The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1910-04-21

haru MacArthur Till late in the fall
or 1899, when he came upon an IL
lustrated magazine article describing
Ice sports on the Hudson, and became
hred with the ambition to construct
an ice-boat--a totally unknown sort
OF craft In that western Ontario viii
lage. He had not much money, but
there were plenty of rough materials
at hand, and he was used to tools.
But an ice-boat is a more commit
Gated machine than it appears to be,
and 1t is not easy for a siHteen-year-
old boy to build one without a model.
SO that it was only after a great many
mistakes and failures that Leonard
hnally produced a contrivance which.
although 1t might not have passed
muster at metropolitan regatta. he
yet regarded with considerable salts
faction, and christened the Icicle.
IL was cutter-rigged, and the hull
was OF the regular cross-shaped pat
tern, but the rigging was Of clothes
line, and the runners were made of
old skate blades. with the rudder
SKATE ground to an edge. Neverthe-
less, after Leonard had learned. at
the risk OF his neck. to Vancouver it.
1t sailed better than it looked. and bc
TOOK great delight in tackins about
lhe surface of the big mill-pond, till
the deep SHOWS of January put an end
10 skating and ice-boating alike.
Later in the winter the ice was re-
peatedly flooded and refrozen, so that
during most CT March there was a
clear surface. But early in April II
was evident that this was doomed
on the morning of the fifth there
was a strong warm wind blowing
from the west. and decisive spring
thaw was in the air A warm air
might break up the ice almost I'm a
night, and all the forenoon the pond
was covered with skaters, anxious to
take advantage of the last of the ice.
But by noon most of these were
urlVen on by the wind. BY three
O'CLOCK gale was blowing. which
increased rather than lessened to-
ward evening, and little soft snow
came with it that presaged rain on
the morrow.
In every four or five miles along
the river there is a village, and at
every village the river is damned to
furnish power for small grist mills
or sawmills. The grist mill at Graf
ton was owned by Leonard's father
ana Just at this season 1t was run-
ming night and day, for the farmers
ior miles round were fastening to
Dring in their wheat before the sleigh
Ing should disappear.
owing TO tho nrocs,so
Leonard had had no time for ice-
Doatlng that day, but late in the after.
noon 1t came in the way of business.
Inc mill was running short of flour
sicks. Ihey were required at once:
there was no time to procure Thorn
from the city, and it was decided IN
send TO the mill at Incnerly and on
oeaVor to procure blank ones"
that is. sacks unstenciled with tho
name of the mill.
lncherly was four miles awav Z, .
Decline, and more than five bv eitber
the river or the road. but Leonard
knew. that the Icicle could cover the
Instance In fifteen or twenty minutes
At most. The wind blew almost
squarely at right angles to the gem
erai course of the river, and would
serve equally we'll for going and re-
turning; but as Leonard had been al,
oay within the mill, he had not ouite
realized its force.
"hen he hauled the boat from the
basement OF the mill and ont unon
the ice, however. he had momentarv
doubt as to the safety of the proieot-
ed voyage. The wind strained tba
rigging taut as wires before the saiIs
were hoisted. but rcassuring himself.
ne unlurled the canvas and reefed If
ero the smallest possible area. pushed
out from the shore and the boat he-
gan to whir up the ice.
Leonard had altogether upderes,,-
mated the force of the gale: he had
never sailed before in such weather.
ana even under the scrap of canvas
traVersed the mile-long pond faster
than ever before in his life.
FROM this point the river swen+ a.,
long serpentine curves. so that nnoD
one reacn nc would be almost running
Tree wnt' at the next it would be
necessary to make painfully short
lacks from shore to shore. The wind
seemed to be shifting farther into the
south. The weather was warm AL
! most warm enough to rain; the ice
was growing soft. and here and there
! great pools OF shallow water stood
upon the surface.
~ The boat required such careful
handling by reason OF the furious ana
, susty wind that Leonard had no at