The independent-reporter., 1922-11-09

MOI DblUR dDlt W tIUSS A8lldmDpf-
lain Lake | had to go back to Ghesun-
cook, sleeping ont one night on the
way Got one of the farmers by the
name of Ansel Smith to take nte back
across the lake, to the Chesuncook
House. There was a man out back of
the hotel repairing a canoe. re
member when | approached him he
was just covering the stem with can
vas. had been in canoe Just
enough to want to own one. could
see that his was a pretty old boat
He offered it to me for eight dollars
and | finally traded for six, ON con
dition that he complete the repairs
and put it in the lake for me. My
purchase included a paddle and pole.
1t was quickwater canoe, a little
narrower than the usual style. 1t
was made of canvas. and guess in
those days would have cost thirty or
thirty-five dollars new Nowadays the
same kind of canoe would be twice
that price.
After dinner loaded in my rather
meagre luggage and started for Moose
head Lake by way of the west branch
and Northwest Garry. Passed thru
the lake and into the inlet and ar
rived at the foot of Pine Stream Falls
about sunset. Just showed my canoe
upon a mud fiat below the falls, spread
my blanket in the bottom and turned
in. Although | had never naYigated
a canoe before | made up my mind |
could pole up over the series of ra-
pids that constitute Pine Stream Falls
1 and | did n1fbpnUh | oI a IN
exciting time about it, Right up close
to the top she swung around the best
| could do and hit a big bowlder, but
| got Strengthened out, and passed the
brink of the last rapid into the dead
water Here in moment of care
less confidence | lost my balance and
fell out The canoe did not tip
over but partly filled with water.
| found | could touch bottom with the
water up to my armpits. A gutta
percha match box was floating near
| by and of course I made it my first
business to rescue that. The matches
were all right. | then got the water
out of my canoe and managed TO climb
in again.
| Padded up the northwest branch
to the Carry. Here there was Il man
lying on setiee on the veranda of Il
small hotel. He told me it was two
F., miles and one-half across overland to
Moosehead Lake | asked him if
| he wanted to hire man. 1t seems
he had come up from Chesuncook Lake
after grain and he made a trade with
me to take a part of 1t down. |
owned up that was not much of II
eanoeist but he told me | would get
along pretty WILL except in Rock Ra-
pids, about three miles long. where
a loaded canoe could not do much
J Well, we put the grain into the canoe
and started back down the west
branch. | recall there was IA place
to stOp called the Hallway House. and
lust before that, was this place on
the river where it was impossible to
/ 20 that night. So we walked down
and stopped at the hotel over night
but came back the next day and ran
down over Rocky Rips to the farm at
| IChesuncook. owned by my compani-
on. II was a mighty rough voyage
and | was glad enouhg to get through
with it, Worked for this man a cOu
PIE of days building fences.
Well, had wonderful time roam
ing around thai country in my canoe
Went TO Caribou Lake, up Ragged
Stream. and remember meeting my
first moose AT a place called Dead
water Moose were not very plent-
ifuI This one was COW. She
didn't act much frightened. Was
standing away out in the stream eat
ing lily pads,
From Caribou Lake could see
Spencer Mountain and | Just thought
| would like To climb up. Struck
into the woods and found il solid
spruce growth. Couldn't see the
mountain or the lake and much of
the time IT was mighty dark and som
bre No moss ON the trees. moth
! ing to guide mo at all. found
was likely to get lost and turned back.
Probably very lucky that | did as
wandered around a long time before
| came to the lakc-shore
Well, in the course of my wander
ings | came to the dam on Ragged
Stream and finally got back to the
Great farm. Had had about enough
canoeing for the time and sold out for
TWO dollars. In subsequent years
revisited part of that same country
doing quite lot of hunting around
Chamberlain Lake, and Lily Bay Noun
tains. etc. One summer | went over
into the Rangeley Lake country Have
owned five or SIX canoes since that
one Have shot in all thirteen deer
and of course some fox and good
many partridges. Have never shot
moose. Never saw but two bears.
and didn't get a shot at either one of
them.
Must tell you about some adven-
lures | had on the Kennebec River. |
Had bought another canoe, used it |
more or less on Moosehead Lake and |
its tributaries. Made up my mind
| would canoe down the Kennebec
to my old home at Merrymeeting Bay. /
Had been down of foot from the out
let to Indian Pond but did not know
much about the river. People eau
toned me more or less so on the
chance that something might happen |
tied my luggage and gun carefully to
the thwart. Had not gone many miles