Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1888-08-18
OLD ACABIA AND REYoND

manan-Tts ClIns-The ssSmokc OF the
Great Spirit, - Picturesque, Weird
and Sublime scenery.
ISLAND OF GRAND MANAN, Aug. II.
To the Editor Of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
There cannot be found in sight of Ameri-
can soil more beautiful and interesting re-
gion than that where the river ST. Croix
sweeps down in broad expanss to the sea,
and frem where the mouth Of the little Pc
maquan, under old Pembroke bridge, is lost
auoddy which leaves the western shore of
the splendid peninsula at whose Moose Is
land point ouI eastermost city, the metropo-
lis of the herring, pleasant-streeted Eastport,
stands. The NarraQansstt is vaster than
either the Passamaqueddy or its western
arm, the Cobseook; but it's shores lack much
of their weird and fascinating beauty. Here
are innumsrabls lofty islands of yerdure-
crowned granite; coves Of the rarest, un-
smirched, almost primeval, winsomeness;
headlands grim and monstrous as on Labra-
doris coast, with constant contrast of tender
reaches of inter-yale where sunny farms
show pretty homes and shining fields; per-
spectives from all points of view where the
eternal green of spruce and pine thrust enae-
raid spears from hill and mountain top into
matchless blue of sky; and tides whose
height, volume and power are full of mex
pressible impressivsness.
Aside from this there Is that rare and
witching historic interest giving all these a
two-fold life and charm. Here at Pleasant
Point, ON the Sc. Croix, where good Captain
Ballast has brought me, lives the remnant Of
that noblest of all aboriginal tribes once
possessing this region, the Passamaquoddy
Indians. The captain regards them with
fine scorn, and indignantly urges that the
"Guv'ment orter run every blessed brute on
'em often Quoddy Head inter the ooeanl"
But the historic thought leaps from their
sodden faces back to q time when another
race intruding upon the rightful domain of
this one, were often compelled to do the
same nimble act from old Quoddy Head.
Over this very international boundary line,
which the geographers trace In the center of
the st. Croix, and thence through sthe prime
val forests towards the st. Lawrence, more
diplomacy has been exercised than that re-
sultant from wars with Great Britain. Here
upon Neutral Island between the protecting
shores Of the st. Croix came DesMonts and
Poutrincourt, In 1904, to set the lilies oi
| France above their little forts and gardens al
| sign of their royal masters old Acadian pos.
| sessions, which stretched from Prince Ed
| wards Island to the mouth Of the Hudson
| And on this same Neutral Island the inter
/ national commissioners in 1898, under tn
treaty of 1888, found remains of still NOR
ancient Notifications, probably relics of tn
tenth century Norsemen, and also determines
the river to be the true st. Croix.
At Eastport, and in the numberless con
tiguous coves and bays, one receives the frs
real consciousness of the tremendous volum
of water which ssmi-daily pushes In from
and again recedes to the sea. It's measure
ment is almost past computation, and is pos
itively astounding. Think of perhaps tw
hundred square miles of water from twenty
four to twenty eight feet in depth taking it
place and disappearing from a given are
twice every twensy-four hourst I happenea
TO runainatiHgly mention this view Of IL t
Captain Ballast. It seemed to startle him
He had known IL all every day of his life
but had never once sensed 1t, If that YER
may Be coined. No more had any other ses
4 man or landsman of the locality He pu
/ ABOUT 10A64nGsy, a II moved By some might
purpose. We were of st. Andrews, wher
the st. Droix Ia Q league in width, and
| asked him in some alarm what the sudde
movement meant.
i "Ef it's tides YER arter, I'll take ZEE les
m two hours whar tide makes in sec
boflin' m roarinA as I'll make yer hair rizi''
answered glowingiy.
That was the place wanted to fad; an
Captain Ballast kept his word. Sailin
down the st. Croix into the Passamaquoddy
we swept around the cirelinR wharves q
Eastport, and on into the picturesque Cobs
cook bay. Along it's western shore, perhap
/ half way to the "head of the tide,'' at PEN
broke, small rocky island almost who'll
shuts out the passage of the tides to an
from large land-1ocked basin of possibl
eighty square miles in area, around whic
} some of the prettiest, quaintest and least c
Names villages cluster in dainty coves an
ravines. At low tide much of this basin
bare brown and shining as piece of po
ished bronze; but at full of the tide vesse
: of almost any drsught might sail or mai
| any landing at will. This great expanse
/ filed from the sea and again ernptied twit
each day. The immediate locality of Il
gorged passage, including the rocky islam,
:. is known as Crows Neck, for it Is the reaso
/, of millions of crows mt different seasons
| the year. Between tho island and the mai
land to the south Is level reaeh ever while
: | the water posses without obstruction at hal
j tide. 10 the north the chsnael IL not IN ~