Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-19

genial host insisted on accompanying us
back to camp, where we found things as
hours before. After hard work we sue
ceeded in putting everything to rights and
the warm rays of the sun soon dried our
dampened blankets The boat was half
filled with sand and drift wood, but other
wise uninjured in any way.
Just before noon. with a favorable breeze
directly down the river, We set sail again,
and before we camped that night had
reached our destination. 'Commodore's
Camp, at Colonial Beach, thirty Eight
miles further down stream Our days run
was delightful one coasting along the
shores of the ever widening river. At San
dy Point, formerly noted steamboat
landing. everything had forsaken appear
ance, the old wharf and warehouse tumb-
ing to decay A little lower down ON the
portant freight landing Below this Cliff
ton Beach or Smiths Point looks most ia
minar to the excursionist, but the deserted
pavilions and closed ba tn house indicate an
IDLE season. The densely wooded Lower
Inom Polnt stands out boldly forty-four
miies below Washington. and at Maryland
the river makes a great bend almost
doubling upon itself, and just beyond is The
famous .NanJemoy Reach. so dreaded by
the sailors on the Potomac. 1t was here
that large schooner, anchored in mid
stream was entirely dismasted by the cy-
ctone OF the previous evening, and as we
passed within haiing distance of the wreck
we wondered at the severity Of the storm.
On Maryland Point are several abapdon-
eN tAOuSSS, prODdDly tne dwellings, OF Usher
men Leaving the new light house in our
wake, we started on a ten-mile tack to the
req clins OF Matthias Point, Virginia, pass
ing en- route the thriving settlement of
RIVERSIDE at NanJemoy wharf. and then the
iight house at Upper Cedar Point. ROUND
ing ing Mathias Point light, ffty-five miles be-
low Washington. We squared our sails for a
thirteen-mile run to Colonial Beach, and
were soon making our course directly to.
ward Lower Cedar Point light house, six
ana one,half miles distant. The nils Of
Shapei POINT and the red sandy cliffs near
ropes creek made attractive pictures as
the sun sank in the west, and several
miles below one of the little sioops cf our
canoe fleet, the Wachachee was seen max
ing toward the Maryland shore. We
were both sailing to make camp no delay
was permissible. generous lunch on
BOARD as we bounded over the waves made
US regret that cruise would soon be
ehuen cIt as the sun disappeared behind
the Virginia hills We passed Lower Cedar
Point and headed for the white cottages Of
colonial Beach nearly seven miles off Be-
fore we arrived there 1t was silvery moon
llght on the waters. but our glorious after
Moons run was a source of such pleasure
70 us that we even wished We could con-
tinue on to the Chesapeake As we ap-
preached the beach lights cleaned from
many tents of the camp along the shore
ana our favorite spot White Point WIS
FOUND to be pre-empted by the jolly "Wraf-
middacca Club of Capitol HILL Still Their.
was room near by for our small tent and
the hearty welcome with which we were
received by our Washington friends made
our work lighter and our sleep sweeter
that night.
.'Alls we'll that ends we'll" said The COM
modore as we landed, and we thought 50
TOO wnen we and our staunch little cruiser
We're horne swiftly homeward the next
evening on the good steamer ''Leary."