The Portland daily press., 1864-06-09
North Western Maine.
UP COUNTRY, June 8, 1854


To the Editor ofM. Pren
The last Of May, on many accounts, Is the
best season Of the year to visit Franklin, An
droscoggln and Oxford Cos. The weather
where it doesn't rain is delightful. The roads
are settled" and dry, but not dusty. The
fresh green trees, after the "dry poles" of the
previous five months, present new and pleas
ing aspect.
Scenery we certainly have; perhaps little
so wild as Northern New Hampshire and none
SO tame as Eastern Massachusetts; but no
person with the least appreciation OF the pic
turesque can glance over all the intervening
country from the Canada Highlands to the
mouth of the Kennebec from the summit Of
Mt. Blue, or from one OF the lofty mounds in
Hartford upon the hills west Of him thrown
I'D In every conceivable form, 500 to 1000 feet,
without at least one outburst OF admiration,
one demonstration Of heartfelt pleasure.
THE SALEM BASIN.
People who have looked through window
under the lower-most deck into the hold OF q
large ship, can form some idea Of the position
one occupies standing upon the hills in West
Freeman looking northward into the Salem
Basin. 1t is lovely valley five or six miles
long By three wide, with the Freeman hills
1000 feet high on the south, and the steep walls
of Mount Abraham $500 feet high on the
north. broad stream winds through the
middle Of the valley, and here and there are
scattered trees and houses with stone walls
aud zig-zag fences, all together presenting .
sight rare and beautiful. In the language OF
the showman's handbilIs, at must be seen to
be appreciated"
THE ANDRoscooGIN VALLEY.
The road upon the banks of the Androscog-
gin from South West Bend, through Turner
and Rumford to Berlin Falls, N. H., / believe
10 not surpassed In beauty by any highway Of
equal or half the extent in New England.
The river itself, alone, with its rapids, falls, is
lands, bends aud crags, would substantiate
any previous broad statement. But every
feature OF the Androscoggin Valley, At this
season Of the year, Is attractive TO q lover OF
nature. In the vicinity Of Rumford and Peru
the valley alternately widens and narrows, at
one time presenting broad alluvial plain
three or four miles wide, at another \ narrow
defile which at distance seems as II about to
lose itself and traveller among the mountains.
Should a stranger be suddenly placed In one
OF these broad valleys thus walled in on all
sides by the mountains, he could perceive
no possible egress to the outer world.
QUAKER RIDGE.
have mentioned the scenery from Mount
Blue and the Hartford Hills. might also
speak Of the prospect from Tory Hill, in Phil
lips, the ascent to which BY the carriage-road
Is over two miles one continuous steep rise !;
but from the Northern coast of Quaker Ridge
10 Leeds, is q view, said by some to be more
beautiful than that from Mt. Washington
or course there Is lack Of wildness. In
front is the Androscoggin Pond with its nu-
merous Islands, and on the left the Androscog-
gin River. At the foot Of the Ridge Is q little
meadow, seemingly the centre OF grand am
phiiheatre Of hills, those In the rear rising far
above those in front, till for backwall Is
reached the White Mountains, the Saddleback
Range, Mt. Blue and Mt. Abraham.
TOWN CHARACTERISTICS.
Passing through many towns some char
acteristics struck me forcibly, which / ap-
pend:
! The hiliest town 10 Sumner.
! Town all one hill-Avon.
| The poorest roads in Greenwood.
Town in which all the people live In red
houses-Hartford
Town that has neither church or minister
| Kingfield.
Most ungody town-Kingneld.
! Town that determined to resist the dram but
did not dare to-ditto.
1 Town Astounding IN women-Lew vision.
I They have the pre,tiest girls In Sweden and
the best looking men in Paris.
half the people live In the second story In
Auburn.
In Albany the greatest curiosity Is siran-
ger.
saw the homeliest man and the best look
log woman, think, In Turner.
The most beautiful village Is Pennington
Hill, though Bethel Hill Is very pretty
place.
Town In which nobody can tell where his
neighbors live-New Portland.
1t is dangerous 10 express Union sentiments
In New Vineyard.
They raise the most bulls, human and boz
vine, In Fayette.
Town that raises the most sheep An
The old h.
Town In which ii rains all the time-Mt.
Vernen.
Isaw the biggest scoundrel In Wilton and
the meanest man In Woodstock.
People constantly fear gun-powder plot
in Hartford.
Distances from Phillips are invariably eleven
miles out and i've miles back.
They furnish the most criminals in Poland,
but Franklin county 10 ahead on murderer,
yet both are noted for their morality and steady
habits. CAr-HANcE.
A Ship Masters Opinion.
KESNEDuNKPoRr, June Z, 1864.
Mr.. EDIToR:-In the late collision ofSteam-
ers Pocahontas and City OF Bath, 1t IL stated
that one steamer ported her wheel, while
the other put hers to starboard.
To almost every nautical man Of experience,
this will account for the collision. Had both
vessels ported their wheels (which is the Eng
lish rule and Law, and should be here) there is
scarcely doubt but they would have gone
clear, and the sad loss Of life and property
would not have happened. Vessels discov-
cred approaching each other in thick weather
or by night, should be required by law to port