The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-11-26

Excltfng sport on q Nevada ASk
y 5s rs Ea1usC.
! fgsood Cotipaay.I

l,sss 80 fgsoou C6nnpa83sl ~ q
AL the summit Of that cascade 10 ooh1.
~ce the jlume begins. It's tack IS o tTeugn
OF heavy pianks, conyefgsng 10 sa a,'s ~
IKE that which Is bounded by tne Two s ,,e
Of q prisms Down this canal whose siaes
are worn very smooth nv tue geotte pus
persis,ent friction OF water. and oy tue
many rabs and knocks OF iis ffetgntags.,.'as
wood, the stream flows sleekiy ana s%, VIZ.
rpi,h = molten not disSimilar TO the gliding
90 a snake. AS the tiumc winds the cur
rnnt weayes this side and that, as q seeking
s,scnne. like tue Gagged power that u IS. to-
rernif,ing as the endless chain IN nschmesF :.
,,ntiriug ms the natural brooks OF whtcn u
ss fef. liz ca,acity Tor burden is aniimiteos
and fine statistics show that this little thread
~ water transports daily from the noun.
tain ton to the valley half a mtiion feet OF
mining timber, or seven hundred co1us OF
good. At places stong It's route there are
statious OF relay, or reinforcement datMeL,
whrre feeders po,r in aud compensate for
sbc waste incurred by leakage or orefnoW.
M follows no regular grade, but accommo-
.dates itsef 70 the side OF the nlountaia, new.
,ever sfeet,. and is swift accordingly. w nut
Is the rate Of speed do not know put tn's
have noticed, that 1t Is so rapid shat uot sc
cannot drink from 1t, for u ne turns ins
head up the bill the torrent floods ms nos-
trils. md facing down stream the wafer ia 81
away from his mouth, as 1t ola lfoh 1ue
Tins OF the doomed Tantalus. :.
yeuturesome people have salied cows ;.
IN boats. but such yoyagers have been 700
,nuch orennied with the safe navigation OF
their cookie crafts to keep any accurate io2
~ theis tourney. There is great deai ca
anon ana not q little Of danger about tnas
met od OF going TO sea, and so 1t is IaFofi1e
r,as,;nne with the men OF Lake Tahoe on q
S,nday afternoon. Indeed, its reputation
&C \ manly amusement has become more
than local. and travellers from aoroad ieet
fhof their tour has been for naugnt II tney
have NOT corsummated their adventures Dy
a ride down the f1ume. Looking across Inc
valley and seeing the silver hlament OF
water hanging down the mountains, they
feel their bosoms thrill with the desire ana
ambition OF a Sam Patch, and would ralher
foreoo their swim in Salt Lake or their snot
at buffalo than to miss this latest episode
OF American travel.
Persons practiced in the art-those VINO
hold cool heads and equipoise OF accom-
Dlisbed skaters-will step on the moaning
fimbers US they scud by, ride TILL their neaas
swim, and then di>embark as DeSt lnes
NAV. Or, more timorous. the pleasure
1,ncertain deck OF a railroad.tie, cings to
the same with tenacious hands and 1eet,
and launches himself to bis fate. AS his
speed increases the spray flies, and bis boat
wayers and threatens to capslze. de thrusts
bis arms into the air, and, with frantic ges-
ficulation, endeavorS to preserve DIS pal
ance. A little further on he ships sea into
his boots and instinctively lifts them to-
ward the sky. Now, he presents an exam
ple of that object so repugnant 10 natural
laws-a very broad body on very narrow
base-and in consequence be is speedily
brought to wreck and discontinue.
Better than these eXpedients it is to make
n boat by mailing two short planks together
in a shape like that Of the flume, but
smaller, so that it will float therein. Tack
on slat as brace for your feet, lay short
board across as a seat, establish yourself
thereon, and you have navicuIar tobos-
gan which will bear you safely to the end
OF the groove in which it runs. Take in
hand lath as balancing wand, unmoor
yourself and 60. Now you are started you
must continue, at least until you reach
some stretch OF level ground on which the
current slacks Its pace. Beware lest you
love your head and topple over to this side
or that; you will be sadly bruised and
perhaps killed II you do. Beware lest
you become frightened and foolish and
grasp at the sides OF the fume; they are Of
splintery and unplaned boards. and will
tear your hands to pieces. SeylIa and Cha
rybdis are very close to you as you ride
down the narrow strait, and, moreover,
they are continuous as the journey is long.
You viii undoubtedly regret with sickness
of the heart, and perhaps sickness of the
stomach, that you ever embarked on o cas-
cade ten miles in length, but bear up.
Though it be distress to you, yet it is good
amusement for the men at Tahoe, who.
walking patrol along the aume, see you fit
BY, swift IS the Flying Dutchman, pale as
the phantom Of man dead with sea-sick-
soasq