The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1904-03-31
A "REMINISCENCES OF 1875.
MIR. Newbert Walks from deer Isle to Be
fast on the Ice.


Rockland Courier Gazette an interest
ing story of his tramp from Deer Isle
to Belfast in the winter of 1875. He
says:
During the winter of 1915 / was
teaching at Northwest Harbor, Deer
Isle, the only winter l Can recall when
Penobscot bay was entirely frozen
over, the present winter being the
nearest approach to it | have ever
seen.
On Monday the 22nd day of Febru-
airy, Just ~ years ago, Capt. Hezekiah
Carman, with whom | was boarding at
tlat Time, took me with his team across
Eggemoggln Reach to Sargentvile,
where | was to take the stage for Blue
hill and Bucksport, thence to Belfast,
en- route to my home in Appleton.
When we reached Sargentville we
found that the stage had gone, SO leav-
ing my trunk to be forwarded to Bel
fast by stage, ! returned to the island
and decided to walk to Belfast on the
ice.
No one bad made the attempt at
that time, though no water was visible
from the island in any direction, and
everyone assured me there was no
danger. | left the village about o a. m.
and shaped my course due northwest
as well as a andlubber could for Turtle
Head, the northern extremity of Isles
boro.
When | left the island the walking
Was very good the ice being covered
with snow which had become wet and
frozen, forming crust, but after get
ting away from the land a few miles |
found much smooth ice which made
the walking very tiresome
AT first when | came to some dark
places III the ice ! made detour
around them thinking that the ice
there might not be safe, and thought
when | came to Cape Rozier, having
heard that the water off that point was
deep and not liable to be frozen so
hard, that | would go ashore and walk
across the cape taking the ice upon
the other side.
just before arriving there, however,
| came to crack in the ice and it be-
ing high water the ice had parted leav-
Ing an opening of nearly foot and |
decided to test it and find out how
thick the ice really was; removing my
coats and rolling up my shirt sleeves,
| thrust my hand down into the cold
ice water to the bottom of the ice and
to my establishment found it be about
Is inches in thickness. and | was salts
fled that it would hold me up anywhere
in the bay, and | made bee line for
Turtle Head.
| remember just before reaching
there | came to small fishing schoon-
er hard and fast in the ice and appar
emily abandoned. | boarded her, took
possession in the name of the Z. S.
government and rested for awhile
before continuing my trip, concluding
to abandon the vessel to her fate as it
would be hard work towing her into
port.
Up to this time had not seen iv-
ing thing since leaving Deer Isle. Look
ing across the bay toward Castine from
Turtle Head | could see teams on the
ice apparently on their way from Bel
fast to Castine so | shaped my course
up the bay SO as 10 touch this road
thinking | might hit a chance for a
ride.
| finally came to the road and as it
seemed to me without actual counting,
| met 800 teams more or less bound
toward Castine, but not a blessed one
going in my direction. These teams
had been to Belfast from Castine,
Brooksville and adjoining towns for
supplies, as that was the only place
from which they could get stores at
that time, and having gone over to
Belfast in the morning were now re-
turning in the afternoon.
AS | neared Belfast | saw a large
side wheel steamer frozen solidly in
the ice, which proved to be the katah-
Il - no q, = u,
Eastern Steamship Co. S line.
Just after | passed the steamer |
,, met a man with a horse and sleigh,
walking us if ] had been engaged in a
his horse and inquired if l had walked
said: Worse than that, came up
from Northwest Harbor, Deer Isle"
Glow much further do you intend to
walk tonight" he asked.
| informed him that if / reached the
American House that was about all
should undertake.
"Well," said he, 81 think you have
walked about far enough for one day
Jump in ana | will carry you up,
which he did. And am obliged to him
for the kindness even now.
| arrived at the American House
about p. M, having been about seven
hours on the ice.
| recall that VIM. H. Simpson, editor
of The Republican journal, among 9th
ers, called in to the hotel in the even
ing, it having been noised about town
that man had walked from Deer Isle
to Belfast on the ice.
Mr.. Simpson said he thought | was
quite a walker | told him there was a
good reason for it; my mother was a
Walker
AT the same time Martin Kiff, who
was member of the Maine House of
Representatives,, and who had been
home at Vinaihaven for few days,
and the harbor closing up SO there was
no communication with Rockland,
crossed the island to North Haven,
thence to Pulpit Harbor by team and
| walked from there either to Northport
or Lincolnville, then on to Belfast,
stopping over night at the American
House, and then by rail to Augusta.
He was taken sick from the effect of
the walk and | think took no further
part in the proceedings of the Legisla-
ture.
The next morning, feeling that
needed more exercise, | walked from
Belfast out to Appleton.
There has not been so much ice in
Penobscot bay since that time until
this winter and now I doubt if anyone