Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-11-30
A Few Stray Leaves
FROM THE LOG OF THE
ssFRA NKIE.n

\ For mile or more, we drifted along
companIonably in bunch, holding by each
others gunwales, over smooth, uubrok-
en-. though swiftly flowing, watery avenue;
tblckly bordered and almost completely
overarched by dense masses of )nxurianG
green foliage. with occasional openings in
the leafy walls through which we could
look out over smiling fields or on some
thrifty farmhouse, with Its comfortable,
home-like surroundings the residents
looking after US with interest and wonder
as we gided rapidly and smoothly by.
Presently our ears were greeted with
the roar of falling waters, so cautioning
the party to resume their respective posi-
lions, / pushed ahead in the Frankie to
reconnoitre.
shot swiftly around a sharp bend to
the left, and another to the right. and
over fish dam, below which lay huge
fat rock, occupying as much space as
small house, in the angle of the bend,
blocking up pretty much all the bed of the
river the water rushing off IN narrow
channels, to the right and left Of the rock,
and leapipg and tumbling down series
Of two or three lodges or terraces, forming
fall of several feet
1t was pokerish looking place, but
at once decided upon the right hand chan
mel, although it was the smaller Of the
two, as it looked deeper; SO shouting to
the rest of the party to come en-, drove
the Frankie straight down it. She took
the plunge calamity, and slid down the
lodges and through the big waves at the
foot of the fall without touching her keel
or taking drop of water.
The heavily laden Moe was not so for
tunate. She missed the right hand
channel and struck the rock squareIy,
broadside on, but fortunately slid off and
slipped around, and went humping down
the left hand channel; sustaining no
greater harm than shipping few gallons
of water, and the loss of an oar, which
became fast in crevice in the rocks and
was wrenched from Dunbars grasp as
! be was assisting in pushing her off.
The other boats came through without
mishap, and we were again under way and
ready for the next rapid, which was not
long in putting in an appearance, crowned
with heavy fish dam built just few
yards above natural fall, over ledge, of
several feet, with hundred yards of
swift, rocky rapids below 1t. Here the
unfortunate lNdc agaia got into trouble.
She missed the narrow chute, over which
the light, easily managed Frankie passed
smoothly; her bow hung heavily on the
rocks; her stern swung round and also
caught On the rocks, and she rolled over
the fall sdewise, until her entire interior
was visible to the Frankie, as she lay to,
some little distance below, waiting for
developments. One of the boys was thrown
out on the down stream side, while her
captain instantly jumped out On the up
stream side, and by swinging the stern ,
around upstream, succeeded in righting
the boat and easing her over the fall be.
fore she had made complete capsizs or
had spilled any of her cargo The frankie
picked up floating oar. and her pennant
and we were soon u der way again.
The crew of the Kathleen were also OBJ
served to be in the water, in the rapid be-
low the fall, but as they we're wading, and
the water although swift and rough. was
not deep, we went on and were soon re-
joined by them.
M
We found beautiful place for camp,
across the river from the village, in the
shape OF a long. smooth. level shelf of
hard sand, a few feet above the water,
beautifully shaded with fine grow tn of
willows; and although it was but two
O'Clock. we went into camp here for seve-
raj days, to rest, and re6t and overhaul
our fit, which had been we'll tested by
our three days cruise of SO miles,
My recollections of the three dreamy,
lazy days. which foated over us. as we lay
here are very pleasant. The long mar
| row strip of sand-the rough plank
fence parallel to the river with the tented
canoes strung along it; the river ripping
and sparkling in front, cleaning in the
sunlight through the soft. feathery plumes
of the willows with the deep, hoarse roar
of the rapids above, droning unsteady
in our ears, day and night.
The Mac moored at the door of the
big tent, dong duty as tender,
generally employed in taking some
one or more of the party over
the river or back again for water from
the fine spring in the bank at the waters
edge directly acrcss from US; for little
fishing jaunts, or for trips to the old,
tumbledown village for supplies, or for
pleasure. Porte Crayon in paper on
Weyer's Cave. published in Harper's
Magazine some years before the war, de.
scrlbes Port Republic as dilapidated lit
tie village. and it has not improved materi-
ally since that time.) The bridge was
close at hand, but the skiff was so much
handler, and then it was so much fun for
the boys to paddle it back and forth.
The heavy rain of Wednesday evening,
which came upon US suddenly, as we were
finishing our suppers, and drove US off to
the shelter of our tents for the night as
early as half-past seven. and lulled me to
sleep with its soft, murmuring patter on
the roof of my snug, tight little tent.
The two heavy rains of the next dav,
Thursday, which we sat out perfectly div
and comfortable, clad in our oil skins, or.
rubber suits; the canoe tents down and the
matches battened tightly ,as the LITTLE boats
lay there, as imperious to the rain which
splasAed from their decks and collected in
pellucid little pools in the hollows of the
waterproof muslin aprons, as 80 many logs
of wood.
rop1dIv r;o,pr r;r,or 49,, Tho