Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-12-25
NO. .3o4.
#istellaitepms.
THE ENCHANTED LAND-THE STkTE OF
MAINE.
(From the Boston Journal Of the sand.)

| (From the Boston journal of the 42pd)
The lecture last evening in the Athe-
neum course at East Boston, by Mr.. S. B.
Allen Of this city, was successful not mere-
ly in drawing to the new Presbyterian
church large and refined audience, but in
a higher and better sense, by holding the
assembly in pleased and instructed atten.
ton to its close. The attendance was un.
uesally large, numbering many of our
most intelligent and discriminating ladies
and gentlemen, whose verdict is valuable
in such connection, and whose marked ap.
probation of the intellectual and literary
merits Of the evenings entertainment was
a high compliment both to the lecturer and
the wisdom Of the managers In securing
him. Mr.. Allen was long member ofthe
York county bar in the State Of which he
so eloquently sings the praises, and for
the last ten years has been practitioner
of the Suffolk county bar. His success in
his chosen profession. both as q counselor
and an advocate, has been fstteriug, and
last evening proved that he possesses rare
capabilities rs writer and orator. 1t is
be regretted that his professional practice
| so engrosses his time that he will be able
to talk of the Enchanted Land" before
| only very small number of audiences
! Mr.. Aliens subject, 1.-The Enchanted
Land was really glowing description of
the State of Maine, of which he is loyal
son. He gave an enthusiastic picture Of
its early history, of its rivers, lakes, for
| ests and mountains; of its vast water
power and of its mineral treasures. Seen
| through his eyes, it Is one of the most won
dertul countries in the whole world.
| He commenced by saying that most men
are strangers. and cherish in their hearts
dreams Of some enchanted land The
Swiss in other lands see the Alps In their
dreams; no emerald CLEANS so brightly as
the memory OF the dear old Ireland to her
absent sons, and the eyes Of the French fill
with tears as they look arcross the great
sea. One of our most eminent divines
looks longingly toward the wilderness of
the Adirondacks, and the eyes of the Lily
Of the "Fields" turn thitherward also.
and, he said, too, had great love for his
old home, where the skies were brighter,
the fields greener, and the mountains
more majestic than in all the rest of the
world.
Many years ago this land was known to
the nations of Europe. The Historical
Society last August reported that in Bris-
tol, on the coast of this land, sections of
pavements, artstically built, with perfect
cutters and curbings, were unearthed, and
further examination showed that the State
had a mysterious but buried history; that
here existed cultivated race, probably
of the old Northmen visiting the country
in the eleventh century. Then the visits
and settlements of Gosnold and Pop
ham in 1902, of Capt. John Smith in.
1914, and of Ferdinando Gorges, eight
years later, and of the laws and the dis
putes until the whole State was sold for
fl25O to Massachusetts. A description of
the Indians followed. Few are left.
Some of the Mic Mac tribe are yet in the
eastern part of the State, and four or five
hundred Penobscots still live on the islands
above Bangor. None of the Tammany
tribe have ever lived there the air is too
pure. The lecturer gave thrilling de-
scription of his visit to the Penobscot
tribe and his adventures on a deer hunt in
canoe and forest with the old chief. He
described the coast and islands, Casco Bay
having 365 islands, or one for each day in
the year, while the whole coast is diversi-
fled by bays. inlets and capes, that if the
SEA line could be Strengthened out, it would
grow from two hundred TO nearly eighteen
hundred miles.
Hunters have only explored the edge of
the vast northern forest, but there they
find game in abundance. Deer in count
less numbers. the moose standing two
feet higher than common horses, black
bears, utters, foxes, and other small game,
while all the rivers and lakes are filed
with pickerel, trout and salmon. The
lecturer, with few friends, visits some of
these rivers every year, and says the fish
ing is the best in the world. Trout are
caught weighing tro IN three to seventeen
pound, and two gentlemen caught in the
mornings of one week over 700 pounds.
Ii the sportsman desires the bracing sea
air let h!m go to any Of the islands along
the coast The Isles of Shoals are COM
posed almost entirely of rough granite,
pleached toa light gray by the storms OF
Il thousand winters, and around them are
all kinds of salt water fish and sea fowl.
There is fresh sea breeze, all the advan-
tages of shipboard without its discomfort.
AT times Il perfect stillness, broken only by
murmur of the wild waves. In the bay
in front of the house lies fleet Of fishing
boats for the guests. In the early morn
ing one after another spreads its white
wings and silently glides away into the
dim distance, and in the afternoon they
come back. touch at the wharf, then how
er a moment around their moorings, and
go to sleep again
Mr.. Allen then gave description of
dress and outfit for q journey of two
weeks, which could be made with an In
dian guide for about $50. You can leave
Boston in the afternoon, and the next
evening eat your supper of venison which
you have shot or trout which you have
caught.
This land is rich in minerals. In all its
hills is found the finest granite. 1t is now
being used to build two of the largest
bridges in the world-across the East riv-
er and at St. Louis. Sufficient can be ia
ken out to build State like Rhode Island
and then leave enough to supply the whole
country forever. In the eastern counties
is an immense quantity Of limestone and
several iron mines, from one OF which was
taken in one year 20O0 tons of the finest
iron ever known. In Washington county
is found native copper and black lead. In
Barring, Columbia, Orland, and along the
o - kaAx va.l