The Portland daily press., 1862-06-25

Thoreau. The carefulness of Old Ellis and his
Munchausen-like variations, ensure him many
patrons during the summer. Bowley, Hume,
the Messrs. Barrows, are all good men, but as
our letters were to commence from Mt. Kineo,
in the centre of the lake, it is highly important
for us to drop, for the present, the subject of
guides, and find our way to the Mountain
This involves the use of nice little steamer,
Fairy of the Lake, and leads us to speak of
her captain, who is also landlord of the Eveleth
House. Capt. Robinson is small-sized man,
with quick black eyes, and an easy, but ever
present care for his guests. You remember
the old proverb, about its requiring an exceed
ingly capable man to conduct house of pub
lie entertainment (may be have MT hit just the
phraseology, but no matter). Capt. r. is just
the man. He is of French extraction. if we
can judge by his accent, and by his having so
many pleasant French ways of making per-
son comfortable and at home. And he is Just
so on board the boat, a little side-wheel steam
er of five feet draught. While the Fairy is being
swung into the roads, let me have a single
word with those who are patient enough to
read these letters. Coming from the wood
land camps, as these lines will, they will be
more like unconnected threads than like a
woven web; but to those who have seen the
little leisure of woods life, need offer no apol-
ogy for such an unfinished fabric. To those
who are not very conversant with life in the
woods, | can only say, that if these threads
shall lead them through new and pleasant
places, shall be well satisfied.
As we round towards the north. we have
brought before us rough shaggy pile of hills,
known here as Squaw Mountain. One of the
eminences quite overtops the rest, but ever to
the very summit we can see an unbroken spruce
and pine forest, indicating that the mountain
Is massive rather than high. 1t seems to me
that an artist could not pass the deep cove on
the east side Of the mountain, without desiring
to transfer the beauty to canvass. There is, if
may say so, a perfect example Of that point,
ON the aesthetic scale, between beauty and sub
Unity. The other elevations in the immediate
vicinity are much lower; and, although they
all contribute to the general beautiful effect. no
hill on the west side is particularly worthy of
mention. On the other hand we have in the
distance two mountains quite striking in their
appearance. They are called the Spences
Mountains, and overhang Spence's Bay. We
get the finest view Of these as we pass the
strait between the two larger islands, and,
from this point, the higher peak is very much
like Chocorua, though not SO much broken,
while the other resembles Mount Kearsage,
near Fryeburg.
There are one or two farms along the shores
of the lake, ond at one of these we stopped
long enough for some cattle to be driven on
board a scow which we had in tow A very
laughable scene ensued. OF course the oxen
were disposed to hold back, being somewhat
in fear of being sea-sick, or else thinking with
that sainted lady that :" the water wasn't half as
safe even as an island.' Panks were laid down
and little straw thrown on them, but no, the
oxen saw through that too easily. Then one
very ingenious and benevolents tsindividual sug-
gested leading thona on by buy, unti to siruw
his good nature he put the plan in practice
himself He held out handful of hay to one
OK and then the other, till at last one of the
creatures without any perceptbe effect made
a sudden grab at his fingers, which caused him
to step back so quickly that he nearly fell into
the water. He retired. Various expcdients
were resorted to, until three or four strong
men actually pushed the oxen over the gang
way-plank into the scow. Ibelieve everybody
lost their patience at the delay, except those
who laughed, and Captain Robinson. He mere
ly said: 1t is very good that we did not stop
all day and take more oxens." After this de-
lay we were all glad to have fine view of the
strange central mountain of the lake, Mount
Kineo. Truly it is very singular eminence,
with its long crown and suddenly descending
front. AT this point we can see not only the
commencement Of our tour, but its probable
terminus, also. For in the smoky haze of the
East we can catch glimpse of the snow-white
peak of Mount Katahdin, which we hope to
reach after our roundabout journey. May it
be pleasant one, this, from Kineo to Katah-
din. G.