Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1886-08-31
MISCELLANEOUS.
Cruising the Shenandoah.

| cruising the oHendtlooaI'
The Staunton Vindicdtor publishes
an interesting account of the recent
canoe voyage down the Shenandoah
by Messrs. +. r. Webb and Geo. n.
Beall, from which we take the follow
ing description of the last days pas
sage, from Castleman's Ferry to Har-
per's Ferry:
On Tuesday morning they were off bright
and early on booming river, for the last days
run of twenty-five miles. We now quote from
Mr.. Webb's log of the " frankie" for the rest
of the cruise:
"Iparticularly detest high water in rough
msuntain stream like the Shenandoah. and we
had plenty of it to-day, river rising rapidly all
day. consequently our trip was n rough one,
the last or miles of it-froln Bloomery Mills
to Harper's Fcrry-being appallingly so, such
as would not go through with again for any
consideration. We stopped at Bloomery Mills
for lunch, and met gentleman who cautioned
us in regard to rapids below. We passed
through Newcomers Eddy, an immense lake
like expanse of river, nearly half a mile wide,
and found ourselves fairly appalled, at the
magnitude and roughness of Watson's Falls,
aud any lingering intentions we had of shoot
ing them were at once dispelled. The sight was
grand one, and worth our entire trip to see,
as the water, in its swollen stage, poured down
with tremendous force and violence, over the
broken, massive ledge of rocks, plcntifully
strcwn with huge boulders, which constitutes
| the falls. We finally put the boats over close
to the right hand bank, and by taking advan-
tage of little side channels. we managed to
slip through and around falls. quarter of u
mile below. while still in rough water, George
carelcssly lost his paddle, and as it was OF hick-
ory and quite heavy, it fOated SO low in the wa
ter that was utterly unable to find it for him
SO directed him to work his canoe ashore with
hatch. where in an hour and half he sue
ceeded in hewing out rough paddle from
piece of oak fencing with my boat hatchet, and
VIC were soon under way again. Half a mile
below we struck a 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 aud roars with fearful power and vi
Olence. In five minutes we had shot half
mile of the worst rapids ever experienced or
dreamed of shooting, and were safely out into
the smooth water below the "Brick Mill, !"
had smooth water for several miles until we
reached Bulls Falls the last and most formi-
dable rapid between us and Harper's Ferry
three miles below. We landed and walked
down the railroad. Looking it over we found
the river was very high, filling the noted
mountain gorge from side to side, with n
boiling, seething, roaring mass of waters, and
the falls were most appalling in their fury and
7 far linn fha FUiEa at he
station above the falls and walking in to the
town, aud 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 a chute around the falls for boats, but
it was too horribly rough, SO we decided to
cross to the right bank and creap 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 q narrow crooked chute down which
we shot like arrows, one at time. Then we
had comparatively smooth water for mile,
when the most appalling rapid of all burst
upon our astonishcd vision. For mile ahead
the gorge was filled with mass of tumbling,
roaring, leaping, foaming waters. while far
ahead but dimly seen in the gathering twilight
!
diateIy above its junction with Potomac-our
haven 1t was impossible TO return, and there
was no outlet for us but straight ahead, so in
we plunged i in the lead and George follow
ing, close to the right bank. The power of the
water-its velocity, and the magnitude of the
huge rolIers-were something frightful, and
far surpassed anything ever dreamed of be-
fore. dozen times at least gave myself up
! for tn irrTnH mt nd
swim for life, but each time regained my
equilibrium, and was still safe. Just ahead me
was n huge rock, against which the waters
reared themselves like q wall and then fell
with q thunderous roar into the lee bel0w-by
exercising the strength of a struggle between
life and death, succeeded in backing clear of
it and shooting by it on the right hand. As
hung poised moment before passing it, George
came shooting by me straight down upon It;
ran square upon its lofty crest-huDg suspend
ed upon its verge an instant-grasped his gum
vale with both gands-dropped his padde-
gave me one helpless glance and then top
pied over bow fret into the depths below.
only had time TO take heeting glimpse Of
him as shot below the rock-perfectly power
less in the raging torrent to give him any aid
whatever, and to my surprise and delight he
was riding right side up in the lee of the rock
still grasPiDg his gunwale and his boat half
full of water. 1t was but couple of boat
lengths to shore, so I shouted to him to paddle
himself ashore with hatch, was whirled
around massive point of stone jutting out
from the mountain, and lost sight of him. I
found smooth water in the lee of the point,
and few yards below. the stern of askif jut-
ting out from among the rocks denoting q
landing of some sort so hung close to the lee
and padded carefully back up under the rocks
to try and find George. picked up his float
ing hatch, then his foot rest-oninous signs,
and my heart was in my mouth, and my spirits
went down, down. as feared what had hap
Peued to him Carefully PeeTiug around the