The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-07-24
ideas for qMomeu.

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mcgs at the seashore and never taste
the Joys to be had at inland resorts miss
4 great deal of pleasure which they
might be glad to partake OF If they only
knew what possibilities for it exist in
the vicinity Of the lirtle mountain
streams that aow down from the wilder
ness of the Adirondack forests.
These little streams have a commercial
value that compare very favorably with
that of many more pretentious water
ways. Every year thousands of logs
are hoated Town to their respective
mills to be sawed into the boards that
make millions for the luniberinen.
But It IS not with the. millions nor the
lumbernen that the pleasura-seekers are
concerned. The loss themselves form a
very exciting and sometimes very an
noying feature in their employment. To
be sure, there is a law which requires
lumber companies to leave a waterway
for pleasure boats, but such corpora
tfons are no more considsrate than
Others, and they have small scruples
about evading the law if they can.
SO it Otter happens that when a gay
young college MAJ from one OF the
numerous colleges IN that vicinity goes
out for a quiet boating trip with his
f~ay5rate summer girl, he is suddenly con-
fronted with a Jam of floating hogs that
I'LL up the entire stream, or are scattered
about in such promiscuous fashion that
he has TO perform a polka mazurka
with his boat in order TO get through.
If the logs are very closely damned
together the youth must land his com
panion and drag his boat until he finds
clear water again. But If he sees a
chance 10 poke his way between the logs
he does so, even at the risk of tipping
his boat over in the effort, a risk which
is always imminent, but which only ends
spice to the adventure.
A canoe is better than a rowboat for
the purpose of lodging logs, because, be-
ing narrower, it goes through smaller
spaces; also because IL has one long dou-
bic paddle instead Of a pair Of oars that
are always striking distractions and get
ting in. the way. There are many other
advantages about q canoe, not the least
Of which is its picturesque quality.
Nothing else appeals so strongly 10 the
susceptibiities of the summer girl as the
picture of a handsome college youth
perched gracefully upon the deck Of the
stern Of his canoe with the long. dou-
bic paddle in his firm grasp. He is at
tired, say, in a pale blue neglfgee shirt
and dark blue trousers, with a cap that
sits on the back of his head and rumples
his hair into a bang over his forehead.
The girl sits in a good position TO
view this fascinating figure. She leans
back comfortably against the cushions
that are supported by a sort of chair
back that is chained TO the sides of the
canoe and rests on the bottom. one
can almost recline in a chair of this
Kind. and nothing can exceed the COM
fort of it.
Then think Of the possibilities of varied
enjoyment. With a wen-fqled lunch
basket and 2 warm wrap to fend off the
cool night breezes, one can go up in
the afternoon and float down by moon
light.
your party starts about 4 o'clock and
you have just settled yourself comfort
ably among your cushions when you be-
Gin to bump against loose logs that are
scattered through the stream. The logs
get more and more crowded, and the
frst thing you know your end of the boat
IS tilted up on a submerged tree trunk
Tnen. It you are game al not afraid
OF soiling your hands, you go to work
ard help push off; after which You win
get aa good deal of fun by reaching out
as you come up to a big log and oking
it out Of the way. One can push the canoe
through a tangle of logs much easier
with the hands tina with the paddle.
The greatest bugbear to the canoe;st is
the BOOM" which is a line of logs
chained together along the middle of the
river and fastened to stone piers sta
toned at intervals of thirty or forty
rods. This is intended to pen the logs in |
on one side of the stream, but sometimes
they get 50 thick on the canoe.st,s side
that he is compelled to go over the boom
TO The log side, where perhaps it is en-
tirely clear.
Sometimes the youth gets out on the |
boom and shoves the canoe on. girl and
all; and sometimes a kind-hearted log
your fleet have passed all the logs.
comes to your assistance and shoves you
both over. More often you land at one
of the stone piers and cling to the log
frame, in which the loose stones that |
form the pier, are encased. while your
hero Of the paddle pulls the canoe across.
After you and the other members of |
your fleet have passed ali the logs. |
sou paddle on to a cool and shady spot
where you land and eat your lunch. dis
.coursing upon the scenery and other |
things until the sky begins to grow
dusky, whereupon you start floating
~homeward, blissfully obliyious to the fact
that those logs which were so easily
poked aside on the way up have been
budding themselves into a raft which
Is impossible to boats and everything
else except an experienced log walker.
But this oblivion cannot last long, for
the youths and maidens are very soon
made aware that the only way to get
home is TO land on the bank and drag the
canoe past the JAM. Here again, if you
are the right sort Of a girl, with a little
muscle In your arms, you VIII ake hold
ana help in the arduous task of moving
a water vehicle on dry land Perhaps You
land two or three times. perhaps only
once. but II you DO your pare in the |
emergency. YOU will find yourself several
degrees better off for the exercise and
several degrees higher in the estimation
of your eanoeist.
There are many countries in which. If
q man wishes to be legally married, he