MO 
We had ascertained the rate from the agent at Auburn, 
where one boat was shipped, and figuring from this, as 
our boat weighed i6olbs. with all fittings, we had expected 
to pay:about $3.20. I don't know whether the Auburn 
agent was mistaken, or whether I had in some way mis- 
understood him, , but the bill at Clayton, was $8, and we 
found nothing to do but to pay it, under protest. (When 
, we returned at the end of the cruise, we shipped the boat 
by freight via the steamer Arundel and the L. V. R. R. 
at a cost of only $1.94.) 
Besides that, they had knocked a hole in the canvas by 
some carelessness. This we repaired hurriedljr, and under 
difficuUies. and then launched the boat, the express office 
fortunately being close to the river. 
Our intention was to sail for a small island (No. 27) 
m the Admiralty group near Gananoque, Ont., about eight 
miles nearly due north of Clayton, and as we had a strong 
west wind it would have been easily done in one long 
.reach but for the fact that midway in the river Grindstone 
Island interposed its seven or eight miles of length and 
two or three of breadth, so we decided to sail as close to 
^ the wind as possible, and endeavor to round the west end 
' pf ' Grindstone — if necessary, by making several tacks. 
(Grindstone Island extends much further west than I at 
that time supposed, and I doubt whether we could have 
' accomplished this at all that day, even had the accident 
which I am about to relate not happened.) 
We had just passed the lee of Calumet Island about 
one mile north of Clayton when H. and I by chance got 
to talking of what we would do in one or another kind 
of accident or emergency, and H. asked me what we would 
do if we sprung aleak in mid-channel. I replied, "Make 
for. the nearest shore" (nearest in the sense of the one to- 
'. ward which the wind would quickest take us) ; "if the leak 
■ was near the waterline, shift ballast so as to keep the leak 
out of water if possible; bail out the boat with the small 
• tin pail. Lastly, if th« water gained on us rapidly, with 
iieither land nor help near, sacrifice the heavy luggage by 
throwing it overboard, and trust to the air tanks to keep 
our heads above water until heljp came." Just as I finished 
" speaking I glanced down and saw a tiny stream of water 
'' ti-ickling in about at the L.W.L. on the starboard side 
-some 3ft. from the stern — -the patch we had put on at 
Clayton had come ofT._ We then had an opportunity to 
put my plan to a practical test, and as our boat's swiftest 
'^course was reaching, we sailed due north and landed on a 
;''very rocky shore on Grindstone, a little west of Kendall's 
' Point. ^ We arrived there before it had become necessary 
to begin bailing, but our danger was by no means past — 
we grounded on rocks in a heavy sea before really reach- 
' irig shore, and to prevent our boat being dashed to pieces, 
had to jump out instantly in water nearly waist deep and 
Carry our luggage ashore, afterward helping the boat by 
' hand to a slightly better landing a few rods off. In the 
■'■excitement and hurry I managed to cut m.y finger very 
"badly on a rough edge of the metal centerboard, which 
" I had drawn clear out of the trunk and was trying to 
throw ashore. My finger bled profusely, but H., who is a 
master hand at tying a bandage, bound it up for me, and 
■ then by a sudden inspiration wrapped it again, outside of 
the first bandage, in a piece of bicycle tire tape which we 
' liad with us just by the merest chance. This proved a 
fnost excellent thing to resist wear, water and dirt, and 
saved ine from being completely disabled. Afterward H. 
repaired the broken stem of my pipe in a similar manner 
with' entire success. 
A good canvas boat will stand vastly more banging and 
-' scratching without harm than one would imagine — usually 
" it takes either a real cut or a long continued chafing in 
the same spot to make a puncture. We often ran on 
rocks, during our cruise, but sustained no further harm. 
H. cooked our first meal — of bacon and eggs, bread and 
butter and coffee — while I repaired the leak in the follow- 
ing Tiianner : Melting some resin in a little iron ladle and 
• adding a trifle of lard, I immersed a small piece of canvas 
' in the hot fluid and laid it on the outside of the leak (the 
;^fein of the boat being thorough!}' dried in the sun by this 
time). Smoothing down and pressing the patch with 
. two small flat sticks, it hardened in a few minutes, and 
never gave us any further trouble. The reason the first 
patch didn't hold was, that having no conveniences at the 
express office for melting resin and lard, we had tried to 
do the job with some cement from a bicycle repair shop. 
After dinner we lay down under some oak trees on the 
bank, and had a good rest, and about 2 o'clock we tried 
to;start out again, but the wind had meanwhile freshened 
^P. a gale, and on rowing out a few rods to get clear of the 
' rocks before setting sail, we found it so abominably rough 
ajid choppy that we thought best to turn back. Held 
y council and decided it would be a very pleasant place to 
camp over night on the grassy bltiff under the oak trees, 
about 20ft. elevation above the water, and near plenty of 
. pines, cedars, etc. _We were not exactly in the wilderness, 
, however, there being a farmhouse thirty or forty rods 
from us, and we thought it best to get permission from 
the owners before camping on their land. They not only 
fave_us pe:rmissiQn with readiness, but were exceedingly 
ospitable and kind to us in many other ways during our 
stay; Returning from the farmhouse we set about making 
•a, camp. Our tent was merely a piece of heav}' canvas 
6>x.i2ft., which, when stretched over poles and tacked 
lightly to them, made a roof, back, and front curtain to 
a sort of shanty about 7 x 6ft. ground plan, about ift. 
hjgh at back and S or 6ft. high in front. The sides were 
made by driving down several stakes and weaving a num- 
ber of green boughs among them after the fashion of 
basket work, piling leafy boughs outside against these 
walls to the depth of a couple of feet. The camp-fi.re is 
built about 6 or 7ft. from the front of tent, and its 
cheerful warmth and light is reflected down from the 
shanty roof upon- the occupants within. This idea we got 
from Nessmuk's "Woodcraft," and we wholly agree with 
him that for real comfort and convenience it is superior to 
any A tent, wall tent or closed tent of any description. 
The erection of this shanty called for a good supply of 
light noles and logs, and in the search for these we ex- 
plored this vicinity of the island. Proceeding inland we 
fmmd a r6cky shore, followed by a grassy bluff, which in 
turn wa=: "^nomi succeeded by a wall of rock a few feet in 
height— hardly enongh to call a cHff — and this hv a larger 
Cprfticcy plateau well .sprinkled with boulders. The,se same 
"fpfit"ro^ occur again and agnin on this and several other 
Tof fhe larcTPr 5«1afid^, as we afterward observed, 
■ We fotmd. bv the way, some wild gooseherrfes, tob 
tersli and! priefely. to eat f aw, but which, at H,'.'; ,sn^ge.=i- 
FOREST AND STpisAM. 
tion, we stewed with sugar and found they made a deli- 
cious sauce. The prickers were in evidence, even after 
long boiling, but we found it possible after some experi- 
ments to press the pulp out from the skins and throw 
away the latter. We cut a quantity of evergreen boughs 
with the intention of picking off the browse for our 
bed.. There were several kinds — pine, hemlock, cedar and 
arbor-vitse, and we took all at first indiscriminatelj', but 
soon found the bark of one kind (was it the cedar? I 
regret that I am no botanist) to be full of irritating 
points—not exactly thorns, but very painful to the skin. 
We accordingly rejected this kind as bedding, but found 
it useful to pile against the outer side of our side walls, as 
before described. 
By the time this work was completed it was supper 
time, and when we had eaten supper and washed the 
dishes and gotten together a good supply of wood for 
night, it was already dark, and wc spread our oiled sheets 
out on the browse, and being very tired crawled into our 
sleeping bags and turned in. B"ut our camp-fire shone 
bright and cheerful under the oaks, and we soon were 
surprised by friendly callers. I must digress a trifle here 
for reasons that will presently appear, to describe our 
sleeping bags and clothes. The former consisted each of 
two bags about 2}i x 6Hft., the inner one made of cotton 
sheeting, the outer one of a thick gray woolen blanket, in 
addition to which we had a couple of waterproof oiled 
sheets (prepared by painting with boiled linseed oil, and 
then drying for several weeks), which we usually laid 
down to keep off the dampness of the ground, but which 
sometimes on a cold or rainy night we wrapped around us. 
After several experiments in the line of dress and undress 
we found it most satisfactory to wear a suit 
of underclothing at night in .our .sleeping bags. 
In the daytime we wore thick woolen sweaters, bicycle 
trousers with golf stockings and cloth caps with visors. 
I w^ore light rubber-soled canvas slippers, which proved 
exceedingly convenient and comfortable, though they had 
the disadvantage of wearing out rapidly on the rocks. H. 
found his thick leather shoes rather slippery in climbing 
rocks, and it took them far longer to dry when wet— also 
in case of an upset, light slippers are far easier to swim in 
or to kick off entirely. We each had a sack, coat and 
vest, but seldom wore them except when we went to town 
for provisions. 
But to return to our visitors. We had disrobed and 
clad ourselves in underclothing and sleeping bags and then 
crawled out from our shanty to sit by the fire a few 
minutes before really lying down to sleep. The fire 
diffused a pleasant warmth, but was not blazing and 
crackling, because we had made it carefully so as not to 
spread and throw sparks. As we sat by the glowing 
embers, our sleeping bags falling in easy folds down to our 
waists, there came along the shore and up the bluff, first 
a little boy or two, then one or two young men, a gir? of 
about fifteen and a young lady perhaps ten years her 
senior. _ They sat down and chatted with us for an hour 
or so in the most friendly ^ manner, and never noticed 
our decidedly negligee costume. We.<- learned afterward 
by chance, from one of the little boys, that in that dim 
light the}' thought we had on gray flannel suits, the 
blankets being for extra cosiness. Had we known at 
the time how completely they were deceived in this re- 
spect, we would have been spared niuch inward em- 
barrassment. All our visitors except the younger girl, who 
was a guest from Philadelphia, belonged to one group of 
families, and bore various relations to each other, such as 
brother, sister, cousin, step-brother, second cousin and so 
forth, to an extent quite confusing to a stranger, but the 
thing that impressed us most was that all the men in these 
families were captains and pilots on various steamers with 
the exception of one single individual, who was a farmer. 
When they had taken their leave, we turned in and slept 
well. 
From this point I shall copy from our log, the letter P. 
representing the writer, the letter M. the third member 
of our parti' — a large blond, good-natured Swiss, who 
added 20olbs. of ballast to the Beetle Avhen he stepped 
aboard, and who spoke German, French and English all 
about equally badly, but who withal was good company 
and a jollj' felloAV to have in camp. 
July 19. — Picked and cooked wild gooseberries. A little 
boy named Byron came and made friends with us. Sailed 
back to Clayton this afternoon to see if M. had arrived, 
but he wasn't there, so we sailed back after dark, Tried 
to use a bicj'cle lantern for a light, but it was put out by 
the wind and wave tossing. It was very dark, but by sheer 
good luck we found our camp without trouble. Byron 
had promised to light a fire to guide us to our camp, but 
he forgot it. Some of our new acquaintances very kindly 
sent us over a disli of fresh-picked blueberries. 
July 20. — Moved our camp about one-quarter mile east 
to a pleasant grove on Kendall's Point. Caught plenty of 
fish to-day — mostly perch. More visitors to-night — ^al- 
most too much of a good thing, in fact, but they mean it 
most kindly. • 
July 21. — Sailed to east end of Round Island, running 
free most of the way. Were much inconvenienced by the 
I'bstinate weather helm, and found it more profitable to 
steer with an oar, doing away with the regular rudder 
entirely, although this made considerable demands on the 
muscles. 
Took dinner with Mr. S. and his family at their cot- 
tage. Sailed to Clayton, doing some nice windward work. 
M'. came to-night at 8 o'clock on the Arundel, but as it 
was very rottgh on the water wc put up at a boarding 
house until morning, first going to a restaurant and getting 
a square meal of beefsteak, to vary our fish, egg and bacon 
diet. Had a tinsmith ctit off a few inches from the bottom 
of our centerboard, as we fotmd it larger than necessary, 
and it will now be a little easier to steer, 
July 22.- — Got an early start and sailed for Grindstone 
Island, broke camp rapidly (much to the disappointment 
of our island friends, who wanted us to stav and attend a 
church social that evening), and set sail for Island 27. We 
ran free for about three miles, the wind being about east, 
then rounding the west end of Grindstone we made a long 
reach of about six miles to the south side of Howe Island 
about one mile from east end, where we made camp in a 
grove of voune hickories near a fine soring of cold, clear 
water. Decided to re-t there over Sunda.y before proceed- 
ing to No. 27. ' We had come through some very rough 
wfiter. and being rather heavilv loaded had taken in con- 
siderable, besides getting our clothes drenched. On this 
day's voyage we found cha*-* and compass very, useful, 
|Ma-x 2<S, igof. 
P. steered and had the eonipass before him ; M, held the 
chart spread out, and H. in the bow kept a lookout ahead. 
The chart was large and got wet and was bard to handle. 
Decided before another expedition to cut it up into 
convenient sections about 4 x 6m. and glue them to stout 
cardboard, making a waterproof case for the whole. After 
we had made camp P. explored a little and found a house, 
where he learned how far we were from the east end 01 
the island, having supposed we were about one-half mile 
further east. On our voyage to-day we saw an immense 
muscalonge spring out of the water, almost at the very 
side of our boat. It was a grand sight — the spray and 
the sudden gleam of the sun on his scales. 
July 23. — Sunday we rested most of the day and read a 
service from the prayer book this morning. Our provi- 
sions being very low, toward night M. and P. went out 
and caught a few fish. Found our little 3lb. folding 
anchor, used with plenty of scope, held wonderfully well 
even against a stiff breeze and current. Very convenient 
for fishing. Anticipating a cold night, we laboriously 
carried up to our camp some heavy chunks of, oak drift- 
wood, but we slept so soundly and comfortably that we 
didn't wake up to replenish the fire during the night, 
H. and M. got some bread and a few eggs from the farm- 
house, 
July 24. — Got a good early start. P. found difficulty in 
rousing M. and H., so he went to work striking the tent 
as though they were not there, and when it fell down 
around their ears they were effectually awakened. P. 
started to pack the things into the boat, but finding that 
he was less successful in arranging them compactly than 
H. had been, H. went ahead and finished the job. Nearly 
a dead calm, so we used the oars, M. doing most of the 
rowing, while P. studied the somewhat complicated course 
on the chart, directing the course in what appeared to be 
the straightest way among the mtmerous small islands. 
Arriving near what we thought was No, 27, we asked 
our way of .some fishermen, and found we were correct. 
The shore, however, was very rocky and presented no 
good place to land, but on the advice of the fishermen we 
rowed around to the north side of island, where we found 
a more gently sloping shore, and landed. We explored 
the island and decided to camp on the west end, on a 
grassy slope at the head of a high bluff, under a large pine 
tree. Blueberries were very plentiful. After moving our 
baggage to this place, H. and M. started off to Gananoque, 
(about one mile) for provisions, leaving P. to make camp, 
that being one of .his favorite employiiieuts. P. made 
camp and then caughj a good string of fish' for dinner 
off the rocks, ttsing for bait some angle w orms which H. 
had dug on Howe Island. 
We passed about eight days on No. 27 very pleasantly, 
but by that time we began to thirst for more adventure, so 
we broke camp on Saturday, Aug, 5, and rowed down the 
river in a dead calm, passing by some islands with very 
bad names— Dumfounder, Bloodletter, Deathdealer, etc. 
Stopped to rest at an uninhabited island named Fort 
Wallace, but while in swimming discovered that a bad 
fire had in .some way broken out on the island, and fearing 
for our safety, and also lest we should be blamed for it. we 
hurriedly set sail (a light wind having sprting up by this 
time), and passing the east end of Grindstone, sailed to 
Squaw Island Qt? the American side, where we dined and 
rested. 
We wished to sail through the Rift and get to Thousand 
Island Park, but were unable to discover the passage in- 
dicated on the map, from the distance of Squaw Island, 
until P. went tip on a little hill and watched half an hour 
or so, during which time he saw several small craft sail 
to about the spot he guessed the Rift to be. and then ap- 
parently be swallowed up by the land. We conjectured 
this to be the place, and found we were right. During our 
passage to the park the wind freshened to a gale and 
we were nearly swamped, just before reaching 
our destination. Most of the waves that came aboard 
came over the stern, and we regretted having cut down 
the coaming at that point for coTJvenience in sitting on 
the deck. 
We had some amusing adventures on landing, happening 
to moor at a private wharf with a fence and high locked 
gate, but it would take too long to relate them in detail. 
Suffice it to say that when we had once made ourselves 
known, \ve were very hospitably treated by the owner of 
the wharf, and soon after we met some old friends on 
the island, whom we were very glad to sec. 
We stayed until Sunday night, and by that time the. 
wind had moderated to merely a good fresh breeze. H 
and P. wished to set sail again, but M. was opposed, for 
certain reasons of his own. There was no ill feeling what 
ever, but it was mutually agreed that he -should iUvy 
behind and rejoin us on the journey home iti ;t if w day 
Then H. and P. set sail across the river, reachitig on tlv. 
starboard tack, Darkness coming on, they moored at a 
small deserted wharf on the mainlatid, but found no good 
camping ground ashore, so they put most of the luggage 
out of the boat, then anchored a few yards out under the 
lee of the wharf, anchoring both stem and stern to tnake 
sure of not drifting around onto the rocks should the 
Avind change. Slept very comfortably, but woke before 
sunrise and sailed to a small uninhabited, unnamed and 
unnumbered island abounding in wild roses, where we had 
breakfast; then sailed to Clayton to buy a few supplies. 
Later in the day we visited our former acquaintances on 
Grindstone Island, where we camped at our old camp one 
night, and the next morning rowed to Clayton and took 
the steamer Arundel for Fair Haven, putting our boat and 
luggage aboard. 
On the steamer we met M. and the friends whom we had 
seen at Thousand Island Park, and we had a jolly time 
together. We three voyagers found ourselves unex^- 
pectedly quite an object of interest to the other passengers, 
who insisted on bearing all the details of our cruise, and 
went below in pairs and grottps to inspect our little black 
Beetle, as if she had just returned from a voyage to the 
North Pole, instead of a very modest little crui<^e on the 
St. Lawrence River. Cap. P., of the Beetle. 
A» C. A. Membership. 
Eastern Division — ^John C. Headman, Herbert E. Kelly, 
Ray N. Grant, all of Lakeside Boat Club ; Lloyd P. Bene- 
dict. 
Eastern Division — Alferd Collins, Pemigewasset 
C. C. 
Atlaiitic Bivision-^W-H, Heidweilef, TrentOEh, N, I . 
I 
