Perth Amboy evening news., 1904-10-13
DAYS OF THE
CHERUB'S CRUISE
Continued from page ~

then turned in quietly to rest up for
another pleasant day on the canal.
August 2S:-Found a heavy fog
hanging over the country when we
awoke in the morning which did not
clear up enough for us to see our way
until after 8 a. m, when we again
started down the canal. After the fog
cleared away the sun came out bright
and warm and We had another day of
passing through many towns of inter.
est. Schenectady. with a population
of about 30, 900, has the large works
of the General Electric Works located
on the banks of the canal and tho
Electric. Company has built q section
of track for nearly a mile on the tow
path and have been trying to tow
canal boats by electricity, but from
what'I could see of it it looks as if tho
canal mule Is in no danger of losing
his Job for some time to come. Some
four miles to the eastward of Schen-
ectady the canal makes a sharp bond
to the north and crosses the Mohawk
river on q stone bridge. AS we crossed
the bridge the view of the river Wi
charming, as it runs between high
rocky shores and forms n very pretty
lake that is much used by the people
of Schenectady as a summer resort
and has a large number of cottages
built on the rocks of the river side.
Crossing the river we ran into n lock
and heal the lock was n large party
of picnicers who crowded around tho
edge of the lock as we ran into it and
several camera iends took a snap shot
at us as we were lowered into tie
level below. Passing ont OF the lock
the canal runs close to rocky hill that
goes up about 300 feet nearly straight
above the canal where the tow path
is but a narrow road between the
canal and the river and for atont
twelve miles we were following the
river, elevated about thirty feet above
and following its winding course to-
ward the Hudson river. We stopped
for the night Mt Crescent, just at q N
down, at O place where we could see
IN stone bridge or lower aqunduct
where the canal again CROSSES the Mo-
hawk river which here rushes like a
mountain torrent wei the rocky bed
and passes through a rocky gorge on
it's way TO the falls near Cohoes,
where it empties into and forms part
of the Hudson river. Near where We
lay up for the night is q canal grocery
store and a pipe leading down the side
of the high hill and the side of the
canal is mucn used by the oanalers to
fill their water barrels and tanks with
the clear cold water from the spring
on the hill. This spot las been q
pleasant emo to the writer, who
had his first drink from this spring
over thirty years age. The owner of
the store has been keeping it for near
ly fifty years. 1t was quite cool when
the sun went down and an extra
blanket at night was the proper thing
to have.
August 20:-Wo had our breakfast
and filled our water bottles with the
clear spring water and vas raising
steam to start homeward . when we
were hailed by q party in a gasoline
launch going toward Albany like our-
selves and found the party in the
launch to be from Woodbridge, N.
j., who had been cruising for several
weeks up the canal and were now
homeward bound. A short distance
from the spring VIC stopped at the
village Of Crescent to look for mail
which we were looking for there and
received q number OF letters from
home and were soon on our last days
run OH the canal. We reached the
first of the series of sixteen locks that
lowers us down from tho hills to the
level of the Hudson river and by 10 80
were through the last of the chain of
locks and OH the Troy level. At
noon we ran into one of the deserted
lumber slips at Albany and laid up
for the rest of the day to paint up q
little before coming home.
August 30:-We started homeward
again at 8 a. IN and in another hour
were locked down into the Hudson
river and had our smoke stack and
flag poles up in place and on the way
down the river. AS we passed out Of
the canal into the river at Albany we
saw on the east bank the river all
that is left of our old friend the ferry
boat, Maid of Perth, which was lying
sunk in the river after her many years
of service. 1t seemed like old times
to get out into the river again after
being in the canal SO long and the
little Cherub went kicking down the
river at her best pace and at 4 p. M.