Daily Kennebec journal., 1870-10-11
OL-T IN TIE COTNTP 7.


shorten our vacation. Andover and Bethel
and Bear River were on its programme, but
we left them unvisited. Taking our way down
the Androscoggin on the south bank, as we
had gone up on its north bank, we had an op-
portunity to compare the scenery of one with
the other. Both are exceedingly beautiful,
whether clothed in the rich verdure of sum
mer, or in the gorgeous hues of autumn.
There is many spot in this region, 20 which
the opening stanzas Of Bryant's Autumn
Woods" might be aptly applied:
ERE, in the northern gale,
The summer tresses of the trees are gone
The woods of autumn, all around vale.
Have put their glory on.
The mountains that enfod
/ In their wide sweep, the colored landscape round,
Seem groups of giant kings in purple and gold,
That guard the enchanted ground"
The Androscoggin for many miles flows be-
tween ranges of high hills and mountains,
with just space enough next to its banks, for
green and fertile intervales, smooth and level
highways, sites for pleasant farm houses, and
in the rear grassy slopes for pastures extend
ing perhaps half way up to the wood crowned
heights. Here and there beetling crag or
Tumble Down Dick gives variety to the
scene, ard lends an additional charm to the
/ landscape. The fog was not thick enough to
exclude the view of the scenery on the op
posite side of the river, and although sun.
shine would have lighted it up with more vivid
beauty, vet its loyeliness was not lost upon u.s.
Mount Zircon, some miles south ofthe river,
is in full view, on parts of this route, and in
clear day may be seen over-topping all the
surrounding hills. The hotel is still open
near this mountain peak, and the famous
medicina! spring still dispcnSes its healing
virtues to all who will drink of it.
Our route lay through Peru, but although
we saw several small villages and many good
farms and buildings, the golden mines for
which the old Spaniards in former times
sought and fought in South American Peru
we found not. In this Peru, as we'll as the
other the dwellers have to dig and delve to
obtain their stores of wealth.
At Canton Mills there is a pleasant rural
village, with several manufactures III opera
ton. Here is the terminus OF the celebrated
Buckfeld Branch Railroad. which has been
so long in getting built, and is said to be only
half built now; but cars run daily at present
as far as Canton.
Another pretty and thriving village is Bret
tun's Mills in Livermorc. new church has
been built here within year or two, very
neat and tasteful, with bell, and in the base
ment vestry or Sabbath School room. In
this village, the manufacture of boots and
shoes is carried on to considerable extent.
The approach to the village from Canton, by
road skirting the margin of a beautiful pond,
and passing through grove of forest trees of
various kinds, is romantic and picturesque.
Next we came to the Androscoggin, with its
rope ferry, mode of transportation across a
river always curious and interesting to trav-
eler nnaccustomcd to it. There are many of
these rope-terries up and down the Andro-
scoggin, and what is singular the machinery
used on each is different from the others,
though the general principle ropes and pull
leys is the same. At the present time, at sew
eral of them, you have to ford a part of the
river before you reach the boat, the water is
so low.
The sand hills between the river and Wayne
village are barren and uninteresting. But
Androscoggn Pond, on which the village is
situated, with its many islands and indenta-
tons, variegated by grassy slopes and clumps
of forest trees, furnishes one of the finest
scenes in the vicinity
And now for home, with its daily routine of
duty and of labor, and all the common place
details of every day life. But home, with all
its tolls and cares has its own charms and
pleasures; and the wanderer, however pleased
with the scenes of novelty and beauty he meets
with in his wanderings, finds always his best
affections centre there, and feels
'Where'er wander, howsoe'er roam,
My heart untraveled, fondly turns to home"
CoRRECTIoS.-Someer errors have occurred
in printing these letters, but none worth cor
recting. In my first letter, l inadvertently
attributed the founding of the Seminary at
Kent's Hill to Father Kent. should have said
it was Father Sampson, whose bcnevolence
! - IL, i 1...- Il.