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

scenery, down the most magnificent canoe
ing rapids-very long and swift-some of
them from one to two miles in length, but
not rough enough to wash my decks. AS
there was plenty of water, 1t was only nee
essary to avoid the rocks with which some
Of the rapids are plentifully sprinkled. 1
readily found help at the dams, except one
ugly, gloomy-looking place, where the mill
was closed, and the dam too high and too
rough to go over. | was detained here
over an hour; it was six O'Clock, but here
was no good place to camp. finally put
The boat over against the left bank above
the uppermost of the islands which divid-
ed the dam, and succe eded in working 1t
over from the sh ore by means of the pain
tiers, and again embarked.
After an hours run down some of the
finest rapids [ had yet encountered, saw
good camping place on the right bank,
and, though was in the midst of swift
rapid, | at once swung the canoe around,
and soon had my cargo ashore, the boat
drawn up. with the tent raised over her
Supper was quickly cooked and disposed
OF, and myself slowed away in my blank
cts for the night. In the morning, after
good breakfast of bacon, eggs, potatoes
&C., and the customary smoke. I was
again under way. found to my disgust
that the river had risen several feet in the
night.
In fifteen minutes was at Mines, the
location of the Shenandoah Iron Works. I
landed and went up in town and bought
good, stout coat and some provisions, and
again got under way. The day was fright
fully hot, and the river ugly, high and
j, rough, so that my experience all day was
simply repetition of that on the North
River week ago, only on grander scale.
The river was much broader, the rapids
very much larger and. rQughsr, and l. was
constantly wet from the water received
at every rapid. The dams were numerous
and ugly. At one. DO help was available.
therefore unloaded the canoe, carried
the cargo around, then returned and drag
| ged the boat not only around the dam, but
the mill also. l shot a short, rough, rapid
around sharp bend and down the chute
Of another tremendous rapid. The river
here was broad and shallow, and full CT
of rocks. on several of which the ''Frankie''
hung, But as she was trimmed so thatshe
struck aft, 1 experienced no damage. I
shot around a lofty spur of Massanutton,
and seeing good camping ground On the
right, farm house on the left, and tre-
| mendous storm in the rear, breaking over
| the peaks of Massanutton, concluded it
n lo
farm house On the left, first carefully COW
ering the well and weighing the hatch
clot h with stone. l hurried up the steep
hill, or mountain spur, just ia time to get
out one of the most sublime thunder storms
it has been my good fortune to witness
among the mountain stops. The rain came
down in great binding sheets, and the
| thunder claps were incessant. AT seven
O'Clock in the evening got away. Il con.
cluded not to camp, as | was wet from the
rapids and the rain. The boat was also
wet and the ground thoroughly drenehed.
Half mile below, 1 saw a fine two-story,
! brick farm house, high up on the right
bank. at once landed and asked nights
| lodging, which was readily granted. The
place belonged to Mr.. Frank Russell,
whose pleasant family entertained me
kindly. The next morning got off again
the river being now quite high. and it was
still rising. The dams were horrible, and
@he rapids almost bad enough to compel
| portaging. However, after pleasant run
| OF eight miles reached Massanutton, and
in an hour was driving along the road to
Luray, in spring wagon, and in due Tins
the ''Frankie'' was lying in the Shenan-
doah Valley R. R. Depot, tieketed for
Staunton, (where she nally arrived, bill
/ ed at 1000 lbs. as usual, with charges
equalling four first class passenger ticketsl
| In summing up, the advantages of the
Shenandoah as cruising stream, are: A
rapid river, with plenty of fine canoeing
rapids, long and swift, but not rough;
rocky, of course, and some of them in low
water, perhaps uncomfortably shallow; the
most charming and varied scenery, pasto-
raj and mountain. In many places the
river impinges against the base of Massa-
mutton. which rises in an unbroken line
from the waters edge to the summit from
1000 to 1,500 feet above. The Blue Ridge
Is also on the right of the whole extent of
the river. The people are kind and hospi-
table. Lodgings can be readily procured
for the asking, at any of the better class
farm houses. The finest bass fishing. A
good climate, no hotter than III New 7 ork
or PENNSYLVANIA, and free from malaria
Canoeists wishing to visit Weyer's Cave.
should land at Port Republic, the head of
the Shenandoah (which is also perhaps the
best place to begin the cruise; it is on the
Shenandoah Valley R.R), and walk up
South river nearly three miles. Those
wishing to visit the celebrated caverns of
Luray should land at Massanutton or
Whitehouse ferry and walk over the pike
three miles to the caverns, the town of
Luray being a mile further on. The noun
tain view from Cave Hill is magnificent.
The disadvantages Of the Shenandoah,
are: a superiority of dams and remark
able scarcity of good camping places, the
banks, whether steep and sandy or low and
rocky, being covered with dense under
growth In many places there are long
lines of perpendicular cliffs from 100 to
200 feet high.
1 would advise canoeists not to attempt
a cruise on the Shenandoah in high water.
July. August, September and October are
the months best suited for cruising in
these waters.
F. r. WEBB.
|
SUDDEN DEATH.-Cynthia Branson, an
old and respected colooed servant Of Mrs.
Robt. J. Glendy of Bath county, died very