Sept. 20, 1902.3 
does business in great waters looks on with Intense in- 
terest in this latest and greatest venture in the new sea- 
manship. — Winthrop Packard in Boston Evening Tran- 
script. 
— ^ — 
A Delaware River Cruise. 
This cruise really began at Deposit, N. Y., but for the 
benefit of other canoeists who may wish to make a similar 
voyage, it should .be said that the first start wa.s made 
from the Knickerbocker Canoe Club house, at the foot of 
West One Hundred and Fifty-second street, this city, on 
a windy July morning at the commencement of the ebb 
tide. The distance to the Pavonia ferry in Jersey City 
is upward of ten miles, no doubt, but while there is no 
httle dodging of tugs and ferry boats in the lower river, it 
is a safe and pleasant trip withal. The first slip above the 
Pavonia ferry is the one to enter. It is long, but at its 
head the bulkhead is low, and I found no difficulty in get- 
ting canoe and duffie ashore and into the baggage room of 
the Erie Railway, just down the slip, where everything 
was held safely for me until the following morning, when 
I helped stow the canoe and duffle in the baggage car of 
the 9:30 tra'n. while our party took the earlier train, 
arriving in Deposit an hour ahead of the canoe, so that 
we had ample time to purchase supplies and make all 
arrangements for getting away at once. There were 
three of us. The most important member was the little 
daughter, Avho, while but fourteen months of age, has had 
a varied experience in canoeing; her mother, the Mate; 
and the Skipper. 
The railway station in Deposit is a half-mile from the 
West Branch of the Delaware, but a truckman was found 
who, when the train arrived, took our outfit to the river- 
.side below a Kttle dam, where we pu.shed off after 4 
o'clock. 
Out of the first four rifts I had to wade two shallow 
ones, and then a shady place on the Pennsylvania shore 
reminded its we were weary and in no hurry, so we made 
catnp beside a spr ng where the lilies and daisies were 
blooming luxuriantly. The sky was blue and great white 
clouds drifted laz'ly about. Westward the mountains 
rose high above the valley, their slopes clothed with chest- 
nuts or dotted with fields of hay. That evening Mount 
Deposit was made luminous by an electrical storm, 
though no rain fell. 
The vapor stove refused to perform its duties the next 
m.orning. It was coaxed, petted, abused, all to no pur- 
pose, and in the end a wood fire was resorted to. And 
while we ate breakfast the sun came over the Delaware 
county hills, the catbirds and robins caroled among the 
pines and lindens and a gray squirrel watched us from 
a nearby stump. All was fair and lovely on this morning 
of our first vacation in ma-ny moons, and the fact that 
there was nothing to hirrry for seemed too good to be 
true. Wliile the little girl took a nap we angled and 
paddled along shore under the willows, where we found 
the spawning bed of some large fish, with its eggs just 
visible in the murky water kicked up by the parent fish in 
its haste to avoid us. That accounted for the commotion 
in the water we had seen and heard now and then. We 
were discovered by two parties. One was managed by 
"Ma," as a pretty girl in a blue frock called her, and 
who informed us they had lunched on black bass and 
wanted me to "take a snap shot" at them as they rowed 
by; the other consisted of three small boys who took 
}<,reat interest in the canoe and the bass rods, but who 
could hardly believe that the air beds did not contain hay, 
as they supposed. 
Early morning of the third day found us threading the 
passages among the many islands, and as these became 
more numerous, the water grew shallower, so that I 
waded seven of the first eleven rifts, and in a few the 
Mate also joined me among the boulders. But these 
little passages are lovely, and one -should go slowly, to 
thoroughly enjoy the beauty of the ever-changing view of 
hill and stream. The vegetation is rank -and green. Wil- 
lows and coarse water grasses border the waterways, and 
flowers are everywhere, including water lilies. Now ,and 
til en a muskrat stopped a moment to watch us, and once 
a mink, swimming across stream, was so startled on find- 
ing the strange craft near it that it seemed undecided 
what to do for a moment, then lost no time in gaining 
shelter. Woodchucks and squirrels were seen frequently. 
The rift at Hale's Eddy bridge is very shallow, but the 
channel is near the western shore. We ran two others 
that were strewn with huge rocks, between which there 
was little room to pass ; and one that was shaped like the 
letter S, where hard bumps were unavoidable. After 
passing the i- lands we found shelter from the showers 
under a great elm tree, where lunch was prepared. We 
counted twenty-seven rifts that morning. One of the next 
four rifts had "a nasty drop among boulders, but we passed 
it safely. About a mile above Hancock we got on the 
wrong side of the first rapid worthy the name we had 
encountered, and there was nothing for it but to let the 
c.'.noe down to the pool below, as there was not sufficient 
water cn the brink of the falls to float all hands. A rift 
was ahead which was wide, shallow and nasty, and many 
hard bumps resu'ted. There the river turns sharply to 
the 'eft beneath high cliffs, and in a few^ moments we 
were running the swiftest rift so far — deep but dotted 
with jagged stones and boulders, some of which left their 
m.arks on Nomad's garboards. and on one of them we 
s-.ruck so hard that getting off was very difficult, and for 
Tt lin-'e it seemed a question whether my good maple blade 
\.ouId hold us straight or would break and let Nomad 
swing round broadside; but the Mate saved the day and 
we swung off at last. 
Hancock lies on low ground between the East and West 
branches of the Delaware, but below the village a moun- 
tain stands out alone^ like a sign post marking the parting 
of the ways. We came to a sudden stop at the foot of 
0 shoal, where there was only water enough to float the 
canoe and its little passenger, who was then asleep. Three 
more shallows marked the next hundred yards, and we 
gladly emerged from the West Branch and entered the 
Delaware River with a rush that carried the canoe ashore 
in an eddy that described a compound curve. The clouds 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
were pouring along the mountains, black and threatening. 
Tall pine trees on one of a group of islands promised 
shelter, and avoiding a rift in the main channel, we found 
the lower end of the largest island covered with tall pines, 
and a high, dry spot under these was selected for the 
tent. We were tired and ached all over from the cold 
wind and the icy water, and turned in early. That day we 
ran or waded forty-s.x rifts, and fifty all told. 
Saturday dawned black and cold, with a penetrating 
east wind. So low were the clouds that the moun- 
tains were only partly visible at times. ^ Rain fell in 
heavy showers "all day. One storm came from the east, 
another from the sottth, and a third poured down the 
western hills. In foraging about I found a great heap 
of driftwood near camp, so it was easy to keep a comfort- 
able fire going under the pines, as there were dry yellow 
)iine puncheons and planks with which to feed it. There 
was a terrific thunderstorm during the night, and in the 
morning we were enveloped in clouds. The river had 
risen four or five feet. The cockpit of Nomad is about 
Si/2ft. by i8in., but enough rain fell in it to fill it to a 
depth of 3in. And it was a juicy day, as the Chinaman 
said. We were fortunate in having a very snug and dry 
conical tent with a heavy floor cloth; blowbeds, water- 
proof garments, and changes of woolen clothihg. A heavy 
double and two army blankets were none too warm. And 
while sitting in the tent was monotonous for the baby, 
she was kept dry and w arm and took no cold. D nner 
that evening was eaten between showers under the pines. 
It was not comfortable, this looking forward to more 
rain and flood water during the night, but it was better to 
keep dry where we were than to make camp anew in the 
rain, on the mainland. 
Under the pall of clouds cn Monday morning we beheld 
a raging torrent of yellow water, bearing on its surface 
railway ties, trees and lumber. It was well the island was 
high, for when I placed the 7ft. steel bass rod on a level 
with the tent and let the line run out until it touched the 
water, the distance was less than the length of he rod. 
Other islands were partly or wholly submerged. There 
was no desirable camp site on the western shore, and 
while there was high, level ground near the railway tracks 
on the eastern side, a frame camp was there, and in it 
s^'ven or e ght young fellows who were waiting for better 
fishing conditions, and making day and night hideous with 
their horse play meanwhile. That morning the wind 
hauled into sou' sou' west, and the sun came out. Every 
available line was hurriedly bent on the trees, and every- 
th ng hung out to dry — even the tent and the pine needles 
ui.der it were sunned. It was then that we realized the 
full value of the blowbeds, for while the covers got damp 
vinderneath, otherwise our beds remained dry. They were 
put out, too, and on them the little girl fell asleep while 
the blessed sunbeams played about her head. After noon 
the wind went into the west and rain fell heavily for two 
hours, but we laughed this time, for _ everything in the 
tent was dry again. Dusk found the wind in the east, but 
the sky cleared somewhat, the btillfrogs, whippoorwills 
and even the moon took courage, and a certain frog, clad 
in brown and green, which came round when the lantern 
was alight, hopped squarely into the fire as we sat beside 
it. but jumped out so hastily that it cleared the bank and 
disappeared in the flood. 
Two great bald eagles rose from the trees along the 
Pennsylvania shore as we rushed down the first long rift 
one morning, and they circled quite near for a time. We 
lost all count of rifts, so deep were the minor ones buried 
under the flood, but we knew the others, where the in- 
cline was great and the waves rough. In these the sen- 
sation was akin to that of coasting on a toboggan, so 
swift was the speed when the single blades were in mo- 
tion, to maintain steerage way. There was a peculiar 
lifting and falling of the boat, while she also rocked from 
side to side, imparting to one a sensation totally unlike 
that of riding long swells at sea. At the Stockport post- 
office we asked for mail and eggs. Further on we ran 
a rapid worthy in every way of that name. In and out, 
round one mountain, then another, always passing masses 
of beautiful ferns and blooming laurel, and we glided 
down a long incline where the Delaware turns an angle 
so sharp as to form a dead water, into which Equinunk 
Creek debouches. Equinunk is a typical mountain vil- 
lage, and as I plodded up the muddy road, past the tavern 
and its horse sheds, it was easy to fancy the scenes tak- 
ing place there on election day, when the place swarms 
with mountaineers and tanglefoot whisky is king. Of the 
three stores on the hill I chose the larger one, at the sign 
of the farming implements. A young woman well posted 
on local subjects gave me some trustworthy information 
while she tied up sundry parcels. Fresh bread, she told 
me, could be obtained across the way, at Joshua Pine's, 
whose wrapping paper was covered with a statement that 
he kept a full line of boots, rubbers, horse feed, phos- 
phate, wool and cotton goods, butter, hosiery, eggs, mit- 
tens, flour, cracked corn and many other things. He 
did. Entering. I walked down a long aisle lined with 
dress goods and gewgaw^s. No one appeared. I turned 
up another aisle and had reached the door on that side 
before I discovered Joshua Pine himself, seated behind a 
high counter, gazing at me stolidly, his gray eyes glinting 
didly in a mass of black hair and beard. He supplied my 
wants, remarking meanwhile, "It is sour weather we are 
having." He spoke truly. And it was some satisfaction 
to hear from him that there had been a cloudburst "up 
the Equinunk" that morning, while we had missed it. 
Joshua was fortunate in that he had never until that 
morning heard of a certain biscuit which has been ad- 
vertised the length and breadth of this land, at an ex- 
pense of many thousands of dollars. 
We dropped down to Lordville. Midway of the two 
villages there is a semi-island on the New York side 
which is high, dry, shady, and an ideal camping place for 
^ , . i 
J? Take inventory of the good things in this issue % 
y of Forest and Stream. Recall what a fund was J 
S given last week. Count on what is to come next ^, 
K week. Was there ever in all the world a more /k 
5 abundant weekly store of sportsmen's readingf ^ 
K » 
canoeists. The most picturesque spot we had seen was at 
Bush, where a clifT overhangs the railway, and from 
its summit, perhaps 500ft. above the river, a goodly creek 
pours down from ledge to ledge. Its course is clean cut 
through the pines, as if an engineer had planned it all. 
Long Eddy is well named. We loafed along its laurel- 
clad banks in company with a little brown crane. The 
baby was sleeping on her air cushion when a stop was 
made imder a cluster of beech trees opposite Long Eddy 
village to avoid a shower. There was perfect shelter, and 
advantage was taken of it to eat lunch. 
The incline of the rift at this village seemed fully ten 
per cent, for upward of a m.le. We chose the eastern 
side, but at one point passed over a submerged island in 
less than a foot of water, but did not ground. At Basket 
Creek, a pretty trout stream in Sullivan county, the first 
rowboat worthy the name was seen. Crooked Rift is a 
long shoal, filled with boulders and willows, and com- 
mands respect. There were fields on the Pennsylvania 
side, and as a storm was brewing, we hugged that shore 
unt.l a grassy bank near the water's edge struck the Mate's 
fancy, and m reconnoitering we dubbed it Butternut 
Camp, after the trees which shaded it. 
[to be concluded next week.] 
Amendments to Constitution of A. C A. 
In accordance with Article 12 of the Const' tution of 
the American Canoe Association, notice is hereby given 
that at the next meeting of the Executive Committee 
thereof the following amendments to the Constitution 
will be proposed for act. on : 
Amend Article V., Sec. i, by striking out "Librarian- 
Custodian" from third line. 
Amend Sec. .2, by striking out all after the word "The" 
in the ninth line. 
Amend Article VI., Sec. 5, by add'ng after "appro- 
priated" in the sixth line the words, "They shall re- 
ceive and hold in trust all moneys received from Life 
Memberships which shall be known as 'Life Membership 
Permanent Fund,' deposit, invest, or make such other 
d.spositir n of the same as they shall deem best and pay 
the interest or earnings thereof over to the Secretary- 
Treasurer of the Association on or before Aug. i in 
each year. The principal of the "Life Membership Per- 
manent Fund' shall not be expended except by a four- 
fifths vote of the Executive Committee concurred in by 
a like vote of the Board of Governors." (The rest of 
the section to remain as it is.) 
Amend Article IX., Sec. 2, by adding after the eighth 
line. "They shall also forward the Board of Governors 
immediately on its receipt, the amount of any money 
received in payment for a Life Membership." (The rest 
of the section to rema n as it is.) 
To Article VI., of the Constitution, add additional 
sections as follows : 
Section 9. — Racing Board — Each Division in its 
proper turn at its annual meeting shall elect in the 
same manner as its regular oflicers, one member of that 
Division to serve on the Racing Board of the .A.ssocia- 
tion for a term of three years, or until his successor is 
elected. The Coimnodore shall be a member ex-officio, 
but in case of a tie, he shall not vote. 
Section 10.— Duties — It shall be the duty of the Racing 
Board to hold a stated meet ng during the annual meet- 
ing of the Association in August, and at the annual 
meeting of the Executive Committee in October, but, 
special meetings may be held at any other times and 
places at the call of the chairman, to select at the annual 
slated meeting in, October a chairman and clerk, whose 
duties shall be as in other organizations. They shall 
revise and amend the present racing regulations of the 
Association and shall from time to time make such 
changes therein as they shall deem best for the interests 
of the Association, but no amendments to the racing 
regulations shall be valid unless such amendments in 
general terms have been published in one of the official 
organs of the Association for at least two weeks prior 
to any stated meeting of the Racing Board. 
At all meetings of the Racing Board three shall be 
necessary to make a quorum, but in the event of the 
absence of any member, the Executive Committee of 
the same Division from which he comes, may select any 
other member of the Association to represent him during 
his disability only, and in the event of a vacancy oc- 
curring, the" same shall be filled for the unexpired term 
in the same manner as for the full term. 
Notice is also given in the same manner that the fol- 
lowing amendments will be proposed to the By-Laws : 
Chapter I. — Sect.on 2 — After the second line on page 
22, add "An active member in good standing may com- 
mute his annual dues for life by paying to the purser of 
his Division, the sum of fifteen dollar." (The rest of 
the section to remain as it is.) 
Amend Chapter IX. by substituting "three" for two 
in sub-division eight. 
Notice is also given in accordance with Rule 23 of the 
Racing Regulations that the following amendments will 
be made: 
Amend Rule 23 so as to read: "These rules may be 
amended by a vote of a majority of the Racing Board of 
the Association, notice of such change having been given 
in the official organs at least two weeks before the vote 
of the Racing Board is taken thereon." 
R. J. Wilkin. A. C. A., No. 47, 
— <^ — 
The Strengfth of Rifle Batrels. 
In your remarks on this subject on Aug. 30 there is muck that 
every gun maker who aspires to do more than copy designs of 
otliers ought to know, and as the barrel of the, gun is the most 
important part, so is it essential that all relating to it should be 
thoroughly understood. It is a subject by no means exhausted. 
On the contrary, there is room for improvement in various direc- 
ticr.s, and the most important of these is the safety of breechload- 
ing arms taken in connection with the ammunition intended to be 
used with them. The correspondence now proceeding in your 
paper on cordite high power rifles supplies a striking illustration. 
A rifle maker of repute seriously states that the cordite rifle, made 
by him is designed as to dimension and material to withstand a 
chamber pressure of 75 tons per square inch, and that the steel 
