Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-09-07
ALONG THE MAINE COAST.
The Beauties Of Portland Bay and the
Casco Islands.

LITTLE CHEBEAoUR ISLAND,
CAsco Bar, Me-, August 81.
ssIs that Portland?"
The questioner was sitting on the hotel
veranda, looking across the blue waters of Casco
bay to what seemed some celestial city-white,
glistening and vaguely outlined against the
misty August sky. In the broad channel that
stretched between the nesting islands lay q
feet of boats with sails outspread. making 80
unique picture with green-black frs, sun
filed heavens and shining waters that we all
gazed long, touched with wonder and delight
"Yes, that is Portland" replied one who
loves the beautiful sea city, and the inquirer
got out her travel books and began reading up
concerning Portland, her harbor and her
islands.
cannot imagine how more enchantment can
be put into day than by taking the cars some-
where on the borders of the Dominion" or
beyond and travelling to little Chebeague or
some other Casco bay island, seeing IN few
crowded hours the marvellous White mountain
region. Portland and the sea. II is q journey of
quick transitions from phase to phase of world
beauty-the mountains giving way to lake and
tree-shadowed meadow, below which the Allan
tic pillows break upon the green outstanding
islets.
CHARMING CITY.
Portland is introduced to the traveller by
means of one of the finest railway stations in
the United States. Granite, marble, slate, oak.
French plate-glass, have been combined in a
magnificent structure whose interior arrange
ments present the ultimate of convenience and
comfort. Once out of the station you sec, il it
be one OF the sparkling late August days such
as we are now delighting in, a city of elm
bordered streets, houses, many of them in the
fashion of century ago, each with its lawn of
close-clipped turf, its garden brilliant with
flowers, its balconies and verandas and window
gardens wound and linked with vines. You
will find presently that everybody knows every
body else worth knowing; that rents are on the
level of thriving village; that the streets run
down to the sea in the most fascinating
way; that the city has its eastern
and western promenade where glorious pros
beaten by great breakers and that its harbor is
protected by the most beautiful islands in the
world. You shall see Longfellow square, with
its bronze statue of the poet upon its granite
pedestal, and the old brick house, with its
fore door, opened by knocker and latch,
where Longfeliow spent many years OF his Sc
rene and hOnOred life. A noble monument to
the memory Of Portland's soldiers and sailors
is being built in Congress square. which will,
when finished, add much to the attractive ap-
pearance Of the city.
In Portland harbor lie three picturesque old
forts; just beyond her gates sparkles Sebago
lake, and Old Orchard beach, with its miles upon
miles of drive and promenade, is but the dis
lance OF morning excursion in your carriage.
Offerings woods" celebrated in Longfellows
my Lost YOUTH" are now one of the city 8
parks, and Cape Elizabeth and Falmouth Fore
side stretch away on either side bright sea-wet
skirts of the high-lying city.
THE ISLANDS OF cAsco BAY
are a continual surprise. One may live sum-
mer after summer on their wooded heights or
green slopes and the last day Of the last sea-
son will bring some fresh delight. As, for in.
stance yesterday my attention was caught by a
group Of thorn bushes arranged in a circle
leaving central space over which a woodbine,
half OF which had already turned to a brilliant
scarlet, had thrown its leafy festoons This
pretty arbor stood on the very edge Of bold
cliff where the tide came running in with its
serging waves. So in other spots may be seen
a great green oak casting its shade over the
| transparent waters of pebbly cove-a
cool rock apartment where one might
prepare for plunge as safely as in
ones own chamber-broad shelves, lichen-
! embroidered and baybery-tufted, lighted with
golden-rod stalks like tall candles, making de-
| ightful couches on which to read or dream or
dOze. From the rooms in the hotel one looks
across green island-points to that ever-beauti-
full sight-the far sea line, where ships seem to
sail into the misty sky. Between are ragged
reefs, marked by lines of dazzling foam, and in
the near foreground, in absolute contrast lies
our fair green meadow with its grazing cows
busily changing. by COW alchemy, tufts Of lush
clover into cream for our coffee and desserts.
DOWN TIE BAT
lie still other islands and Harpswell Neck, by
which one can journey by carriage road to
Brunswick and Bath and anywhere else, as to
that, stretches far into the sea and is the most
distant point reached by the Casco bay steamers
w. +. BUTTS.