(Up Salt./Shit Creek/River) "Without a Paddle" (1911)

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WITHOUT A PADDLE--722,000 Google hits, 14,200 Google Groups hits
    
  
The new movie WITHOUT A PADDLE opened about a week ago. With this Republican 
National Convention stuff this week, my mind hasn't been on this light comedy.
  
"Without a paddle" is half of the very popular Americanism "up shit creek 
without a paddle." The CASSELL DICTIONARY OF SLANG has this from "1930s+."
  
It probably started with "up Salt River." For that, see pages 230-231 in that 
great book, HATCHET JOBS AND HARDBALL, edited by Grant Barrett.
  
Somewhere along the line, "Salt River" became "Salt Creek," and "without a 
paddle" was added for emphasis. Using saltier language, "Salt" became "Shit."
  
Truly, an interesting one for study. Fred Shapiro probably has something. I 
haven't yet had access to the AMerican Periodical Series Online.
  
  

(OED)
   c. Phr. up the creek:    (a) in a tight corner, in trouble; spec. 
pregnant;    (b) crazy, eccentric. slang. 
 
  1941 A. MILLER in Kozlenko 100 Radio Plays 22/2, I mean that if I'm killed 
you're up the creek. 1943 HUNT & PRINGLE Service Slang 68 Up the creek, lost, 
either on patrol or during a night out; off one's course. 1945 Penguin New 
Writing XXIV. 32 Lord, it's my mortar lance corporal. If he breaks we'll be right 
up the creek. 1960 H. PINTER Caretaker III. 71 You don't know what you're 
doing... You're up the creek! You're half off! 1961 H. E. BATES Day of Tortoise 
52 I'm in trouble. I'm going to have a baby... I've had it. Good and proper. 
I'm up the creek. 1961 J. HELLER Catch-22 (1962) viii. 78 You really are up the 
creek, Popinjay. 1963 E. LAMBERT Drip Dry Man x. 51, I know a girl who thinks 
her bloke may have put her up the creek. 1969 I. KEMP Brit. G.I. in Vietnam 
vi. 134 ‘You okay?’ asked Donovan... ‘I thought you were properly up the creek.’

   
    
(PROQUEST HISTORICAL NEWSPAPERS)    
NOVELIST CHESTER REMARRIED TOO SOON; Lands in Hoboken from Abroad with Wife 
No. 2 and Finds No. 1 Wife Still. FRIENDS URGE HIM TO SAIL Won't Risk Crossing 
to New York and Disappears with Companion After Seeing His Lawyer. 
New York Times (1857-Current file). New York, N.Y.: Nov 2, 1911. p. 6 (1 
page) :
"As for me," said Mr. Chester, "you might say I am up Salt Creek without a 
paddle."
    
KEARNS'S SUIT CALLED OFF; Jury-Tampering Charges Against Rickard, Dempsey 
Cause Judge to Toss Case Out of Court KEARNS'S SUIT IS CALLED OFF 
Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File). Los Angeles, Calif.: Nov 22, 1927. p. 
B1 (2 pages):
First page:
Kearns's counsel announced the case would be brought to trial again as soon 
as possible, but Dempsey's lawyers intimated legal obstacles would be found in 
the path of such action and chuckled Kearns had unintentionally got himself 
"up Salt Creek without a paddle," and would have a hard time getting back into 
the legal stream.
    
Comic 4 -- No Title
Chicago Daily Tribune (1872-1963). Chicago, Ill.: Feb 19, 1938. p. 18 (1 
page):
TERRY AND THE PIRATES--UP THE CREEK WITHOUT A PADDLE
  
  
(WWW.NEWSPAPERARCHIVE.COM)
   Trenton Times    Wednesday, May 11, 1904 Trenton, New Jersey     
...tiling As to venture out on the river WITHOUT A pAddle. He would sAy 
nothing.....of the Kiounrf AND went to poison the CREEK Hinun wAs wAtching AND 
hurled A..   
    
   Evening News     Saturday, April 06, 1907 Ada, Oklahoma  
...some one will stArt up "sAlt CREEK" WITHOUT A pAddle. Robt. Wimbish of AdA
.....tAke complete chArge of funerAl WITHOUT extrA cost to you. We bell JAP-A
..    
  
   Sheboygan Press  Monday, May 03, 1920 Sheboygan, Wisconsin   
...devil would I hAve been? Up SAlt CREEK WITHOUT A pAddle AND All the courts 
In.....is compc extrAct of roots AND herbs WITHOUT Alcohol, AND soothing 
effect.. 
   New Oxford Item  Thursday, November 10, 1921 New Oxford, Pennsylvania    
...whAt About it? We're up SAlt CREEK WITHOUT A pAddle the devil to pAy AND 
no.....to the engineer. "Now he commANDed. WITHOUT further Ado. Mr. McGuffey..