The National tribune., 1900-07-12

, 10 the artist, eXpectant of the splendid
| backgrounds of Lake George or the Adj
rondacks. tie Thousand Islands will prove
| disappointing, until, through better ac
quainraucc. he discovers a subtle quality
in the changeful atmosphere, a depth ol
green in the spliHg-like waters, and a rich
ness of purple in the shadows of the
rocks he has not seen elsewhere. Nature
serves her dainties here in small vistas
beautiful in color and form. The wide
variety of species among the trees, decid
uous and evergreen; the character
| of the Lawrentian sandstone and gran.
| itic outcroppings, torn and scanned by the
frosts of thousand Winters; the deer
masses of moss, holding moisture like d
sponge; the rust of sulphur and iron and
| the polishing of their bases by ice and
waves endow the shores of the islands
with magnificent chaos of shape and
| tint distracting to Il water colorist.
Aside from the social happenings at the
| large hotels which seem essential TO the
modern Summering place everywhere the
| life of the islander from June to October
is essentially amphibious. Croesus crosses
mail letter, and the cottage housekeeper
goes to the supply store for her market
ing in canoe. Six days in the week TIL.
| traditional tired business man. taking
his annual outing enjoys with his wife or
friend a tete-a-tete midday dinner. cooked
served under the shadows of the pines.
In July and August the gleam of tents
is seen through the leafasc beside the
| still channels everywhere The Stars and
Stripes minglc with the cross of st.
George. National meets of the Amer
| ican Canoe Association bring hither many
well-knGwn workers in the fields of art
craft, but the ideal boat for these waters
is the now-famous Thousand Island skiff.
| 1t is the result of evolution, and, as now
| constructed, has no equal of its class in
the world. The usual length is about 81
| feet. beam three feet four or five inches
| depth Is inches at the center. 1t is sharp
| fore and aft. made of clear pine or cedar
with varnish finish, short butter-nut, cher.
ry or mahogany decks at either end, nick
| cled braces and oar-lockS, seats at the
! bow and stern, two seats and "a fish box
intermediate. Two rattan-bacied chairs
comfortably cushioned accommodate the
| passengers, and q rug or carpet is gen,
orally spread over the painted canvas lin.
ing. folding centcr-board and eight OF
| tcn-yard spirit sail are :: part of the equip.
ment. The oarSman's kit includes two
| folding camp stools, small table, cooking
utensils, dishes, knives ana forks and a
bait pail
+, The light bass rod and reel nre now
employed by anglers in trolling with either
| live bait or skinner spoon to the en-,
| tire displacement Of the old-Style hickory
rod and its jingling sleigh bell which used
to waEen the dsowsy fishes when a pick.
crcl took his minnow. Through the ef
| forts of the st. Lawrence River Anglers
Association the excellence of the fishing
i'll these waters has not oIfiy been pre-.
served, but promises within n few wears
to become the best TO be found anywhere
in the land
The ideal week among the islands NAV
i best be realized in n honse-boat There
are house-b0ats III this region which are
| floating Pullman coaches. There are
many which require steam yacht for =
tender, but the sort Of housp-boat the
writer has in mind il scow-built and
| sl0op-rigged, and it's interior economy in
cludes a dainty little cabin, where meals
are served i'll bad weather, and where its
proper complement Of passengers-narne
ly, four-may enjoy their cacds and cigars
unrnindful Of the howling OF the gale out
side. From this cabin doors open upor
the state-room and the galley. There are
undreamed-of storage places for ice. sup
plies and reading matter Long year.
after such voyage the wanderer viii
pause, midst pleasures and palaces" t,
breathe sigh when he thinks upon tn,
perfection Of such holiday.