The Portland daily press., 1867-09-04
. summer On the Lake. II .1-I5
GREENvILLE, MoosxHEAD LAKE, I
lis .frIf B.. f.ils Sent. q. 1867. 4

10 the Edsfor Of TIE Press: t7 ahi iltf buE iifft|
We, tThesaurus and ~ cheerfully left our
dusty desks and miserable books at Augusta,
and climbing to the top of q rolling coach at
Newport ratified on through Corinna, Dexter,
Sangerville, Parkman, Abbot, Monson, Shir-
ley and Greenville, fifty miles to the foot of the
lake. From Doughty hill in Monson the view
of the country in our rear was the most COM
prehensive and delightful on the route; en-
bracing vast belt of azure-hued bills in the
distance, and pleasing variety of forest, field
and water in the landscape shining near"
We murmured at the unk;ndness of the fates
that detained us at the foot of the lake until
Monday morning. and passed G the Sabbath
strolling about on either shore, penetrating ev-
cry forest path, however unpromising-con-
stantly surprising ourselves by the discovery
of a farmhouse surrounded by verdant fields
sloping back to the forest primeval, and down
to a complaining brook that makes the mead
ow green" and feeds the great lake. A cold
breeze was blowing from the north, giving usthe
chill of an October morning, although the sea-
son seems to be retarded nearly month in COM
parison with Kennebec. While the fields there
are ripe with yellow harvest, the grain here has
scarcely received its first tiuge of yellow rf1
The next morning we were promptly on deck
of the steamer Fairy of the Lake." bound to-
ward the north Not far to the west we leave
well-intended blacknsss" called Square
Mountain, and passed up between Deer Island
on the left and Sugar Island on the right.
Near Burnt Jacket, OH small promontory, six
miles from the foot ofthe lake, an aged hermit,
named Kenniston, dwells in q natural cave in
the rock. This prison house has small aper-
ture in the top, and as described to us might re-
semble the tabled "Ear of Dionysius," !" the lau-
turnie at Syracuse. No one knows the old
mans history, or why he refuses to Ii 70 among
his fellow men. He finds a"pleasure in the
painless woods-a rapture on the lonely shore.''
Twelve miles up the lake we see the ontlet of
the Kennebec, and the piers of an immense
dam which enables the lumbermen to regulate
the water for the purpose Of the drive" 1ul7
Midway up the lake, on peninsula attach
ed to the eastern shore, is solid mass of pur-
pie flint, rising perpendicularly and even pro-
jectingly on one side, 700 feet above these wa
ters, and 27OO above the level of-Portland har-
Dor; besides extending below the surface Of
the water to an unknown depth, but at least
ZOO feet more. This is Mount Kineo, the
| "show-piece" of the region. 1t has its name
| from an Indian word signifying "Aiut." Con-
ceived as precipice, exactly upright, with an
altitude Of more than 400 feet, it becomes one
| of the greatest natural wonders Of America.
| At its southern base, on beautiful, level pro-
| lection, stands the Kineo House, one Of the
| finest little hotels in the State. The whole
| peninsula Of 700 acres, including the mountain
and hotel, is owned by Winthrop w. Chenery,
| ESQ, of Belmont Mass. Some twelve or four
teen years ago Mr.. Chenery visited this region
| and being attracted by its beauty and grand
| eur, and invigorated by its pure and healthful
atmosphere, he soon after purchased the whole
property, renovated and enlarged the buildings,
and greatly improved the grounds. Every sea-
i SON he retires to this chosen retreat and re-
mains while his business will permit. ms.
Chenery, her friend Mrs. g., also an accomplish
ed niece, sharing in his enthusiasm as every
one must, are spending the entire season mere
| H.ra Wv. found the advance OF our party; tine
| ...a;.I Sir Walter and the "cordialer''
Wy,,,;.,, f,anked by Enoch, theStarred Knight
1 - .ho ouill. and Vail, one of Neptune's genial
..,ta;ns. Here, too, were the Hon. Nathan
and the festive Smiths, cum, multis aliis Greet
inc, over 7. and forthwith repaired to Peb-
BILE Beach, and rowed our little skiff up under
the overbanging cliff Of Kineo, and wondered
what upheaving Of nature, in the period Of
earthquakes and primeval storms, had left such
precipice, or what legendary warfare OF
fends there might be to account for it. .' A
But my view point is now on its highest