Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-06-19
LIFE AMONG CANoErsrs.


Warrington Club.
THE PERILs OF THE wAvE-A PIPE THAT
SERVED AS A JoNAH-A CHASE AFTER THE
wAKKFIELD-A WILD MIGHT ON THE RIVER
BANK.
Camp B was just inside OF Broad creek.
about a thousand yards from Fort Foote, and Il
being the first camp the boys awoke early in the
| morning. The b. Bs-so called because OF their
habit OF getting there all the same" at meal
times, though behind at all others, in which re-
spect they were not unlike a well known, bu,
slightly unpopular iusect-had their inevitable
morning Dip Old "Fungoue' and the commo-
dore got together q basty breakfast for the
party, and long before the hour at which most
OF the party usually got mp the camp was de-
serted and the feet fairly under way for Mount
vernon with bright sun and a brisk breeze to
smokers, and were never coniented without
pipes In their mouths. so no sooner were they
LARRY under way than the skipper OF their craft
piped the mate on deck, while he got out his
Whit.
THE MATES PIPE.
Then the mate undertook 10 follow suit and
thereby hangs a tale, whether he stole the pipe
OF stole the money with which he bought n. or
whether he bought IL Of a poor blind corner
peuoier ana worked on a plugged twenty cent
piece Tor genuine quarter I'm the purchase il
not known, but certain IL is that for bring
ing bad luck aboard q ship there never was
ANYTHING that succeeded better than that same
pipe: Whatever was the matter with the craft
could not be found out, but one by one the
others began To pass her soon a. the mate
began to fool with that pipe. Then she hung in
lays, orilted,run her nose under the water. Till
she filled the mates pants pockets, waved. biz a
piece out OF the shippers leg with one of her
cheats and finally went ashore In pet. The
SKIPPER got out and examined her all over
carefully to see If anything was wrong, and
while he was doing 90 the mate undertook TO
Fe u soi ms pe nc he II he could
the experiment never was fully tried. Tor never
once during that weeks trip could that pipe be
b. BIS. Twice they were forced ashore, a dozen
times they were obliged to paddle while the
others sailed, and during the whole trip they
were kept In condition Of constant soak, from
which only temporary relief WAS obtained each
night In camp.
IT WOULD NOT STAY LOST.
The second day the mate began 10 try to lose
the pipe. He would quietly drop It In some
remote corner Of the camp (he had q superst-
ton against throwing IL overboard) the last
thing before leaving, but at the very ne xt camp
some member of the party would be sure TO
came cam ms b. here your pipe You left in
BIS would always get out OF camp quickly as
possibly ewearing in camp was az anst the
able time. AS they always returned wiping
their lips 1t was supposed they had been stand
ing behind trees with their mouths full OF water
70 keep from letting out the cuss words
The pipe lived through the cruise, though IL
rained, hailed, lightened, Numbered and blew
ana Inc mate brought II home with him where
1t afterwards bred more mischief but he II be
searched next trip before he starts.
RUNNING DOWN STEAMER
Old Fungone had just dished up the dinner
which, by the way, was an unusually good one,
when some one noticed q steamer coming up
the creek. 1t proved to be the Wakefield bound
iOr one OF her landings on the way to Washing
ton. The two BIB were Immediately seized
Win an insane desire to send postas to their
wives ~ was remarkable thing that they
never missed an opportunity of this sort on the
whole trip. always sending messages full of as
the circumstances might have indicated other
wise. But perhaps only q canoest can consci-
se a1m say he is happy when his shoes are
vigorous hunt for a lively "wood-tick"
however, the commodore and Old Fungone
LOOK pity on the 3. b. s and offered to take their
messages to the Wakefield at her landing place
about Two miles further up the creek The
steamer was At her landing before the notes
%s ix written, and the Meteor was prepared Tor
started again. The wind had increased to half
gale and was blowing directly towards the
Lanolng. and the moment it struck the canoes
sails the light craft shot like an arrow
up the stream. It is extremely doubtful AZ any
sailing craft ever intentionally went faster. So
nerce was the wind that the little craft was
blown down into the water, until the water was
within almost an inch OF her deck. While IL
Old Fungone gather the apron in his teeth, and
ne afterwards said the water poured down his
throat at rate that threatened to either mn
MIN up or empty the Potomac.
three times the Commodore was Obliged TO
!un, TO keep the Meteor from going over. as
ner big sails. without rect in them, "kicked"
luriously with every blast But he returned TO
the charge each time valiant as ever aud tie
boys They're all boys on . canoe trip) who had
Oeen ABOUT evenly divided In opinion as to
whetner ne would upset or not, gave q cheer as
they saw him ''round to- behind the steamer
In about nine minutes from the time of start
went back TO ''grub."
It had been raining steadily about two hours
when they got into camp. The tents were hur.
riedly put up, and the ''duffie" thrown into one
while fire was attempted in the other It was
here that the B. BIS were at last found useful
With q sharp Ratchet one OF them soon showed
the boys that plenty Of dry wood could be had
In the heart of any of the drift lying about
them, and the fire which had previously con.
sisted chiefly and exclusively or smoke soon
tent being burned down, q roof or "bower," as
the boys persisted in calling il, was designed
and const 1ucted over the fire BY the other B. b.
with the willing assistance Of all hands. 1t con-
sisted OF tour forked sticks driven into the
ground, with other ticks laid across and dashed
At the corners, and on top OF these thick layer
oil small bOughs. covered in turn by canoe sails
This made pretty good root, and the disposal
OF other sails about the sides of the bower,
served to keep out the cold wind and rain from
the windward. Then lot OF wood was brought
under the root to dry. Supper was cooked and
all hands made ready TO spend the night. One
tent was set apart for the 'duffle' and "dun-
nage," and all the dry blankets rubber blan.
kets and overcOats that could be obtained were
made up into one large bed In the other tent.
where all hands but those on watch were TO
sleep.
AT ten o'clock all hands were slowed away
except the two B. B's who were on watch Til
midnight, and the vice commodore, who
couldn't sleep. The "Corn Dodxer." being
rather exclusive, left The sleeping tent early in
the evening, and turned in with the duffie and
dunnage in the other tent, where he supplied
the vice commodore with an inexhaustible
source OF contemplation. The v. G. is AN old
salt, but he says he Is still unable to compre-
such wild night, with no covering, and with
an inch and half OF water trying TO percolate
through his anatomy.
WILD MIGHT.
And 1t was q wild night. The elements
seemed combined to test the sleeping Qualities
Of the canoeists, and turned themselves loose In
Q way they ought to have been ashamed Of
The two BIS smoked their pipes, cracked
Jokes tried to rouse the v. e. from his dreary
contemplation OF the Corn Dodger and kept up
the fire. About midnight the wind suddenly died
away, and the thunder and lightning soon fol.
lowed suit. The rain, however, steadily attended
to business, and did not let up for twenty-four
hours.
But the canoeists lived through It ALL even TO
the night easier, IL IL hadn't been for the unrea-
sonable conduct of Corn Dodger. They even
slept sOundly through the fierce storm, and, IL
is stated, that when the storm was at its high
est and the flashing of the waves the shore
seemed to rival the noise OF the thunder, Q