The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1879-12-04
A Novel Method Of Travelling.


A writer in Good'C67apany, who has
been sojourning among the timber cut.
tiers Of Lake Tahoe, Colorado, describes
q new method Of locomotion as prsc-
ticed in that region, which is spoken OF
az riding the fume. He says that at the
summit, that cascade in bondage, the
6umA, begins. It's track is a trough Of
heavy planks, conyerging 10 an angle
like that which is bounded by the two
sides Of a prism. Down this canal,
whose sides are worn very smooth by
the gentle but persistent friction Of the
water, and by the many rubs and knocks
OF its freightage-the wood-the stream
flows sleekly and swiftly, with a motion
not dissimilar to the gliding of a snake.
As the Aume winds the current weaves,
this side and that, as il seeking escape,
like the Gagged power that it is. Unre.
hitting as the endless chain in ma.
chinery, untiring as the natural brooks
by which it is fed, its capacity for bur.
den is almost unlimited, and the statis-
tics tell us that this one little thread Of
water transports daily from the noun.
tain top to the valley half a million feet
of mining timber, or seven hundred
cords of wood. At places along its route
there are stations of relay, or reinforce
ment rather, where feeders pour in and
compensate for the waste incurred by
leakage or overflow. 1t follows 10 regu.
lar grade, but accommodates itself to
the side Of the mountain, however steep,
and is swift accordingly. What is its
rate Of speed l do not know; but this !
have noticed, that il is so rapid that a
horse cannot drink from it, for il he
turns his head up the hill the torrent
floods his nostrils, and facing down
stream, then the water falls away from
his mouth, as it did from the lips Of the
doomed Tantalus.
Venturesome people have sailed down
ii IN boats, but such voyagers have been
too much occupied with the safe naviga.
tion of their cookie crafts to keep any
accurate log Of the journey. There is a
great deal Of sport and not q little dan
ger about this method Of going to sea,
and SO it is a favorite pastime with the
men of Lake 7ahoe on a Sunday after
noon.
Persons practiced IN the art-those
who hold cool heads and the equipoise
OF accomplished skaters-will step on the
floating timbers as they scud by, ride
till their heads swim, and then disem-
bark as best they may. Or, more tim
orous, the pleasure seeker seats himself
upon the narrow and uncertain deck of
q railroad tie, clipgs to the same with
tenacious hands and feet, and launches
himself TO his fate. As his speed in
oreases the spray flies, aud his boat wa.
vers and threatens to capsize, he thrusts
his arms into the air. and, with frantic
~gesticulation, eDdeavors to preserve his
balance. A little farther on he ships q
sea into his boots and instinctively lifts
them toward the sky. Now he presents
an example of that object so repugnant
TO natural laws, a very broad body on a
very narrow base, and in consequence
be is speedily brought to wreck and dis
comfture.
Better than these expedients it is to
make a boat by mailing two short planks
together in a shape like that of the
fume, but smaller, so that it will float
therein. Tack on a slat as q brace for
your feet, lay a short board across as a
seat, establish yourself thereon, and you
nave a n~avicular toboggan which will
bear you safely to the end of the groove
in which it runs. Take in hand a lath
as a balancing wand, unmoor yourself
and go. Now you are started you must
continue, at least until you reach some
stretch Of level ground on which the
current Stacks its pace. Beware lest you
| ose your head and topple over to this
side OF that; you will be sadly bruised,
and perhaps killed if you do. Beware
lest you become frightened and foolish
and grasp at the sides of the fume; they
are of splintery aud unplaned boards
and will tear your hands to pieces, -
Scylla and Charybdis are very close to
you as you ride down the narrow strait,
and, moreover, they are as continuous as
the journey is long. You will undoubt-
eddy regret with sickness of the heart,
ard perhaps sickness of stomach, that
you ever embarked on a cascade ten
miles in length; but bear up. Thought
be distress to you, yet it is good amuse-
ment for the men of Lake Tahoe, who,
walking patrol along the flume, see you
fit by, swift as the Flying Dutchman,
pale as the phantom of a man dead with
scasicsness. Though one OF them speak
to you, you neither hear nor heed him,
and 80 his little joke is wasted for want
Of audience.