The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-06-26

resulted in some slightly carbonized
potatoes and a spoiled pail which re-
rest Of the trip.
Before we turned in we had a bath
in the river, but as it was already
dark we could not enjoy much of a
swim.
The next morning we We're pretty
stiff and sore but we got a fairly
early start If the river was crooked
before, 1t was more so on the rest OF
the distance TO Ascension. The
banks were high and very sandy with
here and there little stream of wat
er coming out through the high bank
and forming a regular delta with the
sand it washed out.
At some places the stream had
formed large sand bars when the wat
er was high but when the water fell,
one side of the stream was strong
enough to wash the sand away so that
the sand bar would be cut off very
sharply at about the middle Of the
river leaving the end of the sand bar
cut off with large knife.
Near noon We became as hungry as
bears but could find no suitable place
to land so we kept going around the
next corner until we finally found a
rocky beach that was not muddy.
Here we had good lunch and Won
dered how far away Ascension could
be. While we were still at our
lunch we heard church bell which
we knew must be Ascension and
probably not over one mile away. AS
we did not intend to go past Assem-
sion by canoe we did not hurry the
rest Of the distance. At one place
in the river we landed where the
bank was quite steep, here We anus
ed ourselves by throwing stones into
the bank causing small streams Of
sand to flow down the side for sew
eral minutes.
After lunch we padded to Assem-
sion and badly frightened several
boys who were bathing in sheltered
spot on the river. When they saw
us coming they jumped into their
clothes and hid around the bank un-
til we passed. We landed at the
bridge where | watched the outfit
while Boyles and Morlidge went to do
the town and get information.
They soon returned and after talk
ing over the situation we decided to
paddle up to spot back of the town
and stay at the hotel until the next
morning. Mr.. Sarrasin, the general
ipY 10
would supply a team to haul us to the
E. b. Eddy Depot which was twenty
five miles up river. We could have
padded up stream a little farther to
THE Island" but the going was pref
ty hard so We decided to take the rig
the whole distance
We each got room at the hotel and
Immediately shaved and washed up so
we felt like new fellows. Incident
ally had considerable sewing to do
to repair some very bad tears in my
clothes as | was beginning to look
like a tatterdomalion.
That evening we walked out onto
the top of one of the hills hoping to
get cool but the sandy soil simply ra-
dated heat everywhere. The place
appeared like the Sahara Desert.
While here Boyles discovered a path
made by ants. The path being about
half an inch wide and nearly 100 feet
long 1t being cleared entirely of
anything that would obstruct their
travel It circled stones and all 9TH
err hard objects Their headquarters
being in large pine stump, the path
coming out the stump at the ends of
large roots on opposite sides. Boyles
discovered their path very accident
ally as he happened to lay his head
directly on 1t and as they circled all
hard objects they commenced to sur
vey for a now path.
Mr. Sarrasin promised that we
would start early the next morning so