Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-10-03

way to pass a short vacation than by
going canoeing, and now, while the
days are not quite so hot and the earth
Is still warm and dry enough to sleep
upon, if one wants to combine camping
out with the other enjoyments of the
excursion, it is about the best time to
make trip of the kind. If one goes
with the idea of roughing it several
DAYS Of the sport can be had at very
trifing expense, and without the bother
of. very much baggage. But, however
pleasant the cruise may be in prospect
and no matter how much one may enjoy
being on the water, and among the
trees and birds and flowers, the beauti-
full scenery that is almost always af-
forded along the banks of a stream,
and the outdoor life and experiences of
boating and camping there arc certain
plain, hard facts, which must be CON
sidered before undertaking such an ex-
petition.
One is likely to find out suddenly
that the water is very wet, for if your
"tippecanoe" is inclined to be uneasy,
the whole stream occasionally flies up
and overwhelms you, and any one who
thinks more of his complexion than
of few days glorious outing had bet
ter stay at home, because it is the
custom on the water to take on enough
sunburn during the day to keep you
warm all night. There are also diff
culties of navigation to be encountered
which at times make matters exceed
ingly interesting. Both the delightful
and the discouraging features of travel
by means of canoe and paddle are par
ticularly prominent ON the Brandywine
creek. No streams in this neighbor-
hood offer more inducements in the
way of beautiful scenery and outdoor
attractions than the Brandywine, and
as far south as du Points mills the
boating facilities are excellent. There
trouble begins
The writer and friend recently
made the trip from Lenape, near West
Chester, to Wilmington, on the Brandy
wine, and thence down the Christiana
and up the Delaware river to Phila-
delphia in 12-feet canoes. The beauti-
full Brandywine, famous in history and
rich in legend and romance, winding
through broad meadows, deep woods
and between high hills, at one moment
dashing madly over rocks and falling
in cascades upon slippery lodges, the
next broadening into smooth stretches
where the water runs deep between
green banks, presents a series of pic
turesque panoramas and charming land
scapes dear TO the eyes of artists. Not
far above Lenape stands Deborah 8
Rock, where, tradition says, young
Indian girl named Deborah, in disap-
pointed love committed suicide by
throwing herself headlong into the
stream, and to confirm the story the
good people of the neighborhood point
solemnly to her petriiied footprint on
the edge of the cliff
About the same distance below, along
the creek, is the field of one of the
great battles of the Revolution. Off
to the left still stands the old Birming
ham Meeting House, where the wound
ed were cared for, and on down stream
is Chadd's Ford, the centre of strife
and the headquarters OF Washington
and Lafayette. The Chester County
Historical Society has recently erected
two monuments, one at Chadd's Ford,
in memory of Lafayette, who was
wounded in this battle, and another al
Birmingham, to mark the place of en-.
gagement. As we padded swiftly and
almost noiselessly by, green herons,
kingfishers and now and then large
osprey or fish eagle, feeding along the
edges of the stream where the water
Tapped against pebbles and among tht
sedges, dropped their prey and dartet
off in fright Occasionally large
black bass, having so far eluded th'
wiles of eager anglers, who are 81
numerous along the banks that thei
lines get tangled, jumped out of hi,
element and flashed in the sunlight.
A canoe draws only about two or thre
inches of water, and there is usual
no difficulty in getting past even tn
shallowest places, but at the dan
breasts it is different. Then if the faI
is too high to shoot, which require
considerable skill and nerve or the re
suit may be embarrassing, the cancels
must get out and wade and slip an,
Chamber down over the rocks, draggin
his canoe after him. There are almos
always rapids just below dam an
going down these is generally stuff
ciently exciting for novice. 1t i
necessary 10 sit very still and to handl
the paddle with rare judgment to avoi
the large rocks as tine resistess torren
handles the boat about in the divide,
currents, or an inglorious upset wit
consequences more disastrous, perhaps
than the dampening of spirits and tn
loss of grub may terminate the trip.
The numerous cider mill along til
stream are pretty good places to sto
and rest. just below one Of these "
came upon an old lrishman who wa
standing on the bank vainly beseerl
ing his COW to come out of the watel
At sight of the canoes she gave a snol
Of terror and plunged furiously towar
the bank and we mad earned the eve
A Of Irtg n
inquiry as to how far it was TO Wi
mington by the creek he replied:
Iez will find it IA long ways befoi
We git there IN thin things There
100 many dams to cross >
Had we realized the full truth of IL
pld mans remark there would ha,
been good reason for turning back, bl
Ne kept on undismayed until forced
admit his good judgment.
AT the du Pont mills, the stream
almost entirely absorbed by the larl
ace and navigation by the main cha
lel is impossible. Therefore the rae
vas our course. At every few rods 10
loot bridges crossed the water and I'll
lnly way to get under them was to II
lat in the bottom of the canoe AN
push up on the tlmbprs so as 10 mai,
the boat sink low enough in the watt
10 pass through. Then the BOATS ni
o be carried back to the main cree
below the mills again only to encour
Ter two or three more dams, but il
I'll worth while for the scenery ali ii
way into Wilmington is magnifcen
But when we came to Bancroft
mills and had TO pass under a hen
,ate only 10 inches above the water inl
race with the same impediments mn
hen had 10 carry and 'ltag and ms