1834: Evening Scenes On The Saint Lawrence

From the moment the sun is down, every thing becomes silent on the shore, which our windows overlook, and the murmurs of the broad St. Lawrence, more than two miles wide immediately before us, and, a little way to the right, spreading to five or six miles in breadth, are sometimes for an hour the only sounds that arrest our attention. Every evening since we have been here, black clouds and splendid moonlight have hung over, and embellished this tranquil scene; and on two of these evenings we have been attracted to the window by the plaintive Canadian boat-song. In one instance, it arose from a solitary voyager, floating in his light canoe, which occasionally appeared and disappeared on the sparkling river, and in its distant course seemed no larger than some sportive insect. In another instance, a larger boat, with more numerous and less melodious voices, not indeed a perfect harmony, passed nearer to the shore, and gave additional life to the scene. A few moments after, the moon broke out from a throne of dark clouds, and seemed to convert the whole expanse of water into one vast sheet of glittering silver; and, in the very brightest spot, at the distance of more than a mile, again appeared a solitary boat, but too distant to admit of our hearing the song, with which the boatman was probably solacing his lonely course.

1904: Local Notes

G. W. Reeves, Commodore of the Crescent yacht club of Watertown, expresses great pleasure at the organization of a yacht club here, and the hope that such relations between the two clubs will be established as will be of a mutual benefit to both. The regatta committee of the Crescent club has expressed their willingness to render our club every possible assistance in providing a grand regatta and illuminated carnival during the week of their visit here. This would be a novel day’s entertainment, and we trust our newly organized association will get promptly to work and do themselves proud in entertaining our American cousins.