Less than a mile a day?
You assuming they were dragging Barca Loungers and entertainment centers?
Whoever they were, they did nothing but walk and run. On a migratory trek they could do way better than that.
One of the positive things JFK did was establish the Presidential Fitness Program for schools with various goals for pullups, rope climbing, etc. Included running and walking milestones to be achieved. One of the tests was to hike/walk 26 miles in 8 hours or less. Our HS JROTC did 2 of these, with BSA knapsacks carrying lunch, extra socks, and canteens of water...was a walk in the park, even in street shoes and the thin soled tennis shoes of the day.
Check out some of the historic marches of Alexander the Great and Roman Legions carrying war paraphernalia etc.
Ymmv
;>)
My personal best at that distance + 2/10ths was 2:48:45. Never tried to walk it, though!
“Whoever they were, they did nothing but walk and run.”
There was a TV show about a guy that lived in the woods of Washington state. He had a little bit of help from his friends, would do odd jobs for money, etc. But was mostly barefoot, wore buckskin, lived in a stump/cave during the winter, etc.
It’s been some years now, but he started walking away from the camera and the crew asked - where you going? (Obviously planned, but for the sake of entertainment...)
“I’m going to my niece’s wedding.”
“Your niece’s wedding? Where’s that?”
“California.”
“California! And you’re going to walk?!”
“Well, that’s all I do here all day long!”