The Portland daily press., 1862-07-15


this portage, our canoes were removed from
the water, and the load for each one was se-
lected. Taking aload Of considerable weight,
think a couple of frkins, one of -four and
one Of pork, my knapsack and several pack
ages Of paper for preserving plants, l set out
on the carry. The guides good-naturedIy ad-
vised me to start with less; but no, 1 was equal
to the task After hundred rods of mud and
water, now and then stepping into q miry place
of one or two feet depth, thought it expedi-
ent to leave one of the frkins among the
bushes for a second load, when should have
got used to carrying. With much lighter
load, stumbled along over the muddy path,
till the flrkin of pork became heavy enough to
support our party for couple Of months, at
least; and this was likewise deposited in a
clump Of alders. The two miles were six at
the shortest computation, by the time reached
an opening. Here was the other end of the
portage! No signs of water, though; and
where was Mud Pond? A tree at the side of
the road explained all;
32o RODS.
had come just half way!
Where could / find a better place to leave
the presses and paper till that second journey?
Now the way seemed easy enough, for we were
going on higher land before descending to
Chamberlain. Before reaching the end of the
carry, we were deep in mud and In the study
of the habits Of the musquito All good things
come to an end, and SO did the long, tiresome
portage. In front was a shallow lake of sew
eral miles extent, and this was "Mud Pond"
On the shores of this water deposited my
knapsack, fully convinced that a set of muscles
differing from those commonly used in the
gymnasium, had been called into play, and 1
concluded to accept hereafter the advice of
guides. While rubbing sundry aching places
under my arms and on my shoulders, saw
One of the guides had just come up, having
found my two firkins in the thckets, and had
brought them along. He said,
II thought you wouldn't care much about
seeing such carry twice." As he looked up
he saw the canoe approaching, and remarked,
"Dirty Donnel, as sure as I'm alive. Now"
said he, 'it will be just as well for you to sit
here with the things till we get them all over,
as old Donnel will take care of them if you
don't"
The canoe, in which the worthy representa-
tive of the "Great Unwashed" was nearing us,
was "spruce-bark," and spruce-bark is in
describable. 1t is made of the bark turned in
side out, and bent up at the ends, very much
after the manner Of boys soldier-cap; and
braced with ribs of cedar. "Donnel. was
standing in this canoe as 1t came near the
shore, and strange sight it was. With no ex-
ception, his clothes were patchwork of parti-
colors, now sewn with black thread and now
with white; and, altogether, he presented a
most outre appearance As he landed and
drew up his canoe, he turned to me and said
with "humph,"
"Sacking?"
On my giving an affirmative answer he said,
"Yer beant much used to it, like?'
With his sharp Scotch shrewdness he had
seen in a moment that was not used to sack
ing" as they call carrying; and this remark in
broad Scotch brogue told his disguised ma
tionality. When he found was waiting for
Others to come across the portage, he began
looking at our traps, one after the other, say
ing nothing at all. Curious to learn something
of the strange old fellow, / ventured to ask
him few questions about the facilities for
hunting on a certain one of the northern lakes,
but nothing would he say except now and then
he would give dissatisfied Indian grunt, and
move further of. At last, despairing of learn
ing anything about him till the guides came
up, said TO him, "Our party are now coming
from Chesuncook." He turned round and
said in broad voice, on high key, "Where
else could ye COON from, this gate ?' He
had given me damper, but again said, "Are
you going down to Ches uncook pretty soon ?v
He growled out, 'Yes, I'll be going down to
'Suncook the day, I'm out of tobacco. OF
course what little of the weed had, was
forthcoming, and gave it to him. He put it
In one OF the numerous holes in his coat, but
1t tumbled out though in a twinkling, and he
said as he picked it up and tried to find bet
ter place for it, "That's the deevi of having
sac mony pocks in ane's coat; there's nae tell
ing where on airth things gae to-" Saying
which he placed the tobacco In some out-of-
the-way place or other, and sat down in quite
sociable way. SIN building birch up van,
and this" pointing to the spruce-bark, sis to
get down to 'Suncook in" A jug in the bow
of his canoe readily showed what he was 60
ing down to 'Suncook for
"Was it wet on the carry, yon?"
"Oh yes, believe there's always a heavy
dew on Mud-Pond Carry, isn't there?"
you're RIGHT, me freen, but there's pree-
cious little mountain-de,o ever falls in my
gate, now"
/ A shout from the rest of the party, who
had been more judicious than 1, and had walk
ed more slowly, showed that the carrying is
almost over, and we shall soon be on the wa
tiers of the East Branch Penobscot sDirty
Donnep is recognized by both the guides. and
from his radiant countenance after his with
drawal with them just out of sight, it could be
seen that he had found little Chesuncook
pretty near home. A little mountain-dew had
fallen in his path.
While we are packing our loads in the ca
noe, Donald is wondering why we are in a
hurry. 'Why can't we stop and talk bit p''
Our guides know better than we do, and so,
bidding an affectionatc adieu to the unaved,
we are sailing for Mud-Pond outlet. G.
For Sale.