Through Canal-Land in a Canadian Canoe

Canal-Land in a Canadian Canoe,
by Vincent Hughes

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Title: Through Canal-Land in a Canadian Canoe
Author: Vincent Hughes
Illustrator: Vincent Hughes
Release Date: August 16, 2007 [EBook #22347]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THROUGH
CANAL-LAND ***

Produced by Andrew Hodson

[Transcriber's Note: The spelling of Westmoreland has been
modernized to Westmorland, and employes (with an acute accent over
the second e) has been changed to employees. Variant spellings of

macintoshes and mackintoshes have been retained as printed.]

THROUGH CANAL-LAND IN A CANADIAN CANOE BY
VINCENT HUGHES.
The Boy's Own Paper. OCTOBER 7, 14 & 21, 1899.
Bearing in mind that variety is the spice of existence, I determined that
I would temporarily desert the dear old Thames, with whose waters I
had become so familiar, and try fresh fields and pastures new during
my approaching holidays.
Accordingly, I took a friend (who had been my boon companion on
many a previous trip by land and water) into my confidence, and after
due deliberations, befitting an enterprise likely to be of a novel
character, we determined to explore the comparatively un-known
canals that commence from the Thames, at Brentford, and thread their
way through England from south to north, and end at Kendal in
Westmorland.
One thing that largely influenced us in deciding upon this route was
that we had recently become possessed of a light and well-built
Canadian canoe that had been sent us by an English resident in France,
where he had been using it in exploring the picturesque portions of the
Seine.
We fortunately had a friend connected with the Grand Junction Canal
Company, and through his kindly offices were enabled without much
difficulty to obtain passes allowing us to journey over the different
canals which we had mapped out as the waterway to follow.
This part of the undertaking having been successfully disposed of, we
turned to and overhauled our craft, and saw to the getting of the outfit
which we should require in order to make the trip a success.
By the time that all our arrangements were in a complete state, the day
fixed for the start arrived, and it found us brimming over with cheerful

anticipation of the good time in store for us during the next three weeks,
and in the best of health and spirits.
We were "up betimes in the morning," as quaint old Samuel Pepys has
it, and journeying down to the boat-house at Kew, where we had left
our canoe overnight, soon got afloat and on our way, without mishap or
delay of any kind. What a glorious August day it was! The sun shining
brightly in a cloudless blue sky overhead, the birds singing blithely in
the trees upon the banks, and the water sparkling and lapping beneath
our bows; no wonder we took it all as a good omen for the success of
our trip.
Heading up-stream, we soon shot beneath the railway bridge at Kew,
and pass through dirty, straggling old Brentford, entered the Brent,
where a short paddle brought us to the first lock. Getting through in our
turn, after a short delay caused by a string of canal barges coming
through to catch the morning tide, we entered upon the Grand Junction
Canal, which extends form here to Braunston, a distance of some
hundred and six miles.
An enjoyable paddle through fairly pretty and diversified scenery
brought us to Hanwell, where we had to negotiate a cluster of five or
six locks, all grouped together within a short distance, for the purpose
of carrying the water over a sharp rise in the ground. We had a brief
chat here with an old bargee, from whom we got some useful advice,
not wholly free from chaff, and proceeded upon our way, arriving about
midday at West Drayton, where an al fresco lunch on the bar was much
appreciated. Resuming our journey after refreshing the inner man, we
passed Uxbridge and Harefield, and so out of Middlesex into
Hertfordshire.
The town of Rickmansworth being passed, Watford, about a mile from
the canal, was settled upon as our first stopping place; and evening
approaching, we went ashore to seek our well-earned repose for the
night.
Early to bed and early to rise was the programme, so after a light
supper and a brief stroll around the outskirts of the town, we turned into

bed and were not long in seeking the sleep that