Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-27

overhead, and often the graceful crane is
seen standing still on a mud bank, or
bald-headed eagle soaring from a high
tree-top. Weasels and musk-rats also ap-
pear now and then along the banks
gun would often come in handy, and as for
a fishing line-urless you want to have a
disappointed feeling for the rest of your
life, take one along for this part of the
voyage. You Will not catch much except
eeis and catfish. however, unless the water
is clear, in which case the black bass are
likely to bite like good fellows.
Gassaways Island is the next in the
chain. 1t is over mile in length Just
beyond it is Selden's Island. two miles and
a half long. These two are parts of farms
| on the Virginia side, and their fertile soil
| is always under cultivation in season
! All the Islands of this chain lie nearer to
| the virginia bank than to the Maryland
| but either channel is good for padding,
| the current not being swift enough to de-
| ter the average Voyager
Stop at Edwards Ferry.
Less than two miles from the head of
Seiden Island Goose creek flows into the
| river from Virginia. This is the largest
tributary north of GEORGETOWN reached
| thus far Here also used to be Edwards
Ferry. and although the ferry is no longer
! In use. there is settlement on the Mary
land shore that still bears the name For
several miles above and below this point
there is particularly fine bass fishing. and
no small number of Washington Isaac
| Naltons are acquainted with the Jarboe
farm, at the Ferry, where excellent board
ana icdglng can be obtained for':an indefi-
! mite period. The farm house and the lock
mousse on the canal comprise the settle
meht' when is pretty, quiet place, about
ten miles from the Baltimore and Ohio
| railroad at GAINESVILLE, Md and over five
miles from the Southern at Leesbure, Va.
sun more picturesque and interesting
! becomes the river as the canoes leave here
: intr 81.
ed. Ats Landing, Va, about a mile far
! Their on. is a spot where fishermen some
| times camp out. Two miles above this
place is Balls Bluff, a civil war battle
! field. Harrison's Island, half a mile wide
and over two miles long, begins just above
! Ats Landing, and divides the Potomac
/ into the little river" and the big river"
/ the latter nearer the Maryland side In
both channels some swift water is met
/ with but if the party is in no hurry, as 1t
should not be on a trip of this kind 1t Is
/ regarded as no great misfortune but
rather as a chance to get little good ex-
/ ercise for the arms
| Conrad's, or Whites Ferry still extant
/ and used by the inhabitants of the sur
rounding country. is half Il mile above the
/ head of Harrisons Island. Here in mid
/ summer the river is only few feet deep
! and the ferry barge is poled across hang
| ing downstream from a heavy steel cable
| overhead so as to get the aid of the cur
| rent. The river is only about a quarter of
| a mile wide here.
! A Farm in the River
| Scarcely two miles above Whites Ferry
! the lower point of Mason's Island is reach
| ed, This is wider than the last and Is a
! whole farm in itself with dwelling house
barn, live stock, corn and wheat fields and
all If one comes along al the right time it
| Is possible to I'LL pail with good rich
| milk, and procure few biscuits
But it is here that bad place in the
rjN pr iS ON nf ore nj ln ~
is all right, the steersman only having to
| look out for rocks just beneath the surface
here and there. 1t is the swift current and
ShallOwneSS OF the water both sides
| of the island that causes the canoist to
! swear on the journey upstream Lodges
! reaching from bank to bank, in some
! places covered with only a few inches of
| water. are crossed with some difficulty
, with paddles on the rock of the bot
| tom. There is however. not the slightest
| danger of spill The worst that can
| happen with ordinary care is the sticking
! Of the canoe ON ledge or rock, from which
| it will have to be pushed: 1t might even
! be necessary to get overheard in water
| up to ones knees. but that is nothing.
| The western channel is Il little less swift
than the eastern, though either can he
| followed successfully with a little grit.
| The water continues to be swift and the
| bottom rocky until an island. half mile
| long. and coming so closely after Mason
as to be almost a part of it, is passed.
| Hard Padding Rewarded.
The reward for all the hard padding
| OF these two or three miles comes when
the canoe rounds the point of the last