Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-07-09

VI GulS pOlnt, ci6V6u uilt5> III dH HUuf
and a half, including fifteen minutes lost
at Showalter's dam. In addition to this
lost four hours at the Brewbake dam,
| waiting for my paddle, and another>hour
at the next dam (Rippetoes). Here the
mill was closed on account of the high
water, the hands were all away, and con-
siderable time was spent in getting help.
At four o'clock I was lying at the village
of Port Republic, the point where the
North and South Rivers meet and form
the Shenandoah, twenty miles below
Mount Crawford.
I concluded to tie up here twenty -four
hours, and give the rivers chance to run
| down before my descent of the Shenan-
doah.
| Leaving my boat and outfit with Amos
Scott, a hospitable farmer living just east
of the river, walked up to Weyer's Cave.
and spent the night at the hotel-a very
good. country hotel, by the way.
The next morning visited the cave.
which is we'll worth seeing. Returning to
the river [ found that it had not fallen
and rain storm had set in. 1 therefore
left my boat and outfit with Mr.. Scott,
and returned to Staunton by rail.
Thursday morning, the 10th, Iagain
dipped my paddle into the waters of the
Shenandoah, and resumed nay cruise.
The river had fallen considerably and
the water was in excellent canoeing con-
dition, foot or two above low water
mark and still falling.
! The clear blue tint was beginning to be
apparent, and for hours glided gently
down the river-one of the most beautiful
canoeing streams in the country. The
scenery was truly bewildering-in the
foreground the lovely rolling valley Of
Virginia, witEs the Blue Ridge in the i'm
mediate background on the right, and
the lofty peaks of Massanutton on the
left.
Several low dams were passed without
difficulty, the canoe going right over them.
A carry was made around one of consider
able height, and at IL a. m. Riverbank
dam was reached. No assistance was
available; so, although the dam was about
four feet high and covered with brush
and debris which presented very ragged
surface, I decided to jump it, Having
selected smooth looking place, Ipaddled
up stream little distance and putting on
full steam, 1 made the plunge. The canoe
leaped straight out from the dam, but a
strong, sidewise set of the current carried
the stern over against projecting limb.
Over this the canoe rode with terrific
rake, which I felt certain bad ripped the
canvas clear off the bottom. It then turn
ed over in mid-air and landed me on my
head and shoulders in the boiling rapid
below.
Then righting itself, the canoe shot
sidewise down the stream. I grasped hold
of the stern painter and was ON my feet
and after it in an instant. 1t brought up
broadside on against mass of Jagged
rock, and careened with the open cockpit
up stream. In an instant the water was
boiling and pounding through it and over
it with a force that instantly washed
everything overheard that was not lashed
fast or under decks including seat back,
coat, rubber coat, mattress, light avn
ing, tent and fixtures. The water was two
feet deep or over, and so terribly swift
that had left the boat, to go after the
cargo, [ should never have been able to
get back again. I caught the tent and
had hand-to-hand fight for it, secured it
and dashed it to the deck with painter.
Then I righted the boat so the water 0
longer dashed over it, bailed It out, until
it tioated clear of the rocks, when jump
ed Insisting fiat on the floor, without
seat or back or hatch cloth-and with the
boat half full of water. ran half mile of
the toughest rapid had encountered since
coming out of the North River. I landed
at the Riverbank Ferry, unpacked the
canoe and hung my things land myself] in
the sun to dry.
After replacing some Of my provisions
at a hospitable farmhouse, started again
about three O'Clock. just below was d
rapid divided by an island. 1 took the
right hand chute, though much the
smaller of the two, in the hope of
securing some of my lost articles
and was soon whooping with terrific
velocity down the narrow. gravelly chan
mel around the head of the island. I SWEEP
sharply around to the left, and there, rlght
across the narrow channel, not so yards
ahead of me, lay an Immense fallen tree
its broken, matted branches forming d
formidable cheoaar dc Jfrise. into anf
Through which the water rushed, with nj
} abatement Of its mill-race velocity.
made a frantic attempt to beach the canoe
before reaching it, but the time was TOT
short and | did not succeed. so 1 headed
for the least formidable spot, next to th.
right bank, where the wafer poured owe
Z the PROSTATE trunk in narrow stream o
an inch or more in depth, and let he
drive. When the nose OF the frankie wa.
within a few inches of the tree, we sho
under some verhanging sprouts remain
ing on the jagged upright stump, allow
the tree. With the energy of desperation
. l made wild grab at them and hung OF
, for dear life. The canoe at once swung
, broadside to the fierce current, and ca
reened until the water poured over hel
decks, and l was forced to let go, narrow
ly escaping second capsize, more disas
trou5 than the first. AS the boat swung
| around. her bow caught in a swift little
eddy, setting up stream, under the lee Of
, the stump, and as let go, the canoe
swung around into this eddy. and lay fol
an instant, breadsids on. against the bank
, but that instant was all wanted to
{ scramble out of that cockpit and up that
steep bank, painter in hand, and out of a
little the worst scraps I had ever been in.