The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-04-26
DOWN THE PENoBsCoT

hundred miles. There are very few
carries on the entire trip.
DOWN THE PENOBSCoT
A two-mile trip by wagon from
Northeast Carry takes the canoeist
TO the Peuobscot River. Starting
down the Penobscot IL Is a good
twenty-mile run to Chesuncook Lake.
On the way you will pass through
several stretches of quick water. I'm
less you are In a hurry, you will find
1t worth while TO turn of at Lobster
stream, two~and one-half miles below
| Northeast Carry, and paddle up to
Lobster Lake, one of the most beauti-
! fnl lakes in New England.
! Slack water, Will be found before
reaching Chesnncook Lake, as the
lake has been damned and all its
upper tributaries are flooded streams
for several miles. Camping sites are
to be found on the northern shore of
the lake, but not in the flooded sec
lions of the streams.
Chesuncoo Lake is about eighteen
miles long by three miles wide. No
islands dot its surface You can see
Mt. Katahdin in the distance. Run
ming southeasterly across and along
the north end OF the lake and turning
northerly around grassy point, you
pass at once into flooded timber and
| through log boom, and are intro
duced to your first and only chance to
get lost. sharp turn to the north
leads to Black Pond and Cauquomgo-
moe Lake, while the course to Umba-
zooksus stream is northeast by the
compass. Follow the north shore
of the wide stream about six miles
until the course Is blocked by floating
timber stumps, and flag attracts
attention to an opening through boom
logs; then continue and Umbazooksus
stream will soon be located, and the
program varied at once by three miles
of wading and polling until Umba-
zooksus Lake appears. Working
across the lake toward the northeast
for a mile or so you reach the two
mile carry to Mud Pond. A team
may be hired here to tote canoes and
baggage, and you will find comfort
able camp accommodations nearby.
CHAMBERLAIN LAKE
Mud Pond measures only a mile
across, so 1t is a short voyage to the
outlet. Down the outlet to Chamber
lain Lake Is another mile, and then
you lay your course six miles up the
, lake to long point where the cross
ing is made to dam on the opposite
side. There Is short carry around
the dam into Allagash waters which
put your skill at once to the test, and
then glide you serenely into Eagle
Lake,
This is beautiful lake and fine
hunting and fishing region, and there
, are several sporting camps in the
vicinity which offer very good accom-
modations.
When you are ready to go on, you
leave Eagles Lake through two-mile
thoroughfareJ reaching Churchill
Lake, which is five miles long. At
the head of Churchill are Chase Rap
ids. There is no dam, as is often
stated, but, because of the rough
water below, 1t Is customary to walk
for mile or so down the stream,
although canoes can be run loaded.
Taking up the paddle again, a de-
lghtful run of ten miles Aakes you
W CIouohlo i1dhC. f]CaNihS bhdb yoo
proceed up Long Lake and carry
around the dam and lumber camp.
The scenery from Long Lake to Fort
Kent is unusually charming. A, ten
mile run from the dam takes you
down the Allagash River into Round
Pond. the last pond or lake you will
encounter on the route. A three-mile
paddle along the west shore of Round
Pond brings you to~the river current
again, and 1t holds strong all the way
to the st. John River, a distance of
twenty eight miles.
TO ALLAGASH FALLS
The last carry of the trip is at
Allagash Falls, fifteen miles below
Round Pond. You will pass resi-
dence or two and several islands just
before coming to the falls, and the
carry is plainly marked roadway
on the east side of the stream at the
head of the rapids. Here a portage
of quarter of mile must be made.
Putting in below the falls, you glide
over the remaining thirteen miles to
the rivers mouth. There are several
swift rapids to pass through, but none
OI lHGHl is tUO idLdIuOuS lOI LDc
average Maine guide, or for the indie
pendent canoeist, If the water is not
too low. y
The first settlement of any size
you reach is place called st. Fran
CHS, on the American side of the st.
John River about ten miles below the
mouth of the Allagash. The st.
Francis River empties into the st.
John at this point. You will find
hotel accommodations there. On
the American side of the river,
eighteen miles farther along, Is Fort
Kent, situated at the confluence of the
St. John and Fish Rivers. 1t is
worth while to visit this historic
town. You will want TO see the
weather-beaten old blockhouse which
remains as a reminder of Names
northeast boundry dispute Of 1910.
Many canoeists who take this trip
get out at st. Francis or at Fort
Kent and return by rail. Many, how
ever, continue the trip down the st.
John River to Van Buren,. fifty miles
away. You can make this journey in
a single day as the current runs