The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-08-24
THE WHITE MOUNTAINS.
AS Seen From the Sea Only Once in
a Lifetime.

Considerable discussion has been going on
of late in the Squirrel Island Squid concern
ing the White Mountains as seen from the
sea. One writer holds that Weymouth as he
approached this coast made Mount Washing
ton landmark, while another is of the
opinion that this was improbable as it is
only on very rare days that the White Noun
tains can be seen from the sea, and then at
points far from the line of Weymouth's ap-
proach Capt. Johnston Of Wiscasset, who
has been referred to as authority on the
question thus writes to the Squid:
In your issue of July IL. ult., am referred
to as having seen the White Mountains from
the sea, at point "ten miles southwest of
Monhegan, in 1862" These mountains were
never seen by me from the ocean but once In
nv lifetime, a period of sixty-nine years
but have seen them hundreds of times from
points on the earth in different parts of
Maine; and twice have seen the ocean near
Cape Elizabeth, from the top of Mount Wash
ington.
contains all | ever said on the subject, and l
give it entire:
WIsCAssET, Aug. 26. 1879.
Friend Tenney: can now give the exact place
at sea from which we saw Mt. Washington, in the
Savannah Nov. 18, 1886. We left Wiscasset at
$50 a. M. with a strong breeze from W. NV,
after heavy southeastef the day before; weather
clear, without cloud. Passed Seguin, abeam at
IL M, and steered due [true] south. At p. m.
lost sight Of all land except Mt Washington bear,
ing NV. by W., 106 miles distant IL appeared
in shadow, cloud-lke, lying low, with gilded crest
and outline, for half .an hour or more, when the
sun ceased to illumine its peak, and IN few min
visible for hour before we noticed it, as no land
was seen in its range (Casco Bay for a fun hour
previous Capt Tucker said that he had never
il before in running Off coming the
coast, from ships deck. We were 80 statute
miles due [truel south from Seguin at p. M, and
the same distance from Cape Elizabeth. Agamen-
ticus bore w. One-half S. AS miles dStant-inviSi-
Bile of course, Washington was log miles distant,
and it is the same distance from Monhegan. Mt.
Psgah, signal station at BO0thbay, is 90 miles
from Washington, and at that elevation, 165 feet,
i should be often seen; but It can never be seen
nearness and height of intervening land. j.
wrote, about the same time, to Gen. p. c.
Cilley the same story almost word for word.
| never wrote syllable about it to any per-
son up to this year, not even verbally gave
any other account of the matter. The date
also is erroneous; it should be Nov. IS, 1885.
| often speak of my first voyage at sea as of
1886, because nine-tenths of the voyages were
performed that year.
We saw Mount Washington shining like
FURNISHED silver, a pyramidal cone, low
down. but exceedingly brilliant and clear.
Two other conical peaks, Adams and Jeffer-
son, were equally brilliant at the north, and
as the ship rose high on the sea, struggling,
glittering line oflight appeared ON the south,
doubtless Munroe, Franklin and Pleasant;
six FURNISHED peaks in all, and land, covered
with snow crusts undoubtedly. They could
not have been seen at all from the deck of
any ordinary coaster; but clouds are often
mistaken.for the mountains.
We bore SW. by S. from Monhegan, dis
tant AZ statute miles, and it was sunk under
the tangent of dip, light and all: so was Sc
pllin and Cane Elizabeth Positively il cutS
off all things beyond its length-unusual re-
fraction loom or mirage only excepted a
very uncommon occurrence in our northern
latitudes.