River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-09-11
DOWN THE POTOMAC.
Sailing Trip That Has No Equal in
United States.
History and Nature Combine TO Make
1t Most Fascinating Outing
--CharIns of Chesapeake
Bay.
Especial washington letter.


~HERE is popular expression :
"Once a man, twice a child"
having reference to the petu-
liant, querulous second childhood of
the very aged The brain Of an
anonymous poet coined a more COM
prehensiye expression for the entire
race: Men are only boys grown
tall, aud hearts don't change much,
after all"
They whose lives are directed in
to paths Of such prosperity that they
may have a couple of weeks or
months of vacation every year spend
many happy hours planning the out
ings which are doubly enjoyable be-
cause OF the pleasures of anticipa-
ton. And their ideas of pleasure
are as different as are the provincial
isms IF their speech and manner.
The people Of New England have
their times for camping out in the
dense forests, or of spending their
leisure days along the seashore,
where clam bakes are almost daily
feasts of which they never grow
weary. Going to the coastwise
places is also fad with the people
of contiguous states, in small num-
bers, as compared with their popula-
tions. In the west and northwest
the principal purpose seems TO be to
''go somewhere" no matter where, so
long as it is away from home and
gives a restful change to tired
bodies and weary brains. The peo-
pie Of the southern states have lad
of hitchIng up teams and taking
families to the mountains for camp
ing out periods. The folks with
wealth enough to travel and enjoy
all of the beauties and won
ders of this wonderful imperi-
al country usually turn their
backs upon Yellowstone park,
the Yosemites and all other Of the
grandeurs Of nature in America, and
pack themselves off to Europe, where
they are smlingly and hilariously
welcomed by sycophants who are
after their money.
A few workingmen of the national
capital with little time for recrea-
ton recently spent their playtime sail
Ing GOWN IHe l. OIOIudC IlNCI anu Jul
into Chesapeake bay. 1t was only lit
tie bit Of an outing, but ten days on
salt water, sometimes in salt water,
and all the time, day and night, breath
ing the air so impregnated with
oceans virtues, sufficed to inyigOrate
and strengthen everyone in the party.
From the time of heaying anchor IN
til its final casting there was a con-
slant study Of history, albeit the OBJ
ject lessons were easily learned as in
kindergarten, one of the boatmen
having been familiar with story and
legend of the river for more than two
generations. The start was made from
Easby's point, where stands the old
Braddock rock, now inclosed by an
iron railing, the work of the Colonial
DANES. 1t is not now an impressive
sight The river has been filled in all
around it, The waters of the stream
had receded, leaving the historic rock
in a marsh. Not only did Braddock
land here, but upon this rock George
Washington landed when he came to
examine site for the future capital.
When the waters were around it and
trees sheltered it the rock was as ar
tistic as it was attractive, because of
its history: "The British troops sailed
up the Potomac in barges until they