April 2, 1891.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



21 



AMERICAN CANOE ASSOCIATION. 



OmCEKS, 1890-91. 

 CoMMODOEi:: Walter TJ. Lawsos, Boston, Mass. 



Skcbbtaby-Theasurer: Kalph F. Beazes, 47 Central street, LoTvelJ. Mass. 

 Regatta Cojimittee: J. a. Gage. Lowell, Mass.; VV. G. MacKeridJ'icfc, 

 Toronto: L. B. Palmer. Newark, ]N. 'J. 



NORTHERN" DmSION. 



Officers: 



VIOB-COM.: W. EI. Cotton, Kingston. 

 Reaii-Com.: J. C. Edwards, Lindsay. 

 Puhsee: C. E. L. Porteous, B:ingston. 

 Ex. COM.: Colin Praser and F. H. 

 Gisborne. 



ATLANTIC DIVISION. 

 O.J!ic:ers: 



VicE-CoM.: I. V. Dorland, Arlington. 

 KEAn Coiii : E.D. Atiflcrson, IrejitoD. 

 Puksee: Kieh'dHoliart. Newark N.J. 

 E.X. Com.; H. L. Q\iict and H .M. 

 Kre.'imei'. 



CENTRAL DIVISION. 

 Officers: 



VicE-CoM.: C.V.Wjnnf, Albany, N.Y. 

 Rear-Com.: T. P. Qaridls, Da) ton, O. 

 PORSEB: Howard Bro\Mi,Albany,NY 

 Ex. COM.: J. K. Ealcewell and H. JI. 

 Stewart. 



EASTERN Dn'ISION. 

 Officers: 



VicE-Coji.: J. W. Cartwrlght, Jr. 

 Bear-Coji.: G. L. Parmele, Hartford. 

 Potser: K. Apolloiiio, Winchester. 

 Es.CoM.; Paul Butlei, B. S. Towuii 

 and Sklnej- Bishop. 



Applications for memoerslilp must be made to division pursers, accom- 

 panied by the recommendation of an active member and the snin of ,«;3.00 

 tor entrance fee and dues for cuirent year. Every member attending 

 the general A. C. A. camp .'jhall pay Sl-00 lor camp expense." Application 

 Bent to the Sec'y-Treas. \vlU be torvs arded by him to the proper Division. 



Persons residing in any Division and wishing to become members of 

 the A. C. A., will be furnishea with printed forms ot application by address 

 tag the Purser. 



WESTERN CANOE ASSOCIATION. 



Commodore— D. H. Crane, Chieaxro. III. 



Vlce-Oommodore— N. B. Cool:. ChienKO, lU. 



Bear-Commodore- O. A. VToo inrii, It iyton, O. 



Secret«ry-Trejism-er-J. H. W.ire, r. o Rialto BiUldmg, Chicago, m. 



Applleatious for mcmbor.ship sliould be made to theSec.-Treas., onblanks 

 which may be obttiiued from him, and should be accompanied by §3 as 

 initiation lee and duos for the cm-rcut year. 



FIXTURES. 



MAT. 



16. lanthe, Spring, Wood? ide. 



JtrirE, 



8. Hoisting Sail Competition, 20. Marine & Field. Open, Eath 

 Brooklyn. Beach. 



6. Yonkers, Annual, Yonkers. 37. Rrooklyn, Ann., Bay Ridge. 

 13. New York, Ar«nuaJ. S. I. — . lanthe, Spring, Passaic Riv. 

 30. New \''oik, Sandy Hook Race 



.TtJIiY. 



11-26. W.O.A. Meet, Ballast Island- 



AUGUST. 



0-27. A. C. A. Meet, Lake ChamiiLiin. 



SKPTEMBEH. 



.5. Orange, Ann.. Passaic River. 7. lantlie. Annual, Woodaide. 



7. lantbe, Ann., Passaic liiver. 



THE CRUISE OF THE SHENANDOAH C. C. 



AS DETAILED BY THE COMMODOBE. 

 PART VI. 



WE liad a. pleasant all afternoon's cruise tlirougli varyirg 

 lights and shades, down rapif^s and nvev flsh dams, wi h an 

 occasional mill dam lo portaee. By uh-s time we had gjownso 

 accustomed to the numer' us fish dams that we plumped down 

 right over the m, wlieiever au openuig appeared that was at all 

 promisinji: safely takiue shoots tliat a week ago, and fifty miles 

 furtjjtr up the river, we would have porraged around rather than 

 have attempted. 



The river finally left the basp of the Blue Ridge, with the con- 

 glomeranon of sp dTy railroad tresile budge.':; aod raw. ugly em- 

 narikments or "'ttiU." and deep cuts showiog like red scars tipon 

 the fices of tlie green mountain spurs, to the right; and wound off 

 to the left across the narrow vail y in a sureessiou of serpentine 

 curve?; approaching the base of tbp :\I .tSHnuti.nn Mountains. The 

 banks grew wild and rugged, srtd lines of cl'lfs apoeared here and 

 thert ; ti eir gray stone faces softened and lon^d down with mo.«ses 

 and lici'e is and trailing vines; winh bright scatltt berries showing 

 out vividly fiom among the darit green triangtLliir li-aves. 



A sbaip 'urM to tlie risht prf^^s^ ntcri itself, with a high wall of 

 rugged cliffs along the roncave left b.ink. A peculiar black hole 

 in the ft.ce of iht wall, like the pnssTde entrance to a cavern, at- 

 tracted onr attention; and we gazed at it ctiruiusly as we ap- 

 proai h-- d, with a vie\s of stud ■ ing it more closel ' ; but one of the 

 rougbf tt and roi kubi littlp falls we had e'ncountered in iheent're 

 critisc so engrossed our atttn' ion for i he n^xt quarter of a mile, 

 that we had neiihei- time nor opportuoity f r the iospei tion or 

 Study of licles or caves or anyi hiiig idse tnan the business in hand 

 of getting those canoes dowtt ti.at rocky rip wiihont mishap. 



"This is the place you took for liemple's Falls, Oommodore,'" 

 exclaimed George, as we drifted along on the still, deep water 

 below; elad of a little breathing spell after the rush and lussle 

 with the falls above. 



"Well I'm sure its rough enough for Kemple's or anybody else's 

 fallsl" said Lacy. 

 ''Wnit! ' was tile seuten*'iou8 reply. 



The river wound around to the left again. A mis-sive wall ""f 

 stone towered upward for a couple ■ f tmndred f>. et along the right 

 bank, while the water flo^ved ommcu-lv sn'll aid black at^iis 

 base. We skirted the cliffs and pis-ed steodily on around the 

 low, beavilv -wooded point on the left, and a new vista opened up 

 ■with another tmposiT g line of lofty clilTs on the opposit-, or left 

 side, crowned with a dense mat of evergreens, xshose sombre 

 plumage looked glooaty and forbidding in the fading light. 



The still, black river bioughi up against the base of the cliffs on 

 the left, turned sharply to the right and disappeared from sight 

 down the d^ clivity. 



"That's Kemple's Falls !'' said George. 



We beacned the canoes on the crest of the hig fish dam- which 

 stretched across the river at the head of the falls and took a sur- 

 vey of the river ahead of us. 



We saw a long line of gloomy, perpendicular cliffs stretching 

 straight away down hill along the left side ot the river for over a 

 mile. The river, at the base of the cliffs, spread out to a great 

 breadth, the watery vista fiaally becoming entirely lost to sight 

 in the confused mass of boulders, ledges and busli-grown islets 

 which seemed to terminate the river bed at the distance of half a 

 mile. 



What water we could see was entirely still, with the exception 

 of a tew hundred yards imm-riiately helow the fish dam. which 

 was lashed into fo^m by the reefs and rocks with which the 

 river bt-d was profimely studdfo, while the down hli] grade of the 

 entire vista ol cliffs, water and rocks was very marked. The 

 sun had dipped below the neighboring peaks and walls of Massa- 

 nutton, and this always su'desss gorge loyk<d fascinatingly re- 

 pellant, gloomy and impre-siv? to onr awed eves. 



The cliffs frowned down in stern dtflanee upon the water and 

 the still black water looked sullenly up at the cliffs, reflecting 

 the gray, lichen-covered precipice, with its frowsy mat of trees 

 and bushes, from its dtpins, wlille the bubbles scattered in pro- 

 fusion over its surfcce stood out starrlingly white and distinct 

 against the black surface upon which they floated. The dull, 

 heavy, ominous roar that pervaded the entire gorge added to the 

 somtire impressiveness of tiie place. 



•'What a magnitleeut place for bass flshingl" said George i a 

 awe-struck tones. 



'"Oh, get out with your bass fishing!" exclaimed Lacv. "We '11 

 have all we can do to get our canoes through this hole alive with- 

 out fooline with fishing tacklel Can we make it. Commodore, do 

 you thin Is?" 



" We're going to try," said I as I pushed the nose of my canoe oft" 

 iTom the hih dam, closed my hatches and prepared for action. 



We slipped easily and skillfully over a little gap in the end of 

 the fish dam nest to the wall, and slid down its steeply sloping 

 lace into the foamirii? wafer below, and threaded our way slowly 

 and with great care through the mazes of the reels for the nest 

 quarter of a mile, back paddling steadily against the swift cur- 

 rent. 



"I don't recollect this Stillwater at all," said George, as we 

 paddled csutioualy through the wide, i-till reach below. 



"Nor 1," I replied. "Mv recollection is that wo were hustled 

 down thp entire fall with more speed than caution. My impres- 

 sion was also that the river was narrow through here, while in- 

 stead it is unusually wide." 



"Perhaps tliis isn't the place," suggested Ijacy. "I don't see 

 anything the matter with tnis kind of navieatiun."" 



' Oh. yes-! it is the place; and yo' 'il find all the rough water you 

 •want Jong before you get out of it, too!" I answered as we ap- 

 proached the vast conglomeration of reefs and rocks, which from 

 a little distance appeared to block up the entire river, but witich 

 upon our approach revealed numarous passages and coannels, 

 down which the water surged and roared, while the huge foam- 

 capped waves everywhere reared their white crests among the 

 rocks, and the light mist floated up in their fleecy wreaths toward 

 tbe tree-crowned BiunmltB o£ the oliffe.; 



A narrow little canal hut a few feet in width led close along 

 the base of the cliff, past all these rocks and reefs, down along 

 which the waier shot with arrow-lite velocity, an occasional 

 sharp, whtte-cri-st 'd curl or break In the ot herwise smooth stir- 

 fate showing the presence of a rock heie and there, while at the 

 end of the ' hute, a quarter of a mile away, the hig waves could 

 be seen gamboling and tumtiling about and io>-sing their gleaming 

 foam-oresis h gh in air as though in delight at the approach of 

 two or three callow youths in small boats. 



"This is the 'Devil's Racnpatb'!" said I as I entered the chute, 

 followed by the others. Look sharp for the rocks! There are a 

 few left in the channtll" 



It was a wild, exciting rush down the Racepath— more like 

 coasting a hill on a hand-sl^-d than running a river in a canoe. 

 Cliffs, hushes, trees and rocks shot swiftly oy up stteam in a 

 dazzling whirl as we flew alocg; and the big waves at the bottom 

 got In their work to good advantage before we weie out of their 

 clutches. 



"W'hew:" exclHinied Lacy, paddling alongside and wip'ng the 

 eprsy from liis f.i.i-e. as we reached a breathing place in a quieter, 

 thougli still switt, stretch of waier below. "That was a hard one; 

 "my canoe's half full of watei ! Any more such places?" 



"O yes! wait till we reach the bottom of the talis!" said George, 

 raising the corners of his well-oiled apron and pouring overboard 

 a bucketful of water which was calmly reposing in his lap. 



"How about that full, high bownoAV, Ija' >? I didn't ship a drop 

 of water, and my decks and hatches are barely splashed!" said 1. 



"Here's where we veer over to the right, Commodore. There's 

 the Navigation dam that you jumped last trip," said George, as 

 we approached a long line of reefs and rocks, coming out from 

 the cliff, with more rough water, with a long, low stone dam jut- 

 ting out from tue cliff just above, throwing moat of the water 

 around the open, right hand end. 



• Yes," I rppli> d, "1 recollect I he place well." 



"I wonder we ever got through over there at all without ship- 

 wreck," said George, as we shot swiftly along in the open water 

 on the right sidp. a'nd t^ ok a good look at the labyrinth of rocks 

 and reefs that fllled tUe channel ot the river below the dam, over 

 along the base of the cliffs. 



"So do 1," I replied. "But the water was higher then, which 

 facilitates matters somewha*.'' 



Swifter and rougher grew the river until we fairly flew along. 

 Fish-dams and ledges occurred in rapid succession, allot which 

 we were compelled to take fijing, as the swift rush of the water 

 gave us but scant time to look for a favorable passage over tliem. 

 Our paddles were plied with lightninglikerapidity. Now a strong 

 backward stroke iierc, or a forward stroke to avoid a rock, whos'^ 

 sodden proxiinity was .'■tavrling. Now pausing under the protect- 

 ing lee of a big rock to stitvey the course ahead. Auoo back- 

 paddling gently and cautiously across from one furious current to 

 another or darting swiftly ahead or across to lake advantage of 

 some opportune opening among the rocks, or to plunge headlong 

 over a fall. The uold stone promontory at the lower end of the 

 falls appeared in view around a lit tle turn to the right and we 

 bote rapidly down upon ii; while the still, csltn waters of the 

 Ne%vpori mill pool appeared invitingly and restfully at the foot of 

 the watery slope down which we were rushing. 



A small hotiSd' stood near the right bank, with a rickety tVnce of 

 poles surrounding the small, scant, rock v clearing around ihe 

 house. A cow in company witn a good-siz d calf stood c ilmiy 

 ntar one corner of the house; a number of chickens were already 

 roosting on the btick fer ce. An old dog barki d lazily at us from 

 the front yard, and a rouple of men were watering four or five 

 harnessed horses, evidently fresh from the field, in the still water 

 in front of the liouse. the whole scene below looking invitingly 

 pastoral and ri SLful to u> in our harassed, nervous, excited stale. 



With a mighty roar and plunge the river fell over a massive 

 boulder-studoed ledge in a series of irregular cascades, several 

 feet m height, and the falls were ended. A hig Navigation dam 

 extended out from the clitfs a short distance above the faU, 

 around the right hand end of which the water flowed clear of ob 

 siraction and slid rippling down the descent over a shallow gravel 

 bar or reef. It did not look de"p enough to float a canoe, but 

 George, wno was in the lead along here, at once declined the dam 

 and the fall and took this shoot, and prrmotly stuck hard and 

 fast on the gravel bar. After a few vigorous but fruitless shoves 

 with his paddle in toe endeavor to force his canoe os^er, ha disem- 

 barked and waded down the shallow slope, with his canoe, 

 lightened of his weight, drifting before him at the end of her 

 stern painter. 



Wnile I hesitated to observe the success of his venttire, unde- 

 cided whether to follow him ortake the tall, the relentless current 

 carried me so clo=e on to the dam that 1 had no alternative tmt to 

 take it. It was an unusiiilly high dam and there ws no promis- 

 iug shoot or opening iu its cre-twit'dn reach, and I had no time 

 nor opportunity to loo'< for one, so I drove my canoe ahead onto 

 the dam— over the broken, rocky crest of whid the water fl nved 

 freel.s— with all the power I p -ssessed, hoping by the impetus to 

 drive her over. Her bow slid well over the crest of the dam when 

 shf struck upon a rock nearly amidsbip upm her starboard side, 

 with a cra-.h that 1 felt certain had smashed in her entire hide, 

 then hung txembling for a moment upon the verge of the dam, 

 while 1 lost no time in springing out upon the rocks alongside, 

 narrowly escapir g a disistrous capsize. 



' Is soe sma-hed?'' asked bacy, as he shot by me, prudently fol- 

 lowing George down the gr . vt l slope. "1 don't know," said I. as 

 I held the Frankie carefully up on the edge of the dam and made 

 a hasty examination to s.-e if there was enough left of her to 

 carry me ashoie in some way, for t was pretty well out in raid- 

 stream, with about as swift and rough a piece of river ahead of 

 acd around me as the average canonist would care to see; and to 

 my great relief I found she was entirely uninjured by the terrific 

 blow the had sustained. 



I slid my Canoe down ever the dam imo the swift water below, 

 where she lay pointing directly down stream. It was impossible 

 to get her up broadside to the dam, so that I could get m, in f lie 

 rush of watt-r that -^et from the dam down over t.hn falls which 

 were but a few yards away, so I pulled the end of the anoc up as 

 close to the base of the aam as p issible, and then qui kly apd 

 carefully "coonfd" it along the stour ridge of her deck and 

 scrambled into the cockpit and my seat just in time to secure 

 control of the canoe before she reached the fall. 



I dropped easily over the f nil into a little terraop some 3 or 4ft. 

 lower than the level above, formed by a huge boulder set right in 

 f ront of the fall, then twisting my canoe around sharply to the 

 right, with more dexteri'yahd promptness than I had thought 

 possible considering her usual obstinacy upon this point, 1 glided 

 smoothly out around the lower end of the rock and down the 

 sloping outpour from the little terrace and joined George and 

 Lacy floating restfully up jn the still water helow, and the falls 

 were successfully run. 



'■A rough place up there, gentlemen!" .=aid one of 1 he men on 

 horseback to us, with friendly interest, as we drifted slowly past. 



"It is thai !" replied George. 



We turned and looked back up the hill doM'u over which we had 

 just arrived. Viewed from below it didn't seem possiblp that 

 anything in the shape of a boat could come through such a place 

 and live. 



We wpre all pretty well tired out as we paddled along gently 

 down through the deep still miU pool. The day's cruise had been 

 an unusually long and arduous one, and the severe tussle with 

 the falls had just about finished us; and for my part I felt that I 

 would not paddle my big l eavy canoe another mile for it thrice 

 over, and we hailed with joy the appearance of Nev/port mills — 

 our camping place for the night— around the bend but a short 

 distance away. 



Twilight was stealing its shadowy folds around us, and render- 

 ing softly inaisttnct the more distant objects, save where a soft 

 red glow iu the western sky brought out the dark outlines of tlie 

 neighboring peaks of Massanutton into sharp prominence against 

 it, While their steep, rugged .slopes and spurs were shrouded in a 

 smooth indiKtinguishaole veil ot purple shade that covered alike 

 the bo'd headlands and deep valleys. 



We shot the Newport mill dam at the right hand end, where it 

 was not far down to the water b^low, wdth scarcely a pause. Im- 

 mediately below it, in the swift water, I was startled and roused 

 by a sharp splash behind me, while a shower of water flew over 

 my face and neck as a big bass jumped h'eh out of the water and 

 came down with a thump upon the deck of my canoe behind me, 

 but with a vigorous flop he was off again and back in his native 

 element before I had recovered sufficiently to lay violent hands 

 on him. 



We had a difUciilt passage down the short hut troublesome 

 rapid below the dam, during which we all had to take to the water 

 bef'Te we got through, and as we pulled up to the bank by the big 

 soring helow the rdill and landed, I really felt more dead than 

 alive, and Lacy forgot to fell George that 1 was going to sell my 

 canoe this winter and build a smaller one, as they kindly and 

 good-naturedly did all the heavy vork of the camp, such as 

 carrying the canoes and camp duffle uo the hank and placing 

 them in position for the night, while I devoted my remaining 

 energies to the welcome tasK of gf tt'ng up as good and plentiful 

 a supper as our really liberal resources would permit. 



The air was chill and the fog was steaming up from the cold, 

 black surface of the river and wreathing up among the tree tops 

 when we turned out next morning; and the hoarse roar of the in- 

 , TlBible lolU dam and repida above as was ominoualy suggestive, 



and had a depressing effect upon our already depressed spirits. 

 Wp were in no hurry for the inevitable wresile with ttie Columbian 

 Falls, which we well knew lay in wait for us— fully as rough 

 as Kemplb',s Falls, and a mile and a half long— at the very 

 outset of our day's cruise, just around the bend a mile away. As 

 the sua put in an appearance and dispelled the mist, and the river 

 threw off its black, frowning aspect and smiled brightly in his 

 oaressing beitms, and as t he menacing, too-suggestive roar of the 

 fog-veiled dam took upon itself the ordinary common-place drone 

 of the fully revealed mdl dam but a couple of hundred yards away, 

 and the rapid rippled and murmured musically as its waves 

 sparkled in the sun, flashing hack his rays in countless points of 

 light, our usual ouoyancj and careless love of adventure speedily 

 returned to u<; and the further encouraging stimulus of a good 

 breakfast of fried flsh (tor we soon f lund that, although bass 

 wouldn't strike in mudiiy water, chubs, suckers, perch, and other 

 small fry were not so fastidiouh; and while perhaps i;ot as gamy 

 were at least fully as filling), soit-hoil^d eggs, buttered toast and 

 hot coft'ee effectually dispelled what little depression of spirits re- 

 mained, as the natural result of our severe tus le with Kemple's 

 Falls so late in the evening of the day before, at the close of an 

 already long and ard uous day's ciuise; and we felt fully ready to 

 tackle anything not absolutely impassable. 



We idled around onr camp duties in a leisurely way, as we had 

 but a short dav'.s cruise of 10 m'les to make— the plan being to 

 camp at Massamition and walk over and visit the Caverns of 

 Luray— and it wa.^ 9 o'clock when we filially embarked. 



"Well, here we are!" said George, as we turned the base of the 

 mountain spur to the left, a mile below our late camp, the 

 jagged, tree-clothed heights towering imposingly above the calm, 

 tihtck depths of the river at the base, studded with great masses 

 of moss-grown bush-covcred rocks, looking double in the stiU 

 water, as though thev had fallen, ages ago, from the heights 

 above into the depths below in a vain attempt to stem the course 

 of the river; and the tumbling and foaming slope of the Colum- 

 bian Falls lay bright and gleaming in the morning sunlight before 

 us, the gi-eat rapid being finally lost t > sight to the left around 

 another point of the mountain spur nearly a mile below. 



"Well, this is flue!" said Lacy, closing and fastening his hatches 

 and pulling his waterproof apron welt up in front of him. while 

 George was not slow in following his example, and I smiled a 

 superior, satisfied smile and remarked to the effect that people 

 who will crui«e in pumpkin seeds must put up with the discom- 

 forts incidental thereto. 



We felt fresh, and in the mood for the fall«, as we paddled boldlv 

 up and headed our canoes— one at a time— over the verge and 

 straight down the smooth pitch, and began the long, exciting 

 descent. We first had a wiid, exhilarating rush down a steep, 

 but tolerably smooth, slope, reminding us of a greatly magnified 

 repetition of the Devil's Racepath and containing nothing worse 

 than a couple of fish dams, which we jumped without tarrying to 

 inspect very closely, at the bottom ot which we found a hundred 

 yards or so of big waves, whose flashing crests had attracted our 

 attention as soon as we rounded the point above and sighted the 

 falls, and from whose tumultuous caresses I was fain to quickly 

 close my own hatches and aoron. 



This was followed by a considerable expanse of still water, 

 through which we paddled Inisurelv, stopping at a beautiful 

 spring, nesrled in a shady bank, the beauties of which for camp- 

 ing purposes we all admired. 



"Now 'he nest half mile is a bad one," said George, as we pad- 

 dled out from the spring and approached ihe wall of reefs, rocks 

 and low bushy islands that extended across the river below the 

 still reach. 



"Why, is it rough?" asked Lacy apprehensively. 



"Not at all," said I. "It is simply the most interminable series 

 of reefs and ledges 1 know of <m the entire river. I never have 

 been able to find the channel, but think it goes in here in the mid- 

 dle; at any rate, I'm going to try here." 



"Well, I'll try over here toward the right hank," said George, 

 suiting the action to the word. 



"I tnmk you're wr'ing," 1 ivplied; "but it wUl do no harm to 

 tiy. The .'•lack water from the Columbia Dam used to come over 

 this," I said lb Lacy, who had followed me. "You can see the re- 

 mains of the dam down there now, at the foot of the reefs, half a 

 mile below." 



"What became of the mill?" asked Lacy. "I don't see any signs 

 of it." 



"It went out with the dam, iu the great flood of '70," I replied. 



We found fhe reefs verk' troubl-some and gieat care and pa- 

 tience were required in order to thread our way through their 

 mazes. Tue passages of clear water through their generally 

 parallel lines led us from the middle of the river close in to the 

 left bank, when, before getting too close in, we took advantage of 

 favorable little gaps or openings in the irregular "saw-tooth" 

 ledges, as thf y are tei m-d, and sUpp ;d further out into the river, 

 to again be led back to the proximity of the bank =ome distance 

 further down. We found no ivgular boat c annel, hut the tactics 

 we employed zigzagged us through the reefs without welling our 

 decks or much more than occasionally .^craping our keeis. 



"Now." said I. as we r mnded fhe p3int and passed the remains 

 of the old dam an-i the final stre'ch if he falls lay before us, "we 

 come to the worst part of the falls. Alt .\ ou ua.ve to do is to keep 

 cool, keep your hatches closed, dodge the rocks and hold her back 

 all you can. Look out for the big fish dam at the bottom of the 

 faltt!" 



The remaining half mile was a tumultuous mass of foaming, 

 splashing waves, profusely dotted with black, threatening rocks 

 and bouiders of all sizes and shapes, around and against which 

 the waves beat and stormed, and over which they threw theii' 

 angiy crests in driving fheets of spray; and after we had safely 

 leaehed the hottom— not without several severe thumps apiece in 

 sp'te of skill ;.nd catt — we were glao to make a landing and go 

 ashore and stretch our cramped legs under the soade of the wil- 

 lows and rest our tired arms, which fairly ached from the con- 

 stant back-paddling. Whili wi^ w»ited for George, w no was still 

 fioundei ing around among the ledges half a mile away above the 

 rough water, we I't a cigar apiece and strolled up the bank along 

 the foot of the falls and watched him wiih interest as he came on 

 down, his little canoe rising and falling like a duck among the 

 big waves, and riding them equally aswll. Now she was lost 

 almost entirely to sight, again rising so high on the crest of a 

 wave that half the hull was visible, with the water streaming in 

 sheets from her decks and closed hatches. He soon came shoot- 

 ing down past us at the lower end of the tall, plumped down over 

 tue big fisU dam at the foot and pulled up to i he dam helow and 

 joined us. as tired as we were and fully as glad of a chance to rest 

 a short time after his severe exertions. 



"I stopped all night once up at that house there on the hill," 

 said 1 as we lay idly in the shade resting and finishing our smoke, 

 in which George had speedily joined us, and as I spoke indicating 

 a large, coiufortablt-looking two-story brick mansion, occupying 

 a commanding position on the bluff, overlooking the river and 

 the falls, and but a < ouple of hundred yards or so from the river. 



"Commodore, you appear to have sto'npi d considerably along the 

 river," Lacy remarked as ue refilled his pipe and struck a match 

 on his boot heel and lit It. 



"Well, yes," I r< plied, "that first cruise of mine was rather an 

 eventful one, and if I gained nothing else, 1 certainly gained a 

 large store of experience which has been tiselul to lue ever since." 



"D da't you do any camping at all on this cruise?" 



"Only one nigbt, alihougii 1 had a lent and camping outfit with 

 me. I had intended to camp every nitrht, of course, hut one thing 

 or another occurred on diftereat evenings that rendered it advisa- 

 ble to seek quarters at some farm house or other rather than 

 camp." 



"Y'ou found no trouble in getting accommodations I suppose?" 



"Not a pariif le. I found the people at the better class of farm 

 houses invariably gtnerous and hospitablp. freely taking me in for 

 the asking and giving me the best the place afforded in the way 

 of supper, lodging and breakfast, and refusing all pay, although, 

 of course, I always tendtred payment." 



"Old Virginia hospitality Is proverbial," said George. 



"Yes; I don't know that the people of this State are any more 

 soihan the peoole of other States, but Idoknow that their reputa- 

 tion for hosiritality is well deserved. The country people are sim- 

 ple and direct in their manner towartl a stranger, and if they give 

 an iuvita'ion they mean it." 



"One of the most valuable lessons I learned on this cruise was on 

 this point. It happened this way. VVay back up at one of the 

 North River dams, while making a landing to scout aiound for 

 assistance in portaging the dam, I carelessly lost my paddle over- 

 board, and it was swept over i he dam, .and as the water was high, I 

 was unable to recover it, and as a matter of course, mv cruise was 

 in a fair way to end right then and there. By a piece of undeserved 

 good fortune, however, I found a cooper shop at the mill, and the 

 cooper in the course of three or four hours or so, whittled me a 

 new pa die out of a piece of pine fencing, for which, by the way, 

 he cnarged m • the psTrbitaat sum of 3.') c nts. 



"Well, during my detention here the dinner hour came, and the 

 proprietor of the mill, who had taken cmsiderable interest in my 

 cruise, and who had, in the course of conversation, loarued who I 

 was, kindly invited me to his residence near by to dine with him. 

 It was my first day out on the cruise, which you will remember, 

 was my first cruise, and being enthusiastically full of the idea of 

 living entirely in my canoe and upon my own resources, and, 

 moreover, helog accustomed to the mere empty formality of snob 



