The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-08-04
The Maine Press Excursion.


Landing. Capt. F. c. Barker invited the par
ty to take a trip on his steam er to Camp
Kennebago, where the Oquossoc Angling
Association has quarters. Capt Barker, by
the way, is a man known to every one who
visits the Rangeleys. He owns several
steamers and has camps at various places
on the Lake which parties can hire. An old
backwoodsman and hunter with his mind
store-house of knowledge regarding this
region, it is a pleasure to stand beside him
in his little pilot house and listen while he
relates incidents that have come under his
personal observation. Not to know Capt.
Barker is not to know the Rangeleys.
Arriving at Camp Kennebago we found an
old gentleman by the name of Richardson in
charge. and being a friend of DR.. Lapham,
We We're shown about and refreshed with a
drink of ice water. We also passed by SEN
ator Fryes camp, which owing to the high
water is on an island. 1t is a very unpre-
tentious looking place, and reminded me of
Lakeside. Quantahacooll. Somehow, | had
been looking for stone castle or a marble
palace. | had heard so much about Senator
Frye's place in the Rangelevs, and was 50
disappointed that eminent physicians tell me
that in all probability shall never get over
it,
H. A. Prescott is the proprietor of the
Mooseloollmeguntc House, and he did all
that he could to make our stay agreeable
He stood in the door with club and did his
best to brain the mosquitoes as they came
Il ~, L.; ,iaI
had bill against some one of our party and
insisted on presenting it even if it took his
hearts blood.
Wednesday we had the pleasure of meeting
Capt. Billy Soule, who owns the Pleasant
Island Camp, and also is owner and
captain of the new steamer "Maysie,"
modelled by Burgess Billy has no wife,
but the "Maysie'' is his best girl. and he Law
shes the full affection of his heart on her.
Billy was born in a log cabin at Rangeley and
has grown up in the wilds, and is thorough
woodsman, guide, trapper. captain, landlord,
and devilish good fellow hes ides. In the
Maysie. with Billy at the wheel. we visited
his camps which are models of their kind,
and also took trip up the Cupsuptic lake
and river. Owing to the high water twas
hard to tell where the river was The trees
We're ten feet submerged and it seemed like
taking ramble in the woods in a steam
boat. While I saw no evidence of it, ] think
Billy must have been ''full' when he riloted
that steamer up the Cupsuptic, for do not
believe a sober man could have done it. It
was a most delightful excursion, and we
came home fully Impressed with the heauties
of the Cupsllptc
In the afternoon Capt. Barker with his
steamer Metallul took us down the lake,
past THE BircheS'' on Students Island where
he has some cottages and camps and thence
to the foot of the lake at Camp BemiS. an
other group of camps owned by the
captain. This is an ideal spot for the fisher
man and tourist. Here he can either live at
the general boarding house, or he can have a
camp all to himself taking his meals in the
common dining room connected with the es-
tablishment. When he wishes to rest he can
swing in hammock, or lie on his bed, or
he can sit on the piazza and lie about the
small trout he caught, and the big one he
lost, and he can do all this for about two
dollars day. There is an unwritten law
among these regular fish liars, that no one
shall dispute or question his particular lie,
so It's only a question of imagination as to
who is the best liar of the crowd. But when
an outsider draws near and listens, they be-
gin to tremble lest he will sllattrr his lie into
atoms. l dropped into one or two of their
regular meetings, but always took the pre-
caution to fill my mouth with small pebbles
to prevent my speaking out in meeting and
asking some unparliamentary question,
Thursday morning we babe farewell to
Haine's Landing, and embarked ON the Me
taluk for the trip down the lake to the upper
dam. Here We crossed a short carry of half a
mile. and Were on the shore of Lake Moll-
chrnkamunk. Taking another little st reamer
III fact it took two to accommodate the party
We steamed down the lake and across the
Weiollennebacooll, and arrived at the middle
dam where We took dinner at the Anglers
cival, a gentleman who Wore knee breeches
and brown ribbed stockings, but that did
not prevent him giving us an excellent dim
ner. Here We bid adieu to Miss Crosby,
who was to return to Pennington by the
way of Rangeley, and one and all felt that
we We're leaving very enjoyable companion,
whose good nature was unbounded, and
whose cheerfuness and vivacity were ever
present.
At this point OF our journey l took very
sober chunk" Here before me was a
walk Of five and tive-eighths miles, and here
beside me was wife who | was perfect
ly sure could not walk it. AS near as 1
could, [ had her harneSsed to suit ME, and
shod with pair of tennis shoes. | carried
a cotton umbrella and a sinking heart At
a few minutes after twelve we started on our
tramp, through wood road, following the
course of Rapid River. Every fifteen
minutes we rested for short time, and at
one O'Clock we came to some camps of the
Oxford Club where was a man and pail of
ice water. We took drink from one and
offered a drink to the other, (Which bv the
way he refused) and learned that we had
already covered a little over two miles. T
looked about for pleasant spot where |
could lay the remains of wife, and was sur
prised to see her picking Strawberries, and
wanting to know if / was rested enough to
go on. From there to Sunday Cove, Lake I'M
bagog, three and a half miles, we covered in
an hour and half making the whole dis