The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1862-08-11

ascent some ways below this point. The ele-
walton is not very great, being only little ov-
er one Thousand feet, but the steep north side
makes the mountain seem very high. This
mountain Of trap-rock was called, by the In
dans, "Child of the Devil" but nobody knows
why. From the summit you have a plain
view of the great peculiarity, the characters
tic feature of Mount Katahdn. 1t is the Basin
Here we can see it very distinctly and can make
outeven the two submits ofthe ridge. Upon the
whole, the view of Katahdin from this place is
one of the best have ever seen, and it well de-
serves to be transferred to canvas. The alb
original name of the mountain from which we
catch such splendid glimpse of the Great
Hill, is Lunksoos. What in the world can
philologists do with such names as this?
Below Lunksoos we are obliged to carry
past several series of falls before we come to
plain sailing again. Among these falls the
Smelling Machine" where logs are Instantly
stripped of their bark as they are whrled ov-
er into the screw-like flume, and Bowling
Pitch, are most worthy Of mention. But time
does not allow us to more than refer to them
and to cave in neighboring pond, bearing
the same name as that of the latter cataract
In one of the smaller Bowling ponds is a
square block of limestone, of considerable size.
which has become perforated in various direc-
tions by water. At the point in the interior of
the rock where these causeways meet, cave
of some height was found, and the cave had
several doors. So perfect were the tunnels,
that, had the block been formed near the coast,
1t would have been called unhesitatingly the
work of the Mortimer. But, in the woods of
Maine it must ever be considered as merely
another Illustration Of the power of water
Not far from Bowling Pitch is little point of
land projecting into the river, and the extreme
end of the capeis called Sufferers Rock" A
man and his family, consisting of his wife and
two children, / think, left New Brunswick to
find their way over the rivers to Bangor
When they had reached this place their proyi-
sions were nearly exhausted, and it became
very necessary for the husband to start down
river for help, leaving the woman on the bar
rem rock. Fo< weeks she remained on that
point, subsisting upon berries, and upon fish
which she caught by hook formed from hair
pin, and with a line made from her hair. At
last help found her and her children in a starv-
ing condition; and, having been relieved as to
their immediate wants, the party passed down
river. But the child born to the wife, in few
weeks after her escape from starvation, never
knew what was to be satisfied by food. Nor
was it merely whim, mere fancy of his =
safety never came, his unnatural appetite was
never satisfied.
The Lebois river is, at its confluence with
the Penobscot, a large stream, with banks COW
cred with birch an poplar. These trees are of
the second growth" the first growth having
been consumed in 1925. Timber plunderers
were ravaging the pure lands of the Lebois,
and had already made quite large meadow
farms to procure hay for the cattle they would
use in the winter numbering operations. The
land agent having warned the plunderers to
leave, and they, refusing to comply with his
lawful demands, directed Mr.. Chase to set
fire to the hay on the meadows. 1t was done !:
the fire consumed the hay, but it also spread
into the woods with fearful rapidity The wild
beasts of the forest fed for refuge to the rivers,
and became harmless in their fright Mr..
Chase, alike fearing the dreadful fire, and dread
ing TO meet the settlers, endeavored to escape
down river; but this was impossible. Ac-
cordingly he made his way to neighboring
high mountain, and, upon reaching the sum-
the mountain has, ever since, borne his name.
II is conical eminence of great height, and
has scanty forest upon the top. 1t is one of
the few sugar-loaved mountains of Maine, and
must be visited by the tourist in order to be
properly appreciated. The view of the Ka-
tahdin mountains from this summit is superb.
and while little of that which is characteristic
of Katahdin can be seen to good advantage, it
is a most lovely landscape.
Below Lebois, the next stream Is the "Clear
Water" or ''Clear gravelly water" or Wassa-
taquoik. The termination "Cook" or 'Quoik," :"
or Took" means, in Penobscot Indian, water
or stream. / say this, in this connection, to
guard my friends against making the mistake
into which several Of our party blundered, in
seeing very plain reason why Wassataquoik
should mean "clear water,- since the first part
Of the word was plainly the German word for
water!
At a point few rods, perhaps a half mile
below this stream, we see farmhouse. But
it isSomething more than farmhouse. 1t is
the celebrated Hunt farm, of which nearly all
your readers have heard. 1t is at this place
that we are to leave our brches, faithful though
frail friends they have been, and strike through
the woods to the object Of our wanderings-
Katadn.
Everywhere around the mouth of Wassata-
quoik is seen very flourishing vegetation
Plants are very large, strong and thrifty, and
the surprising height to which some of them
attain indicates that the soil is exceedingly
fertile. 1t will be wonder, truly, if this same
vigor of vegetable life does not hinder our
progress in the woods tomorrow.
1t will be well, then, to rest pretty soundly
tonight, that we may rise strong for the be-
ginning of our long walk. How will it seem
to sleep tonight in a bed? in house?
LATER:-We do not have everything our
own way. Mr.. Hunt has kindly given us per-
mission to sleep on his kitchen floor! Every
window is open, but the large room seems
close and narrow, so much confined, indeed,
that two of us viii go out and try to sleep in
the front yard! How can anybody endure to
be shut up in bed? don't see G..