The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-01-13
OVER THE RAPIDS.

From Bonaventure depot. Montreal,
we took the p. m. train to st. Zotique,
a pretty little village on the st. Law
renee, a few miles above Coteau.
After doing justice to W. Lalonde's
tempting meal. we were let loose in a
lovely old fashioned garden, and hidden
pluck all the roses we could carry.
In the meantime, our raft was on its
way down from Cornwall, and was ex.
pccted at St. Zotique about IL O'Clock
4 p. n.
But as the hours crept on and no raft
appeared, we entrcated our host and
hostess to retire and leave us to watch.
But no. French politeness forbade any
such free and easy proceeding as that, so
we resigned ourselves 20 the inevitable
and made the night lively with music
and college songs. At last, at O'Clock
in the morning, the signal was heard,
and, taking leave Of our kind friends,
we walked down the long pier, which is
over q quarter of a mile in length.
BY the dim light Of one lantern, we
stepped on board a queer craft, filed
with men who were 10 row US 10 the
lHAt liz ANAl llDNl VI TIT ulEuks VI
rather morning, the darkness, the mys-
FERROUS figures moving around, the rattle
Of the chains and creak Of the oars in
rOwlocks, and, above all, the silence,
gave a strange feeling. One of the party
the doctor remarked that he never felt
so much like pirate in his life, a few
strokes brought us 10 the raft; we got on
board and then began our strange ex-
Dericnce.
One raft is strictly speaking, a num-
Ocr of smaller ones. or what are called
drains, bound together with ropes and
chains. Passing through the lakes and
rivers. attached 10 a tug, these drains
are fastened together, making one large
one; but when nearing the rapids they
separate and each one goes through
alone. These drains are made Of inn
menso logs of oak or pine as the case
may be, laid side by side and bound to-
gcther with cross pieces about three feet
apart These again are fastened TO the
LOGS bv withes Of some strong wood; the F.
withes are made pliable by machinery. .
so they are easily twisted and tied
around the logs Each single dram is 1
generally about 80 feet wide, by 200 or f.
300 feet long. ROwiOcks are made, I
raised about feet from the surface Of /
tho dram, at the bow and 5 az the |
stern, never at the sides. The oars are |
about 80 feet in length, and are fastened /
with ropes, as they are easily lost in the .
rush of the rapids The drains are built .
TO about the depth of five logs, which Of f
course are all under water except the +
top layer. Il takes about fifteen men F.
ole month 10 build one Of these drains. /
Oursraft, Which, by the way was worth .
500, 600, consisted Of nine drains, with .
about twenty men on each, sixteen row.
ers, q pilot and assistant, a cook and one
odd man.
The men are paid about s. 80 each, ex-
cept the pilot, who gets So. The rule IS,
mo success, no pay
On our particular dram was a shanty
built expressly for US as the pilot had
never had the pleasure OF ladies COM
pany on board before. Our shanty we
dignificd by the name Of Windsor hotel.
10 consisted of two apartments, with
doorway, but no door. In each were two
berths, one above the other, as on ship
board One bedroom did duty as 2 din
ing room, the other was the kitchen
Having no door, we hung up a blanket
as q portiere.
Just as we had settled ourselves for the
rest Of the night, and were falling into
pleasant sleep, lulled by the soft wash of
the waves, our dreams were rudely dis
PEELED by another kind of lullaby.
The cook, having IN mind an early
breakfast, proceeded 70 chop wood for
that meal within tYo yards Of our berths,
at the same time fayoring Us with
chanson, accompanied by an obligato of
groans as the obdurate wood refused 10
yield 10 the Establishments of the ak.
The result was this:
o ma-uAH. O ma cousine- HAH, cousine angelo
HAHl
Being in a humor to see the ludicrous
side of everything we lay and laughed
till we could laugh no more.
About half after 4 in the morning
the melOdiOus cook sailed into our room
and gazed around for a moment, and
then walked of with our pitcher We
were up and dressed about 5 o'clock,
being brought to time by the smell Of
boiling ham. Before leaving the cabin
we had been unconscious Of any move
mcnt Of the raft, but on emerging found
ourselves being tugged by the John A.
We explored the raft from
stem TO stern, and found that two Of our
drains were Of oak and seven of pine.
Breakfast over, and finding that It was
only 6 o'clock, we prowled around again,
and examined the style Of cooking. For
ourselves we had a stove, but the hands
had two large kettles, hung gypsy fash
ion, from cross sticks, over a large fire.
The immense pieces Of boiling beef said
much for thddppetites Of the men.
But now in the distance could be heard
the roar Of the rapids; the men flew to
draw up the long ropes that held the
drains together, and in another moment
each one was entirely separated from
the others. The John 4. drew in her
cable and forged ahead, but keeping near
enough TO render assistance in case Of
need. But John A. evidently didn't care
10 let us have al the fun ourselves, and
ran aground the foremost I.
Iran, the left paddlewheel sticking up
IN the air in q most helpless manner.
Nearly half an hour was spent before
johnny" could be induced 10 disembark.
At last he withdrew his embarrassing
and once more our stately
moved on.
Ahead the long line Of curling white
oamed-the rear grew louder; faster
md faster went the raft The rowers
till labored at the oars, keeping their
yes fixed on the boiling waters ahead,
nd their ears pricked up for the voice Of ,
he pilot, which could be heard above
lac din Of the waters, one moment shout .
ng zen haut." to row at the 5
,ow-then "a derriereV-at stern. =
Now we approach within few yards, :
nd at q shout from the pilot the rowers a
rep their oars and spring back drenched 4
With spray, not moment too soon. Into /,
he seething mass we rush, the terrible !.
raves dashing up on either hand like ;
TRANCE monsters crouching and spring !
ng 10 devour US. 8
The shanty leaps in the air. Writing,
training, wrenching, creaking, the
whole raft shudders in agony-the logs
remble and shrek. Up spurts the
water between, as though each log were
mighty porpoise. On every hand jut Z
are, deadly rocks, ready to grind our
aft 10 pieces should the water fail to y
lestroy us. u
4 A g..