Two Venetians, Zanardi Ottilio and Vianello Eugen, have undertaken a trip around the world, during which they intend to visit every country, and have pledged themselves not to enter a dwelling house during that time.

They carry a barrel containing a stove and all the implements they need. This barrel serves them as shelter, and they are, according to the terms of the wager they are said to have made, compelled to trundle this barrel before them during the whole trip.

This was written ten months into their odd trip, which was expected to take twelve years. But the only other article I could find about them is on a Norwegian website that seems to suggest (if I’m reading Google’s translation correctly) that they only lasted another month after this article was written before giving up.

But that’s not the sad part. The sad part is this quote: “As companions they took along two dogs which however succumbed to the exertions of the trip.”

ROLLING A BARREL ROUND THE WORLD (PDF)

From June 5, 1910