The Washington times., 1903-11-29

cameo-mke Gistinctuess. At either end
one can distinguish the walls about
him, and the fenced-in tow path run
ming alongside. but little way in the
gloom becomes 50 profound that your
feeble lantern is powerless TO dispeI il,
and rather serves TO accentuate the
darkness. until you feel that there IS
nothing over you. about you, or I'M
der you but night The silence, too, IN
that subterranean passage IS so dense
as TO make the outer silence seem
clarion throated noise This was felt
by the boys, who soon began to remedy
It BY ear-splitting shouts. until the
skipper's nerves began TO get on edge.
But all things have an. end. likewise
the tunnel, and we reached that end
after what seemed an hour. only 20 find
we had been In the passage Just ten
minutes.
one more camp. on a shelf OF noun
tain near the waters edge. and then
we were of on our final days paddle,
with but twenty miles 10 make. And
now the weather, which, with the sx-
ception OF the head wind and the
one days rain when the delay Of day
did not matter, had been behaving beau
tifully, took a last chance at the party.
The morning opened cold and raw,
with the gun obscured behind piied-up
gray clouds, which soon fulfilled their
promise of rain. Feeling that we could
not AFFORD TO lose that day and make
our return in time. we decided 70 go
ahead. rain OF no rain. Therefore the
contents OF the boat were disposed as
best might be. rain coats were donned,
and on we padded Padding In a rain
coat, however. is a much more serious
matter than one would think. for your
movements are so hampered that you
make no progress, besides wearing your
self out in no time. There was. there
fore, but one thing to be done Out on
the muddy tow path climbed the skip
per and Jack. and for eleven long miles.
through the mud and the rain, he pulled
the boat
For financial and other reasons 1t was
decided to camp out. so we drew up Just
outside of South Cumberland, on the
commons below the glass works owned
by Frederick AIertens. OF Washington
The captain was busiIy trenching around
his tent, when he heard a voice. ''Oh,
you're not gy0sies after ali It's al
right"
Striking Camp for Home.
Looking up he saw a man intentIy OBJ
serving his work. bunch OF keys in
his hand. he proved to be W G.
Brehm, caretaker Cor the boathouse OF
the Queen City Boat Club. which was
moored nearby. The Acquaintance thus
scraped up proved invaluable in the
end. for introductions TO other mem
bers OF the club followed that evening.
with the result that the party was hos
pitabIy compelled TO strike camp next
morning and take possession OF the
houseboat; and then, after two days
waiting. the party started home
Those were pleasant days in Cumber-
land, and acquaintance were made
which the captain does not intend shall
Ianguish. It is a town OF industry and
the boys greatly enjoyed a visit to the
glass works, where they were permitted
10 witness that fascinating trade IN
operation. Time forbade a contemplated
visit to coal mine
II was late Saturday afternoon when
the Pocahontas was scrubbed, and.
leaving her cargo as a momento for the
Queen City club, was padded TO the
very end of the canal. and carried a
snort distance to the express office. and
next morning the trio Of hardy, healthy
campers boarded q train, and five hours
later were in Washington. When they
went away all were pale with pallor OF
the urbanite. When they returned the
red blood of health shoue through the
tan Of wind and sun. and all were ten
pounds heavier than when they left. =