Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1877-05-29

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with reason. that he has reached the
heart OF the wilderness. What town
was be il No town, but only town
ship. and unnamed at that. mo. 4,
Range H. is the official designation OF
bis WHEREABOUTS. There is no post-ollice
easily accessible nearer than twenty five
or thirty miles; no telegraph. probably,
within fifty; no railway station within
sixty or seventy. Save the two or three
cabins which are grouped into the Up
per Dam Camp" aud the scattered
lodges OF sp0rtsmen and visitors upon
the shores of the lakes around, there can
be no human habitation within dozen
miles in straight line. or double that oi
the most direct and feasible route. The
clearing about The camp, the excellence
OF The buildings. and tho massive frame
work OF the dam lessons the sense OF
solitude at first. but il soon returns. and
settles down heavily upon the miud.
The dam is one Of the largest and cost
liest structures Of its kind in the State.
Ii is fifteen hundred leet in length, its
heavy timber work being bolted with
iron and ballasted with stone. the width
OF the top being sufficient TO be utilized
as roadway. The p2th.to Lake Molly
chunkemun& leads across this dam, and
finds the rock edged waters of that lake
half mile away. The scene here in the
spring, when the boys are going out. is
exciting in the extreme. and at that Time
the camp is often throngcd with interest
ed visitors. The accommodations for
the public, though limited, are good, and
the spot is an excellent headquarters for
fishermen in the months OF June and
September.
The Upper Dam may be conveniently
taken as the meeting-place OF the three
routes for entering the lake country. and
having now traced one of them some
what in detail, the reader may quickly be
made acquainted with The other two. At
the further extreme from the Rangeley
route is that by way OF Umbagog. which
is reached 10y stage ride OF about TWEEN
ly-iive miles from Bethel-a station on
the Grand Trunk Railroad near the New
Hampshire line, and about seventy miles
from Portland Bethel has long been u
popular summer resort, noted for the
beauty Of its scenery. The stage lands
the morning passengers from Boston at
comfortable hotel in Upton, on the
Cambridge River, tributary ol Umba.
cog, at about eleven o'clock the same
evening. The next day the steamer
Diamond furnishes conveyance across
The lake and into the mouth of Rapid
River. the ive.mile stream entering from
Welokeunebacook, along which carry"
has TO be made to the Middle Dam. This
trip can be easily varied by detour for
littlo distance into the Androscoggin. as
far down as Enrol Dam, and thence up
the Magalloway to the outlet 9i S;urli-
wants Pond. while the whole region lying
along the New Hampshire line abounds
with inviting localities. Across the An
droscoggin runs the road TO the famous
Dixville Notch. not more than fifteen or
twenty miles away. Up the lonely Ma
galloway. winding among lofty noun
tains and through the densest forest, the
more adventurous and experienced
woodsman may push in his canoe for
seventy miles TO Lake Parmachenee. the
solitude of which is seldom invaded.
Lake Parmschenee is about the size OF
kennebago. and only little above lis
latitude, but is far less accessible, and
therefore comparatively unknown. A
weil-equipped party. with three weeks to
devote 10 the trip, would doubtless be
amply repaid in many ways for the toll
il would occasion.
The Middle Dam, to which we now re-
turn by way OF Umbagog and the Rapid
River, is the headquarters OF the Oxford
Club. an organization of Portland gen.
tlemen, similar in plan and intent 10 the
Oquossoc Association at Indian Rock. 1t
controls land by lease, and keeps the
fishing under proper regulations. A
camp furnishes good accommodations for
the public.
The connecting link of travel between
Umbagog aud interchangeable over
the Richardson Lakes is furnished by the
steamer II. y. Simmons. which runs
daily over the triangular route between
the Andover arm OF Lake Welokenneba-
cook and the Middle and the Upper dams.
With this we touch The last OF The three
ways OF entering the region from the out
side world. Andover is town of ro
mantle and delightful situation. few
miles north OF the Androscoggin River,
which here runs eastward, and is reached
by an easy stage-ride from Bryants
Pond, also a station on the Grand Trunk
road. It occupies wellwatered plateau,
walled in by picturesque hills, through
notches in which roads lead to the four
points of The compass. The distance
from Andover Centre to the arm of the
lake is something like dozen miles, and