The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-07-30

TWO KINDS OF WIND.
gave tie sport a mighty impetus. From
Mou.rc.l he sailed III II paper canoe
th"ol@h Lake Champlain, down the
HUDSON and along the coast of Florida.
Ia also sailed down the Ohio and Mis-
sissipi in a sneak box-a sort of marine
fatiron i'll shape-and his hook descrip-
tive of the journey had an enormous
sale.
A. late rs 1879 there was but one club
arG OILY II hundred or so Of ~canoeists in
the United States. Many open canoes
we" then III use in Canada, and a few
in :he United States, but Of decked cedar
canoes there were probably not over 100
III the country up TO 1879, all Of the
Rob Roy or Nautilus model. In 1879
the New York Canoe club held a regat-
ia Oh New York bay, the first for five
years, and, i'll fact, the first successful
canoe regatta sailed in this country.
Daring the SAINT summer - number
Of ~canOeists visited Lake George and
were pI sent at the rowing regatta off
CrOSbyHidc, and extra prizes were offered
for CarJc races, which were hurriedlv
arranged. Just above CroSbv.idC, the
headquarters Of the boating men. was
the beautiful home of one of the earliest
and most enthusiastic of Americas canoe
lists. Mr.. n. Ii. Bishop, and it was in his
fertile brain that the idea OF Il national
association of American canoeists first
originated and the general scheme as
well as its details was planned. Mr..
Bishop was at the time diScnga@cd from
business, and he took up the new idea
with all the dash and energy that char
acterizc his many adventurous cruises.
In the highest story Of his beautiful
house, overlooking the lake far and
near, he set up an amateur printing press,
and i'll 1919 began his missionary work
in behalf of canoeing. lie was soon in
correspondence with the leading Eng
liSh, Scotch and Canadian canOcistS. and
in Il little while bad made the acuunint-
ance by letter with the few American
canoeists. then disunitcd and isolated
a couple Of dozen in New York, two or
three III Cincinnati, M in San Francisco
and others in different localities.
1t was solely through Mr.. Bishops
labOrs that the arrangements were made
for the meet OF canorists ut Crosbyside.
Lake George, i'll August. 1850. with sail
ing and padding races, those present to
organize IL national association. Help
was promised from all quarters, but the
promises were not kept, and when the
first meeting was called to order only
thirteen men responded. This bakers
dozen of %cinociStS campcd. padded,
sailed and talked, the result being that
all Went home full of enthusiasm and
ready to cJmc back the next year to the
second meet of the American Canoe AS
ISOLATION, which they had organized,
with Mr.. Alden as commodore and Mr..
Bishop as secretary.
During the next year the growth of
the young organization was somewhat
slew. Canoeing had not yet overcome
the strong prejudice and ridiculc which
it excited at first, but the annual meet
was successful and well attended. 1t
was held on the Canoe islands, owned
by Messrs. Bishop, LOngworth and Wui-
sin. nea Long Island. This year the
first Canadian delegation five canoesJ,
led by Mr.. Edwards and Colonel Harry
Rogers, was present.
In 1882 the association had increased
greatly and u most successful meet was
held at the Canoe islands. In the fol-
lowing year "A was made to Can
ada, the camp being held at Stony lake,
with the result that many Canadian
canoeists joined.
AS the meets increased in size it be-
came evident that the Canoe islands
were too small, while the winds on Lake
George We're not the best for canoe sail