The Republican journal., 1885-11-05
On Hogback.
WHAT MAY BE SEEN FROM THE SUMMIT OF
A MOUNTAIN IN NORTH MONTVILLE.

WHAT MAY BE SEEN FROM THE SUMMIT OF
MOUNTAIN IN NORTH MONTVILLE.
Correspondence of the journal.
On lovely morning late in October your
correspondent set out for bit of mountain
climbing. stiffness, not solemn, but pro-
found pervades the air, except when broken
by the merry chirping of crickets or the noisy
deliberations of divers congregations of crows,
busy with the subject of their approaching de-
parture for the sea coast. The forests have
surrendered most of their beauty if it consisted
wholly of bright hues. They still retain suffi-
cient color to give the landscape decidedly
pie-bald appearance, suggestive of a vast piece
of faded, crazy patchwork. The summit of
that elevation bearing the unpoetical name of
Hogback mountain is my destination. BY the
way, who ever knew a mountain to have any
thing but an unpoetica name? to rill, river,
lake and valley are given appellations such as a
poet may love to weave into rhyme, while up
on the mountains are heaped names as awk-
ward and prosy as mortal can well devise. To
one whose knowledge of mountains is mostly
limited to the attitudes of Waldo county Hog
back" will appear considerable elevation.
This eminence is situated in North Montville,
and extends some two miles in a n. +. and S.
W. direction; doubtless taking its direction
from the trend of the rock of which it is most
ly formed. Driving TO the vicinity of the resi-
dence of II. NJ. Howard, Esq, on the north
slope of the mountain the highest point is
reached after short tramp across lots. The
summit gained, q whistle in the distance leads
to the discovery of Uncle Maces train in the
vicinity of Bailey's crossing, distant some eight
miles, creeping Burnhamward From this
point is to be had one of the most extensive
views it is possible to obtain in this portion of
the State, if | mistake not. Before me LAYS a
vast tract of country, bounded on the n. L. by
the DiXmont hills, OIL the $ W, the land is
lost sight of in the blueness of the horizon,
probably n the region of Portland. Against
the western horizon is outlined a range of
mountains, blue with distance and several Of
its highest peaks coudcapped, undoubtedly
the Chandler mountains of Franklin county.
Beyond them, under favorable conditions it is
said the White Mountains may be discerned. 1t
is also said that Nit. Katahdin is visible at
times. Through the trees | get glimpse of
the waters of Penobscot Bay sparkling bright
ly in the sunshine. Distance gives to kennGbec
county the appearance of plain, which it Is
unnecessary to say Is wide of the truth. Spots
in the surrounding towns familiar to me seem
strangely out of place viewed from here. 1t is
peculiar how a bird's-eye view OF a tract of
well known country will upset ones ideas of
distance and direction.
The swell of land below me is the watershed
between the Half Moon stream and the Sheep
scot river which have their sources here, little
more than a stones throw apart they flow in
nearly opposite directions, and at their outlets
ART separated by about 100 miles. In the valley
to the north, running nearly at right angles
with the mountain, are parallel ranges of horse
backs (kameS), which, according TO the modern
idea respecting such formations We're evidently
deposited there by glaciers hindered in their
southern course by the rocky sides of old Hog
back. Part way up the northwestern slope on
what is nuown as the Curtis" farm, there is
supposed To be an "eevated beach such as i.
found in other portions Of southern Maine. 1t
is said fossil shells We're found there in Il clay
bed several Years ago. If this is true it should
be verified, since it would be a fact of interest
and value to geologists.
Crossing the crest of the mountain in Il south
ery direction | come abruptly to the edge of
blum of ragged and nearly rica rock. I'm
not able to tell its height but fnd it sufficient
to cause my head to swim bit ON the first
look downward The rock which shows here
seems to be a variety Of mica Schst. At the
foot of thu. bluf i "A i.irtr,l oInrunt of taIuS