The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-09-08

rides along the rivers and lakes and
through the forest; such "buck- board"
routes where no other vehicle would
survive; such tramps where only pedal
lOc0motion is possible; such climbs,
such views, such rowing and padding
with batteau and oar or canoe and pad
dies, such angling for salmon along the
Penobscot, or for trout or landlocked
salmon on the surface Of MOoseelook-
maguntic or WeelokennebacOok, such
takes" of trout, from the the smallest
to the largest, 123 lbs,-(i lin August,
1884, 36 trout were caught weighing
162 lbs, 13 averaging 8 lbs. and the
largest S. lbs. such everything that
anybody can ask for in or on fresh or
salt water, on sea-coaSt or in interior,
in the way of summer recreation, can
be found as nowhere else, in the Maine
woods. Such is my judgment after
some devotedness to recreation east,
west and midst during thirty years,
and more than ever am 1 of that opin-
ion in this year of grace, 1888, after
good month of experience.
Yesterday l added new mountain
to my string. never approach a lofty
elevation without mental resolve,
that, opportunity offering, | shall
surmount it's highest peak In Eng
land, Helvellyn; in Scotland Ben Lo-
mOnd; in Switzerland several as high as
5000 feet; in Colorado, Pixies Peak
twice; in Massachusetts, M0nadnock;
from Vermont, Ascutney; in New
Hampshire, Washington, Moosehillock
and lesser hills; in Maine the Boundary
mountains, Blue and Ktaadn, and (yes-
terday) Abram! A party of nine, in
Guiding the entire family of my kind
host and hostess, Mr.. and Mrs. Walter
Heath, made preparations and started
bright and early for the arduous strug-
gle. The majestic mountain, with its
double peaks fronts their pleasant
home, summer and winter, the very
embodiment of calm reposa. 1t seems
child's journey to the distant sum-
nit. The level intervale at the foot;
the sloping upland pastures beyond and
up to the edge of the woods; the smooth
surface Of the hard growth, and the
velvety appearance of the soft woods
beyond, and near the top the bare soil
strewn with PROSTATE trees, seemingly
easy to cross and then bushes and
rocks at the top-all that, at the dis
tance, seems easy enough to those
without experience, but we who have
ssbeen there know better. Fhere is
no path or trail. ''The great fire" and
any number of elbow downs' have
made fearful labyrinth of most of the
way. The "old track" is obliterated
Huge trees fallen, lie criss-cross. Where
the fire devastated spruces have sprung
up tough, bushy, close together, so that
most of the way was fearful struggle.
The mountain is mass of b0ulders de-
posted during the great drift epoch.
Wherever a seed could germinate tree
has taken root The entire surface is
covered with thick, velvety moss that
treacherously conceals fallen trees and
stumps that are decayed, slippery rocks
that cause the unWary foot to ''slide
and fall in fatal snares, . so that every
now and then slump or fall is inev
liable, while interlocked branches bar
and dispute the way, and stubs and
sharp branches catch and hold the
aspiring climbers, especially those who
are doomed to wear flowing drapery in
stead of the more convenient bifurcated
habiliments. But constant courage
fired every breast, and between eight
o'clock and two the ascent was accom-
plished. All stood on the breezy sum-
NIT of the western peak, and an hour
later five stood elate on the upper crest.
What magnificent spectacle greeted
the eye. A few lakes only were visi-
BILE, for the most Of those in the vicin-
ity were concealed by hills and noun
tains, but Oquossoc exhibited a portion
of his broad expanse of cleaning sill
yer and several smaller bodies of water
were visible in the nearer distance.
Moosehead lake-largest in New Eng
land-was just concealed by interven-
ing highlands, but beyond it, in the far
NortheaSt-it must be hundred miles
as the crow flies, vast Ktaadn reared
his sharp wedge, almost as regular as
one of the pyramids; north, in the near
neighborhood stood SAddleback and
Bigelow, as distinct to the eye in the
clear, steel blue atmosphere as though
a mile away, and beyond, north and
northwest across Lake Oquossoc, were
the lofty Boundary mountains separat-
ing the States from Canada; to the
southwest was Blue mountain, and to
the west aud southwest bounding the
horizon toward sunset land even CON
cealing ChicagO?), was the vast range of
the White mountain peaks, showing
their dim blue outlines above the hills
and mountains of Western Maine. The
landscape must be hundred miles in
extent from northeast to southwest,