The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-01-19
TRIP DOWN RIVERS
TOLD BY TOURIST
Harvey L. Anderson of
Mankato In Canoe
GOING INTO SOUTH
New Orleans Is Destination of
Traveller; An INTEREST
ing Recital.


who left Mankato November 3, on
a canoe trip down the Minnesota and
Mississippi rivers TO New Orleans,
had arrived $50 miles from his des-
dnation when he wrote an interest
ing letter descriptive OF his trip to
L. j. Jessup Of this city for the
Blue MINI. River Canue Club OF
which he is a member. The Free
Press is permitted to publish the
letter which follows:
The Cypress. Camp ST Shoot
No. IL, 10 Miles Below helena, Ark,
Jan. 2, l923.-Blue- MINI. Rivers
Canoe Club. Dear Friends. Am
writing this letter on Shirley Lawn,
SO come right over on the grass, sit
yourself down, like l do, with, my
little story. AS my time is very
limited there will be just yarn
enough to darn my sock which broke
down under the strain OF an over
load of Christmas presents. However,
there is going 10 be nothing quite
as exciting as the chase alter my
home at Muscative, Iowa, so just
breathe naturally.
Perhaps some have wondered,
why Camp No. 81 etc" Each time
i put my tent in different location
it's different camp number, and
in my book each camp has name.
AS the Mississippi is backed up at
Keokuk, Iowa. let US back up there
TOO, and then run down TO Memphis,
and in case We get to going too faSt
maybe we will run into the south
side chalk cliff al Lucas Bend and
stop. Yes. l found the Dam Lake
warmed UP TO q boil at Keokuk, but
reached the Locks Just in time to
pass thru; or as correct term
Locked through, instead of locked
out Before making camp ! got in
conversation with an old top OF a
hunter there at the dam. He was
Wild about the ducks flying by and
not having time to hunt, made him
a.present Of four dressed ducks; he
in turn giving me an invitation 10
drive on the Morrow with him.
On Look Out For Turkey
.At the post office ] received a
card from the Canoe Club telling OF
a turkey having broke loose from
the canoe Carol and was headed my
way and to lay in wait and knock
him sondola when at Keokuk. Some
letters and package 1 took with
me and down to and across the river
10 a patch OF trees where | waited
for that turkey. Wind blew a gale
on Turkey Day and at about noon
commenced to wish had not dres
sed up and given those four ducks
all away. Not that the clothes, they
were dressed in cost so much or the
likes, but Uno! But ] had stuffed
dates to stuff my mouth with and
thereto no appeal. Day >afte-
thanksgiving. the turkey came, and
/ sure hit the ball so il kept on
rolling till il reached Quincy, Illinois.
Eats were just five people and were
much appreciated. Accept my thanks
now IL all did not receive them be-
fore. Not any more pretty bluffs
along down I-O-way, all fat coun-
try also on the Illinois side of the
river, but lots OF swamp land full OF
woods. brush, and wolves that made
Illinois on both sides of the stream
mor'en one night.
squirrels are more stylish in Mis-
souri,. Illinois and south they eat
pecans down here. The clubs three
most ardent lady fisherman Pearl,
Marvel and Edna would not like to
take these fish down here off a hook
cause many have four legs and are
called river dogs. Now do all club
members want me to bring a canoe
load of nice straight FISH poles back
with me? Have a big lot TO select
from here. =.
Reached Alton, H.. at about six
o'clock pne evening and 1t being
moonlight time / took on supply
OF eats and pushed out and padded
on by the mouth Of the Missouri
river; you tell EN- Hannah, it had a
mouth like an alligator from what
i could make out in the moonlight.
Near St Louis a wet cloud put the
moonlight out and some one turned
on the water above, and l wondered
: what had done that they wanted
TO soak me that. way.
MAYBE I needed a bath but then
/ visited Mankato's swimming beach
in August The Scout" of Chicago,
sixty foot gasoline yacht Of a
superfine make was tied to my
hitching post at st. Louis by an old
dredge- boat They asked me where
to" / said New Orleans" and the
answer i got was II hope not in
that thing" such answers all along;
but many Gained UP when told EN-
Met the Scout on a bar below
Jefferson Barracks, Mo-, ard again ar
Fort Gage. Ill, two days later; they
lust passed me Saturday last at
Pickney, Arknsas. SO they have not
much on me-
Pine Covered Bluffs
Below st. Louis are some beauti-
full pine covered bluffs full of big
caves that all our club girls, yes even
Ruth Jessup would love to play
house in and then we now have Sy-
camore trees whose great leaves
Grace and Betty would dearly love
10 roll down hill in. Wild ducks and
geese galore that would turn most
Of the club boys into food for SPUR
rels, no getting away from it, two
or three thousand ducks and few
hundred geese all gathered at the
bar in Prohibition territory would
surely start something, huntsmans
bier. ~. q.
Il almost went Wild myself over
three wild geese near Cairo, Ill, In
Mankato we have Karo in pals
down here we have It in Illinois
Was sure strange meeting here
with the three boys from New York
City also going Lasses Town Way
They left New York July 18th but
visited many places and made side
trips enroute, spending considerable
time at Niagara Falls. Their route
was UP the Hudson to Albany. New
York, down the Erie Canal to Buff
falo, thence TO Niagara b. way OF Nj
agara river, then shipped. by raj
So -