The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-07-03
Bridgt0n.

any country than that from Portland to Bridg-
ton and the lakes. The Cumberland Lakes in
England, have been sung by poets and praised
by innumerable tourists, making the round Of
the old Father Land, but not one Of them, nor
all of them are SO beautiful as the waters and
views the excursionist enjoys on our own Cum
berland Lakes.
In England, to be sure, the American expe.
riences a sensation that he will not have here;
there is occasionally an old castle or the ruins
of one or the remains of an old prison or abbey
on his route, that is more wonderful in his
eyes than hills and woods and smiling waters.
But as to the scenery to be enjoyed on our
lakes, it is equal at least to anything to be
found on or about the famous Cumberland
Lakes. In the English lake district thers are
many scenes of historical interest that attract
us Americans very much; We have nothing of
that among our lakes. There are at Kendall
the remains of the castle of Sir Thomas Sey-
mour whose daughter had the misfortune to
attract Henry VIII, and to become his wife.
Very little is left Of it except small part of
the encircling wall and fifteen or twenty feet
of the Donjon. In its last days, it must have
have been very poor place for a residence
according to our modern notions of comfort
but it was famous in its time
Then near Penarth are the larger remains
of hunting lodge of King John. 1t must
have been grand place in its day. large enough
to lodge in the poor style of his time great
retiuue of lords and ladies, come there to hunt
the deer and the wild loon in the vast northern
forests. 1t was that John from whose feeble
grip was wrested Magma Charta by the grim
savage lordsiassembled at Runnymede. Then
the. American will be deeply interested among
the Epglish Lakes, by other remains which
relate to the old time
On bare swell of land near one of them
is yet to be seeH in almost perfect condition,
druidical circle. 1t is composed of boulders--
rolled stones OF Urge size, having all of them
longer ard shorter diameter. These are
standing erect, their longer diameter being YER
tical, forming a perfect circle, with the altar
place at the East. The circle is about one hun
dred feet in diameter, the stones equi-distant
about ten feet from each other. History goes
not back to the day when these stones were
set up as rude temple in which TO worship
some god, the strange god of that time; wor-
ship largely consisting, it is said, in human
sacrifices. An object intensely interesting to
Americans, who have at home so few remains
of ancient days, at least in our Atlantic States.
This Cumberland druidcal circle is probably
Of the same age with that far more wo nderful
one-Stonehenge-in the south of England,
the stones of which are so vast, that great
engineering skill and excellent mechanical
appliances were necessary to erect them. In
all the country around for great many miles,
is no locality from which those stones could
come. Whence were they? How were they
how could they be transported thither? There
were no roads in those days. There were sup
posed to have been no horses in England in
that old time. These questions have puzzled
the savants for many years.
But 1 intended only to speak of our Lake
District, and of Bridgtop, ancient Bridgton,
nearly a hundred years old, but having moth
ing in it or about now, except the hills and the
waters, that dates back more than thirty or
forty years. To reach it from Portland, one
has railway ride of seventeen miles through
a very pleasant and fertile country, dotted all
over with we'll kept fam houses, and with
here and there glimpses of pleasant villages.
In forty minutes from the start we come 70
Sebago Lake, and embark on a pretty steamer,
and for fourteen miles we have scenery OF land
and water, constantly changing, that s hardly
equalled anywhere.
Then we come to Songo River, winding about
in wonderful way and doubling upon itself
many times 10 its course of four miles. It was
formerly six miles. but by cut Of one hundred
feet two miles were saved. This river is bor-
dered with trees on either hand that almost
sweep the deck with their branches, and in
many places actually do SO. Then we come to
Brandy Pond, so called, it is said, from the
abundance of New England rum passing over
it in the old time; the name retained yet be-
cause the old rum time has passed away for
everl Then we come to the beautiful Long
Pond, which stretches away for ten miles
among the wooded hills in the north, with dis
tant but distinct views of many lofty noun
tains.
Five miles up this lake on its western shore
stands the beautiful village of Bridgton; a
pleasanter one cannot be found 10 any land, L
think, and have seen many. There Is no in-
dication of hard times about IL; everywhere
are evidences of industry end thrift. In all the
village is no shabby or unsightly building, but
everywhere nice shops factories and beautiful
houses q great many of them entirely new, In
spite of the hard times. There are many
charming drives for miles about the village.
over excellent roads, with views everywhere of
the most delicious scenery, constantly chang
ing, embracing wooded hills, cultivated
felds-well kept farms-extensive water views
on the lakes, with lofty mountains in the dis
tance, There are good country hotels, cheap
but well kept, where tourists may have good
rooms, nice beds, good table and good horses
and light carriages at low rates, for excursions
about the country, where there no rod OF the
road without something pleasant about it.
Many of the views are as fine as any l have
seen in far distant lands over which it is the
fashion Tor the tourist to go OFT into ecstacies.
There are many pleasant private houses with
fine views from every window of mountain,
hill, forest and lake, where visitors are nicely
entertained at very moderate rates, with tables
abounding in cream, eggs, fruits, meats and
lake fish il their season, and vegetables fresh
from the garden. There is no pleasanter ex-
cursion for day than this from Portland
Send word beforehand to the hotel
for dinner have a large party the
steamer will land you there in good
time for it, and call for you on the return
and put YOU down at Portland, by lake Saud
rail at FIVE o'clock 10 the afternoon. Try it; il
| you don't like it, the mistake will be tritling
| and the cost very little. n. u.
Coal mining in the Schuylkill valley stopped