The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1910-02-03
The Isle of Content.
Little Cranberry Island.

the rugged Maine coast-you may
asH make up your mind that it is one
r. IN the world where you can't ego
uo."
IS quite impossible to get accurate
nation about reaching it, hence you
- OF be at all sure of arriving there
V definite time Take the train
rn Bangor to Mount Desert Ferry,
r Wy ticket there for Seal Harbor. -
Tu-s clear. Take the boat at the
Fary which touches at Bar Harbor and
seq Harbor.' Clear again! The time
table had said, ''wind and weather per-
m1ung." This makes but slight i'm
preston on you till you buy ticket: and
rrereon is the same admonition, wind
sn3 weather permitting
On reaching Seal Harbor you discover
Igat wind and weather" mean the yes
or no of the man who plies the motor
boat between Seal Harbor and Little
Cranberry, for the wharfman at Seal
infinitely answers inquiries as to
whether one is likely to reach the little
Eauj:-"Weel. like as not yer kin git
4aoss-Capn-lowed he'd be over for
ggtt-yes like as not yer kim" This
-saI.y drives the fact nome.
Good fortune was mine on this first trip
4rl soon the eighteen foot boat was rid
rg choppy sea past the nose of the
STAND to its one landing place, Islesford.
NY host, native as he called himself,
met me and as we trudged up the main
roai satisfied many inquiries about this
title island, of which l had been able
to find so little in print.
The first inquiry as to why the name
Little Cranberry had been changed to
Is 4sford disclosed the fact that it was on
,ccount of summer people
When they came there was need of a
post Office. Little Cranberry happens
20 be one of four islands just south of
Mount Desert which make up the town
NJ Cranberry. These islands are Big
Cranberry, Baker, Sutton's and Little
Cranberry. AS two islands by the same
lnle would be confusing the name of
he smaller island was changed to Isles
ford.
More my host told; OF the 374 inhabi-
iants then in the township; of the town
school on this island, for whose twenty
iye scholars" they lay out three or
Jour hundred dollars a year; of how there
not pauper on the island, not even a
ismiIy "that is what you might call
1oof ''Fishing is what mostly gifts US
a0ng In summer we sail the company
and when they are gone go to fishin'
3gain' and await the return of another
summer and its company. Best of all
! The jewellers of that spot are content.
He himself, was happy in the possession
+ Of four sisters call within five minutes
! walk of each other and all weel to do. -
was assured that could go ga long dis
lance and not find small island where
they are so contented as they be here.
They git along here about as we'll az any
Place"
Baker Island, which is the very outer
one of the group and has lighthouse,
lies in the channel Of all sailing vessels
hat come up into Frenchman's Bay and
which in time of storm make for North
east Harbor as port of protection. Sc
OF the inner island of the group, on Lit
tie Cranberry, is a government life saw
ing station.
At the lowest tides of the year, the
oar which connects the two islands is I'M
covered and may be crossed on foot, but
any eagerness to walk across is dispell-
ed by the warning, you'll be glad tc
row back after scrambling over mussels
and slippery rock"
Little Cranberry has one main road, 9
SIDEWALK in some places and again none
Inc Life Saving Station is reached from
the center Of the island by, a govern.
nent road" That sounds impressive
Glimpse of it is surprise, however.
Up the main road yonder is sign post,
10 U. S. L. S. 81 This points to E
grass grown wagon road which is ap
Preached through a pair of bars and &
'tle. Telephone poles mark the road or
and on through spruce and pine wood
and.
The road narrows to footpath. Here
huddled together clump of old trees
On whose trunks cling tufts of moss ir
stiff green punches and profuse enough
TO have seen tropical climate. Under
heir shade is the dark leaved Christmas
ern. The path now leads over bed Of
~ft green moss in which nestled the
hch leaved partridge vine and the round
eafed twin flower, its last delicate pink
Blossoms falling there.
At last a trail-through wild rose
angle, low spruces and the shining Leaf
bayberry energies to broader sky
at upon Frenchman's Bay and the sea,
md away along the curving shore the
lainted gable of the low yellow station
seen.
The tides have cast up wreckage above