Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-08-03
NOTES OF A IAKER.
L. From Burlington to Grog Harbor,

set out TO the woods where the partridge
finds Govern Or, after years routine
work, do you crave little touch of wild
life, ''roughing it, up 10 Maine, in the Adir-
ondack country, or among the "Whtc
Hills, for instance, to get out of sight Of the |
postofllce and telegraph poles, and hold
little closer communion with mother Nature, |
to try the virtue of spruce and hcmlock aud
arbor-vitae to remove little Of last years
sediment aud impart u healthier tone to th 2
system? If so. you will enjoy camp in
the woods or by the lakes.
hear Mrs. A. remark "Why will people |
make themselves so uncomfortable, subject
themselves TO every kind of Inconvenience
take up quarters with snakes and mosquitoes
and all for the sake of gettiuga little taste of |
outdoor nature?" "Why not camp in
your field, or under a tree m the yard, if you
must sleep on the ground?" My dear mad !
am, comfort" Is n relative term. What are
few temporary Inconvenience, which are
scarcely thought Of, compared with the out |
door freedom and relaxation, the resiliency
and sanity Of mind and body which you
obtain? DO you take your books and cares
to the woods? In proportion as you leave
these behind will you acquire something of
that freshness and of that great appetite,
which is SO apparent everywhere in nature
Toward the latter part OF June we launch
ed a skill in the waters OF Lake Champlain
at Burlington VT. intending, barring every
accident TO course up the lake (that is down
on the map) and entering "IIoric)nn by IT,
condcroga creek, to camp awhile on the
shores and islands of that romantic sheet of
water. Camping by boat, by the way, has
an advantage which one Is not slow to APP
preciate, though some may regard this as
lazy method. Motive power is cheap, and
the labor of pack-carrying which an overland
trip entails, is avoided
The boat, about 1G feet iu length, was
built more for strength, to do battle with
waves and rocks, than with en- eye TO beauty
and though loaded well-uigh even with It's
sides, readily held our party of three and the
| impedimenta, 800 pounds or So all told
The waves wore rather hungry express
| sion, as we set out, just recovering from a
| south wind which had been blowing fresh
| for the past two days, and troubled now and
| then by tho flaws which dart along the green
surface in their wild. cddying course
Reaching Red Rock Point, we cross the
mouth of Shelburn Bay, a strip of water
running three miles inland, and steer for its
southern side. "Red Rocks forms the left
arm of the city of Burlington. Her right is
at Lone Rock Point. On her bosom lies the
bay, which forms a perfect sinus. Its curve
is steady and graceful, with sandy ribbon gu
its northern side. 1t is four and u half miles
between these arms Both points are promi-
nent features the former is conspicuous, by
its beautiful outcrop of red-sandstoncs the
latter by its high rocky spur which gave it the
name OF SHARP Sims. "-Passing southwark
we sail under favoring breeze TO Cedar
Beach point, twelve miles distant. The
shore is serrate, bristes with an armor of
rocky teeth. Some seem sharp enough to
impalc vessel; others present ragged
front of shale which the waters slowly under
mine. all are covered with scattered
| growth of trees, the red cedar of 'sayin''
and arborvitac being characteristic.
| That gray object yonder rising from the
surface like the back of large bear. is the
crumbing remnant of Rock Dundcr. belong
Ing to the same ledge as Juniper, nearly II
mile to the northwest. 1t still holds in its
palm relic of the great Ice Age, foreign
boulder, like those scattered over the neigh
boring country. Here the geoloeist would
tell you that in the Ice Period, the Adiron.
dacks you see standing along the western
shore, could boast of glaciers as the Alps and
Greenland, to-day.
The wind falls and We pull up in little
cove formed by u high, wooded point. This
is Cedar Beach. Sighting numerous houses
intrudng on somebody's privacy, but as no
one came out and stared and no dogs barked
1t was concluded the place was without in
habitants, which proved correct. Camping a
few rods from the shore, we soon had a sup
ply of bacon, that savory and satisfying ar
tcle, cooking over fire by the beach.
We were not long in perceving that this
pasture was frequented by flock of turbu-
lent sheep. Down they rushed from an adj
iacent hillside to inspect the new and strange
arrivals. What did all that disconsolate
bleating and snufling aud prying into things
mean? Plainly, their want was salt" and
they soon made it their war-cry, if sheep
could ever be accused of martial character
Later, they rushed for the tent during our
temporary absence, and made off with some
saline provision. 1t was now time to assume
the offensive, and after considerable belabor-
ing, the tide of sheep was turned.
This was ap'ace of dogs day resort, not as
yet occupied for the season, the houses being
built up from the water, among the trees,
which are occasionally allowed to pierce the
plaza roof, toadstool fashion. Three miles
over the lake lies the little port of Essex, a
cluster of spires and houses and boats in the
foreground, set in blue frame,
Above the Adirondack chiefs raise their
grey heads overlooking the great smiling
valley of Champlain.
A prevailing tree in this REGION is the white
cedar, well named dr6or-ritde or tree of life,
with its thin fan-shaped sprays Of light green
foliage, renowned for the durability of its
light porous wood. Thorcau has celebrated
this tree. lie tells us how the Maine Indians
utilize each part OF tout of its wood framing
their canoes, with its bark strapping them to
their head and shoulders when taking car
ry, and should other herbs fail, finding in its
lna A..I, st,,tA &c. L..
| grow the plane or sycamore, tall,
light complexioned, large. caved tree,
three species OF pine and the graceful
elm which with the sugar maple might con-
test the place OF honor on the States seal.
Every one knows 1t is the white pine for
which Maine is noted, but what are those
others we sec about here and elsewhere in
abundance2 Three kinds are commonly
found, the white, the pitch and red pines,
readily distinguished by their leaves or
needles which nature has tied up in bundles
Of 8, 3 and respectively.
Sailing up the lake, among the points
which fringe the Vermont shore "Thomp-
sons IS conspicuous mile and half long
by third as broad. To tho West the
mountains seem to flow down into point
called Split Rock, two miles distant for
which we steer. Here the lake suddenly
contracts, though she makes up for the loss
10 depth, 800 feet, believe, being recorded
by the last survey. The nose of Split Rock
has been severed from the mainland, as if
some Cyclops had been around with his axe,
leaving narrow passage for the water be-
tween, and near by stands small light
house, more conspicuous as beacon by
night, serving to warn approaching boats to
turn the corner.
For eight miles the New York shore is FORM
ed by the steep rugged side of the long ir-
regular mountain bearing the same name as
the point, wooded for the most part, and
Astounding in gray rocks and high lodges,
in one place called the palisades"
| Just below Split Rock point there is lit
tie notch in the shore, an attractive looking
spot, and quite noticeable to boat passengers,
the site Of an old clearing, locally known as