Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-08-18
of THE EVENING Stan.
STEAMER LEWISTON, Augu

Correspondence OF THE EVENING STAR.
STEAMER LEWISTON August l, 1888
We are just Off for day at Mount Desert.
| The day is autumnal in Its clearness and cool
| ness. This staunch vessel is just about as full
| as she can be: the hardy, bronzed face of Capt.
Deering on the upper deck, the smiling faces OF
| Steward Warner and Purser Freeman at the
| gangway. Our party consists of nine persons,
| all but three of them citizens of Washington,
and all Of them, at present, members of our
household. In half hour after leaving Deer
| Isle we glide up to the dock at Sedgwick
| thronged with waiting passengers. Wagons
and carriages are sprinkled along the roadside
and there stands the old-time stage COACH in
scribed with the names Of adjoining towns on
the mainland, to which 1t is driven
After passage OF two hours and half during
which we fall in with another minister on his
vacation, man who has been in the habit of
coming TO this region for twenty-three years;
discussing various tOpicS-sOmetimes theology
sometimes piscatOlogy-we reach the Southwest
Harbor Mount Desert. There our classical COM
panion leaves us. There, too, sounds the well
come dinner bell, and we all put Steward War
ners capacity to the test. Long to be remem-
bered will be that halbut, fresh from its native
waters. and that blueberry pudding, with its de-
liciOus sauce, which needed no liquor seasoning
| to make it palatable.
THE WONDERS OF MOUNT DESERT.
From the upper deck, if your hat is well Sc
cured. for one of our party has just lost his you
may trace the wonderful rock formation of this
mountain island. From Deer Isle we look off
eastward, and we See what appear to be three
distinct peaks. As you skirt along the islands
edge you count scarcely less than fifteen or twen-
ty separate SUBMITS. Delightful drives have been
built from peak to peak, and from harbOr to
harbOr 1t was on Que OF these excursions from
the Southwest HarbOr to Bar Harbor that Miss
Mabel Case, young lady Of queenly presence
and beauty, lately lost her life. The king bolt
OF the blackboard. on which party of nine were
riding down the mountain, gave way. and while
others were seriously wounded. she was almost
instantly killed. The blackboard is the fayOrite
method of lOcOmOtion here. 1t is wonderfully
easy, but in turning out for other vehicles. YOU
sometimes feel as though you were going over;
and. last year, we ourselves were let down to
terra firma by the giving out ofa king bolt.
FRONT VIEW OF BAR HARBOR
The first glimpse Of the many -pinnacled set
Element at Bay Harbor. is quite imposing. Here
are sixteen hotels in a pile, painted in brilliant
coiors. with flags flying, and as fresh as though
the work OF single days magic. The harbor is
full of yachts, rOw-bOats and canoes, padded by
Indians. The Islands around. named after such
animals as the porcupine and resembling them,
too, weirdly lift themselves at your right. AS
soon as the Lewiston is fastened to the wharf
we make for the nearest hotel, the Rockaway.
built i'll 1870. right upon the waters edge, and
kept by I. l.. Roberts. whose father kept the
old Agamont House in 1865 and whose brother
Keeps the Newport, a hotel right opposite.
These houses are both moderate in expense $40
week. or So per day. We found the table of
the ROekaWay all that we needed, and so of the
comforts OF our sleeping apartments. The house
has been newly painted, and has large piazza
right upon the sea.
The most fashionable and expensive houses.
as The Rodick, where We found President Nc
Gosh Of Princeton, and The West End hotel.
where President Arthur was entertained, charge
some 81 day, and as high as $40 a week, ac-
cording to accommodations. There are few pri-
vate boarding-hOuses. We heard of one called
The Waysde Inn, kept by Mrs. r. G. Higgins.
the widow OF a sea captain. where the charges
are $50 day, and from So to S12 week
The Rodick in its present dimensions was built
last year, and is kept by a family of brothers
bearing that name. 1t has accommodation for
400 guests, being the largest hotel in Maine
The ROdick family are old settlers, having
farm across the bar. which gives Bar harbOr it's
name. There are some fifty cottages on the ISL
and. The first one was built in 1863 by Alpheus
Hardy. Of Boston, and could not have cost
many thousand dollars. Miss Bowler of some
where in the west. is erecting one which is to
cost over $1,000 Andthe heights are crowned
and the woods dotted with them at every point
the eye can see.
THE PERII.OUS BUCKBOARD.
Notwithstanding the perils of the blackboard
we chartered one, carrying nine persons, three
on seat, at 50 an hour, and started at once
through beautifully wild forest road for
Schooner Head, Spouting Horn, DEVILS Oven
and Anemone Cave. After ride of four miles
we dismounted and climbed and clambered
until we had accomplished these local wonders
We do not intend to write them down-for If
Nature has done her best we saw let her live
And, perhaps, they will grow upon us in men,
DRY or in dreams. But after all we had heard
of these natural wonders, revere disappointed.
The blackboard ride was repeated. Then we
had long ramble down the shore front of the
cottages, with that child-like man. that Chris
tian philosopher, whose head wears double
crown. President McCosh. Then came supper.
which we all ate with relish and pronounced
Just the thing.
THE PENoBseOT ''IOsF TRIBES OF ISRAEL. -
After supper we visited the Indian encamp-
ment. We found the abOrigines ready to sell
baskets bows and arro~s seal skins for mats.
and beautiful wings and breasts from the sea-
gull. Some of them had the genuine Indian
color, figure and profile. Others were of mixed
origin. Little toddling boys and girls were
about the tent doors and in the streets. Begin
ming conversation With one of the men, who,
with long, crooked knife and hammer was
putting together front-door to his house. we
found him not unacquainted with the theory
that his people are the descendants of the lost
tribes of Israel. But evidently it was a matter
which did not much interest him-whether he
had Abraham to his father Or not.
AS we were to return on the Lewiston the
next day we did not undertake any more of the
marvels of Bar Hartor, except little pleasant
rowing in the morning. There was struggle
between the fog and the morning sun, and by
half-past eleven. when we left the dock on our
return, the fog was victorious. so
that the farewell look at the
rocks and the mountains had to be ad-
jOurned till the next visit. He went along to
the tune Of the fog-whistle, at one time, almost
crossing the track Of the Mt. Desert. which
cleaned on US, and then disappeared; then
leaving fishing smack tossing in our wake as
we just escaped running her down Captain
Deering was in the pilOt-h0use much of the
time. But, about an hour later we steamed
in again to Sedgwick dock, where were a gay
party Of young folks waiting to bid adieu to
some departing friends. and who finally went
ping. two or three stories HIGH upon the stage
coach. and as We left the dock, disappearing up
the hill. Did not we wish we were young
again? Only, they do not realize that their
happiest time Is now!
We arc back again to the quiet picturesque
ness OF our less fashionable Deer Isle Con-
tented5 Yes. The mountains here are in the
distance, and We climb them only with the eye.
There are no city sounds. The air is lust as