The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-06-23
Over the Rapids in the Swollen
Blue Earth.
A Canoe Trip Near the City That Many
Sp0r;smen Would Travel Far
to Make.
to Make.


made the trip in the formers cruising
canoe, starting from the bridge near
Oak Cliff farm and coming down the
river to Mankato, a distance of twenty
one miles by river. A day or so ago the
trip was repeated by these gentlemen,
Mr.. Robinson taking his own canoe, and
Free Press reporter accepting an invi
tation to ride in Mr. Benefits canoe.
The day was warm, sunny one, with
very little breeze stirring. A convey
ance took the voyageurs to the Baker
bridge in the early forenoon, the canoes
riding on a two wheeled truck behind.
1t was eleven o'clock when the two
small craft were in the water with
lunch and surplus clothing slowed away
in the forward and after matches. The
river was bank full from the recent
heavy rains, and the green foliage came
down to the water, making the scene
highly delightful one to the eye.
AS the boats swung out from the
bank they were caught in the swift cur
rent and glided smoothly down stream
steadied by the rudders and the double
paddles in the hands of the Ganoeists.
Hands and feet worked together to
guide the boats, as the rudders were
regulated by stirrups on the shoes
The river curves continually, and
often the bluffs form a sheer precipice
with rock shelving to the waters edge.
Everywhere the scene is most beauti-
full one, ever changing and ever inter-
esting Hawks, crows, shield pokes and
other wild birds fly slowly about, while
wood chucks, chipmonks, ETC., scamper
to their holes at the scent of danger.
Everything is as nature made it, and
there is not human habitation to be
seen once in five miles.
After going past Oak Cliff farm, and
floating two or three miles from the
starting point, white caps we're seen
ahead and the water appeared to be vio-
lently agitated from some unseen cause,
as there was no wind. 1t was rapids
and the river fell visibly, while the
food of water swept over huge boulders
and boiled and surged for mile. The
canoes entered steadily, with the canoe
lists straining their muscles to keep
them headed down stream, for a side
ways slip would mean roll over, and
in that awful torrent the chances of
getting out alive would be slim for any
but the strongest swimmers. The nose
of the canoe would pillow down into an
abyss, and it would appear inevitable
that the craft would be filled by the i'm
mense wave ahead, but it would rise,
while small river poured over the
deck Sometimes the water would go
over the combing above the deck, and
then the crew would get an involun-
tary soaking Then the whole process
would be repeated dozen times in half
as many minutes. 1t was very rough
house" and the waves would rise four
feet high all around, with roar that
would be terrifying to novice on the
water
After awhile the rapids were passed,
but soon another was encountered, and
then another, and those in the canoes
had to be constantly prepared for the
emergency of striking out for the shore
or clinging to the canoe in case of tip
over.
Soon Rapidan Mills was reached, and
one of the most hair-raising passages in
the trip was where the dam formerly
stood. Some of the wall is there yet,
and the river boils around the PROSTATE
portion, 1t almost seemed like going
into a maalstrom, as the current drew
down around the standing portion of
the dam into hole just below it. 1t
was veritable rapids of Niagara, and
the canoes were tossed about like corks,
with the waves rolling down the decks
and occasionally splashing over. The
strong arms and cool heads of the
canoeists prevented any accidents, and
the crafts were soon floating again on
CLASSY water. Smaller rapids were en-
countered ahead, but they seemed tame
after what had been gone through with.
The mouth of the Watonwan was
passed, wide and swollen At Woods
ford the boats siddled up to the bank
where there was spring of clear, cold
water, and were made fast. 1t was
here that curious incident occurred,
and one that our readers will admit
very seldom occurs. AS the canoe
slowly and silently drifted up to the
bank, two black bass, weighing about a
pound each, were taken unawares and
in their endeavor to escape both gave a
jump out of the water. One fell back
into the water but the other landed
squarely in the lap of the writer. 1t
was the easiest fishing he ever did.
A cool spot was found under the
spreading branches of clump of trees
and dinner was produced from baskets
slowed away in one of the matches. The
sea that had been shipped in the rapids
had wet part Of the lunch, but good
appetites made the dinner one of the !