The Portland daily press., 1896-10-17
TO TOP OF KATAHDIN.
otory Of the Ascent of Names Highest
Mountain Peak.

l
Mountain Peak.
u New Englands Sang at Very High
Observation-Disclosures of Some of the
Widest ind Most Beautiful Scenery in
tho World.
Milo, Got. IA. TITS donei We have
sailed the waters Of North Twin and
Femadumct ok, carried past Ambejejus
ana Passenagamock. paddle our canoes
over the beautiful Debsconeag dead wat.
u, and camped for the night on the oar
~. On again in the morning. now car
lying. now padding, now polling, past
Debsconeag. Pookwookemus and Aboi,
untA we reached the brooks of Abol
Jaokemius, and Abol Jaokemusd and
Abol Jaokomegus within five miles TO
she haseof Mount Ksrahdin.
This ID how we did it, There was
hitch at the start The train was an
hour late at Milo. The guide and cook
relying on information they had re-.
cetved from the station master, had gone
back to the village, when along came the
delayed train. Conductor Garman oblie-
lnely waited Eve seconds, while we
rroun led up our missing officers, and We
proceeded. The rest of the party Joined
as at Sohoodio nine souls in all, Or
eight without thu cook.
On arriving at N1rcross We found the
steamer Gypsie had broken her rudder.
and could not said for two hours. Ra-
tions were served, hot beans from the
bean pot, coffee and bread. 1t had been
raining all the morning, but there was
an Interval for dinner. Repairs on the
steamer had finished, our dunnage and
four canoes we loaded on scow, and the
tug took US to Ambsjejus carry. This
carry 10 quite long, but not very hard.
Then paddle of two miles 10 Passame.
gamock, which Is short, easy GARRY
This brings us to the most beautiful part
of the journey-Debsooneag dead water
wide. shallow stretch of the river, with
low green banks, and openings among
the trees, gorgeous in their October col
oring OF scarlet, yellow and green.
A bout half way between the carries ia
the sporting camp of Joe Francis, said
to % the best guide on Penobsoot river.
Fancis's camp Is on the left bank. About
q mile further on, built on the right
bank and facing Mt. Katahdin an artist
has built him a house with a glass front
where he can see the mountain in all
it's varying degrees Of light, shade and
color, with foreground Of water and
green woods. 1t is one Of the most, beau
tiful places in the State--and there are
lots Of them.
Debsconeag is not a hard or long. carry,
But now the water becomes more broken
and the setting pole is oftener in evil
osnoe. Pookwook emus is long, rocky
road, and Abol Is the worst of the lot.
Abol is only about twenty rods to carry
II you are willing to do about 100 rods
more Of hard polling.
Now We are at Abol Jackemus. a ran
Id, rocky brook. We pitohed our tents
on the left bank, about 80 rods from the
mouth. Hon. 4. Fl. Wentworth, with
his son and a friend, were our nearest
neighbors, while party from Brooklyn.
N. z, were camping on the river mile
abovs. We stayed in camp from Friday
until Sunday, some hunting, but no
gams. Showers were frequent. and
cloudy weather prevailed. Our suffer
ings were intensified by the cook hecom- |
ing mildly insane, and mixing possry
with everything he prepared, especial |
two lines:
Last, but not Least, the doctor this
pills.
Drove into oamp by bear that wore
Sunday afternoon, with days ra.
tions, we took the trail for the mountain.
The path is good, although steep in
many places. Halt way over the road
crosses deep, rocky gulch, where the |
spruce growth Is so dense tn at the HIGHT |
OF the sun never penetrates; the rocks |
are covered with q thick, damp green |
moss, from which you can squeeze water |
even on dry day.
huge wickiup OF fir boughs large /
enough to hold our entire party; ate |
supper, spread our blankets and slept |
until early dawn.
The morning was foegy, but after
breakfast We took our line Of march m |
the Slide" AT the foot of the noun
tain the powders are scattered. and
there are dumps Of bushes that escaped |
the rushing destruction; but as you
ascend the path Of the avalanche grows
narrower and narrower. and the bed is
Of crumbling granite and coarse, sharp
gravel, which ouus the shoe like black
smiths rasp. The upper third Of the
slide is not more than two or three rods
In width, and stands at an angle of |
abont IS degrees. From the head Of the
slide to the plateau is abouts.half mile.
The path is marked by small heaps Of
stones piled or top of the boulders.
Turning the corner of large rock
you see landmark a few rods In 'front.'
perhaps the next one may be at right
angle to the course you have been max
lng-hus always up, up, up-unuil at
last, breathless and exhausted, you climb
between two large powders and fnd
yourself standing on the rocky tabieland
of the summit. Below Us on that day
was mass of white cloud, looking like
The surface of q snow field in March,
which hid the under earth from sight.
The plateau was bright, sunny and
warm and after a drink OF water from
the spring some Of the party went ON to-
ward the peak. while one, being more