The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1915-06-24
Concerning Maine Islands.

Herald was an article relating to people
on the islands along the coast of Maine
from which we quote the opening para
graph, as follows:
On certain of the islands lying off the
coast of Maine are some of the peculiar,
hermit-like and sometimes degenerate
characters such as are found in the re-
mote regions, the back towns and the
hill towns of every New England State.
But these islanders, more completely
separated from their fellow men than
the recluses of the inland States or even
the inland portions Of Maine, are dis
tlnct type and perhaps the most striking
Representatives of certain class that
shuns civilization and lives and rears its
young in the manner of past centuries.
OF course we know that this was true
of one island, on which such colony was
broken up by the State authorities a few
years ago, and there may be others, al
though the writer, who is familiar with
many of the islands along the coast, is
unable to name one. We should not,
however, have taken issue with the
writer of this Herald article but for the
following statement: After speaking of
Monhegan as producing "a type CT hardy
fishermen equal to any of those who sail
out of Gloucester" he says: "There, as
on Haskell island or Outer Heron or
farther east on Isle au Haul, are peculiar
characters who shut themselves off from
communication with their fellows, live
their own strange lives, and avoid inter-
course with any but their own people,"
In visits to Isle AL Haul extending over
many years we never met or heard of
any such people. On the contrary we
found them courteous, hospitable, intel
ligent and, despite their isolation, we'll
informed. The Turner's and Barriers,
long the leading families, are still repre-
sented there, and it was mainly through
the efforts of the Turner's that the little
church under the shadow Of the noun
tain at the Thoroughfare was built. 1t
now has resident pastor, who is also
physician, so that the islanders do not have
to go eight miles by water to Stonington
when doctor is needed. Since the de-
cline of the lobster fishery the resident
population has fallen off, while the sum-
mer population has increased, and
large part of the island is now owned by
the Point Lookout Club and its members
Al the time of our first visits paths
through the woods and over lodges led
to Mcore's Harbor, Duck Harbor and
Hood II
on the island. Now, (and for some years
pasN there is q good carriage road around
the island and livery where you can hire
a blackboard or other teams, and in sum
mer there is steamboat communication
with Rockland. A lighthouse has been
built at the southern entrance Of the
Thoroughfare, and the island has very
attractive stone building at marlborough
fare, the gift Of summer resident,
which serves Is q town hall, place for
social meetings and contains a library.
Such is Isle au Haut today.
An island farther east with which the
writer was familiar in early boyhood
days and of which he still retains pleasant
memories, lays off the coast of Wash
ington county. 1t was then known as
Shorey's island from the only family
living on it ION the chart, Rogue island)
but now Gardner's island, from the pres
ent owners, who are summer residents
there. Near the shore of cove or the
landward side was roomy old-fashioned
farm house with the usual buildings,
and here lived Capt. Shorey. a retired
seafarer, his sons and his daughters. He
had cows, sheep, geese, ducks and tur-
keys, and it was a home of plenty. On
the shore of the cove were the huls of
two small coasters which had worn out
in the service, one with the masts still
standing The eldest son had succeeded
his father in command Of the topsail
schooner John and on her trips between
Boston and Machias she sometimes drop
ped anchor in the cove. On the seward
sandy beach, half mile or more in
length. crescent shaped, and fringed
with dense growth of spruce and pine.
At one end was a ledge and small
steamer could lay alongside and land her
passengers as on wharf.
The island was paradise to the chill
dren who spent happy week there in
the hospitable home of the Shoreys, and
when they heard that their father was
coming to take them to their home in
Machias they ran away and hid in the
woods. C. A. P.
OF INTEREST TO AUTO TOURISTS.
The Boston post-road between Port
land and Dunstan, Scarboro, has been
closed for through automobile travel.
Local traffic is to be handled by means of
short detours around the work in pro-
oress To accommodate all through traV-