The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-30
VACATION DAYS In A CANOE.
kEND or TRAVEL WHIfH OFFERS
Fun AND ADVENT RE.
No Better water for This Purpose Than
the Upper Reaches Of the Delaw are
ana the SUsIIlehanna--The Quaint Con-
eslOga COuntry--NlscOnsln Witness.

The canoe is the original American craft
the invention of the Indian. IL is as native
in its essence as the buckskin shirt, the
snowshoe and the moccasn. II is the craft
of the man of the woods, hunte r, trapper
fisherman and explorer. 1t penetrates into
the wilderness on shallow and intricate
waterways where no other boat can travel
Then. too. how handy il is, how it answers
like live thing to the twist Of the paddle
Rowing seems mechanical by tine side Of
the free movement of the single blade.
The canoe is well adapted to our rapid
rivers and inland lakes. East and West
One need not go to the wilderness streams
of Maine, or northern Wisconsin. or Canada
to enjoy the sport. in all parts of the
country there are swift lite rivers, dash
ing down mountain valleys or winding
through the farms and villages of the low
lands, which afford plenty of sport for the
canoeist
In New England are the beautiful reaches
of such rivers as the Connecticut, while
Pennsylvania can boast of the Susque-
hanna, the blue Juniata and, above all, the
Delaware, each with It's peculiar charm
OF scenery and association.
The Delaware is an ideal stream for the
canoe, as il is very rapid in it's upper course
ard pass, through region of unrivalled
natural beauty. An i6terestinR trip may
be made from Port Jervis, n Y. all the way
down to Philadelphia AS far as the Della
ware Water Gap, where range OF the
Blue Ridge crosses its course, the river
flows through a wild valley lorlered on
each side by mountains and cliffs, which
seem far below 10 form an mite rfoldlng
barrier On the New Jersey side rise the
lofty rid gos of the Shawangunk range, and
on tho right tower the steep cliffs of the
uplands of eastern Pennsylvania, shaggy
with ancient forests and indented with deep
raVines where mountain streams have
worn their way. and where waterfalls,
pouring down the heights, rear among
the rocks.
The river winds through the rich bottom
lands, or, where the valley contracts INTO
a woody VALE PUSHES in deep narrow
channel Green islands with shady groves
and sandy beaches occur frequently. Offer
ing cool retreats from the MONDAY sun
and camping places for the night. The
river il for the most part shallow and stony,
and roars down long series Of rapids, broken
by riffs and obstruCted by boulders, but
here and there it sleeps In long, deep, placid
stretches.
If the canoeist is also a fisherman there
are gamv black bass to be taken in the
dark water of the swrlng eddes at the
foot of the riff and pickerel along the
shallow reedy shore. Bald eagles may
often be seen sailing out from their eyres
ligh in the cliffs or perched on some dead
tree rising above the forest.
Along this stretch Of river there are no
railways, no factories and no towns of any
size to foul the air and faint the stream.
There are only summer resorts, hshinR
camps and hamlets, while a fine hard shale
road follows the right bank at the foot
of the cliffs.
After the river has forced It's wav through
the wondrUus triple gate OF the Water
Gap, with its mountain barriers rising
sheer and grim above the water, Il flows
through hatter and more settled country
with fewer features of natural beauty.
The Susquehanna III some respects re-
srnbles the Delaware, but the Goa mines
and factories along its banks have changed
its aspect in many places. It's course
through the Wyoming Valley, once scene
OF surprising natural grandeur and primeval
!nveliuesS, Is now marked and nlarTed with
huge culm banks, towering black breakers
and factory towns
It's upper reaches flow through n still
beautiful region, and fleets of canoes are
OitCn seen on its waters. Each town Of
any size along its banks has its canoe club,
which takes its annual outing on the river,
starting usually from some place on the
upper waters in New York State.
Then there are little streams or creeks
which conduct the canoeist through quiet
pastoral country and quaint villages, under
Old stone bridges; past catrle grazing, lazy
fishermen, hard working hayrnakers. Such
a stream IL the Couestoga Git might well
be called the Meandcr, so much does it
wind and twist and involve itself in laby-
rinthine mazesl, which flows through
Pennsylvania Dutchland in Lancaster
county.
In contrast 70 the wild forests along
the Delaware, here are toy trees, Moan )
Ark cattle, quaint farmhouses with huge
barns, picturesque old water mills solid |,
stone bridges built in tine early days of
to rumble on the Philadelphia pike.
The people, the 1mlsh, Mennonites !
md other sects in fiat felt hats and long I
coats, ard women in bonnets and plain |
-rab dresses. with their outlandish dia- !
ect, fit in with the foreign aspect Of the ,
country. The canoe is always an object .
If rnild-eyed curiosity 70 these peculiar |
people Of Ephrata, or Eden, or Paradise, |
Is they love to name their villages
In The vast network Of lakes and streams
n the forests of Northern Wisconsin and !
bout the headwaters II the Mississippi
here are unrivalied opp, rtunities for the
an, eist for roughing 1t in earnest IN tho
cal wilderness. There are. too, In the
n, re settled parts If The West innumerabe
treams fit for the canoe
The writer recalls with especial pleasure
journey d, wn a nCrthward fl wing river
I Minnesota. II was in early summer,
nd the river was in food, and was racing
own its valley with breaknecS speed, !
itself over the luwlanGs and
as hing against the sandstone cliffs along
r bank. The exhiarating tonic Of the
IT. on those bright summer days, coupled
it'll the speed of the descent, fairly in
'xcatcd the senses. The canos flew
asst the banks, sometimes taking a short
rerhanging limbs, fallen trees and sub
eiged stumps, The ridges clad in low
rests Of birch and oak and other hard
-, DIS, seemed scarcely to have felt the
UGH # man. A few rude cabins among
% hills were the only signs Of human
lbitation,
Descending any Il these swift rivers,
e canoeist has plenty Of chance 10 dis
ay his skill with the paddle. As the canoe
pids there are hidden reefs to be avoided
cks and sunken logs 10 be cleared, ard
urse 10 be picked out where there il
fe going There is hardy pleasure,
q. in working with strength of back and
nj up stream against a stiff current.
lowing the etidies and slack water along
ore or polling up inch by inch in the
pids.
There il no better way to spend week
ten days of vacation than by takir &
rh a canoe trip. Almost any river will
; each has its peculiar attraction. You
inch out upon the stream, carrying your
With van leaving yOur cares behind