The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-11-29

our chance, not only TO zee such q
plantation, but surely one OF the
four would see that We were taken
care of for the night.
Darkness was coming on when
we put ashore on the boundary line
between the two largest ones. But
the only buildings on the other side
OF the levee were Negro quarters.
Crude. implanted frame houses.
seemingly ready 10 tumble down
with the first good breeze.
THING OF THE PAST
In answer TO our questions about
the location Of the main planta-
ton buildings. the tenants at first
seemed puzzled. These were the
main buildings, they told us. We
explained just what we meant and
found out that apparently, the
kind Of place we were looking for
Ia thing Of the past. at least along
the river. Many Of these planta-
tons are company owned, many by
northern interests. and individual
owners now live mostly In the
towns while their farms are oper-
ated by overseers. The only build
ings on these four big plantations
were those OF the Negro tenants.
1t not only disappointed NJ, II
put w IN something Of a spot. By
the time we had CLEANED all that
information. darkness had settled
down and there we were with no
place to stay and incidentally no
place to camp. Dew falls heavily
with the darkness and we had fool
ishly left our blankets uncovered
In the canoe and they were too
damp for warmth.
FORCED ACROSS RIVER
There was = town, they told us.
across the river and = mile or 20
back from the leves where we
might find = place to stay. At
least, there were some stores there
and a few houses. We didn't relish
. night crossing Of that wide bend
without q fiashlight and ours had
been lost some time before. How
ever. there was nothing to do but
make the attempt 30 We showed
off. The river at that point was
just about . mile wide and the
dark line that marked the far shore
could just be distinguished. There
was q landing over there some
where. II we could only find 1t.
Distances on water are decep-
tive to the eye even during day
light. and at night they are practi-
cally impossible to gauge. AS
shorelines are approached they
seem to recede, and often we have
actually run aground on a bar or
against q bank before realizing the
canoe was anywhere near Il.
That's just what happened this
time. We hit the bank and slid right
up on . soft mud flat while the
deceptive shoreline still seemed
yards away. II took US nearly half
an hour to get off that mud bank.
FINALLY FIND LANDING
Though 1t was hard enough TO
hold the boat fast, It wasn't hard
enough for Bob to step out Of the
canoe. nor hard enough for q pad
die to take hold so we could push
off. II was more q matter Of
shifting weight in the canoe and
working back an inch at time.
Once clear Of the mud. we had
no way Of knowing whether the
landing was up or down river. but
luck was with Us there. A eolored
man had evidently crossed Just
before Us and had waited ut the
landing. AZ soon as he realized
We were free he called to W and
kept calling until We slid into the
landing. Then. after helping us
secure the boat for the night. he
guided Us into the tiny town, a
feat worthy Of nots because that
cookie hurr-infested overflow land
Was eriss-erossed with doxens Of
dim wagon roads. and only one led
to town.
(M0RE LATERl
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