Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-11-30
lowed this day of storms, during which
we all took occasion to apply fresh coat

we all took occasion to apply fresh coat
OF oil to our tents, and paid visit to
my friends, the SCOTS, who had enter
tanned me kindly and Hospitality couple
Of years before, willie cruising il these
waters.
Gibbs fell into the river while
attempting to launch the Kathleen to
cross the river for me; that coquettish
craft gently but promptly slipping out
from under him as he stepped carelessly
in, on which occasion he favored the
company with some choice quotations
from the Koran as he emerged dripping
from the water.
Perhaps the pleasantest of all, being the
recollection OF our last night in camp here.
1t was lovely moonlight night. Gibbs
and I were over in town on some errand
or other, after bountiful supper of bass,
catfish. cells and bacon; and as we crossed
the long. lofty bridge on our way back to
with the camp fire burning brightly on
the bank, and the lanterns glimmering
among the trees, reflected back again from
the mirror-like surface of the water were
most exquisiteiy bea utiful, and we linger.
ed long time On the bridge to admire
and enjoy the scene; the soft, balmy breeze
from the wooded slopes of the adjacent
mountains caressing our faces. and break
ing the long. silvery sheen Of the moon In
the river below, into million diamond
points. A young man and couple of young
ladies, from the village, were leaning over
the railing near us. enjoying the beauty of
the scene. and they evinced great interest
in the camp and the cruise. We invit-
ed them to go over with US. and visit the
camp. but they did not like to undertake
the difficult climb down the hill across the
bridge, and so declined.
In response to prolonged blast from
my hunting whistle, ore of the lanterns
came giimmering through the trees-the
reflection dancing along on the water;
climbed up the bluff. was lost to sight,
and presently reappeared at the farther
end Of the bridge. and soon joined US, in
mpapy with the Doctor who-after we
had exchanged goodnights with our COM
panions of the moment on the bridge
lighted US down the rough, narrow path
under the bridge, down the face of the steep
bluff, and back to our camp, where we
gathered cumpanionably around rousing
big camp fire, smoking and talking until
late hour, before we turned in for the
night.
~
The days cruise was pleasant one.
though arduous and difficult; requiring
considerable skill and patience, and, at
times, not little nerve, and was full of
incident. At one particularly rough, intri-
cate rapid, two large four horse wagons
loaded with bark, came leisurelY fording
the river below us, at just the right dis
lance below to cross and block the boat
channel before we could pass through it,
and the rush of water down the rapid.
which was more free and open than usual,
would not admit of much tarryng on our
part while they leisurely crossed; so di-
recting Georges attention to the danger.
we made dash for it as hard as we could
drive, and shot through the narrow chan
mel and over the fall at the foot of the
rapid just few feet in front of the noses
of the foremost horses. who were disposed
to take fright at our sudden appearance,
until quoted by the tranquillizlng, reas-
surfing cuss words of the drivers.
While skirting along close to the bank
under the trees, seeking good passage
over an Impending fish dam; an eagle rose
with a scream from the tree tops, directly
abuve US; his sudden, heavy, upward
plunge, displacing the large, dead limb
upon which he had been perched, which
fell as big as sapling. with great crash
and splash into the water. but few feet
from the frankie, treating her crew to a
liberal shower bath. 1t was pretty close
call, for there would undoubtedly have
been bad case of shipwreck had the
limb fallen on the Frankie's frail cloth
decks, to say nothing of the effect pro-
duced had it fallen on the devoted crown
of her skipper.
The river ran deep and still. though
always swift, for miles; the Fort came
down out of the clouds in long, sloping,
gracefully undulatlng. tree-clothed spur,
and lost Itself in the heavy woods along
the river. The Massanutton range came
to an end as abruptly as it began; the his
toric peak used as a Confederate signal
station, standing like giant sentinel over
the broad re- united Valley. sweeping smil-
ingly away to the distant Potomac; the
railroad returned to the river again, and
followed closely along the bank; now di-
rectly over the waters edge, as it lay along
some narrow little shelf in the side of the
cliffs, or hills; now taking a short cut
through the more level fields, across some
bend to reappear again farther down. The
dense forests along the banks gave place
to smiling green fields; farm houses and
mansions appeared here and there, and
the lovely peaceful, twilight, pastoral sur
roundings we're the more welcome after the
wild solitude OF the all-day long cruise.
Occasional short, steep. gravelly slopes
appeared. down which the river rushed
boisterously, but deeply, and free from
distractions; affording US fine coasting,
with nothing to look out for but the big
waves, which our canoes rode buoyantly
A densely packed excursion train thun-
dered by up the road, as we were pitching
and tossing safely down one of these riffs,
and whirlw1nd of handkei chiefs whiten~
ed the sides of the cars; evidently a tri-
butte of admiration to our daring, which
we returned by waving our helmets.
We portrayed around high mill dam
with shoot in it, the counterpart of the
one at Goodies dam, only this chute had
some kind of apron attachment Or other