The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-09-22
DOWN THE POTOMAC
Instructive Account Of a Charm
ing Canoe Voyage.
4 Trip Which Must Prove Revelation ia
the Lover of Nature - Some Fine
Samples of Local Nomenclature
The Aqua Qnarries.
rsnecfsl WASHINGTON letter.

Especial Washington Letter.
The Washington Canoe association is
an organization of which any chief OF
the old Analostans, Powtowmacks, Ac-
comacs, or Susquehannas would have
been very proud. In the days of the
aborigines the placid Potomac was
plowed by the dng-out- birch-bark
and RATED handicraft OF ambitious cop
ser-colored sportsmen and warriors.
Thev went a-fishing in those days, but
they did not go cunning. They had
bows and arrows and crude traps; but
such as they had they used for captur-
ing or killing the reed-birds, Ortolans,
ducks. deer and other game. They in
vaded the fats and marshes, and
tramped over the islands for mere wan
tonnes. They had tribal fleets, too,
and went to war as heroically and fero-
ciously as did their white brethren be-
vond the traclzless Atlantic waste. But
they had TO Armada, nor any panophed
fotilla such as that in which Cleopatra
led Marc Antony to disgrace and in
fanny.
The modern feet Of canoes has Its
Headquarters near the spot on which
the greatest battle was ever fought IN
prehistoric times. The AnalOstans,
,AccOmacs and PowtowmackS formed
confederacy; a sort of tri-partite agree
1nent for their mutual protection
against the invading hordes of the
north, called Susquehannas. The lat
ter tribe came down like wolves on the
fed. Their ranks were as the sands OF
the seashOre in number. But. upon one
occasion. when they came by land and
by water, the southern confederacy of
copper-cOlored warriors entrenched
themselves upon an eminence NOW
known as Observation hilQ. repulsed
them. drove them back, followed and
smote them hip and thigh; SO that they
never again approached the Potomac
region Even until this day the bones
of those slain in that great battle on
the river. as well as on the land, and
that on Analostan island, midway be-
tween the river banks, are occasionally
exhumed. when buildings are erected
on the spot where thousands of dusky
warriors battled for supremacy. It is
near this battle-ground that the modern
fleet casts and weighs anchor to-day.
But the complete crafts of the pleas
ure-seekers are models of case and com
fort In such a safe vessel as the lit
tie Mariner, it is great pleasure TO
explore the bays and shores Of the
lower river. For several days proceed
ing the cruise, active preparations had
been going on to insure a complete out
fit, and the tent, cooking utensils,
blankets and provisions We're now
snugly slowed under the deck IN such
a manner As to ballast the cruiser for
her best sailing. Rapidly the familiar
shores of the river near the city were
passed, and once under the long bridge
I'VE felt that our cruise had really be-
gun. The temptation to stop for r
brief visit to the wooded bluffs of the
-Four Mile run, favorite rendezvous
of the Potomac canoeiSts, was resisted
by desire to make camp as far down
the river as possible the first night. so
we kept our course in midchannel
past Alexandria, the former home of
Lord Fairfax, aH1 Jones Point Just be- |
low, where GA April Is, 1871, the initial |
corner stone Of the present District of /
Columbia was laid by a notable gather |
ing of distinguished officials, in ac-
cord2nce with President Washington /
proclamation of March 30, 1871. an /
inounciug the boundsof the new feder- /
lal territory afterwards named the Dis /
itrict of Columbia. The present light 4
house at Jones Point stands on the /
site of the interesting ceremonies, and |
in the beginning OF this century it was |
proposed to erect a strong fort there to /
'be called Columbia IN recommendation /
of the event.
The Mariner is so different in every |
WAY from the original craft called 1
canoe that it seems TO be a great /
,Inisnomer. In the first place no oars |
ARE required for its propulsion, for it /
bias two large, light but strong sails /
(which make it leap through and over