434 



RECREA TION. 



both arms. I learned that one should not 

 be too brave on his first cruise, nor expose 

 even his arms to the sun. 



At our Wayland camp we were visited by 

 the owner of the land, who asked us to pay 

 50 cents for the privilege of camping. The 

 amount was cheerfully paid, for there was 

 a fine well of delicious water and the top of 

 a stove on the ground. The latter was per- 

 fect. We placed it over 2 logs, started a 

 fire, and could thus use our kettle, tea pot, 

 and a wash dish all at once. This was much 

 better than the regulation little camp alco- 

 hol stove. 



The next day at noon, in a heavy rain, we 

 entered the quaint old Concord river at the 

 historic town of Concord, Mass. A short 

 time was devoted to dinner, after which we 

 pushed on, with the hope of making Lowell 

 that night. We saw the statue erected to 

 the Minute Men of the Revolution, but we 

 had a poor opportunity to appreciate Con- 

 cord and its vicinity, for the paddling was 

 done in a drizzling rain. We passed, far- 

 ther on, the stone marking the scene of the 

 last of King Phillip's Wars. The rain came 

 down so heavily we were obliged to give 

 up the idea of reaching Lowell. Near by 

 was a summer hut. The occupants took us 

 in, giving us full permission to use their 

 stove and eat our supper under cover. As 

 my arms were quite sore, I was detailed to 

 cook while the others attended to the camp 

 and bedding. After a hearty supper and a 

 game of cards we bade good night and 

 good bye to our kind hosts, for they were 

 to start, shortly after sunrise, for Boston. 

 We had a rule that a guard should sleep at 

 the tent entrance. The Doctor was guard 

 that night. When he awoke the next 

 morning he found a large cake of ice, about 

 a pint of rye whiskey, half a pineapple 

 cheese and half a pound of crackers, with 

 a note from our host, asking that we ac- 



cept them. They were most welcome, for 

 our provisions had become somewhat 

 dampened the day before. We reached 

 Lowell early. There we had our canoes 

 carried across the city and put into the Mer- 

 rimac river, below a place known as Hunt's 

 Falls. We stopped not for dinner, but 

 pushed ahead, reaching Lawrence after 

 dark. There we stayed until next morning. 

 From Lawrence to Haverhill is a short 

 paddle, through a charming part of the 

 Merrimac valley. Between those towns 

 we had more rapids to contend with. We 

 took the wrong side of the river, making 

 our trip more adventurous. From Haver- 

 hill to Newburyport was without incident. 

 At Newburyport we lay off for a day, rest- 

 ing ourselves for the most adventurous por- 

 tion of our cruise — the ocean trip. 



Leaving Newburyport early in the morn- 

 ing we soon reached the entrance to Plum 

 Island sound. The tide was just right to 

 carry us through to the Ipswich river. 

 Then we were on wide ocean in a 16 foot 

 canoe. Any one wishing to make this 

 trip will enjoy it, hugely, if he strikes the 

 wind off shore, as we did, skirting the coast, 

 running into Squaw river. We camped in 

 the quaint old town of Gloucester, feeling 

 quite elated over our successful run on 

 part of the broad Atlantic. The next day 

 was the last, but proved the worst of our 

 cruise. A start was made at sunrise. Pad- 

 dling was good until Boston light was seen 

 in the distance. From that on the canoe 

 rolled and pitched as it never did before. 

 As we approached the upper harbor we 

 saw Deer island, and envied the prisoners, 

 secure on dry land, while we, drenched to 

 the skin, having committed no crime, were 

 forced to battle our way up to Boston. 

 Shortly after sunset 2 canoes put into East 

 Boston and 4 tired, drenched, well tanned 

 canoeists sought their respective homes. 



IN ROBIN TIME. 



LEONARD HULIT. 



I'se a lis'nen fo' de singin' ob de robins An' de bull-frog tunes his fiddle to de mu- 



In de trees; sic ob 



An' a countin' ebery hour 'til de dronin' De stream, 



Ob de bees; While de daisy buds am bustin' an' de 

 For my heart goes a little faster when de meadow 's 



buds Gittin' green. 



Begins to sprout, 



An' de " pussy willows " whisper dat de Maybe it am only fancy, maybe it am 

 time am up Solem' fac'; 



For trout. De comin' ob de spring-time seems to set 



old Time's 

 Da's a pickaninny feelin' comes a creepin' Clock back: 



trough Fo' de many happy voices dat floats on de 

 Ma knees warm 



When de whip-poor-will am callin' low be- Sou' breeze; 



neath Sets me longin' an' a lis'nin' for de robins 

 De bloss'min' trees, In de trees. 



