The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-07-07
The Mercantile Library Association Ex-
cursiOn-SecOMd Day.

| A considerable de. legation from our eXcur-
| sion party took the steamer ChOcorua at Alton
Bay yesterday afternoon to witness the IA
nous beauty of Lake Winnipesaukee, and visit
the beautiful villages on its banks. While the
other portion of the party was gathering their
| baskets and shawls for the return home by
cars, Cole gave US cheerful 'seDd off with
some familiar airs. At A o'clock we LETT the
| landing, the steamer well filled with passen-
gers. At Alton Bay the lake looks as if it
were entirely land-locked, and not more than a
mile in length, and quite narrow; but present
| ly we round point and the broad expanse of
the lake lies before us. The guide-b00ks say
it can fill the requirement for exactly 365
islands-just one for every day of the year;
| but there is vast number of them as we can
| assert as well as an underlined number of
| beautiful patches of verdure that repose in
| loneliness on the bosom of the water. The
prospect that opens to the eye as we stretch
out into the lake is magnificent beyond de-
| scription. Before us the broad water stretches
| out for miles, bounded in the distance and on
either baud by rolling mountains, rising from
the shore in high, we'll defined shapes, while
the inland ranges peep over the tops of the
nearer hills, changing their outlines as we ap-
| proach them, with scanned and naked sides
and submits broken into craggy peaks. First
the Ossipee raLge on the right, Belknap
Mountains on the left, Rattesnake Island
close by us with its three humps-a famous
place for the venomOus reptiles that give it its
name; and presently Marlborough appears to
us; and we get our first view of Black Noun
| tain and GnnSfOcly and sauar,l otbor nooJ,
with the Sandwich Mountains in front Oar
plrty divides at Wolfeboro; and the less fa-
tigued go on to Centre harbor, and we run up
the lake, with its CLASSY bosom flashing in
the sunlight, and no motion of the air ex.i
cept that made by the rapid motion of our
steamer And so we go on, watching and en-
Ioylng the ever-varying scene. Mote Noun
tain, White Face, Kearsarge and Passacona-
way and Black Mountains are pointed out by
our companion, native of this region; and be-
tween the gaps we catch a glimpse of Mount
Washington; and Chocorua, with its rugged
and broken top, soon comes in view. Starr
King has described the beauty of the lake
scenery 10 truthfully and POLITICALLY, that we
dare not attempt it after him: yet one ought to
take him along to enter fully into the enthusi-
asm of the occasion. The anticipation created
ny his fervid language is more than satisfied
by the reality.
We had had party on board bound to
Meredith, and we changed our course to the
western bank of the lake to land them at
home-a pleasant village nesting in cove
with many indications of industry surrounding
it. Our course then lay more to the east, and
90 fta AZ
hills, the beauty of the scenery ON the water
was heightened. We skirted the low, walled
shores of the lake in the enjoyment of a slori-
GUS sunset, and arrived at Centre Harbor,
which lies on gentle elevation at the head of
the lake, with range of hills behind it, and
lied Hill at the right, an eminence $500 feet
nigh, from the top of which a fine prospect is
obtained. Mine host Huntress of the Senter
House gave his guests fine supper and as
signed us good rooms in his splendid house,
and from the upper balcony we enjoyed the
grand water view spread out before us through
the deepening twilight. Some of the party
went to the Moulton House, close by, and
were we'll cared for. The Senter House stands
upon the bank, with a beautiful lawn sloping
to the waters edge, finely laid out, and near
the foot of which is a bowling alley, a billiard
room, with boat and boating houses on the
shore. Some of the liveliest of the party were
up betlmes this morning and climbed or rode
over the hills to get glimpse of Squam Lake,
in which they were gratified. There are nu-
merous fire drives around Centre Harbor.
from four to fifteen miles in extent, which
COMMAND some splendid views.
hale - Al:
Chocorua for run to Wolfeborough-twenty
miles-where we arrived at 9 O'clock Here
we joined the rest of the party at the Pavilion
They took possession of the large and elegant
par0rs and turnod tho.,-i.t,, dams i..s,
concert room. Mr.. G. G. Reynolds, Maine
boy and splendid pianist is here for the
season. and is always on hand to provide the
guests with music. A very pleasant evening
was passed, with music and jest and prone.
nades upon the broad piazza which commands
view of the lakes, the Belknap hills, Coprle-
Crown Mountain and Tumbe-Down Dick
The Pavilion is splendid house, elegantly
furnished, and full of comforts, with a genial
landlord in the person of Mr.. Howe 1t can
accommodate $50 guests without crowding,
and from the lookout magnificent view is
afforded Of Winnipesaukee and the village,
which lies along level street, and climbs the
hill to the northward. 1t is the centre OF trade
for large region of country and has lumber
aud shoe factories, tanneries, a piano forte
stool factory, and other industries; while in
the rear, mile away, through the woods, is
another busy little village called Mill Village.
Marlborough looks thrifty, and the houses
are bright and wholesome. Nothing looks
seedy or dilapidated. Besides the Pavilion
thore are number of excellent private board
ing houses, and the price of keep is very
reasonable. A good dinner at 1 IL O'Clock,
and rapid ride for few miles over some of
the hll-tops to enjoy the mountain air, and
get new phases of the scenery, closed the ex-
periences of those who spent six hours here.
The Chocorua rounded the point and came to
the wharf little before o'clock, and most of
the party left by her for home. By one of
them we send these jottings for insertion in
your valuable paper, published daily at So per
annum, and hope you will give it place.
just one word, before 1 close. By the COM
pletion of the Portland & Rochester railroad
this beautiful country is opened to the people
of Portland. Portland now commands all the
TOut6S W VIC w ull6 MOuuLdiUS. Lie fOrtldnu
& Rochester is one of them. We do not know
what the arrangement for reaching this Sec
ton is to be, but it is intimated that train
will leave Portland in the morning in time to
connect with the Dover & Winnipiseogee road
at TO-. Is, and thence to Alton Bay, where pas
sengers will connect with the Chocorua,
splendid boat, capable of carrying thousand
passengers easily-always neat, clean and
swift commanded by Capt. Wiggin, quiet
man, invariably courteous and full of informa-
ton. From Rochester a train ought to leave
about o'clock, on the arrival of the train from
the lake, by which Portland people can arrive
home at about p M, giving them chance
to go as far as marlborough and dine, or to
Centre Harbor and back without stop, and re-
turf the same day-a distance of just round
hundred miles. But nobody, when once up
the lake, will be satisfied with a glimpse. The
thing cannot be done decently and in order
short of two days; and the cost will be found
very moderate. The Portland & Rochester
road is to be opened for business on the 18th
inst, when full information will be given re
garding trains, time table, sc. x*x
Recent Publications.
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