The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-08-03
The Log Of the Fiona.
A Five Days Cruise Down the Bav with
Isle au Haut the Objective Point

1t is not so very manv wears apo wbo,
'nele were no roads and no horses on Isle
au Haut. There was trail from the Thor
ouehfare to Head Harbor by Moore's and
DUCK harbors, but as it led through under
Drush and over bare ledges it was some
what dlfhcuit for stranger to keep on the
track, as the writer can testify from exneri-
ence. NOW there is well appointed livery
stable at the Thoroughfare and you NAV
telephone to the stable from the house of
the proprietor, Mr.. C. D. Turner. Good
horses and up-to-date vehicles, including
the blackboard, may be had, with capable
| drivers. Some years ago road was built
to Head Harbor on the north side of the
| island, and later it was extended around
| the south side, but we believe that it was
only completed to the Thoroughfare this
season. The first section is a fine road.
| smooth and we'll drained; better road
than the average in this vicinity The newer
| as new roads are likely to be-
We engaged our team in the morning and
| going to the stable at p. m. found a nice
tWo-seated vehicle awaiting us, with Sam
Bridges holding the reins. His full name
| IS Samuel w. Bridges and he is the chair
man Of the school committee, secretary of
the hoard of health, constable, and fos
several years was road commissioner. He
| Is native Of Stockton and came to Isle au
Haut seventeen years ago, intending, as he
expressed it, to stop over night and leave
| the next morning but has been here ever
since, married here, and has four children.
He owns neat little home which he point
ed out to US on the drive. While not one of
the Oldest inhabitants Mr.. Bridges is we'll
versed in the early history of Isle au Haut,
and gave US much interesting information
concerning localities and people.
The stable from which we started stands
on high ground and when the main road was
reached we had fine view of the upper end
of the Thoroughfare, the club house and
cottages on Point Lookout and the islands
beyond. The road then descended and
passed through dense growth of scrubby
spruce Presently we came to school
house but with no dwellings in sight, and
when our driver was asked where the chill
dren came from he said Rich's Cove, of
which we would have a glimpse presently.
Soon we saw cluster OF dwellings at the
head of a narrow inlet, where fishing boats
lay aground in the soft mud. Off the cove
is Rich's ledge, or lodges, and little below
is York's Island. The road affords few
views seaward, going mostly through woods.
After time we came to a clearing, and be-
low us on the right, at the head of valley
| in which is a lake, we saw large modern
stable and rather pretentious dwelling,
the property we were told of summer
resident, but formerly owned by one of the
early settlers. A little farther on we were
shown where house had stood on rocky
hillside, and where one of the old inhab-
tants had farmed successfully. 1t was noted
here and elsewhere as somewhat strange
that many of these early settlers who de-
| rived their living wholly or in part from the
water should have located so far inland
The road now ran on high and open ground
parallel with the lake, which is one and
one-quarter miles in length and quite mar
row. On the opposite shore the ground
| rises abruptly to the chain of hills, almost
mountains, which extends from the Thor
oughfare to Head Harbor. This lake
abounds in trout and smelts, but is rarely
If ever fshed. The southern end is within
short distance of salt water, with low
ground intervening. Soon after Head Har-
Dor comes into view. Leaving our team at
the turn of the highway we descended
steep hill to the settlement, passing on the
| way a new tWo-story house built by Leslie
| Grant, son of Captain David Grant, we'll
known for many years to all frequenters of
Head Harbor. We found Capt. Grant at
home. He had only just arrived from
business trip to Rockland, and Capt. Staples
had most hearty welcome from him and
from his housekeeper, Mrs. Keller, who had
many enquiries to make concerning old
friends, acquaintances and relatives in Bel
fast. Capt Grant is so years old, over six
feet in height, stands erect, and would pass
for under TO- Mrs. Keller, who is well
along in the 70's, is more active than many
younger women, does all her own house.
work and does it we'll as the neatness of the
house testities, and retains lively interest
in Belfast, her former home. The house is
on the side of hill so steep that when we
were invited up stairs to the sitting room
we could step out of doors onto terra firma.
Capt. Grant has had small store here for
many years, furnishing supplies to fisher
! men and others, and when asked who run
| it he replied, ''Oh, anybody. l never lock
it. They just help themselves In fact,
there is no occasion to lock anything any,
where on Isle au Haut.
The afternoon was wearing away and
Capt Staples was still answering questions
and exchanging "reminiscences, and thinking
to hasten our departure l returned to the
team, from which there was good view of
| the harbor. 1t is quite narrow and ends in
| beach of white sand beyond which many
| fishing boats were moored. Outside is the
broad Atlantic, the horizon yelled in the
fog, driven seaward by the sun. At the
head of the harbor and on the opposite
shore are the few buildings which make up
the little settlement. 4 man was seen COM
| ing across the beach, and our driver said:
"That's Jim Cannon" That meant another
greeting for Capt. Staples and more ques-
tlons. But after time We got underway
again, the road cutting across to the south
shore through the woods. When we came