Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-15

lower side OF Goose creek, there are also
the remains of an old canal leading from
the interior. All the former commercial
glory of the little settlement has passed
away. The high water in the Potomac
during the spring OF the great Johnstown
flood, nearly a score of years ago caused
great damage here, as at other points
along the canal, and is partly responsible
for the present condition The building of
railroads in Maryland and Virginia, how
ever. is the greatest cause.
Still more picturesque and interesting
becomes the river the canoes leave here
although no better stopping places are
passed. Aults Landing. Va. about a mile
further on, Is spot where fishermen
camp a few boats on the shore, nearly
opposite the foot of a large island, mark
the place. Something over a mile above
Auts. on the same side of the river, is
Balls Bluff, famous as civil war battle
field, where the federal soldiers were
chased over the high cliff into the river
by portion of Lees army.
x X = = X
Harrison's Island quarter of mile
wide and over a mile long begins Just
above Aults Landing and divides the Po-
tomac into the Little river and big
river" the latter nearer the Maryland side
In both channels some swift water is en-
countered but If the party is not in hurry
as should be the case i'll a trip of this kind
it is regarded as no great misfortune
but rather as chance to get little good
exercise for the arms. Conrads. or White
Ferry. still extant and used by the inhabi-
tants of the surrounding country, is
quarter of mile above the head of Har-
rison's Island. Here In midsummer the
river is only a few feet deep in most
places, and the ferry barge Is poled
across, hanging downstream from heavy
steel cable overhead. The river is less
than a quarter of mile wide here
Scarcely a mile above Whites ferry the
lower point of Mason's Island IS reached
This is wider than Harrison's Island and
Is whole farm in itself, with dwelling
house. barn, live stock. corn and wheat
fields and all. If one comes along at the
right time it is possible to fill a pail with
rich milk and procure few good biscuits.
But it is here that a bad place in the
river is encountered. Going down stream
1t is all right. the steersman having only
to look out for rocks just beneath the sur
face here and there. 1t is the swift cur
rent and shallowness of the water on both
sides of the island that cause the canoeist
trouble on the journey up stream.
Lodges reaching from bank to bank, IN
some places covered with only few inches
If water. are crossed with some difficulty,
with paddles on the rocky bottom. There
is. however, not the slightest danger OF
spill" The worst that can happen, with
ordinary care is the sticking of the boat
on a rock from off which it will have to
be pushed 1t might even be necessary 10
get overheard into water up 10 ones knees,
but that is nothing. The western cflannei
is a little less swift than the eastern,
though either can be followed easily with
a little grit. The current continues swift
and the bottom rocky until an island, over
half mile long and coming so closely at
ter Masen's as to be almost a part of 1t,
Is passed.
The reward for all the hard padding of
these few miles comes when the canoe
rounds the point of the last island in this
chain and shoots the clear stretch above.
Here is probably the finest portion of the
river met with on the trip. The current Is
slow and even; the distance from bank 10
bank about the same IL is just above
Georgetown, or possibly greater; the depth