The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-03-09
THE PR ESS.
SATURDAY MORNING, MARCH o, 1879
The Source Of the Connecticut.

Far up among the hills of northern Na,v
Hampshire, almost on the very border of Que
bee province, is small lake, which has n,
area of scarcely more than three acres. In
early spring, while as yet the snow lies along
its border, the woods resound with the croak-
ing of numerous frogs, which here, undis-
turbed, find congenial habitation. This lit
tie lake, in the cold, dark forests, two thou
sand five hundred feet above the level of the
sea, is the source of the Connecticut river.
Its outlet, mere rill, leaping over the rocks,
in beautiful cascades, soon flows into Third
lake. This lake contains an area of about
two hundred and forty square acres, and is
surrounded by lofty hills, except ON its south
ern border, where the undulations are gentle
Inc lake has the trapezoid, form and its outlet,
astream ten feet wide, is in the southeast cor
ner From Third Lake the Connecticut
nows four and half miles, when it receives
from the east tributary nearly as large as
itself. One and a quarter miles farther south
II nOws into Second Lake. This lake is also
surrounded by high hills, but they recede
further from its shore, while in the distance
they rise to mountain heights. 1t is two and
three-fourths miles in length, and its greatest
the Connecticut it receives two tributaries
from the northeast, and one from the north
west 1t is one of the most beautiful of our
northern lakes.
The graceful contour of its shores. the sym-
metry OF its projecting points, the stately
growth OF the primeyal forests, the carpet Of
green that is spread along its border, and ex-
tends through the long vista OF the woods,
the receding hills and the distant mountains
present combination of the wild, the grand
and the beautiful that is rarely seen. On its
border the moose and the deer feed almost
undisturbed, and on its tributaries the beaver
builds Its house, and the otter slides into the
clear and limpid streams, while its shores
are still the resort of the sable and the
mink. The outlet Is on the west side.
near the southern border, and is about
forty feet wide. The descent at first is
gentle, but the distant roar that greets
the ear, indicates that rapids are near.
80 it rushes ON over its rocky bed occasion
ally forming deep eddies, only to become
more rapid still. For mile and half from
the lake it forms series of wild cascades
which continue for halt mile, then, after re-
celying two tributaries from the west, it flows
into First or Connecticut lake. Here we find
a sheet OF water, irregular in outline, extend
ing about four miles, east and west, having
an area OF nearly three square miles. On the
southwest there are farms, and in places the
grassy pastures reach the border of the lake,
but for the most part il is still surrounded by
aprimeyal forest. This lake is beautiful, es-
pecially in autumn. On many of the neigh
boring hills there is a growth of deciduous
trees, particularly the maple; when the frost
comes and these have put ON their crowns of
beauty, of crimson and scarlet, of yellow and
gold, mingled as they often are with the dark
foliage OF the spruce and fir, we have a scene
which in brilliancy and beauty is rarely, if ev-
er, excelled. 1t often happens, while the for
ests have on their robe of beauty, that all the
higher points of the neighboring hills are of
immaculate whiteness from the frozen mist
that clings to every spray Of the thick ever
green foliage. At the outlet of the lake, the
river, which is here fifty feet wide, forms
precipitous cascade, falling thirty-seven feet
in eight rods. 1t flows little west of south
for two miles, when it receives tributary,
Cedar stream, from the east, then it flows
little south of west, until it reaches the Ver-
mont line. 1t receives three tributaries from
the north; Perry stream, which rises near
Third lake; Indian stream which rises ON the
boundary a little further north from the last,
and Halls stream which is the boundary be-
tween New Hampshire and Quebec province.
u. II. Huntington, Assistant Geotogist Of
Netc HGnlpshire.