Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-11-11
4 Trip Among the Mountains.

N. H., is very gratifying. and fills
the mind with natures wonders. On
Monday, October oath. party Of tour,
consisting of myself and my best lady
friend, started at 8 o'clock A. NJ, for ton
DAYS excursion. We had very pleasan,
ride from our place up the Androscoggin
to Newry Corner. thence up the valley OF
Bear River, passing many very line farms
and neat residences on the route. A lew
miles up, we passed the residence of Grin
Foster, Esq. Mr.. F. owns one of The best
farms in Oxford County; he cuts about
one hundred tons of hay and keeps the
best kind OF stock. Passing up some
eight miles further, took us to Screw
Augur Falls on Bear River. where once
stood EARNINGS Mills. These Falls truly
are a great curiosity, descending some
sixty tectin spiral zigzag course through
solid rock-it is one oil natures wonders.
After gratifying our curiosity, we resumed
our journey till we arrived at the Jail
which hundreds of people visit every
year. Alter returning to our carriage,
we again resumed our journey until we
arrived at the top of the steep ascent.
where We took Il peep ut Moose Cave; it
is, indeed, great natural curiosity. a
channel some twenty rods long and fifty
feet deep, has been worn by the water,
and from six TO ten feet wide, in solid
rocks and over head, fragments of rocks
hang quite over the visitors heads, looking
grimly down rpon You. seeming just
ready TO tall into the chasm below.
Passing through the Grafton Notch we
halted our team; turning round in our
carriage just to our right, Spcckle
Mountain with its hoary face, bright
sparkling in tho sunlight, is before us;
on the northeastern side, Bear and Cam.
bridge rivers start their downward course
so near together that the voice of man can
be distinctly heard from one to the other
the former flowing south into the Andres
coggin, the latter one north, and cmp,ying
into the Umbagog-rcsuming our Journey
until we arrived at the Lake House in
Upton. kept by Mr.. Horatio b. Goodwin.
Mr.. Goodwin is one of our entcrprising
landlords who has recently fitted up his
house and is prepared 10 entertain fishing
and pleasure parties who yisi, the Lakes.
The following day We called nj the
pleasantly situated residence of j. q.
Rich. Esq, known TO our readers rs The
author OF the very interesting Wild
Animal sketches. published in the Bcthc!
Courier few years ago. We found Mr..
Rich and his better half, boxing up their
goods and getting ready 10 move to
Bethel, where they have bought farm
on the southwes, side Of Mount Abraham,
known rs the Benjamin Russell farm.
We think Mr. r. intends to build house
on the summit ofthis mountain We wish
him much success.
The town of Upton is nine miles long
and six miles wide number of voters iiry.
The people are all well TODD farmers
Who take life comfortably, having been
enabled 10 do so by perseverance and
economy. The view from Bethel Hill is
beautiful; il stands high and firm among
her sister hills; on all sides these stretch
away before Us, first green, then dim and
blue beyond, almost invisible and melting
into clouds. The lake lies at the base of
these hills, sending up It's yapors liSo
incense in tho morning. Beautiful and
beloved Umbagog is 10 her faithful fisher
men, what Jerusalem was 10 the Jews
aud Mecca TO Mohammedans. During
our stay here, one afternoon with gun and
we started down the river
leading into the lake in search OF ducks;
u short distance down, discovered flock
quietly floating up the stream unmindiul
OF our approach ;cre epiug along in the tall
grass until near rs heart could wish. |
fired but the birds were somewhat scat
tered. Ionly stopped one, notkilling him
stone dead, and before we could reach
him he took a plump sound, rs sailors
call it, and we never saw him more.
The next morning, Thursday, after the
good landlady Of the Lake House had
filed our baskets with cakes and pies, our
party started on the route 10 Colcbrook-
distance thirly-two miles. At Enroll dam
we called at the house Of Mr.. William
Bragg, who is one of the largest farmers
in that .owE 4; his barn is one hundred feet
long he cuts hay enough TO fllitto over,
flowing. Here we leave the Andres
coggin and pass up the valley on Pleasant
ri:er; all along for miles up we passed
some beautiful farmes and farm houses.
Paying a respectful attention to the sights
on our way, we pursued the uneven tenor
of our route till we arrived at Dixtield
Notch. The Notch itself is narrow pass,
about one mile long, running in north
westerly direction, turning TO the lett
little as you pass through. The mountains
here are abruptly thrown apart, leaving
very narrow space through which the road
passes. The sublime and awful grandeur
of the Notch battles all description. On
both sides of the road the mountains rise
almost vertically some 1000 feet; no pen
can write on paper the emotions of the
soul as the traveller looks upward and
views the scene above, while the heart