The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-07-26
For the RrHtsfrr
Camping out.

Camping out.
Ma EpiroR To those who have never
enjoyed the luxury Of camping on the
beautiful islands and headlands of Lake
Champlain, VIC offer this short sketch Of
our pleasure, after having left behind us
the busy hum Of the city, and taken to
cur sold comfor'" in our roomy flannel
shirts and corduroy brceches.
Our party of three represented three
of our large cities. and the same number
of leading colleges, having met by acci-
dent at the hotel of the Mcssrs. Stevens,
Tone of the best hotels in New England)
decided on spending week at the Lake.
Accordingly, after having purchased cook
ing utensils, provisions, and the other
paraphernala of camp life, VIC embarked
at A. NJ. for our destination. The first
view that person gets Of the Otter
Greek is very refreshing, and as he rides
along over its placid bosom and enjoys
the company Of the gentlemanly captain
of the fine steamer "Curlew," an old and
esteemed friend, by the way, he feels a
kindly feeling for the man who wrote "a
home on the rolling deep" The eight
miles of the creek are quickly passed
over, and we have u fine view of Lake
Champlain with the Adirondacks as a
background. At the mouth of the creek
we stop, and after a short walk, find our.
selves in the hospitablc mansion of Mr..
Scott, called from its situation the Fort
Cassin House. Here may be procured,
boats and fishing tackles as is desired,
and at nearly any spot along the shore
fish of all kinds and qualities can be
caught Having passed pleasant day
at this point, good place can be found
for camping by going northward to Gard.
ner's Island, Apple Tree Cove, Thomp-
sons Point, &c We chose the former
place, remembering a previous pleasant
experience there
Days at camp passed pleasantly along.
varied occasionally by some minor vexa-
ton or some mirth-provoking incident
AT one time the fire would not burn, and
the eggs in the coffee dot objected to be.
ing boiled; the scales from the fish, in.
stead of falling from our eyes as they
should have done, manifested tendency
to enter them discussions, both numer.
Gus and exciting, arose as to whose turn
it was to wash the dishes, cook, or go af.
ter provisions. For instance, when the
day came for our friend with the new felt
hat to cook, it was question open to de-
bate as to whether it was better to cook
for him or eat his cOncoctions. Once or
twice, on account of the stormy weather,
and being somewhat 10th to exert our.
selves, we ran short Of provisions, and we
were obliged to make meal Of hoe-cake
and coffee without sugar or milk But
this only caused us to enjoy more fully
the comforts of life when we were again
able to procure them Our camp was
visited daily by picnic and fishing parties
from Vergennes and from the neighbor.
ing farms. On one occasion party Of
twenty or thirty. from the adjacent shore
we Judge, favored us with call, making
themselves perfectly at home, fnger-mark.
ing our cards in desperate attempt at a
game of euchrc, drinking the little stimu.
lus we had provided against an attack Of
cholera, and going through things u
things generally, One member of the
party, buxom lass, kept continually
wishing 1--WE could dance" whereupou
one of the campers gallently declared his
willingness to join in the "mazy," never
thinking for moment thai he would be
taken up; but, alack poor fellow, she
meant business, and to the vocal music
furnished by damsel of ripe years, whose
voice met with no obstruction but her
gums, away they whirled in a spirited
polka, until tripped up by heap ofrocks
when vigorous "gol darn it," from the
blushing maiden put an end to the fun
Cigars not being allowable, each one was
provided with pipe, and it was very re.
freshing to see such fastidious gents a.
friends T. and B. lying at full length OF
the ground smoking their clays and tax
ing not the least notice of the ants, spi
ders and such like that swarmed arount
and over them. To take the pride OF
fastidiousness out Of a man let him
camp for a week or two. By tn,
time he has washed the dishes a few
times, and eaten few ants, no ligh
trouble will worry him. The islands ant
surrounding cliffs frequently resounded
with the singing (?) Of our party. The
peculiar position Of some Of the bluff
along the lake causes echoes of grea
clearness Many times the rocks which
once responded to the yell of the red man
were made to re-echo with commonplace
Greek, Latin aud Mathematics.
One night after all had turned in, i
began to rain, and each jumped to pu
under cover anything that might be dam
aged BY water Everything being hous
ed, we turned in and listened to the ap
preaching storm. Not long was it de
layed; and though ii did not rain scat,
and dogs" or, "pitchfor ks" the supply o
water seemed unlimited Soon the smal
rivulets began to make their way within
our tent, and sleep was reckOned among
the things of the past. ''lt never rains
but it pours," and our lives were endan
gered by vast swarms Of mosquitoes tax
ing refuge in our tent from the rain
The situation became terrible. At las
an ingenious youth bethought hun of ,
"sluudge," and seizing newspaper set i
no fire amid our blankets and camp uten
sils. The effect was very striking, not S,
much on the mosquitoes as upon our
selves, for the smoke became so dens,
that life was burden, so turning out il
the rain we awaited the clearing of tn,
tent, which after time took place anC
wet and sleepy We arranged as best W,
could and awaited the morning. Thi
little interludc to our enjoyment onl,
gave us Il better appetite for breakfast
and with fnll stomachs we pleasantly dis
cussed it over our pipes. On eith,r sid
of our island we caught plenty of hull
heads, bass, and perch, and at Thomp
sons Point, Il mile and a quarter north
ward worry fine nil. ara takan aud l.,