The Lone 
Cruiser on the 
Mississippi 


By JACK O’LANTERN 
| S the canoe season dawns, dreams 
A are born in the hearts of canoe 
lovers of cruises to distant ports 
and far places and every red-blooded 
fan dreams of some day cruising down 
tthe father of waters to the gulf. Most 
of these dreams die a natural death, 
‘but every now and then some hardier 
spirit goes beyond the dreaming stage 
‘and makes the attempt. Different ports 
send forth their voyageurs each year 
‘and though many start, few reach the 
final goal and the unsuccessful ones re- 
turn to nurse their disappointment or 
to dream again of success in the future. 
' Failure to finish may be due to vari- 
ous reasons; such as lack of time, in- 
lsuificient funds, ignorance of conditions, 
sickness, or the poor selection of an out- 
fit. A little knowledge of conditions 
makes it possible to figure out the nec- 
essary requirements and guards against 
the error of making the attempt under 
‘circumstances stated in the first three 
‘items. Sickness and the choice of an 
‘outfit have a closer kinship than is 
‘generally supposed. Too much duffle 
‘is a burden, but not enough or the 
‘wrong kind means hardship, therefore 
the happy medium must be found. A 
‘good sportsman can put up with dis- 
comfort that can’t be avoided, but a 
‘man who deliberately creates or invites 
it on a pretext of sportsmanship is a 
fool and may live to realize that fact 
‘in later years. 
| I am not going to attempt any ad- 
vice to those who travel in company be- 
cause they have everything in their 
favor in the way of mutual assistance. 
What may appear to be trivial condi- 
tions to two expert canoeists often 
‘swells to the magnitude of real danger 
when encountered by the lone paddler, 
and he is entitled to every advantage; 
for a trip down the Mississippi River 
is more the nature of a test of endur- 
ance than a picnic and the sooner the 
prospective voyaguer realizes this fact, 
‘the better he can apply himself to the 
task at hand. 



} 
‘BEFORE attempting a cruise of this 
nature ask yourself the following 
‘questions: Can you stand’ loneliness? 
‘Can you swim? Can you cook? The 
‘man who travels by himself has to 
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bear his trials in silence and depend 
upon his own resourcefulness for com- 
fort and safety, not for a day or a 
week but for months. If the outlook 
does not appeal to you it is best not 
to start. A person who cannot swim 
has no business in a canoe on running 
water. Cooking can be easily learned 
when seasoned with intelligence. As 
food is the greatest source of pleasure 
to a hungry traveler it is advisable to 
acquire the art before you start, or in 
after years you may find that the one 
thing which keeps the memory of your 
cruise ever green is the twinge of indi- 
gestion traceable to your poor cooking. 
For those who already have a canoe 
and are uncertain as to its practicability 
for the trip I might say that safety de- 
pends not so much upon the model of 
the boat as upon the skill of the pad- 
dler; practically every make of canoe 
has at some time successfully navigated 
to the gulf. 
OWEVER, if you contemplate get- 
ting a new outfit, there are certain 
models better adapted for the purpose 
because of the comfort they provide. 
A boat that is not too flat on the bot- 
tom and with low ends is preferable 
because the heavy winds that sweep 
the river make it difficult for one man 
to keep it headed without tearing his 
heart out. For the same reason it 
should not be longer than necessary, not 
over sixteen feet at most. If the depth 
is sufficient to carry a good load then 
thirteen feet is plenty long enough for 
an expert. The gunwales should have 
a gradual rise toward the ends, as this 
makes the shipping of water less likely. 
Thirty inch decks have many advan- 
tages for the lone cruiser. They furnish 
storage space and help keep the boat 
dry in the rain. The decks permit sit- 
ting back far enough to use a single 
paddle effectively and puts one far 
enough forward to handle a double 
paddle in an emergency. 
An eight inch lightweight spruce 
beavertail about five and one-half feet 
long is ideal for the average sized man 
who paddles from the seat with a single 
blade. The double paddle which should 
be carried as an auxiliary ought to be 
a spoon blade of eight or eight and one- 
A Guide for the Canoeist 
Who 
Voyages Alone 
(Food and Equipment Lists Are Printed 
in the 
NESSMUK Section) 
half feet as best adapted to the indi- 
vidual. The double paddle is almost a 
necessity in battling headwinds. Seated 
in the bow with a double paddle and 
dragging the boat a canoeist can safely 
buck winds and waters that would be 
impossible or dangerous with the usual 
methods. 
AVING selected the canoe and 
paddles, the accessories can be 
considered: An eight or ten foot chain 
fastened at the bow has enough ad- 
vantages over a rope to warrant the 
additional expense. An army knife 
bayonet makes a good picket pin when 
temporarily mooring the boat to shore. 
It also serves as a machette to cut wil- 
low browse for your bed. 
An anchor rope should also be car- 
ried to anchor the boat in deep water. 
A loaded canoe cannot be hauled on 
land, and if left afloat it must be prop- 
erly moored or be in danger of being 
smashed or filled with water by the 
wash of passing steamers. By tying 
the boat line ashore and anchoring the 
stern with a rock you can keep the 
canoe afloat without fear of it being 
thrown ashore or washed away. With 
this assurance you can do your shop- 
ping uptown without being continually 
worried about the safety of your out- 
fit. An army lariat is just the thing 
for an anchor rope, it has hooks on 
both ends and can be put to other 
uses. 
The best cover for your load can be 
made from an army poncho by sewing 
down the collar. This isa stock product 
practical and cheap. To fasten this 
cover, first get two strips of wood about 
an inch wide by a half inch thick and 
a foot longer than the distance between 
the thwarts of your canoe, bend them 
to the shape of the gunwales by soak- 
ing in water. 
ya loading the boat cover the 
load with the poncho allowing it 
to overlap the sides only about an inch; 
then lay your strips along the inside 
of the gunwale and press them down to 
the thwarts, fasten the strips to the 
inwale by tying with twine about two 
inches from the end. Don’t use wire 
or unbreakable cord. The loops holding 
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