Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-08-01
LETTER FROM DOWN EAST.

Dear Spy--Havng proclivity for rusticat-
ing and ruralizing during the cheated term, p
we took the train from the Heart of the Com
monweath, for Boston, week or more ago,
en- route for that portion of New England de-
nominated Down East" Bath is a small
town on the Kennebec River, of about 5000
inhabitants, and, when ship-building was ex-
tensively carried on, was smart, enterprising
place, though now nearly dormant The same
apathy is noticeable that may be remarked in
every place where this branch of business was
the main dependence. The town is rather
compactly built, and is, in its general appear
ance neat and tidy, although in its architec-
tural appearance it has nothing to distinguish
it. Two ably conducted Journals are sustain
ed-the Times and American Sentinel, daily
and weekly the former advocating Democrat
ic and the latter Republican principles
From Bath by stage coach, an hour or twos
ride brought us to Wiscasset, an ancient and
somewhat diapidated town. With such nat
ural advantages as it possesses, having one OF
the finest harbors in the State of Maine, and a
fine region of country, adapted to the prosecu-
ton of any kind of mechanical or commercial
pursuit. it seems strange that the town has not
grown into a large and fourishing city. The
buildings are mostly old and dilapidated, and
everything is seemingly going to decay. 1t is
a staid, puritanical old town, and, although the
county buildings are located here, in its aspect
OF quiet, noiseess inactivity, reminds us for
chilly Of Goldsmth's Deserted Village"
Leaving Wiscasset, a ride of eight miles
brings us to Damariscotta. Like Bath it has
been a shipbuilding place of some note. Since
the depression in business few years since, it
has greatly deprecated in its business impor-
lance and population. There is an air of qui-
ct, comfortable ease about the town that strikes
the stranger fayorably. The people here as
we might say of all Down Easters," are So
cial intelligent, and hospitabe, and assuredly
as refined as any class Of people we ever met
The place is prolific of quaint historical trad-
tons relative to its early settlements and there
are many incidents connected Herewith which
would prove interesting had we the ability to
portray them. On the banks of the Damaris-
Gotta river, which divides the town from New
castle, is an immense bank of oyster shell, the
origin of which deposits have often proved
matter of much comment among biologists and
savans. "Gwo centuries ago the deposits here
pean residents as the great bank of oyster
shells, and were then remarkable features on
the face of the earth. The basin margins on
the west side are heaped, covering an area of
several rods, twelve to fifteen feet deep; while
the east bank margins bear a less depth, but
fall back in more extended superfces, so much
less decomposed as to render the soil sterile
and useless for cultivation" For this descrip-
ton we are indebted to a new work, lust pub
lished, entitled "The Ancient Dominions of
Maine" Truly they are great natural Gu
riosity, exceedingly attractive to those search.
ing for relics of old antiquity. The most au-
thentic supposition appears to be that this de-
position of shell ofial was the work of human
hands and that the locality Of these deposits
must have been a center of vast population,
more than two centuries ago, when the same
features marked this site of ancient ruin We
have had the pleasure, while here, of sailing
upon the waters of this noble river, whose pic
turesque beauty on either side is enhanced by
the numerous small islets that dot its placid
bosom.
We passed day very agreeaby at Pema-
quid, place noted in the annals of history as
being one of the earliest settlements. On a
rocky promontory, jutting out into the ocean,
lighthouse is erected, to indicate to the ma
riner the neighborhood of rocks. Here the
| waves dash up and tumble against the solid
foundation with resistless fury, the deep fis-
sures therein indicating the work of ages In
the time of the English Revolution, 1888, de-
| fence was built and called Fort William Henry.
The walls, built ofstone, wereof quadranguar
| form, whose perimeter measured seven hun
dred and forty feet, and one hundred and
eight feet between the exterior walls across.
The wall facing seward was twenty-five feet
high on the south front on the harbor side to
the west, eighteen feet high on the north fac
ing the river and village, ten feet; and on the
east, twelve feet the whole surmounted by a
round tower near thirty feet. Eight feet from
the ground the walls were six feet thick, pierre
ed with ports for tier Of twenty eight guns,
making a formidable barrier against the incur,
sions of the eastern savages, and q center OF
safety to considerable circle Of surrounding
territory.
Near this point is an old cemetery, whose
crumblingand noss-grown stones indicate it as
being contemporary with the things of "long
ago" On removing the incrustaton over the
face of one of these symbols of decay, we
found the following inscription =
Behold my dad is gone.
Aud am left to mourn;
But fifth in Christ have,
That he and will saYe.'
In concluding this somewhat lengthy epis
tie, permit me TO call the attention of YOU
readers to the pleasure they can derive by
taking n trip "Down East" 1t certainly has
been enjoyable to me- and we return with diff
ferent ideas of life, character and institutions
I ., ruIv