CANOEING. 



THE A. C. A. '97 MEET. 

 E. G. M. 



Wishing to miss nothing of the sport 

 and good fellowship which rule at a canoe 

 meet I determined to be early on the 

 ground; so, 6.30 a. m., of August 6, 1897, 

 found me on the wharf at Clayton, N. Y. 

 A steamer flying the well-known A. C. A. 

 signal soon tied up at the station wharf, 

 and a porter with a badge which identified 

 him as being connected with the canoeists' 

 camp, took my checks and my duffle was 

 soon aboard. 



We found several other passengers on 

 the " Pastime," and before we came in 

 sight of the big burgee, flying from the 

 high hill above the camp, we had become 

 well acquainted, as canoeists always do, no 

 matter where they meet. 



We reached the camp, at the head of 

 Grindstone island, in the St. Lawrence, at 

 7 a. m. Every one there seemed still asleep, 

 except a few early bathers. 



The reception committee of 3, in bathing 

 suits, introduced themselves as Commodore 

 McKendrick, Acting Secretary-Treasurer 

 Aitkin and Camp Site Committeeman 

 Morse. Our hand satchels were deposited 

 on the Commodore's " front door step." 

 Then " Camp Site " Morse disappeared for 

 a few minutes and reappeared ready for his 

 daily routine of duty. 



As we had followed the advice given in 

 the Camp circular and had mailed in- 

 structions, in advance, as to tents, cots and 

 chairs, before the thrilling " Mess Call " 

 sounded from the hill top we found our- 

 selves comfortably settled in our canvas 

 homes and ready for one of Caterer Mc- 

 Elveney's satisfying breakfasts. 



Among the arrivals that morning was 

 Ex-Commodore Huntington, who intro- 

 duced us to one of the luxuries of the 

 camp — a swim in the clear cold waters of 

 the St. Lawrence. 



Friday night a special trip of the Pastime 

 brought in the Rochester contingent, under 

 command of Vice-Commodore H. M. Stew- 

 art, with that well-known and most com- 

 fortable war canoe the " Huff," which, with 

 its brightly painted sails, was thencefor- 

 ward one of the features of the camp. As 

 the new arrivals were weary with handling 

 their canoes and duffle several times during 

 the day they accepted an invitation to re- 

 main at headquarters, and at 9.30 there 

 were 9 weary canoeists stretched on cots 

 in the " Home-for-the-Friendless " — a 20 

 x 40 tent, pitched near the wharf. 



Early Saturday morning the New York 

 car arrived under the careful attention of 

 Mr. J. K. Hand, familiarly known to every 

 one about camp as " Jimmy " Hand. 



The camp was so well planned that with- 

 in an hour after landing the men were busy 

 pitching their tents. 



Saturday night a reunion was held, 

 around a great camp fire at headquarters, 

 which was enlivened by the orchestra under 

 the combined leadership of Tommy Hale, 

 of Yonkers, and Dr. Leroy, of Newark, 

 and by vocal selections by the Commo- 

 dore's Squaw Point party. 



Sunday was a quiet day in camp. The 

 incident of the day was the arrival of 2 full 

 manned war canoes from Brockville, 30 

 miles down the river. On landing they 

 were decorated with visitors' badges and 

 were made the guests of the Association. 

 After enjoying the good things to be found 

 in the mess tent, as good paddlers can, 

 they visited the various sections of the now 

 extensive camp grounds. The sight, as 

 they left for home, was one long to be re- 

 membered. The blue waters of Eel bay 

 were dotted with white winged' sailing 

 canoes. 



The Kingston yachts, Chickadee, Hus- 

 tler and Geisha, were manceuvering in the 

 background; the Huff, manned by a full 

 crew with the signal cannon and official 

 bugler on board, and the official steamer 

 Pastime, acted as escort across the bay, 

 the 45 paddles keeping stroke to the march 

 played by the bugler. Before parting the 

 visitors gave 3 cheers fo r the A. C. A. ; 

 which were answered by the signal cannon 

 and 3 and a tiger for the Brockville Canoe 

 club. 



After " Sundown " had been sounded, 

 and the colors lowered, the Huff set sail 

 for Squaw Point and gathered the musi- 

 cians. Then, floating about with many 

 smaller craft the passengers treated those 

 on shore, about the camp fire, to a series 

 of sacred songs. 



An alarm of fire was sounded and No. 1 

 Fire company, under command of Captain 

 Harry Dater, turned out in some seconds 

 below the record time and, making a good 

 run and coupling quickly, put out the blaze 

 before any serious damage was done. The 

 hose reel had been kindly loaned by the 

 baggage master, at Clayton, and did good 

 service during the meet, as many an ama- 

 teur baggage smasher can testify. 



As the clear notes of the bugle sounded 

 " First Post " the party dispersed, and by 

 the time the sleepy notes of " Last P.ost " 

 were heard the camp was in darkness. 



Early Monday morning, the sailing 

 buoys having been laid, the sailing craft 

 were feeling of one another and presented 

 many pretty pictures during the first days 

 of the meet; but as the wind blew very 

 hard, during the last days of the first week, 

 the bay was almost deserted by sailing 

 craft; though occasionally a paddling crew 



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