The Portland daily press., 1893-08-23
FROM PORTLAND TO PEMAoUlp.
Delightful Trip ON Steamer Enterprise
Maine's Most Ancient Historic Spot
Something of the Story of Pemaquid-In-
teresting Relics

eTFrom an occasional Correspondent
"The summer fields in quiet beauty
sleep.
The shining river widens to the bay,
And glimmering sails float idly on the
deep,
| Where rocks the fisher through Cne
dreamy day;
The white clouds sweep across the change
full sky,
The eagle scars majestic from the weir,
Wild odors of the woods go drifting by
With songs of birds and laughing echoes
First verse of Mrs. Hackelton's poem
on Pemaquid.
Nature hsa done much to beautify and
embellish the great and good State of
Maine Her lordly rivers were the adj
miration and wonder of the early naviga-
tors to these shores. Her beautiful lakes
and rich hunting grounds entice the ang-
Ter and the hunter. While the rivers, the
lakes and the forests charm and enthral
by their rich attractiveness we look to
nature splayinground, the coast, for the
most lavish display of her work. Evil
IDENTIFY she threw away square and COM
passes and in gleeful mood in exquisite
confusion sowed the islands, the estu-
aries, the bays and coves of our coast.
From Kittery to Calais it is q sail OF $50
miles through fairy land.
The morning train from Mechanic Falls
| landed me in Portland in season for the
steamer Enterprise, which leaves Frank
lin wharf at s am. for Pemaquid and
intermediate landings Of Squirrel Island,
| ID I'LL TcIo rnd
Bristol and East Boothbay This very
commodious line under the present man
agement was inaugurated about six years
ago. Mr.. Charles Thorphe, of Boothbay
is president Capt. Alfred Race. of
| Boothbay stands at the helm. Other
owners reside in Portlnad
| This is $50 ton propeller boat, staunch
and strong. She is licensed to carry 300
passengers. Although not strictly a fast
| passenger boat, yet from the fact of her
| able management and safety, the affability
and courtesy of her captain, diligence
| and care of her clerk, many prefer this
popular line for a trip to the islands
above others, and her average mum Der
of passengers daily is about fifty. The
Enterprise runs the year round, and is
great accommodation to residents along
the coast and on the islands. This enter
prise has been successful from its incep-
tion, and is a growing Capt. Race is a
gentleman pleasant to meet
I We bound along over the glistening sur
face of Casco bay, not ripple disturbing
the calm waters. The scorching heat on
land is exchanged for the grateful aroma
of ocean borne on the wings of a zephyr.
A courteous, affable gentleman on board
points out the places of interest on the
coast and gives me, the names OF
islands as we pass them, while his
friend, noble looking man, pores
over book We fell into
general conversation, and shortly be-
| fore reaching Squirrel Island | learn
| that have been delightfully."- entertained
| by Judge Perceival Bonney of Portland.
| He of the book arousing refreshed, | am
| introduced to President B. L. Whitman of
| Colby, yet a young man, but risen to
| his present honorable position by his own
genius and native ability. He and Mr..
Bonney are no their way to join their
families at their summer residences at
Squirrel Island. May the tribes of such
gentlemen increase!
The. fine residence of Mayor J. P. Baxter
on Mackworth's Island and its delightful
| environs add beauty to the charming
| scenery. Falmouth, Cum berland and Var
| mouth Foresides are in succession passed,
/, dotted with summer cottages, while the
right is fanked by Great and Little Hog
| Islands, now better known by the more
|
Diamond. Long Island and Little and
Great Chebeague and others of lesser
note. Near Seguin we pass the beauti-
| full yacht "Sea Fox" of Boston. Fort
Popham and Beach hotel at the mouth
of the Kennebec, are in bold outline on
the green coast: Gosnold In 1902 sailed
| into Small Point Harbor, says Sewall.
The whole population at the islandsland-
| flgs turn out to greet the boat, and many
| a "bele of Orr's Island yet in the bud,
may be seen in the little girls with roses
in their cheeks.
These fishermen on our islands are
| kings in their way The exceeding riches
tramps invade their happy and peaceful
homes No one is astonished if they pan
| out for days labor hundred dollars.
The sun is low in the west when the
| Enterprise swings up to the wharf at
Pemaquid. | step ashore tremulous with
| lowed by thousand eyentful scenes of
life and death, peace and bloody war,
of anguish and deepest woe, of victory
and defeat, of melancholy yet most inter-
esting history in the initial settlement of
! our State.
Here on the green fields of this little
peninsula at the mouth of the Pema.-
| quid river, once stood the ancient city of
| Jamestown, "Queen City of the East. "
Here in amity with the English settlers
| lived Samoset, "Laord of Pemaquid."
| Here in
this fair valley where we walk today
| From hill to river blossoms DER tomb"
Says Thornton, @While the Pilgrims
were struggling for life at Plymouth and
Conant founding Massachusetts, at Cape
Ann, Pemaquid was probably the busiest
place on the coast" They furnished
supplies to the furnishing Pilgrims, paved
their streets, lined on each side with
| commodious dwellings, of which 315
walled cellars could be counted 40 years
| ago, with the sites of seven blacksmiths
shops and two pipe manufactures. They
evidently were good smokers, but there
was allowed but one "dogge" to a family.
The New England charter of 1920 speaks
of settlements already made. by Georges
under prior charter granted by James
1st, dated April 10, 1906. The language
| implies prior settlements in divers years
past by Gods Assistance, and their own
Endeavour taken actual possession of the
Continent" &c.
In the I" brief relation" of 1922 there
are accounts of 80 ships fishing in these
waters. The first deed ever given by an