Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1914-07-16
A Motor-Boat Trip.

of the motor boat trip from Shepherds
town to Hancock by F. L. Johnson, W..
D. Hines and VIM. B. Snyder, giving the
proposed itinerary of the voyage on the
canal, and the Junior Editor, having had
numerous requests to write up the trip,
gives herewith true and full account OF
that adventuresome journey.
1t was just three o'clock Monday after
noon when we weighed anchor at the
lock opposite Shepherdstown, having on
board the boat full equipment of neces-
sary articles for the running of the boat
and also a generous supply of lunch. 1t
was our intention to make Williamspot
that night, and with full assurance we
started up the canal, making easily eight
or nine miles an hour.
In about an hour clouds began to gather
and almost before we could get on our
raincoats and get our supplies covered
up, the rain began to fall. In a few min
utes everything uncovered was wet
through and through. The wires to the
engine from the battery box were also
exposed and right there we had Our first
fun. Johnson, who was captain and
chief engineer, said since the engine had
started TO miss and slow down that the
wires must have been grounded, and
when he picked one up he found out, for
he had lot of trouble letting il 60, the
wet insulation affording about as much
protection to the wires as though there
were none at all. The rope to the rud-
der even carried enough electricity to
make steering mighty unpleasant job.
For about an hour and half the deluge
continued, and when we were almost
thoroughly disguised with the wetness
the clouds parted and driifted away, while
the warm sun came out and soon dried
out our dampened spirits. But not so
with the motor. The rain must have
been IFS Waterloo, for after drying out il
refused TO do more than half its duty,
running only four or five miles an hour.
AT dam No. we were locked out into
the river and for four miles we sailed up
the Potomac, and almost before we knew
ii we had passed by some distance the
lock where we went back to the canal.
BY this time it was nearly dark, so we
pulled up to the shore and ate good
hearty lunch. We then got our light
rugged up, an automobile lamp and a
compressed gas tank, and soon we were
back on the quiet old canal. AT half
past nine we sighted lock, and upon
inquiry found we were still seven miles
from Williamsport. AS more clouds
were gathering, and having had enough
rain to last us for some time, we asked
the locktender if he could keep us all
night He said he couldn't, not having
enough sleeping rooms.- We put up such
a hard-luck story that finally he said he
would put us in the clubhouse. None
of us had ever seen the place, but it
sounded good and we had visions OF
good beds, plenty of cover land congratu-
lated each other on being so fortunate.
The house stood about hundred yards
from the canal on the side of a hill, and
from the outside did not look so promis-
ing. The first floor was one large room,
containing several tables and half dozen
chairs, and was about what we had ex-
pected. On the second floor we found
two rooms, one having bed in it and
the other bed and cot. Each bed had
mattress on it, while the cot was entire
Iy devoid of anything resembling bed
clothes. Further investigation brought
forth a comfort and two tents, and with
these we had to be satisfied. Hines
took the cot and tents while we other
two drew bed and the comfort. II took
us very short time TO discover that the
mattress was filled with corn shuckS, and,
dear reader, if you have ever tried TO
sleep on an old shuck mattress without
anything under you but the tick, you can
readily know what an uncomfortable time
we had.
After rather restless night we got up
for six o. clock breakfast at the lock-keep-
er's house, and soon we were on our
way again. We got TO Wiliamsport
about nine o'clock and from there we
went to Hagerstown by trolley, buying
some more heavily insulated wire and
new set OF batteries, for we wanted
to be prepared against the next rain, if
there was TO be any. Returning to Will
Transport shortly after noon, we put on
the new wires and soon we were hum
ming along at lively gait. After an
hour or two of fine running the motor be-
gan TO beat, causing it to miss and slip to
such an extent that we began to lose
time. We tried various simple remedies,
but none of them seemed to help, until
we put in new spark plug and again we
| hit the trail About four o'clock we began
TO see lots OF floating grass on the sur
face of the water, and passing boatman
| told us that force of men with mower
were cutting the grass and that if we
thought the grass was thick here, we
only had 10 wait until we ran into Big
Pool and we would see some grass. A
little before dusk we came to the foot OF
Big Pool. 1t really was beautiful. In
front of us lay great body OF water,
over two miles long and from quarter of
mile to half mile wide, and the many
different shades of the beautiful sunset
were toned down and softened in the
reflections from the placid surface OF the
water. From every side came to our ears
the calling of the frogs and crickets, while
in the air the night hawks were sweeping
in great circles about US, now high, now
| so low as TO almost touch the cleaning