Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-06-24
LAKE C0BB0ssEEcoNTEr
A Glowing Description Of Its Varied
Allurements.
THE MINNE-HA-uA OF MAINE.

Talk about Lake Maranoeook, Desc.,,
on It's tabled glories. Parade its transcend.
ent beauties. Blu, when compared with 81.
eishteen square miles Of iridescent surface
displayed by Lake Cobbossecontee W;n,h,on..
sluggish pond fades into insigni6cance ~,
oosseecontee is indeed lake. Graded .monr
the craggy hills. like a sleeping giant il, near
ly waters lave the fertile shores of sxe &c 49,.
most important farming towns Like a dia.
dem 1t rests on the furrowed brow of old
hennebec, the fairest, the lovelies, of all
natures handiwork
Dotted with evergreen islets like Aoatiny
emeralds, indented by coves. veri,able fairv
grottoes Of green, intersected BY bold prom.
ontories and slender tapering points. il is in.
9eed almost glimpse Of paradise.
Located four and one half miles
directly west of the three sister ci,;es
this magnificent sheet of water. with an
average width of two miles, street.-the. from
Manchester and the shapely pines of Ham
monds grove away south nine miles to the
rugged hills and sylvan dales of granite-rib
bed Monmouth. Let the reader step into
""". a. ehe grove anu proceed down the lake
As ne moves of, Cony's dapper little steam
er will be encountered ready to awaken the
echoes with its piping whistle. First on the
right, cleaving the water like a gigantic.
wedge. Is Long Point, and peeping through
the ieaiy foliage IS discovered the quiet little
settlement of East Winthrop, with its taper
ing church splre, 50 characteristic of every
New England village. mile farther and
the tiny islands OF Ladies' Delight is reached.
II was here that several years ago DIR. Bah
cock and Mr.. Sanborn met tragic death.
These unfortunate gentlemen, during a
shower, took refuge on the island under a
cedar tree. binding flash was seen, the
clash OF thunder-bolt heard, and shortly al
forwards the CHASTITY corpses of the poor men
were discovered. Even now the whitening
effect of the fatal bolt is apparent on the
trunk OF the tree. Looking westward is the
little hamlet of Baileyviile, embowered in
cool and airy naples. Across in Manches-
ter dwell the peaceful and honest hearted
Quakers. On the hill, their plain and I'M
pretending meeting house looms up.
| Another mile brings the voyager to Shaw's,
or HOdgton's, Island. A decade ago this was
the resort of a numerous class of pleasure
seekers. Then it was that Harry Hodgton
run his steamer on the lake and had a bowl
ing alley, dance ball and cook house on the
|
Last year. however, a cottage was erected bv
Henry Harding of Hallowell.
Quite a large part of the Island is covered
with cedar thickets. These are the favorite
haunts of the untamabe partridge. Half
mile to the-eastward is the Basin and at its
| foot the new ''Outlet House" with its attendent
| fleet of boats. Here the Cobbossee stream
commences its serpentine wanderings to busy
Gardiner and the Kennebec river. Form
erlv, at the Outlet, hard by the banks of the
stream, the AbOrgines built their wigwams,
counted their scalp-locks and whitfield from
the peace pipe the fragrant smoke Of the kim
nikinc. Often times the farmers pillow turns
up rude stone implements, relics of savage
| life. Immediately south from Shaw's Island
towers the messy and weather beaten hem
locks of Horseshoe Isle, the largest in the
| lake, about a mile and quarter in
length by three-quarters in breadth. Many
years ago some eccentric farmer attempted
to hew out farm from among its rugged
beeches and naples. He even built a house
and barn. But the solitude of the place was
/ too much for human nature, and 1t Is now
deserted Tradition says the body OF Sagre,
/ the first man ever hung in Maine, was buried
| on this Island, the relatives of the murderer
stealthily by night inferred the corpse IN the
| deep recesses of the forest. Three miles
rocks, and perched on them are two stately
pine trees like warning monitors pointing
| heavenward. Soundings of over one hun
dred feet have been taken in the vicinity.
Here were the happy hunting grounds OF the
! W hite perch fishermen. In these cool ana
secluded depths the perch delighted to revel,
and it was possible almost any time TO
haul in bushel OF the scaly fel-
lows. This has passed away In an
evil hour, Samuel Groves, otherwise
Sam Grouse" of Manchester, plotted against
the tinny tribe, stretched his net ana uepieteu
their ranks to such an extent that 1t is al
most idlcness to fish for white perch now
L ncle Sammy, however, finally ceased his
pi.catorjal labors and went into the shoe bus
mess at the county factory. Two miles be-
! low is the lower extremity of the lake where
| the inlet Jack" stream pOurs In Its flood ana
furnishes water power for the grist and saw
mills at East Monmouth. This stream Is the
outlet of the numerous chain of ponds which
extent through Winthrop and Monmouth;
and even the immaculate Maranocook,
through its banks. pays tribute 10
| the sparkling waters OF Coboosseeco"'ee,
! Even as above the surface OF the lake an
nature is filled with budding life. SO beneath
is mimic world teeming with its finny IN
habtants. Roaming among the weeds
whisking through the hly-pads, 2amboiinS
| around the boulders. are the perch, the vo-
racions pike and gamey bass. 1t you want
genuine soul inspiring sport, then east your
| tiy in this neighbornood. See Cobbossee
and live. Take your rod and live. Pitch
your tent in some forest dell; stretch your
hammock, hang your chowder kettle ana
take YOUR ease Are YOU a sallow dyspeptic
| You will be astonished at the demands OF
your stomach. Throw brown bread ana
Graham to the dogs, and feast on Islam
chowder. Are YOU a drudge OF the city,
a LAWYER, a merchant? You will be surprised
at the renewed vigor, the rest to your tired
brains which this primitive lite will give you,
and when evening falls you can SINK INTO
sweet and refreshing slumber, lulied os Tue
murmur of the wavelets and the Piainti'e
notes of the whip-poor-will. Ere long the
trim locomotives of the narrow-gauge VIII
whirl around the head of the lake Commo-
dious hotels will be erected ana spacious
grounds laid out. Then. . shades oil eH X,
infant Maranocook, beware. for a rose Will
fall from your chapet. W.
HALLONELL.