Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-05-29
PAST GRASSY BANKS.
A Trip by Boat Down the Rapid Wis
conse is Heartily Enjoyed.-Iis-
toric Waterways
About Us.


The writer, in company with friend,
enjoyed a TRIP down the Wisconse on
Wednesday which included enough ex-
element and back-strengthening work
to live long in ones memory. A good
sized, seaworthy craft was secured from
Fred Levenhagen's club house, north
of the city, and the descent la tile falls
was made in short order. Then the mus
cular, healthy work of the expedition be-
gar, for the boat had to be hauled up the
steep west bank of the river onto the
Curtis Il Yale yards, where rush-cart
was secured and the boat was taken be-
low the Northwestern railroad bridge
and pushed into the rapids. Little dit
ticulty was had in managing the craft
until the famous Sucker Rock was
passed, when the turmoil of waters
clutched the boat and threatened to
beat it to pieces. Suddenly a large
rock rose to view in front, and the
young man who had his eye upon the
obstruction tried to push against it
with paddle, when it slipped, he lost
his balance and fell into the foaming
waters up to his neck. The motions he
went through threatened to upset the
boat entirely and considerable water
was shipped while he was climbing
back to his former position, looking like
a drowned rat. A landing was made
on one of the islands below the falls,
where the crestfallen young man was
hung out on several bushes to dry.
The most exciting part of the journey
over, season of calm followed, during
which we lazily foated down the beau
tiful river, rich with foliage along its
winding banks and rich in the vibrant
hum of mosquitoes, which presented
their bills upon every exposed
spot of our bodies. Lilies and
BedelPs farms were thus passed. and
then one of the most beautiful places
along the whole river was reached, the
| junction of the Wisconsin and Big Rib
rivers. The Big Rib placidly sweeps in
to the bosom of the father of the valley,
losing its identity, but adding new
strength and beauty to the old Wis
| conse. The swift waters of Sturgeon
Eddy, directly south of the Asylum,
next bore us along past banks which in
the past few years have been stripped
of their verdure, all of that land having
come into the possession of the county
and being a part of the Asylum acreage
The junction of the Wisconsin and
Eau Claire rivers was soon reached,
from which point the boat was swung
around toward the south, heading
directly toward Mcsinee Hill, opposite
which is very high sandy bank, one
of the longest and highest yellow
banks" found for many miles up or
down the river. Our boat was stopped
at this point and we toiled to the top of
the bank, where beautiful scene lay
spread out below us. Cattle were lazi-
| ly smashing the water about near the
| opposite shore, and the river made a
~.
while to the northwest and west lay
Rib and Mosinee hills, whose names
will some day be famous. Close by, a
crew of men was busily engaged in
peeling bark from large number of
logs which had been purchased by the
Desserts, of Mosinee As soon as log
was peeled it was canthooked over the
edge of the high bank, down which it
rolled with terrific force and noise,
thowing up clouds of dust and striking
| the water with bound that dashed it
! into spray.
The return up the river from this
point was continuous struggle with
oars, paddle and pole, but the best pro-
gress was made with the pole, the boat
being kept close to the shore and away
from the current as far as possible
Quite often, however, the front end
would be swung out into the river, and
in spite of all we would be swept down
stream several rods, only to work our
way slowly forward again. When the
old Brodie tannery was reached, a large
muskallonge was seen in shallow water,
and when he saw us coming he slowly
made his way toward deep water. No
doubt, after reading this, number of
fishermen will be seen basking in the
sun near the tannery, waiting for the
''musky" to make second appearance.
He is worth catching, and would be a
trophy well worth hard struggle to
obtain. The portage around the falls
was again successfully accomplished,
this time without ducking, and the
boat was left at its home at the club
house
We would not advise anyone to try to
pole his way up the Wisconsin river
as the pioneers did of old. A birch
bark canoe, with several paddlers,
would not be so bad, but with com
mon boat or skiff the task is well nigh
impossible. But to anyone wishing a
day of unusual pleasure and beauty, we
would recommend trip to Mosinee,
by way of the river, where the boat can
be put onto the passenger as baggage
and brought back home at little ex-
pense. While our citizens are buying
automobiles and other land convey
ances, someone should secure a steam
or electric launch and use the splendid
waterways with which nature has so
bountifully blessed us. Others would
soon follow, and Wausau would ere
long be as famous as the historic Lake
Region" in Scotland, which the poets
have immortalizad