The Portland daily press., 1870-08-10

Correspondence OF The Cleveland Herald.l
Ii it is hot in Cleveland let me counsel YOU
to pack up two suits of winter clothning, and
start direct for this quiet, wooded hill which
looks out on the broad Atlantic. When a
lover Of trout fishing finds a choice stream
in some out OF the way corner of Delawa are
county, N. Y, he is apt to keep very quiet
about it, and reserve it for his private
enjoyment. One is tempted to take the same
course when he finds a really satisfying sea-
side resort, so many of the places most adyer-
tised and frequented having become spoiled
by the throng who flock to them and use
them for mere display. Cushing's Island has,
however, already become known to some
Cleveland families; and word in praise of
it will only be the. unanimous expression of
all who have tried it as a summer resort, The
island lies at the entrance of Portland harbor
about three miles from the city, and is reach
ed by small steamboats, which run back and
forth almost every hour. 1t is one of several
islands which dot the broad bay, and fringe
the coast as far as the eye can see. It is
about mile in length and less than half a
mile in width. On one side the rocky shore
is interrupted by occasional reaches of sand
beach, admirable for bathing, while on the
other and seaward side the rocks jut out into
deep water and terminate at the eastern end
of the island in a bold promontory nearly a
hundred feet high, known as White Head.
Through the length of this island runs a ridge
soping easily to the shore, and about hun
dred feet above the sea. Most of this ridge
is covered thiclly with the tall spruces which
are the characteristic tree of Maine, and be-
meath their shade are walks endlessly varied
and lealing everywhere to natural arbors and
rocky roosts, where thousands of visitors
might rest or wander in groups, never inter-
fering with one another. Our party pre-
empted sucl little nook on the afternoon of
our arrival, and we have spent the most of
two days under its shady covert, reclining on
bed of dry spruce leaves which has been
making tor years, and breathing the odor of
the living leaves above our heads.
The Ottawa House, the only hotel on the
Island, and kept by Mr.. Thomas Cushing, son
OF the owner of the whole domain, is on the
summit of the ridge, and about quarter of
mile from the steamboat landing. 1t is a
large and substantial brick building surround
ed by broad verandah, and can accommo.
date, should judge, about hundred and
nifty guests. 1t is nearly full, now. Many of
the visitors are from Canada, and come to
this point very easily by the Grand Trunk
railroad. Cleveland row, as we call one por-
ton of the building, is occupied by Hon.
James Mason and his family, T. p. Handy
aud his party, and ourselves. Mr.. Hubby
and family are daily expected, and DIR. Eels is
also looked for. Most of the guests are here
for second or third annual visit, and live to-
eether as old friends with no formalty. The
house is well kept and despite the ravencus
appetites produced by this bracing sea air,
there is always something satisfying in the
larder for a hungry man. For children the
air and cut door pleasures of the island are
peculiarly advantageous, and they swarm
here from al regions.
know of no seaside resort which has so
many resources as this. The air is an ocean
air, so pure and fresh as If you were in the
wide Atlantic. The temperature is often ten
degrees below that of Portland. l left the