Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-24

| island neighbor, Westport. Once
| through the bridge the steamer makes |
| Il broad sweep To clear the middle
/ grounds and then heads for the upper
| Hellgate-once a menace to Haviga-
/ ton and the dread of all shippers, -
| but now, thanks to engineering skill,
and backed by q generous govern
| lncnt, q comparatively safe channel
has been made. High, bold rocky
| shores that rise precipitately from the
| waters depth to the sky line, an avail
| anche of rushing water that runs like
| a mill race through the narrow rocky
| gorge, a clear headed pilot at the wheel
who knows his steamer and what She
| will 40 and you have a faint word
| picture of Hellgate.
| Once clear of Hellgate the bold
| hard, fiinty face of old ltockolnock
| with its Indian legends and half myth
| zeal past stands out in bold relief. Al
| it's base is Hockomock Bay, with ITS
| RI gged shore line and rushing waters
| Still farther on is lower Heilgate WIN
| It's whirlpools and rapids once
| through the rapids the steamer runs
| into the smooth waters of hubble pay
"a beautiful sheet of water extending
| from lower Hellgate down past West
| mort junction and the coy little fish
ing hamlet of Riggsville, to Goose
rock the upper entrance to the Sheep-
scot. AS the steamer swings IN by
Goose rock q good view is obtained oil
| Mcaahan island With Five islands
way in the dim distance, crossing
Sheopscot bay we get our first we"
of old ocean. Way over to the south
ard the waters of the Atlantic are
rolling in by Hendricks Head light,
that grim sentinel that guards the en-
trance to the roadway that leads III
from the open sea: to the north ara
the roadway extends to the magnih-
cent harbGr of Wiscasset, harbor am
pie enough to shelter the ndVies oil
the world Sometime, old Sheepscot
| sheltered as she is, feels the storm
pressure from the outside and then the
white caps chase one another across
her wrinklcd face; then with lee ran
awash and sails close reefed the sail
or scuds for shelter.
After passing Boston Island, one
of the group that lies we'll to the
south ard, the steamer rounds the bea-
, con on Southport and picks her way
, through the little sheltered channel
that leads to the open sea, she WIS
ties up the bridge that connects South
, port with the mainland; once through
| the draw she enters the little basin
+. or lagoon almost landlocked that has
, its terminus at Boothbay; this, to me-
is the most ideal spot on the whole
scenic route. To the right one sees
, the little town of Southport extending
, along the rock-ribbed shore to Thomp-
, sons Cove back on the higher eieNa-
| tion through the trees and foliage can
> be seen the summer cottages with
their peaks and coy verandaS, mere
and there a hotel has taken root with
its welcome and good cheer. On the
, opposite side of the basin the shore
slopes back some distance to me
, fringe of trees that rises abruptly
r some hundreds of feet: through a gap
| in the ridge can be seen the little ola
, country road leading down to the
, bridge On the waters of the little pay
) tiny boats are laying motors or sails
: are ehurning up the blue waters OF
: this ideal spot safe at all times for the
2 amateur to navigate. II is little
p world of its own, free from the clans
| of the motor car and the march oil
D busy tread.
WAY down outside through little
, narrow cleft of the rocks where the
channel runs, can be seen over the
steamers bow the breakers rolling up
| over the southard of Squirrel Island.
j, At Capitol, the little island colony,
. we exchange news and passengers; a
, busy ten minutes is spent here, then
we are off to Squirrel Island. the little
| Bar Harbor of Lincoln county. AS we
back out from the wharf we get q
, broad panoramic view of Boothpay
, | Harbor; the islands, the rocky shore,
boats in motion, all blend and make
picture long to be remembered. Al
Squirrel there is a perfect sea of up
turned faces at the dock, all come to
bid us welcome We leave here a
gocdly number of our passengers VINO
have come down from the tideWater
towns I'D along the Kennebec. u short
/; tarry. and we are off for Ocean Point,
the little peninsula colony whose peo-
pie live the simple life. There our Wei
come is most cordial; the entire popu-
lation has turned out to greet the Is
lander as she comes up to the wharf.
| The merry scene looks good to me. L
hesitate about continuing my journey
and IL Is said that the man VINO hesl-
tates is lost ] clutch my grip. walk
up the gang plank and am soon lost
in the crowd. My story is told, my
song is sung. Here l fingered until
the sun went down in the west like a
big red ball and the moon came up
and painted silver pathway on the
water.
JOHN QUILL.