Through Canal-Land in a Canadian Canoe | Page 6

the
appearance of the motley crowd, we pushed on until we reached Plank
Lane, where, the crowd of idlers being a little less dense, we summoned
up pluck enough to venture ashore.
Even here we found ourselves the centre of attraction to the people;
rough miners crowding around as we lifted our canoe from the water, to
stare in amazement at our appearance, some even going so far in their
admiration of our little craft as to pass their hands along its polished
sides, all the while expressing their opinions in such a broad vernacular
as to be almost unintelligible to our Southern ears. They thought it was
a joke upon our part when we told them that we had paddled all the
way from London in the canoe. The way they nudged each other and
winked solemnly was most expressive.
Their attentions at last became so overwhelming that we were
compelled to give the craft into the care of the friendly lock-keeper and
beat a hasty retreat.
Our host at Leigh very kindly afforded us a much-wished-for

opportunity of exploring a coal-mine. Getting up early in the morning,
we proceeded to the mouth of the pit, entered the cage, and soon were
speeding downward at a most alarming pace, accomplishing the
distance of 700 yards in forty-five seconds.
The sensation accompanying this rapid descent into the bowels of the
earth was far from pleasant, but we quickly recovered when we reached
terra firma, and, when we had become accustomed to the intense
darkness, were soon able to follow our guide through the almost
deserted workings.
The miners were on strike, and only the engineers and others necessary
to attend to the machinery for keeping the shafts and workings
ventilated and free from water were on duty, so that the desolate
stillness of the place impressed us more profoundly, perhaps, than if we
had been surrounded by busy toilers.
After going all over the mine, each with Davy lamp in hand--during
which we had several times to chase our head-gear, which was blown
off by the strong draught from the ventilating fans--we once more
entered the cage and were quickly whirled upwards to the light of day.
Next day we embarked rather later than was our usual custom, and
paddled on towards Preston, having to traverse a portion of the river
Ribble before we reached this town. Nothing very interesting or
exciting occurred upon this day, except for a rather narrow shave we
had of getting smashed up by a barge.
It happened that one of us was towing, while the other remained in the
canoe to steer. Just as we got to a very narrow strip of the canal near the
entrance to a lock, we met some barges coming down in tow of a tug,
and, as luck would have it, our tow-line fouled a tree stump just at the
moment when the tail barge began to swing ominously over towards
our bank.
For a moment or two it looked as if the canoe must be crushed like an
egg-shell between the bank and the barge, but fortunately at the critical
moment an extra strong jerk on the tow-line got it clear, and with a run

Jacky whisked the canoe through the narrow streak of open water, and
we were safe.
We stayed with friends at Preston for the next three days, and managed
to put in a highly enjoyable round of sight-seeing, during which we
paid a flying visit to Southport.
Our stay at an end, we embarked once more, taking three of our friends
with us in the canoe as far as Garstang.
Five people (in addition to luggage) in a small craft of this description
was an exceedingly tight pack, and we had to strictly taboo any
skylarking, else we should very quickly have got a ducking. At
Garstang we left our friends, after a high tea; and after passing several
towns and villages, at eventide reached Lancaster, which we made our
headquarters for the night.
I may mention that we met with great kindness and consideration from
the officials during the whole of our journey along the Lancaster canal,
one of the employees being told off to clear all barges out of our way,
and see us safely, and with the least trouble to ourselves, to its end at
Kendal; this thoughtfulness saving us much delay and inconvenience,
and rendering this portion of our trip one of the most delightful
experiences throughout the whole of our journey.
Getting afloat in good time next morning, we bade farewell to
Lancaster, and pushed on towards Crooklands, passing Nately and
Ashton on the way.
For a great portion of this part of our journey the surroundings were
truly beautiful, the trees meeting overheard in many places, and
forming a