Widnes Examiner. — 1894-09-29 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

THE DEE RE-VISITED.  BY MR. JOHN PEERS.  In fulfilment of a promise made, I started, one bright Tuesday morning, overland for Chester, to explore with Di. the upper reaches of the Dee. For my friend had formed and cultivated the ambition to push his " tub " further up the winding reaches of the river tout ever was craft of her size and sort before. So here this bright and breezy morning found me on tramp to Widnes, and by bridge to Runcorn, thence by train to Sutton Weaver. Now, the meteorological description I have indulged in applies—be it noted—only to the walking part of this excursion to Sutton Weaver. When in the train the gathering clouds foretold by their ominous umbrageousnesa the fate which actually met me when I alighted at the station ti begin my walk to Chester. The wind was strong and and gusty, while the rain came down like bedclothes—in sheets and wet blankets for pleasure seekers. Crouching beneath the imperfect shelter of a bush, with the prospect of walking some 12 or 13 miles through half liquid mud to sit in a damp boat, was an infliction I wished to avoid, so I sped through the deluge to the nearest station—llalton--and there found—besides the welcome shelter—that I had time to kick my heels for near two mortal hours. Exhilarating prospect I Wonder what is the proportion of suicides among wayside station masters. Greatly admire, too their moral force which enables so many of them to resist the fatal facility of the next express to terminate the prolonged miseries which go near to drive to distraction the less indurated but intransient traveller. Truly here was a fine end put to the glorious anticipations of the morn ! .Sic transit gloria mundi ! I need not write it as the cobbler would have it, after keeping St. Monday—not wisely but too well—Sie transit gioria Monday. Howbeit, just as visions of a speedy exit per next express—as a relief, not with it .but by it; the station master renewed within my bosom that " hope which sets the captive free," by the information that an earlier train might be caught at Frodsham. Having been caught in the rain, catching this train was thought preferable to catching cold and the dumps by further sojourn where Jupiter Pluvius had stationed me. Of course when seated in the train the weather cleared up. ,So like our perverse insular climate. However I let the weather shine away as liked it best, I was not going to humour its whims and get out and walk, not I. Alighting in Chester and stoutly resisting the ROWS of attractions it presents to arrest the curious visitor, [soon found myself upon the light suspension bridge which spans the river above the weir. From this commanding attitude I soon picked out the white-hulled " Bowling" moored to some steps opposite Mr. Capner's boat stage. Getting abreast of tte boat I found my philosophic friend, if not "on hospitable thoughts intent," at least intent upon the preparations fora "dine." He had got to the potato-boiling stage of that operation. While this was in progress Di. dilated upon the manitold virtues of red-kidneys. To hear him talk there was only one potato and Di was its prophet; any way Di. profited by the potatoes. Dinner over we decided—that is Di. decided and I acquiesced—to weigh and proceed up the river on our exploring expedition. But ere this I pleasant anticipation could be fulfilled sea stores— or river stores if you will—must be laid in. Tis I ever so ! Though " Ev'n in our ashes live their wonted fires," a little fuel this flame requires. Toe sublime and the beautiful cannot be studied except from a material basis! Ichabod I What a drop ! from the sublime and beautiful to bacon collops and rei kidneys. Here let the reader return thanks unto Di., in that his impatience to be off has prevented the indulgence of a wild desire I feel for an exeursus into the theme of the close connection there exists between matter and spirit. Possibly the reader has no mind to go into this matter? Never mind, its no matter. Away then we sped before the still strong gale, up the lower and much besculled reaches, glad to get away from the more hackneyed bits of the river, where inexperienced oarsmen so manipulate as to run into the dangers they seek to avoid. Past larger and more pretentious house boats than Di.'s, but of the ignoble apteral type, inert, and ignominiously moored stem and stern to restraining trees. Alas! poor "Bowling I" And is it thy fate to consort with such tame inanimates, upon the insipid waters of this placid river? Thou, who's elight erst it was to brave the bristling crests of the salt seas ; and rejoice in the merry melody of the whistling winds, whose shrill diapason accorded so well with the screaming seagull's wilder note ! For thee no 'more the music of the surge, No more thy counter the ruddy. fire shall. grace. No more past f. Thy prow w  le race.  I proved no lagl  What boots it viands at more per pound Are at thy present owner's bid ? Can these compare with the erst sweet sound, Of curling, kippers on the ready grin ? How are the mighty fallen ! From being the honoured habitation of an aquatic philosopher to come to-but let me not ant.icipate but proceed. Now the wind was high and right merrily did we progress where the high wind came low enough to affect us. With a clear space over the meadows to windwards, where the wind could get at us, old " Tom " careened to the breeze down to the lee scuppers and, in occasional gusts, deck-in he scurried along with a great "bone in his teeth " in a way calculated to unnerve the timid naiads of this placid stream. Anon we should come to a place o'er hung by trees where scarce a breath of the roaring breeze above us found its ineffectual way and the water looked like glass, until an eddying gust, born of the backward currents from the trees, came rippling on the waters and carried us some little on our way, to leave us with idly shaking sails, losing the little god its capricious favour had bestowed. One minute we should be in the "doldrums" with the mainsail hanging straight from gaff to boom, listening, with aggravated patience, to the waste of roaring winds still bowing the trees aloft; cthen with a vicious rush the eddy would be upon us again and away we sped for a while upon the other tack. Splenuid practice this for him who ' wants to improve his touch upon the tiller! Every cat's-paw must be watched and every coquetting zephyr courted that promises impelment. And, while one eye must be to weather, the other needs to be aloft to avoid undue interference with overhanging boughs, with which these grassy banks are  Infectant Soal  _....osay Royal sad voktrobes-77-ii