33° 



RECREA TION. 



would do a half mile over the paddling 

 course. 



The advent of an enthusiastic party of a 

 dozen canoeists from Buffalo, under com- 

 mand of Captain Thorn, added much to the 

 interest of the meet, they being new mem- 

 bers and desirous of having a full share in 

 all that took place. 



On state occasions they all appeared in 

 uniform dress, reminding us of the early 

 days of the A. C. A., when the New York 

 and Brooklyn club men were known by 

 their camping costumes. The buffaloes 

 brought with them their war canoe, the 

 " Quid Pro Quo," and right well did they 

 man her. Seldom was she found on the 

 beach. She was usually filled with a merry 

 party of Squaw Pointers, who had accepted 

 the invitation of the Buffaloes to paddle 

 to some of the interesting points near 

 camp. 



Before the Buffalo boys had been in 

 camp 48 hours they were the darlings of 

 Squaw Point; and the cinder path that ran 

 round the bay, to the South, was a regular 

 " Buffalo run." 



Never before was Squaw Point so popu- 

 lar. The Officer of the Day was besieged 

 with applications, from members of the 

 main camp, who begged to be appointed 

 Squaw Point pickets; and he was con- 

 sidered a favored brave who wore the red 

 badge in the ladies' camp. Some pickets 

 were so zealous in their duties that they 

 never got beyond the first inviting ham- 

 mock, where they would sit and watch for 

 intruders. Others preferred a cold lunch, 

 at a private mess tent, to one of McEl- 

 veney's best dinners when the enjoyment 

 of the latter required that they should ab- 

 sent themselves from the presence of the 

 ladies for an hour. Another, who shall be 

 nameless, spent his hours of duty in an elo- 

 quent reading of his favorite poet to the 

 favored squaws. 



Squaw Point offered much variety this 

 year and the campers there proved them- 

 selves genuine canoeists. At one end of 

 the line we find 10 cruising canoeists, who 

 paddled into camp, set up their little cruis- 

 ing tent and, over an open fireplace, 

 cooked their meals and enjoyed the variety 

 even more than those who relied on the 

 general mess. Another and larger party 

 had their private kitchen where many a 

 wanderer was invited in to partake of bread 

 and home-made jam, or of a bit of rare old 

 Canadian cheese. Still others provided 

 their own breakfast and supper and relied 

 on the general mess for their mid-day meal. 

 This was one of the signs of a return to the 

 simplicity of former years. Other such 

 signs were to be found at the extreme end 

 of the main camp, where a number of camp 

 stoves and fireplaces were set up, and 

 where many and varied tin dishes were 

 hung on the trees. 



I shall not attempt to give the results of 



the several races but shall merely mention 

 them as they impressed me. 



The sailing races were not the attractive 

 feature they have been in other years. The 

 reasons advanced why this was so, were 

 many. Some suggested this was because 

 results in the principal races seemed to be 

 practically settled before the races started. 



There were a number of untried boats 

 and the strong and puffy winds of Eel bay 

 caused others to hesitate. The greatest 

 number of starters in any sailing race was 

 6; and several races were called several 

 days before they were finally given up. The 

 open canoe sailing races produced pleasing 

 contests and, strange to say, the Northern 

 division, the home of the open canoe, was 

 practically unrepresented in these events- 



The paddling races were well contested 

 and in some of them better work was done 

 than has been for many years, at an A. C. 

 A. meet. Particular mention may here be 

 made of the mixed tandem, the ladies' sin- 

 gle and the ladies' tandem; where, though 

 the number of contestants was small the 

 style of work done, by one and all, served 

 as a model for others to strive to reach. 



The swimming race, andthe hurry scurry, 

 brought out better men than have ever be- 

 fore contested in these events. 



The war canoe race was the most excit- 

 ing and enjoyable event of the meet. Vice- 

 Commodore Burns gathered together a 

 crew of sinewy Canadians, in the heavy and 

 slow " Argo." Captain Drake, of Boston, 

 brought his braves from the East and 

 manned that beautiful racing canoe, the 

 " Mabewawa." Captain Thorn, of Buffalo, 

 sounded his war-whoop and shipped a select 

 crew of " Ancient Mariners," who sur- 

 prised us all by making an exciting finish 

 with the leading canoe. This latter was 

 at once dubbed " The Old Men's Home." 



Had I a facile pen I should try to 

 describe some of the funny incidents of 

 the meet; such as the baseball match, in 

 the hayfield, Canadians versus — What? — 

 United Statesians? — in which the home 

 team well upheld the honor of their na- 

 tional game. Who can describe the instruc- 

 tions given the umpire, and several play- 

 ers, by the megaphone artists perched on 

 top of the 2 haystacks that served as back- 

 stops? Here it was that F. M. Pinckney, 

 making a brave steal of second base (a huge 

 bowlder) sprained his ankle and thereafter 

 enjoyed the fun of the camp from a reclin- 

 ing chair, in " Hogan's Alley." 



Shall I attempt to describe the celebrated 

 Hogan's Alley? No, I will merely insert 

 here the ode, composed by the Squaw 

 Pointers, to " the only Hogan," and sung 

 at one of our camp fires by a jolly lot of 

 voices: 



Oh ! sweet Mr. Hogan has beautiful eyes ; 



As deep as two oceans, as blue as two skies ; 



And the glances they cast are like comets' big tails — 



Sure such eyes are quite fit for the Princess of Wales. 



