Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-08-01

place. In the course of time Church 5
pictures Of scenery at Mount Desert
were seen in the exhibitions of the Ma
tional Academy. At one time and
another most all the noted artists have
followed on sketching tours, and it is
chiefly by this means, in the first in
stance, that Mount Desert has become
so popular as watering-place
There are other reasons why Bar
Harbor is considered preferable to 9th.
er places on the island for longer So
Journ, which will be recounted at the
proper time.
There are delightful attractions to
tempt the visitor TO remain at South
vest Harbor. The harbor itself. which
recedcs some half a mile inland toward
n group of the mountains, is surround
ed by an amphtheatre sloping gently
I toward the water. Here and there, by
the hills and on the shore. are clumps
ot evergreen, pine, and cedar, while
I many miniature bay or bold ledge of
rock invites the timid or bold bather
\ To take water
but perhaps the principal attraction
I here is the splendid view of the noun
tains which Is obtained, especially from
the southern side of the harbor. In
breadth and scope, in grace of outline
and varied forms and color, it is not
excelled any where upon the island,
and is very ike that we have already
described from the sea.
The objections to landing at South
west Harbor present themselves before
you have taken the first step. Right
al the pier there j. an extensive lob
ster house. where the creature is taken
out Of biz tanks, pitched alive into
Kettles Of boiling water, in which he
Is kept until hc is done red, then tnrn-
bled out again, torn limb from limb.
the meat and marrow plucked from his
bones, crammed into tin cans, which
arc made alrtlght, subsequently, to be
! scattered abroad for the dcstruc ton Of
/ the digestion of millions OF honest
souls. The lobster busines. may be a
profitable branch of industry, but we
put the suggestion TO worthy Deacon
Clark, who is -aid 10 own Southwest
iiarbor, and who has no part nor lot
in Iobsters, that they are neither ro-
mantle nor poetical, nor does the lob.
stcr inclte the most imprcssionab,c Of
people 70 anything like enthusiasm.
Now most Of the visitors ID Mount
Desert, even the prosaic folk, 90 pre-.
pared to enjoy the picturesque, the
beautiful, the sublime. just rs they
are about - be nshcrci INTO this new
world Of romance and delight, to BE-
met upon the threshold by thousands
OF Holsters, raw, blilel. cooked. ana
canned, IS discourag,ng, TO say the
Last. Bnt one may remain while
"ith quiet interest at Southwest Uar-
bor and have nothing to do with lob
stcv-. Very fair hotels and boarding
houses are to be found at The landing.
and Tor mile OF more up the main
road which follows the shore of the
harbor
From these houses excursions on
foot, Ia wagons, and ON horseback can
he made IN numerous picturesque d.
rections. IL is over one of these roads.
In the direction Of Seal Cove, that our
friend the sailor has gone to fnd lis
wife and children.
The main road, which leads To
Somesvllc, and which also crosses the
island about three miles from the
steamboat landing. passes through n
nit IN the mountain. On one side the
traveller will see huge blocks OF stone.
which appear to be part of an enor-
nous wall slipping from its founda-
tions or crnmbling TO pieces. /, is
overgrown in places by vines and
bushes, with here and there 4 scra1yv
cedar holding fast with torn and with
cred limbs TO the broken surface of the
rock. Back Of this wall, aud rising
far above il. there is a mountain.
whose face, wrnkled, corrugated. and
unyieldlng, lifts itself up into the ten
der blue Of the SKY. On the other
side the road winds by a pretty brook.
which makes ali the noise it can. dash
lng over the stones and sparkling
among the alder branches and tanrle
OF weeds and flowers Later on we
find that this brooklet is fed from the
generous bosom of lake which rests
quietly hidden among the mountains,
bordered by marsh lands and low
growtns Of birch and evergreen trees,
which are prettly reflected in the pla-
cid water. In this neighborhood. and
while on your return, there are beauti-
ful views To be obtained Of Southwest
Harbor and the islands.
When the steamboat leaves the pier
at Southwest Harbor to continue the
journey. it takes an eastern course,
passing by several islands. which shield
this passage from the assaults of the
sea. Several of these islands are
called Cranberry" singularly enough,
because the excellent berry of that
name grows there in quantities profit
able to the goodly numbers of people
who make it their business to gather
them.
As we pass we do not see much of
these islands, because the shores rise
high and rocky out of the sea. Along
the shore the waves have washed away
the shale and sand from beneath. form
Ing curious cayerns. Above this
escarpment now and then we see
groups of trees, few houses, once or
twice a church steeple, and sometimes
vista of islands floating in the sea.
But our companion voyagers are
mostly on the other side of the steam
er gazing at the mountains, whose
base we are now skirting. 1t is re-
markable panorama which passes by
us. The mountains have lost that
hard and forbidding look, and we see
more of the shore line, with its gray
cliffs and brown heather and bordering
trees, while cottages are seen among
cultivated fields, and once or twice a
white lighthouse stands boldly out up
ON sharp promontory, pointing to a
passage where the blue waters rush in