The commonwealth., 1897-09-02
Written for THE COMMONWEALTH.
A CANOE ADVENTURE.
IN EASTERN CAROLINA.
Many Years Ago.
BY "SAND AND GRAVEL"

4t was still so early in the afternoon
when I resumed my journey up the
river, that telt quite confident OF be-
ing able to "pull through" in ample
time but I had been told of what was
called "thoroughfare" few miles
ahead of me, and was looking out for
that. So far, after taking leave OF Gum
Neck, had not seen single human
being, nor bear, nor deer, nor horse,
nor COW, nor bird, nor fish, nor - al
ligator, and began to long for the sight
of some living creature. Just then l
came to the "thoroughfare." This was
simply short cut across a neck OF
land where the river had crooked itself
into the form of an S, and was smart
saving in distance. But I was very
particular In going through this cut,
tor a friend at Gum Neck had told me
of boatman who, after getting through
the thoroughfare, had taken the wrong
end of the river and gone back to Gum
Neck, twelve miles, before he found out
his mistake! But Jared much better,
and was soon at the canal. But what
stupid blunder fell into here. l
had supposed all along that would
( find a canal of sufficient capacity to
float schooner, or at least a fiat-boat,
but when had come to the place and
seen it, concluded that the canal was
still farther up the stream and so i
continued to move up the river. Four
miles beyond the canal, where l ought
to have stopped, came to cabin
where saw woman and her hall
grown daughter. / asked for drink
of water, and the woman replied, awe
drink water from the river" This 1
had been doing all day, scooplng it up
with my hand as thirst required. AS
the river was deep, and the water more
less dashed" with the flavor of the
abounding cypress and juniper, my
drink was more than tolerable. then
asked the woman how far it was to the
canal, but she lacked the information,
and nv little boat went on. At this
time the sun was about forty minutes
high. These, the first living souls
had laid eyes on during the whole OF
twenty miles, looked at me with curl,
Gus eyes as my form faded away
among the overhanging bushes, tol
here the stream had dwindled away te
a mere creek, whose source could not
be very far away. 1 wonder now that
I should not have known that there
could be no canal farther up such {
stream as that yet pushed on until
should find - something, and 1 did
r for when twilight had passed and th'
t moon had risen above the horizon
, came to the very head of Great ALI
gator. and could get no farther b.
reason of the tangled mass OF reeds
rushes and tall grass, of which ther
e seemed vast outspreading field. /
< was difficult now to reverse m.
= canoe with a view of retracing m
steps, but 1 succeeded in doing SO, an
was soon on the way back to the cabi
where had seen the mother and he
+ daughter. But again and again, whe1
Q the overhanglng bushes shut out tn
- light of the moon, it was difficult
keep the channel of the stream, and
began to fear getting lost. No lanter
~ nor match had I, nor anything ell
e that could throw a gleam OF hgt
a. across the gloom. Fortunately, reacl
e ed the little landing place in front
that humble cabin-humble, yet nor
the less hospitable or welcome.
Pulling my little craft few feet o.
" of the water, stepped to the frol
o1 door of the cabin and knocked. The
i'd was no response. "The sleep OF tt
ut laboring man Is sweet, i" and this tolll1
IA dweller among the swamps was restll
soundly from his labors of the day.
went to the back door where a gem
W ran could be heard, and there was
te. once a welcoming response-"Come
ew the front door" So did. A tor
he was lighted, the door was opened, a
T was received with, hearty, hum
welcome. The man was Mr.. Cahot
''e and the two persons ] bad seen In pa
te' ing we're his wife and daughter. Th
INQUIRED whence I had come, how
ow had been up the river, and wha
was dong in that strange place. !
wife had told her husband when
. came in from his days work OF
having passed their cabin at SO late
~. hour and they had rightly conclu'
nav that I would be forced to come o
some time during the night. so
1ch dom was it that these people got 81
eve Of human beings, that their interes
ma was intense. When had told
ney man where had started that mornl