HOUSE BOATING ON THE SUSQUEHANNA. 



2 53 



of our party being acquainted with the river 

 we ran into this narrow passage way just 

 after dark. Finding it so rough and rocky, 

 we were afraid to go farther and finally suc- 

 ceeded in pulling our boat ashore, fastening 

 our guy ropes to some big stones near the 

 water's edge. During the night a terrific 

 thunderstorm caught us all fast asleep. A 

 violent gust of wind, followed by the driv- 

 ng rain, quickly brought us to our senses, 

 also revealing the fact that we had not se- 

 curely fastened down our cover, which was 

 now "fluttering in the gale. In the midst of 

 it all our boat had broken from its moor- 

 ings, and we were completely at the mercy 

 of the storm. The almost blinding flashes 

 of lightning presented to our view a scene 

 not soon to be forgotten. Some of us were 

 out in the water hanging to the guy ropes. 



ing out just a little above the water's edge. 

 The surface of this rock is as smooth and 

 level as a floor, making an ideal camping 

 place. This might properly be named 

 " Echo Cove." Its qualities in that direc- 

 tion were discovered by musical Joe, who 

 stood on the bow of the boat as we entered 

 the cove, singing in mild, melodious tones 

 that old refrain " Maid of Athens," his 

 voice ringing out over the water was caught 

 up, echo answering echo, until the whole 

 valley seemed alive with Musical Joes. 

 Not only was Joe first in music, but as a 

 fisherman he ranked high. His stories did 

 not require the usual discount of 90 and 3 

 tens, for he always produced the proof. 



Our boat was drifting slowly along with 

 the current one day. Joe seated on the bow 

 half asleep, his line trailing behind the boat. 



CAMP WYALUSING ON SUSQUEHANNA. 



he others vainly endeavoring to hold down 

 he corners of our roof which the fierce 

 vinds seemed bound to carry bodily away. 

 We were all clad in the habiliments so 

 :omfortable for a hot July night. Each 

 ace wore an expression, possibly not of 

 right, but in strong contrast to a smile. 

 Luckily the storm did not last long, but 

 he hollows of our couches were well filled 

 vith water, and little sleep did we get that 

 ight. 



There are many interesting and beautiful 

 amping places along the river — little 

 owns and railroad stations where may be 

 btained the necessaries of camp life. One 

 n the most weird and novel camping places 

 s that known as Keeler's Eddy. This is 

 >n the extreme right as you go down, and 

 inless care is taken you are liable to pass 

 t by unnoticed. It is a deep gorge in the 

 ocks. with a long ledge or shelf project- 



It was easy to draw up his line at the rear 

 end of the boat, fasten 2 large bass to it 

 and drop them into the water. Joe soon felt 

 a tug at his hook and sprang to his feet, 

 shouting, 



"Boys. I've got one!" Carefully and 

 skillfully he began reeling in his line. 



" It's a big one and no mistake." he said. 



As the fish neared the boat Joe saw them 

 and broke out with: 



" Great Ca?sar. there's 2 of 'em! " The 

 explosion which followed upset Joe's 

 usually quiet nerves, and our pilot seeing 

 a rock just beneath the surface, a little 

 distance ahead, ran the boat on it. Strik- 

 ing it squarely our boat stopped suddenly 

 and Joe, who was standing in the bow, 

 went overboard. Being a good swimmer 

 he was soon back on the boat. What fol- 

 lowed then can be easily imagined. 



Joe's aim was always to be first in every- 



