The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1888-09-29

rhs work ef the Nerssmsa On the cosss
90 Msins.

rms W0FA ~ 10 >~fs~sss~ss - - 49,
% Msiss.
A recent number If the Boston Evc-
ming Transcript publishes the follow
ing: "A friend who has been down
on the coast Of Maine Is much exer-
cised over the discovery there Of lake
which IL evidently Of artificial con-
struction. and the building Of which
he can refer TO no other architects than
the Norsemen. who must have con-
structed IL nearly five centuries before
the landing of Columbus. II already
bears the name of Morse Pond and has
attracted the attention of the officers
OF the United States coast survey; but
the description of IL which these OFF,
GERS embody In their recent annual re-
port Is the only printed account Of IL
which has been published. and that Is
by no means exhaustive. Ii Is COM
paratively an unknown wonder. II Is
located in the quaint and charmingly
picturesque town Of Cutler. on the far
coast of Maine, between Machias and
Eastport, and may well invite the In
vestigation OF those among US who are
interested ia our antiquities.
The village Of Cutler has been built
around beautiful and deep inlet
known 20 sailors as Little River Har-
Dor. The township OF Cutler Is not
confined Ia the immediate vicinity of
Little River Harbor. but reaches for
several miles along the coast in either
direction. and extends far into the
interior. Four miles 20 the northeast
of the village of Cutler. near the coast,
IL tranquil sheet Of the purest fresh
water, containing about thirty or forty
acres, which at certain seasons of the
year afford excellent shelter and feed
ing-ground for large number of wa
ter fowl-a veritable sportsman's par
adise-this Is Morse Pond. Between
il and the ocean rises large hill or
elevation. while behind Is second
stretch Of high land. The interven-
ing space forms the bed of the pond.
Human hands ut some early period
converted this small intervale into an
artificial body of fresh water by dam
ming up brook which flowed through
il. A massive wall Of over 1000 feet
in length and of varying thickness has
been constructed across the northeast
extremity of this space. The material
consists Of large and small powders
brought from the neighborhood for
Qaite a distance around. The scarcity
Of small powders and stones in the
neighborhood of the pond confirms the
theory of artificial construction. Con-
siderable mechanical skill and per-
severance are displayed in this piece of
masonry.
The query suggests itself Who built
this wall, and thus created Morse Pondp
None Of the early settlers of this por-
ton of Maine did il, because Cutler
was settled by the grandfathers OF
many who are now living. and no per-
son has any authentic tradition as 20
the real authors of the mysterious
structure. The locality Of Morse Pond
bears no other evidence OF early set
tiers. French. English or Indians.
There are no arguments in favor Of
belief that the aborigines designed and
constructed the wall. II would be al
most impossible To conceive of any
necessity Of their making artificial
povds, IL they were familiar with the
interior Of the country. which is thick
" covered with lakes and ponds. Be
sides, the present appearance OF the
wall tells story Of great age. IL
cuulu not nave Deen Quit Wllulu sew
eral centuries. IL bears every APP
pearance Of having been put together
by people more or less civilized.
Contirmatory of the Morse theory Is the
fact that few years ago the remains
Of vessel Of undoubted Morse con-
struction were washed out of the sand
near Grand Manan and directly OPP
posite the shore nearest the Morse
Pond.
perhaps some man of science will
investigate the wall of Morse Pond and
tell the world what he thinks about
this mysterious prehistoric wonder"
IL Is doubtless unknown 10 the writer
Of the above that about thirty years
ago the veteran geologist, Prof For
rest Shepherd Of Connecticut, while re-
turning from Newfoundland, after
..,yin@ ,hr list Atlantic cable, visited
the northern rnast III Maine and dis
covered taiS wonderful lake. and gave
~ fhr name III MORSE Pond. rs IL was
Ia opiniol thar il WAS the work Of
Nnrsrm"n. IL was tlirn purchased by
h'm. o. i'i''r with large tract Of
~ te.i.r Rapids