other town, and offered heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make it so memorable.
He spoke for nearly an hour and was met with warm applause, having held the audience’s attention from beginning to end.
After a few remarks from the Chairman, Mr. Batson proposed a vote of thanks to the lecturer for a most enjoyable evening. The motion was seconded by Mr. P. M. Walker and carried with acclamation. A vote of thanks to the Chairman brought the proceedings to a close.
The next day’s paper remarked:
“We read from time to time of the dastardly deeds of train-wreckers, but we had no idea that travelling through the country on a bike was accompanied by danger to life and property.”
Karl announced at the end of his lecture that he would visit Mount Morgan on Monday and then set off for Townsville.
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