The Republican journal., 1873-09-11
Maine Seen Through Connecticut
Spectacles.

One of the editors of the Hartford Times,
who visited Belfast last month, gives his
impression of our city and its people in a
letter to that paper, After speaking of
his voyage hither along the coast, he
says
Now we will try and tell something of
Belfast 1t is city of about six thousand
inhabitants, the principal business of the
place is ship-building, though there are
some MINOR industries. This little city is
celebrated for its wide and we'll shaded
streets, for its splendid harbor and view.
for its healthful climate for the liberal
opinions of its citizens, and for the ex-
quisito beauty and refined style Of its
young ladies' No country ''dowdies" are
these Belfast bellies, you may be certain
They keep up with the fashions as well as
Do their sisters of the larger and more
western cities They understand the poetry
OF dress and have a genius for looking
We'll. And then. too, they possess the
| bright cheeks, flashing eyes and well
moulded forms that are more rare in the
| larger cities. Much of this sweetness is
wasted on the mappreciativc ''dcsert air
| toryoung men are few in Belfast tisapood
| place for young man to emigrate from,
| unless he wishes to WELD the adze in one
OF the great ship-yards along the shore, or
hang around the railroad and wharfs, and
buy and ship ''hay and pertaters" This
latter is quite Il flourishng business A
| great many vessels. and some of no mean
size, are now i'll course of construction
The shipyards present a more lively APP
| pearance now than at any time since the
| war. great many three mastcd schDoners
are built here. These seem to be much in
| demand; sailors call them 'manklllers, "
because they carry small crews and the
work on board is hard We are told ''they
are used principally for the southern lum-
ber-carrying trade. and their peculiaritie5
are that they spread u large amount of
canvass with but little labor, and their
| storing capacity is very large Somo of
| them are built quite flat bottomed. and
| furnished with centre board loruse up the
shallow rivers Of the Carolnas and Florida
in carrying lumber.
| Now t. turn from the practical. We
| have above mentioned our drives, etc
One ride along the shore had its remark
able incident A thunder storm was COM
| ING up, and over the bay our companion
and ourself were watching the peculiar
| atmospheric effect over a distant part OF
the harbOr, when we both uttered an ex-
clamation of surprise and both saw Il Won
| dertul mirage. Two ships seemed raised
| from the bosom of the water high in the
air, and they seemed to sail on as easily
| as a balloon.
They We're not inverted, like the picture
Of ships in mirage which we remcmber
in our geography. The sight was a strange
and beautiful one, and We watched the
ships several minutes, until mt last the
lowering clouds destroyed the optical
illusion
Belftsters have the fashion of owning
little cottages and camps at the inland
lakes and ponds, and few have pitched
their tents along the shore at Northport
a few miles below. At High Cliff Cot
| taGe on that shore We passed Il delightful
day with the club Of twelve gentlemen
who own this baby house
We had SHrA Il clam chowder as We
never dreamed of in our widest magma
tions, and baked CLAIMS that would have
put even a Rhode Islander in gustatorv
ecstacy. These were none of your little
dried up Rocky Pointers, but great festive
bivalyes, juicy and succuient. CLAIMS they
We're which felt their Importance and
would squirt at You with the vigor OF Il
steam-tire engine il YOU espassed on their
native mud flats
But at last we left these pleasant shores
of Maine and sailed away to Boston. There
we met more friends, and thrm--llo, for
| the White Mountains. 4. d.. W.