Daily Kennebec journal., 1925-07-18
MAINE LAKE REGION
ATTEAN QUADRANGLE
4O-MILE CANAL TRIP

A standard Topographic map or
the Attean quadrangle, Name mas
just been issued by the Department
of the Interior as the result OF held
surveys and engraving and printing
by the Geological Survey. 1t IS one
of the steps in the great topographic
map of the Uhited States which the
Geological Survey is makings
The Attean map is surely thing
of beauty to the map lover. for 1t
faithfully depicts every natural fea-
ture of an interesting part or our
northern country--a portion OF SOM
erset County, Maine, which Is much
frequented by fishermen and camp
ers. The Attean quadrangle, Whlch
lies just south and east of the Cana
dian boundary line, covers an area
OIL about 200 square miles and
abounds in lakes or 'ponds"-for IN
Maine most of the lakes are called
ponds" although there is many
pond in Maine that would make
dozen lakes in Florida. The top
ography of the Attean quadrangle is
highly varied. The map shows that
the area contains outstanding noun
tain peaks and steep ridges that look
down a thousand feet or more upon
meandering streams edged with
marshes and ponds too small 70
name, and the big Attean Pond,
some five miles long. This connects
with Wood Pond, about four miles
long-you can measure it within a
hundred feet on the map-and this
in turn with the smaller one called
by the contradictory name, Little
Big Wood Pond.
The ancient .Maeander River, of
Asia Minor, by reason of its doub-
back habit. added several words
to our vocabulary; but it probably
is little more devious than the
Moose River of Somerset County,
which in it's meanders entirely
leaves the Attean quadrangle twice,
flowing eastward and entering the
adjacent Long Pond triangle, then
turning north for a distance, flow
ing back again into the Attean
quadrangle, and again flowing east
ward into the other triangle.
Very many of the Maine ponds
are connected by streams that flow
in at one end and out at the other,
and long canoe trips may be taken
across ponds and along rivers that
bring the traveller almost or quite
back to the starting point. Such a
trip, which is said to be a delightful
and popular one, can be traced on
the Attean and Long Pond maps
a canoe trip of about 40 miles, To-
cally known as the Bow trip"
which starts and finishes at Attean
Camps, on Birch Island in Attean
Pond, and requires less than two
miles of portaging. Padding west
ward from Attean the traveller finds
his first and longest portage from
Attean Pond to Holeb Pond, a mile
and a quarter; thence the course is
along Holeb Pond and through Ho-
leb Stream into the Moose River,
down the Moose in a general south
easterly direction, but with many
windings and turns, to Three
Streams, and. then northward and
back into Attean Pond. The trip
may be. made in two to five days,
according to the time spent in hunt
ing and fishing, and the traveller may
sleep in comfortable cabin each
night If he prefers that to his own
tent or leanto. If the canoeist
wishes a further extended trip he
can follow the windigs of the Moose
through additional ponds and
marshes until it finally empties into
the big Moosehead Lake; and then
if he is still unsatisfied he can paddle
out of the lake southwark and fin
ally reach the ocean hundred and
more miles below.
But in tracing the Bow trip" or
other routes on the new Attean map
the prospective tourist will find that
every slightest turn of the river is
shown with absolute fidelity. as are
all other natural features-hill,