Daily Kennebec journal., 1905-10-06
DELIGHTS OF THE CANOE.
No Vacation 80 Good as Summer in
the Maine Woods.

shape as you can, close your desk,
pack few plain, rough clothes into a
canvas case, travel n few hours, step
into a canoe. swing your hat in joyous
farewell. and plunge into the heart of
the woods for n week, a fortnight, a
mCnth. or Maylap a whole summer!
Then shall you enjoy that one stmu-
liant, whose free use every medical au-
rhority sanctions; that one panacea for
human Ills. against which no charge Of
quack"ry has ever been made.
| Thousands of happy Americans are
| annually making these delightful and
invi9"rating pilgriInages into the
WOods, and thousands more would be
keeping them company. If they but
realized the simplicity and ease with
which the outing can be made-the
unique novelty and rare enjoyment Of
It's every momcnt-thc lasting benefit
| which is Its sure result.
| Therefore am l Il self-orda aimed
| preacher. with u text from the Book
| Of Nature. selected while autumn
turns the leaves, and 4 sermon some
thing Ike this: /. | have spent five
| months during tho past two years
cano" cruising i'll northern Maine. III.
1t has been the most delightful and the
| most beneficial five months of my life.
| III. Go thou and do likewise.
| Co almost anywhere In the Pine
| Tree state: You can hardly make
l 4 mistake. God meant II to be Il happy
4 huutlng ground for all the tired folks
| Of the busy eastern cities, and thanks
| To wise legislation and up-to-date busi-
| ness methods, even nature itself Is be-
| ing improved upon. Wild game is
| carefully protected, the taking Of game
| fish IL reasonably restricted, the In
| creased means Of communication with
| the outside world has brought better
| equipment for the tourist: indeed.
| luxurious parlor cars VIII now carry
you TO within Il stones throw Of the
| canoe that awaits you, while the bag
gage car viii carry anything you fancy
| as to outfit or supplies.
| Co almost anywhere, l said. I
| mean it, Well do l remember getting
| of at Brownvllle one Saturday night
| because. forsooth, the train went no
| further. The guidebook strongly hint
cd that not much sport might be eX-
pectcd in that region, but Il local drug
sist who sells fishing tackle generously
made me, 4 total stranger. his guest.
and l have rarely had such sport with
the black bass and white perch as We
| found within easy driving distance. I
remember suddenly stopping off at
| Wintrrvilc on the shore Of st. Frold
lake. largely because the little lady be-
side me said 1t "ls so beautiful and
must be fshy." AS 10 sport the
| guild. book was silent. Winterville
| nf Ia
over which train crew bunked; not a
soul spoke English; not boat could
be found; rot Il trout had been seen
recently. yet, within an hour, in sight
Of the station, from an old lumber
4 mans bateau we took more than one
| thrce-pound square-tail trout.
Such experiences warrant the belief
that these good folks do not really
| know their own wonderful country. and
! that he who chances It, is not likely 10
be disappointed.
| A canoe cruise, undoubtedly the
| ideal method of spending vacation
| in Maine, is row possible, with little
trouble. 10 every lover of nature. Par
| tiCulars Us To length of the trip are
| furnished in the model books issued by
| the railroads, reliable guides MY be
l
detail will be attended TO by these
| capable and experienced men. A
| short trip ut a week or long cruises of
| months are possible to the visitor. ami
| range from quiet days on placid lakes
or SLOW flowing rivers TO wild rides
through roCk-strewn canyons at break
| neck speed.
| Th. tonic Of the air is wonderful.
Cool. clear and Dracing. it seems a
sovereign cure for fatigue. Frail city
folks do tasks here thar would be
deemed heroic at home, while the
| strength of the native guides is amaz-
| ing.
Th" scenery is varied and charm
| ing. You may range from placid
nra lows of Well cultivated rural
| sections to the wild impenetrable
DEPTHS Of the forest primeval: from
| The level Of the loWiandS to the rugged
height Of Mount kathdm which rears
| its horny head five thousand feet into
| the eternal blue. The first GLIMPSE Of
| katahdm as You ascent the west
| branch of the Pcnobscot, In your
| canoe. is q perfect picture of natural
| beauty. The view from the summit of
| katahdin looking over millions Of
| acres Of pine and spruce forests, in
| which no road or clearing or sign OF
| human habitation can be discerned,
! AMI with over a hundred lakes or ponds
| cl, arly visible To the unaided eye, is as
| sublime i spectacle as America af-
| fordS. And when 1t Is remembered
| that this region is the habitat of lordly
| moose and sleek deer, that every lake is
| alive with game fish, its wonderful at
traction for the sportsman is under
| stood.
| Neither romantic, historic nor liter
| airy interest is wanting i'll northern
| Maine. In the days of the early voy-
| ayers and missionaries the PenObscot
| river was the scene of many romantic
| episodes: large numbers Of full-blooded
| Indians still live on Il picturesque little
| island near Oldtown. Not every
| American remembers that Maine once
| planned war with Canada, and that
| Congress supported her claims and
promised to raise ten millions of dollars