Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-08-13

ed to be fully as long and rough as Kem-
ple's falls, and at noon were enjoying
lunch at Massanutten or White House
ferry. The boats were tied up here for the
rest of the day and their captains enjoyed
pleasant walk of three miles over a good
pike to the Luray Caverns. After 'deing"
the cayerns they returned and went into
camp for the night, and awoke Wednes-
dayimorning to find it raining. A late start
was The consequence, and after two days
battling with rapids, mill dams, reefs and
rocks, interspersed with the most beauti-
full and sublime mountain and river seem
cry, they arrived at Riverton on Thursday
night at O'Clock. Three days were spent
here quietly and pleasantly--lo afing, rest
ing and fishing, and on Monday morning,
the 26th, the trip was resumed. with Har-
per's Ferry as the objective point. The
day proved intensely hot but good time
was made, there being but few mill dams
to detain them, what there were. being
easily shot; the river was noticeably larger
and the rapids, while quite rough, were
fewer. At lunch our canoeists were the
guests of pleasant. hospitable party of
pic-nickers from Winchester. Two heavy
rain storms were encountered during the
afternoon, but both we're ridden out by the
canoeists perfectly dry-the canoes being
admirably adapted for rainy weather, as
well as rough water, and at 7.30 they ar
rived at Castleman's Ferry in the midst of
drenching, pouring rainstOrm. AS it
was wet they decided not to attempt to get
supper in camp. so they were soon enjoy
ing good hot supper at the very comfort
able country hotel at the ferry. After sup
per the rain Stacked up long enough to al
low them to get the canoes ashore and the
tents up, which was speedily done, and
they crawled in for the night, tired out
with the
DAYS RUN OF 33 MILES,
and went to sleep with the rain pouring
and pounding on the roofs of their snug,
tight little tents. On Tuesday morning
they were off bright and early on boom
ing river, for the last day 8 run of twenty
two miles. Wenow quote from Mr.. Webb's
log of the "FrankIe," for the rest of the
cruise:
II particularly detest high water in
rough mountain stream like the Shen-
andoah, and we had plenty of 1t to-day.
river rising rapidly all day, consequently
our trip was rough one, the last 6 or
miles OF it-from Bloomery Mills to Har-
per's Ferry-being appallingly so. such as
l would not go through with again for
any consideration. We stopped at Bloom
cry Mills fer lunch, and met gentleman
there who cautioned US in regard to rap
ids below. We passed through New
cOmer's Eddy, an immense lake-like
expanse of river, nearly half mile wide,
and found ourselves fairly appalled, at
the magnitude and roughness of Wat
sons Falls, and any lingering inten-
tentions we had OF shooting them were at
once dispelled.
THE SIGHT WAS A GRAND ONE,
and worth our entire trip to see, as the
water, in it's swollen stage, poured down
with tremendous force and violence over
the broken massive ledge of rocks, plentI-
fully strewn with huge boulders, which
constitutes the falls. We finally put the
boats over close to the right hand bank,
and by taking advantage of little side
channels, we managed to slip through and
around the falls. A quarter of mile be-
low, while still in rough water, George
carelessly lost his paddle, and as 1t was of
hickory and quite heavy. it foated So low
in the water that l was utterly unable to
find it for him; so I directed him to work
his canoe ashore with a hatch, where In
an hour and half he succeeoed In hewing
out a rough paddle from piece of oak
fencing with my boat haGchet, and we we're
soon under way again. Half mile below
we struck rapid fully as formidable as
Watson's falls; the river turns abruptly
to the left, and Is cut up and concealed by
masses OF stone. and small islands, down
among which it RACES and roars with fear
full power and violence. In five minutes
we had shot half a mile Of the worst rapids
l ever experienced or dreamed of shoot
ing, and we're safely out into the smooth
water below the "Brick Mill,n whose
hands cheered US as we shot by. We had
smooth water for several miles, until we
reached Bulls Falls the last and most for
midable rapid between us and Harper's
Ferry-three miles below. We landed and
walked down the railroad. Looking itover
we found the river was very high, filling
the noted mountain gorge from side to
side. with boiling, seething. roaring mass
aF Tow kIoF oJ IL
ling in their fury and power. 1 was for
ENDING THE CRUISE
at the station above the falls and walking
in to the town, and had we looked at the
rapids mile further down the river we
would undoubtedly have done so. but we
decided to go through. There is chute
around the falls for boats, but 1t was too
horribly rough, so we decided to cross to
the right bank and try and creep around
and through the falls as we had done at
Watson's falls above. We did so, and
trouble at once began. We landed on the
rocks, and lifted and slid the boats over
the ledge forming the falls into narrow
crooked ch ute down which we shot like
arrows, one at a time. Then we had COM
paratlVely smooth water for a mile. when
the most appalling rapid of all burst upon
our astonished vision. For mile ahead the
gorge was filled with mass of tumbIing,
roaring, leaping, foaming waters, while
far ahead but dinly seen in the gathering
twilight was
THE BRIDGE ACROSS THE
sHENAN DOAH,
Immediately above it's junction with the
Potomac-our haven. 1t was impossible