Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-08-29
OVER THE SUNRISE ROUTE.
EXCURSION OF THE MAINE PRESS Ass0
CITATION TO WASHINGTON COUNTY.
THIRD LETTER. EAsTpoRT AND THE
NE MAT-TA-NO.

THIRD LETTER. EAsTPoRT AND TIL
NE MAT-TA-So.
About 3 p. NJ. Thursday we left st
Andrews for Eastport by steamer Jean
ette. the Frontier Steamboat Co.'s boat
which altarnates with the Rose StandIsf
In the run between Calais and Eastport
The st. Croix, which at our arrival In
the forenoon had been wide and noble
stream, was now comparative brooh
running between mud flats. ln front oi
st. Andrews, In the middle OF the
stresm. lies an island OF considerable
size. When we came down Ia the fore.
noon We went through the channel be
tween this and the m,inland without
! difficulty. Now bar OF sand stretched
entirely across the channel, and the
steamer, iu order TO get to the landing,
had to 90 around the lower end OF the
island, a detour of several miles. In the
forenoon we had landed at the top OF the
whsrf. Now the twenty-five feet or SO
OF tide WAS out, and we had to 60 down
over 4 long, slippery, Shiny stairway
and sharply inclined slip below 1t.
These are all matters Of course to the
residents on PsssamsquOddy Bay, but
TO a lsndsman who sees the high tide for
the first time, the difficulties OF nsviga-
ton and traffic are somewhat note
worthy.
The afternoon sail down the bay was
one OF the pleasantest bits OF travel that
we bad. The day had come to just n
comfortable temperature, aud the fog
had disappeared within the bay, though
we could see the edge Of the bank which
lay outside, and when we got pretty
well down the bay, the booming OF the
fog horn outside was heard. Indeed, IL
was an almost constant sound during all
the time thst We were about Esstport.
Down the bay we steamed, until Pleas
ant Point, with Its settlement OF Pssss-
maQuoddy Indians, lay In sight on our
right, and few miles farther on East
port WAS just beginning TO appear
through the haze. The breeze was blow
ing fresh up the bay, and on IL there
came to my nostrils Whit indicating
that supper was being cooked, and that
just couple Of drops OF fat had spst-
tered over on the top Of the stove.
"Hullo," said /, whats that, sar-
dinesg'
"Certsinly," said man beside me who
had smelled il before, and for the re-
naming miles 10 Esstport the aroma
was constantly with US and grew gradu-
ally stronger. IL WAS not entirely agree
able, nor was II entirely disagreeable.
But however you fancy IL, there is no
getting away from II anywhere near
Esstport. Every second building along
the water front Is a sardine factory, and
the atmosphere sbsorbs, Ike sponge,
the odor OF 'llttle fishes boiled 10 OIL"
The Esstporters consider il something OF
a drawback to the place, but they can
afford 20 stand Il, for there Is q strong
flavor Of money TO Il, snd Eastport and
American sardines are terms that can
not be separated In the mind OF man.
At Eastport the rest OF the passengers
landed, and our party expected to have
70 transfer themselves and baggage to
another steamer which runs 10 the land
ing al the Ne-mat-ta-no at North Lubec,
where our headquarters were TO be. But
Robbins Instructed US TO remain aboard
for few minutes while he went ashore
and manipulated few wires. His man
ipulstion had the usual success, and We
were saved the bother OF transfer, the
Jesnette continuing right on and land
Ing US at the hotel wharf.
Most IL not all OF the party fell In love
with the Ne-mat-ts-no at first sight, and
though nv own stay there extended only
from 6 o'clock Thursday night to 3
O'Clock Friday morning, found that
those who remained until Saturday
morning had their first sentiment con-
firmed and strengthened. 1t Is "beauti-
full for situation" On the crest OF the
ridge, near the upper end Of the long,
narrow neck OF land which extends
northwsrd number OF miles from Lubec
proper, II has water on every side, and
commands view Of sea and land which,
ss have before suggested, we saw sur
passed only at the Algonquin at st.
Andrews. The house Is large, three
story building. with wide versndas,
large, airy, pleasant rooms, and cheer
full, homelike appearance which is good
for the soul The purest OF water, from
a spring at a little distance, Is pumped
into reservoir above the level OF the
roof, and thence conducted all over the
house. A tabernacle" or 'casino" near
by affords place for assemblies OF any
sort, and q good bowling alley 10 situat-
ed uesr the wharf. About all forms OF
diversion. by land or water, are avail
able. E,stport Is distant two or three
miles by ferry, or II you prefer to 60 by
carriage road, you can do it by drive
OF fifteen or eighteen miles.
Our going to the Ne-mst-ts-no was the
result OF a peculiar accidental circum-
stance. While Mr.. Robbins was making
his preliminary trip, he inquired about
the house, and happened upon man
who "ran 1t down" at length. He said
you couldn't get anything to drink there,
and had quite list OF kindred objections
TO offer. The longer he talked the more
was Robbins convinced that II was the
place we wanted, and after the TRADE
was finished he lost no time in making
his arrangements.
I did not have an opportunity to get
the history Of the hotel In full, but did
learn that il was either built or bought
by the Y. NJ. C. A. Of Boston, with
view OF making IL kind OF summer head
quarters, but the plan, like many similar
plans, failed OF being financial success,
and the house was leased, and Is this
season under the management OF Charles
r. Pierce. The house In all Its appoint
ments, and the service, leave little to be
desired. Mr.. Pierce has two winter
hotels in Jamaica, and is born hotel
man, pleasant and genial-an Ideal host !;
while Mrs. Pierce, besides being equally
plea SAINT and efficient In her management
of affairs, is about the hsndsom-well,
that IL, when made list, after got
home, Of the hslf-dozen hsndsomest
women had seen, put Mrs. Pierce In
the list. (For obvious reasons / couldn't
rush into print with the list, but 1t will
be sent to any address, In confidence, on
receipt Of stamp for postsge.)
We spent the first really quiet evening
Of the trip that night, and In the course
of conversation and observation l had
the ignorance Of a landsman from west
ern Maine relieved by absorbing certain
facts. One Of those facts is that East
port is on an island, connected with the
mainland by long bridge. For another
thing l learned by observation what q
wet fog Is. l have always lived where
the fog by comparison Is as dry as ashes.
As we sat on the verandA, chatting and
smoking and listening to the booming Of
the fog horn down the bay, the fog came
| In 80 thick that several Of the men took
out their knives and cut out junks Of II
and whitfield them into rings and other
1 <Il xyfo3k That