The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1886-02-11
The Beauties of Penobscot Bay.

DR.. W. III. Winslow in ''The Cruise of the
Pilgrim now in course of publication in For
est and Stream, pays the following tribute to
Penobscot Bay:
Penobscot Bay Is, in my opinion, the best
and most interesting cruising ground upon the
Atlantic coast, but there is not yacht club
from Whitehead to Mt. Desert, except one
lately formed at Rockland. A chain of small
mountains lies along the western side from
Northport to Rockland, a distance of about
sixteen miles, and there are numerous high
promontories upon the eastern side until the
eyes rest upon Green Mountain, the highest
portion of that magnificent island, Mt. Desert.
1t is not deserted as the French thought. There
are many 100000 villas at Bar Harbor.
There are hundreds of pretty woodland is
lands, worth from one dollar apiece to many
thousands, in the lower bay, and many of them
are being bought up by city men for summer
homes. There are many of the cutest little
coves, harbors and camping places along the
shores that one can conceive of; the water is
deep and the shores are bold for the most part !;
low tide uncovers flats in which one can dig
large, sweet, tender clans by the bushel, and
the line of tide is covered with great quantities
of drift wood, the refuse of the many sawmills
up the rivers, which will get up good hot bed
of Goals for a clambake in the shortest possible
time. Founders, tommy-cods, cunners, sal
mon, lobster and the frisky sculpin are there
in abundance. Crows, gulls. looms, ducks,
snipe, partridge, squirrel and seal are in suff-
cient quantity to keep the guns from rustng.
There are many places of picturesque beauty
worth visiting, and few of historic interest,
of which Fort Point and Castine are the most
celebrated. Within easy sail of everywhere,
one can find cities or villages where he can get
letters, newspapers and supplies. Everything
is good and cheap, the people are kind and hos
pitablc, there are few tramps and vaeabonds to
modest things, and all laws except those per-
tanning to liquor are promptly enforced.
But the crowning glory of the place is the
magnificent sheet Of sheltered water for com
Portable, safe cruising. | climbed to the top of
Mt, Percival, one of the aforesaid chain lpou
al one of the very finest views | had ever be-
held, and that is saying much, for have eaten
bread in seven kingdoms. The shore line could
be followed to the right as far as Owls Head,
to the left to Belfast, Searsport. Fort Point,
then crossing the noble PenobScot down to Cas-
tine, Cape Roster and away east into Eggemog-
gin Reach. Islands Of every size and shape,
cultivated or heavily wooded, lay upon the blue
water as far as the eyes could reach seaward.
Before us was the long narrow lSleSboro, with
the lighthouse and inlet of Gilkey's IIarbor.
Beyond the eastern shore, Blue Hill >hone blue
and high above the surrounding land. East
ward the misty peaks of Mt. Desert could be
perceived. and southeast dark heavy cloud
upon the horizon represented Isle au 1iaut. 1t
was like looking down upon mao of blue and
, i,
few ledges, sheltered channels and straightaway
courses, all i'll view from the eX client roads
along the water line.
My companion, E. l.. Williams, of South Bos-
ton, gazed at the magnificent sheets of water
upon each side of ISlcsboro. the western and
eastern ship channels, stretching from Belfast
twenty y-eght miles to the open sea, and eX-
claimed, 'What splendid sheet of water and
what glorious place for yacht races" But
confess the place is a long way from Boston
and New York for the little craft to 90, and
without them, races would be as stale as soup
without salt. Then the region gets up Genesta
weather very often after the middle of August.
and before that time the fogs are sometimes
troublesome, 50 | suppose the New Workers
will stick to their Sultry, shallow Sound, and
do tremendous lot of Yachting at the fashion,
able hotels all along shore from New York to
Nantucket.