The Portland daily press., 1874-07-30

Tuesday morning about hundred people
took the Portland & Ogdensburg cars for the
Army and Navy Union excursion to Sebago
Lake and Pleasant Mountain. The morning
was not promising, suspicious-looking clouds
towering in the sky, and the wind heavily
drifting in as though laden with rain. Had
the day been more suspicious large number OF
people would undoubtedly have gone ON the ex-
curson.
A short ride brought the party to the Lake,
where they embarked on the trim little steamer
Mt. Pleasant, Capt. Gibbs commanding Those
who are familiar with the delightful sail up
the Lake do not need to have their memories
refreshed by description of the scenes incl
dental to it. But to several of the party it was
entirely new, and many were the EXPLANATIONS
of pleasure as the boat swept by the images,
by the dark and narrow cave, which Nathaniel
Hawthorne was wont to haunt in his boy
hood, by many farmhouse with walls black
ened by sun and rain and Swallowed by the
overhanging branches of great trees
Presently the boat passed up Dead River
mot a single obolus was demanded of the pas
sengers) and into the tortuous Songo, crooked
est and most picturesque of rivers. Inc sail
up this stream is one of the most curious and
charming in New England. AT times one can
almost touch the sedges which grow upon the
banks. AS the boat rounds the many ano
sharp tnrns it seems as though 1t must surely
break its back or twist itself all out OF shape'.
1t makes a bridge of itself for a moment on
which one can cross the stream dry shod
These points all have names. one Is Sugar
Turn. another Stevens Landing, ESQ called, a
solemn looking passenger informs as, in honor
of the proto-martyr of Songo tsiyer), Bucks
Folly, Sc. 1t is perhaps Necessary to explain
that the late Mr.. Bucks folly consisted of
getting drowned at this point. The excursion
lists were delighted a. the crooked ways of the
river, and one of an alliterative tone OF mind,
christened it ''the slightly serpentine sweetly
sinuous silver circling Songe." This title was
repeated, amid shouts of laughter again and
again. Even the bushes which bent over the
stream and swept the deck with their foliage,
leaned little farther forward to hear it.
Passing through the curious lock and the
drawbridge the boat entered the Bay of Ma
pies, once and better known as Brandy PoLd,
up Long Lake to Bridgton Landing There
about twenty Of the party took coaches for
Pleasant Mountain, the others continuing up
the lakes. The mountain party passed an hour
in the pleasant and thriving village of Bridg
ton, the News flinging its banner on the outer
VIII in their honor. A fine drive of an hour by
the shore of the beautiful Highland Lake and
over the picturesque road beyond brought
them to the foot of the mountain. Then the
ascent began. The first half of the climb was
accomplished in mountain wagons, but at the
halfway house several of the party took sadd'
horses, and Others made the ascent O. -'e
One tall, lank individual, who b Il foof'
cluse of certain popularity Of Us ialr Nc
into history as the ira" costume 10 &c
made himself ridic-' ssed-winge0 beetle,
nercbing on a 6. .honsly conspicuous BIZ
verv dimic. .ide.saddle and compelling a
monnta: olive horse to carry him up the
in "A side. The ascent was accomplished
Surprisingly short time, owing to the excel.
reht conveyance and skilled drivers, and at 4
o'clock the party stood ON the summit.
The view from Pleasant Mountain is one OF
the finest and in many respects the most sat-
/ isfactory from any hill top in New England.
In front.a chair of beautiful lakes sparkle in
the sunlight and sinuous rivers, looking like
silver threads tangled in the wood growth
wind in and out. Masses Of foliage Of vivid
green dot the ground, and the white spires OF
l churches peep out above the tree tops. Be-
| yond this the sea stretches out from Old Or
chard to far beyond Seguin, with white
winged vessels passing up and down. From
| Agamenticus in York to Ragged Mountain in
Camden the country spreads out, a charming
panorama. At the rear the dome of Mt.
| Washington lifts itself far above all the hill
tops, the Summit House plainly in view, and
the railway painfully creeping up its side
| About it the lesser mountains obsequiously
| crouch. Away to the left pallid Chocorua up
rears its spectral peaks. At the foot, directly
under the eye, lies Round Pond, Ttaitic tear
drop let fall from the clouds by some lachry-
NOSE giant. The great charm of the view is Its
distinctness and its preservation of relative
heights and breadths. Objects are not fat
tened out, reduced to dead level of mediocre
| ty, as from Mt. Washington. Every ham,
| let every little sheet of water can be identi.
| fed. Even the most conspicuous buildings in
| Portland can be recognized.
After passing two or three hours in sight
seeing, the party seated themselves in the
pleasant and finely appointed dining hall of
! the Pleasant Mountain House, tastefully decor
for the nonce with notices and monographs in
evergreen, where royal supper was served.
This house, owned by Hon. G. Z. Gibbs and
run by B. T. Chase, Esq, has acquired an
enviable reputation among the mountain
houses. Admirable in all its appointments
ana finely situated, it is conducted in a manner
that puts many houses, more pretentious to
shame. A pleasanter place in which to pass
| the summer months cannot be found. Mr.
Chase does the honors after fashion which
makes the visitor long to come again. A piece
of its furniture which attracted great attention
was the huge cook stove, capable of cook nc
enough food to satisfy the enormous appetite Of
Panurge. One Of the party, an infant Panurge
himself lowered about it fondy during all his
stay, and could only be persuaded to leave it al
| meal time.
Wednesday morning many of the excursion
lists got up early to see the sun rise. But the
l clouds had closed in, and the mountain was
wrapped in mist. They were amply compen-
stated, however, by the magnificent cloud
effects, the banks of vapor hanging in ragged
L
presenting many curious and grotesque shapes.
Our "Maid of the Mist" sailed out at GIVE
o'clock in the morning to see the sight.
At noon the party started for home, delighted
with their trip, and feeling that to the UNI
wearied exertions of the committee they were
indebted for a great deal of pleasure. Theil
thanks are due to the enterprsing Army and
Navy Union for one of the finest excursions o.
the year, and for the opportunity afforded to
see Pleasant Mountain and "lhe slight,
serpentine sweetly sinuous silver circlins
SoDgo."
SAFETY SHOE FOR CARs.-Messrs. Emery &
Doyen of this city, exhibited their paten
safety shoe for railway cars, yesterday after
noon, at the Rochester depot. The invention
consists primarily in the application to the I'm
der surface of the truck of two parallel shoe