New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-08-25
FROM PORTLAND TO MOUNT DESERT.

81
we bade alden to the fair city of Portland and its gen.
erous hospi atty, and turned the Prov OF our h''io
soop toward the nearest Of the countless isles Of Casco
Ray. As the gentle breeze swept the Helen slowly
over the sparkling waters spread on the top Of the
cabin the annie charts of the coast of Maine with
which our good friends in Portland had provided us
and fell to diligent study of our proposed route.
Casco Bay extends from Cape Elizabeth on the west
10 Cane Small Point on the east, distance of about
twenty miles IL is an indenation in the coast whose
greatest depth does not exceed fifteen miles. Beside
Portland at its western end there three or four
Hourisbing towns on the shores Of the bay, and en-
bosomed in its waters if the popular account be true
are no less than 365 Islands compliment TO the days
Of the year which is also commonly attributed to Lake
George Lake Wnnepiseogee, and several other bodies
of water. Without vouching for the exact number,
is doubtless safe to say that there are at least three
hundred isles and isets beside many bold and pictur
esque headlands and peninsuas, 30 that scarcely
anywhere else in the world can you find more varied
or more lovely commingling of land and water.
The shores of the islands and the promontories are
mostly covered with woods Of MAPLE oak beech pines,
and frs growing nearly to the water edge andthrow
ing their shadows many deep inlet and winding
channel 1t is impossible to conceive Of any combina-
ton of scenery more charming, more romantic, more
captivating to the eye, more suggestive 10 the i'm
agination. No element of beauty is wanting. Many
of the islands wildly picturesque in form, and from
their woodland SUBMITS you behold on the one hand
the surges of the Atlantic breaking almost at your feet
and on the other the placid waters of the bay panged
by multitudinous gems Of emerald while in the dim
distance you discern on the horizon the sublime peaks
of the White Mountains.
For several hours we sauntered rather than sailed,
through this enchanted and enchanting fairy land steer
ing now hther and thither caprice impeed or as
the perpetualy changing views attracted. AT length
the Skipper whose taste for the picturesque was yet
undeveoped and who besides from former residence
Of many years at Harpswen on the Northern side Of
the bay was sufficiently familiar with s Beauties be-
gan to intimate that it was time to think Of
dinner, and that a few fresh fish would lend
additional grace and JUNCTION to that important cere-
mony In spite of the Artists protest, the hint was
taken and we anchored in deep water in broad chan
mel called Hussey's Sound. The Pilot kinded his fire
in the furnace at the companiOn-way, and we baited
our lines and began to fish.
"Fsh being more distinguished for the size Of their
heads than for the amount of brains lodged in them
observes the Rev. David Badham, at the beginning Of
bis erudte and entertaining Prose Haeutics, fell
early victims to the crafts and assaults Of their arch
enemy, man." The remark Of the learned author
is undoubtedly founded in truth, but whether IT was
that the fish of Casco Bay gifted with more brains
than the rest Of their tribe, that they natur
ally unwilling TO quit their charming dwelling place,
certain it lie that in our case they did not fall early vic
tins, For more than an hour we fshed without
bite We suggested TO the Skipper that lines were
not cast in pleasant places and that we had better shift
our ground. But that worthy who had an innate
repugnance TO hosting the mansal oftener than he
was fairly obliged to- held for moments silent aud
mysterious communion with the sky the water and the
neehborng chores and then confidently predicted that
the fish would soon bite. Having from past expert
ence considerable faith in his penetration into the
whims and ways of our fnny friends, and suspectng
that in this il stance bis judgment was based upon
observation of the state of the tide we patiently pur
sued our sport, if sport it could be called.
The AssyTian, who was prone TO easy pastures, had
been for the last half hour lying his back with his
hands casped cnthe top Of his head and his feet about
which be had fastened his line prorudDg over the low
rail of the slOop. He now began to sing song, to
which he was apt to have when the time was
passing heavily, and he was too lazy 10 make much
exertion of intellect or memory. 1t began
The Rrasshopper sat on the sweet potato vine,
Up came the turkey gobbler and ysnked him of behind
The second sianza, intended TO show the careless
security Of the grasshOpper, was next sung:
The grsssbopper sat on the sweet potato vine, 49,,
Up the turkey gobDler and yanked him Oh behind
Then followed the third stanza illustrating the per-
fdy of the turkey gObber:
The Rnasshopper sat on the sweet potato vine
Up the turkey gobber and yanked him OIL behind
Tais elegant ditty, whose chief merit was lite capacity
for indefinite prolongatiOn, suddenly interrupted
by bite which nearly "yanked the minstrel into the
water. He rolled over and scrambled to his feet with
remarkable agility, exclaiming as he hauled in his
line. " halibut, at last think" To catch halbut
had been for some time the main object of the Assyr-
ans ambition and the further east went the more
confident he became that every large fish be hooked
would prove to be the coveted prize. observed,
however, that the old Pilot, who always grew excited
It the prospect of hbut after eager glance at the
inc. turned with indifference to his furnace on which,
" this time, he had large iron pot, bubblDg with
oiline water, all ready for cod paddock even
or pollock, if nothing better could be got There
vas evidently no hope of halibut yet.
TIE capture proved TO be skate-a fat broad
pny, brown.backed monster, with dirty white belly
tail like monkeys and spade-shaped snout armed
With powerful teeth. He was very large, about three
eet in length, and it required good deal of careful
agemeDt to get him aboard without breaking the
sout eod-ine The creature was very angry at the
ioer'y we had taken with its person, and furously
ashed the deck with its tail ,queaking and writing in
4 droll manner.
benoid The power of melody" said the Professor
o the Assynan. 1t was your singing that brought |
hB fellow 10 his bait. Sixteen hundred wears ago,
;lsudius Elianus In his DE Animalium Notura. |
Imed that the skate had musical ears and could be
tracted and entranced by concord Of sweet soupds.