5^5 ALBERT R. MANN LIBRARY New York State Colleges OF Agriculture and Home Economics AT Cornell University J 6 7=* THE GIFT OF WlLLARD A. KIGGINS Cornell University Library F 25.S79 "Where the sportsman loves to lrnger."A 3 1924 014 020 766 WS^^^Si ^ Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924014020766 11 e AUagasli, the East and ^ est Branches of the Ppuobscot. "Where the Sportsman Loves to Linger." A NARRATIVE OF THE MOST POPULAR CANOE TRIPS IN MAINE. THE ALLA0A5H, THE EAST AND WE5T BRANCHES OE THE PENOB5COT. BY G. SMITH STANTON. New Yoek: J. S. OGILVIE PUBLISHING COMPANY, 57 Rose Street. 606' Copyright, 1905, by G. Smith Stanton. To the refiutered guides of the tState of Maine, ever faith- fid to their trust, this hoolc is dedicated. PREFACE. The author has made many cauoe and liuuting trips througli the woods of Maine and knows tlie benefit to healtli derived therefrom, and if tliis narrative is tlie means of restoring the health of even one reald Orchard. Whure the Sportsman Loves to Linger. 24 WHEltE THE .SPOKTSMAX LOVES TO LINGER. CIIAPTEII TI. FEOil jrOOSEIlEAI) TO CIIESUNCOOK LAKE. One's first expwipiice in a. eaiioe is a feeling- of uncer- tainty, expecting evcM y nionent to lie upset and, on account of its frailty, to see it cruslied like an egg shell ; yet a canoe is as tougli as a pugilist ti'ained for a pvize-figlit. It is sur- prising the rocks it can run into and on top of witlii>ut any apparent damage, and the heavy loads it can carry. We Avere surprised and amused at a load the owner of a hotel for lumbermen, ten miles below the carry, was put- ting into his canoe. The man himself Aveighed at least three hundred ])ounds, and he was loading the canoe with two barrels of kerosene. As he started away the canoe sank so deep in the water that it looked as if two kei'osene bar- rels and a fat man were tioating on the surface. The fellow Avas so fat his "hal)eas corpus" extended beyond the canoe and hung ovei' the sides lilci^ tlie jowls of the prize porker at a county fair. About all you could see of the canoe was the points at each end, reminding us of the jack trains in the mining regions of ('olorado as we haA'c seen them going u]) the mountain trail loa moment nmre willi dread tlian pleasure. The small heap that lay before us that was to proteci our inner and outer num seemed entirely inade- WIIEKE TUE yiHJKTaiJAN LOVES TO LIXGEK. 31 quate. AVitli interest we watelied the Indians convert our small belongings into an imposing array. ^Mtli axes tliey disappeared into the jungle, soon appear- ing witli forks and poles. Tlie forks were driven into the ground, the poles laid across, the tents unfolded, thrown o-ser the poles and tightened down. We had four tents, one for each of us, one for the Indians, and a toilet tent. The balance of our belongings were carried into the re- Beavers Work. spective tents. A fireplace was next selected, a fork on each side and a pole across, back and end logs secured, and hangers — a small forked stick Avith a nail in one end — were hung across the pole, a proper distance from the fire. On the hangers are hung the i)i>ts and kettles. One of the most important adjuncts of a camping outfit is a ''l)aker," a pe: u- liarlv constriicted piec'C of tinware. AVe enjoyed many a hot biscuit from our little baker. The Indians again disappeared into the woods, this time to return A\it]i boughs for our beds; armful after armful they brouglit and entwined, until the softest, cleanest and most inviting bed was before us. Firewood was next pro- eiiiT'd. Along the sliore line of all the lakes of .Maine dry A\oo(l aliouiuls, cast there by tlie ravages of time. The win- ter and summer storms and high water play liaA'oe Avitli the timher along tlie shore of the lakes; consequently, no matter where you camp, dry wood is there — not a punky. rotten log, hut wood as "sound as a dollar" and "dry as a bone," and of all sizes, ready to cook your daylight meal and for the camp-fire in the stilly uiglit. Of all the tir'CAA-ood for the camper, the most necessary is tlie l)ark of the birch ; A^ithout that, many a cold meal would have lieen eateu and many a camp-fire never lighted. No matter what the weather conditions, the birch bark will burn. It is easily secured ; with a "rip up the back" it read- ily peals from the tree, and is as inflammable as kerosene. The guides soon had ample firevrood in stock, and then they attacked the boxes and bags of jirovisions. In making a canoe ri-ip one is naturally exposed to all kinds of weather, so your provisions are packed with that contingency in vie^^'. .Anything that water would injure is protected by waterproof material. Sugar, tea, coffee and the like are put up in little waterj-iroof bags, which are then put in a larger bag. In oui' long trij) bags of provender fell into the water \\ithout any apparent damage to their contents. A well-cooked, bountiful meal was soon at our disposal, and as the sun sank amidst the dense forest the camp-tire Avas lighted. Around the camp-tires on our bmg trip the Indiaiis interested and amused us with reminiscences of their lives. In the streams and woods the Great Spirit provided everything for them. The Avild animals gave him rations and raiment. From the bark of the birch tree he made his canoe; with the bow, arrow and tomabawk he procured his ganu»; from friction he obtained fire; from bark and poles he made his house; herbs were his medicine; WHERE THE Sl'OKTSJIAN LOVES TO LINGER. 33 aud, with the money and servant ([uestion obliterated, a lia|)]iy and contented life he led. We never heard our West Branch Above MooSLliurii. guides telling about their "old man" having to go to a sani- tarium for nervous prostration, nor walking the floor o4 WHERE THE SPOPiTSilAN LOVES TO LINGER. nights on accouut of tlie note due at the bank on the mor- row ; nor did they have any reeolleetions of hearing their mother discuss with other squaws about "my operation" ; nor did they remember in their papoose days of having been introduced to ilrs. Winslow or Mr. Paregoric. U]Jon our arrival at Chesuncook we already began to feel West Branch Below Moosehorn. the delightful effects of the change. He who continually li^es along the coast line kuo^^•etll not the benefit of the A\oods of .Maine. TJie word humidity is not in the bright lexicon of the I'ine Tree State. Poor appetite has no abode there. Indigestion is a stranger in the laud. Stomachs that rebelled are forgiven and forgotten. Nervousness soon seeks other clinu's. Imaginary evils vanish into thin air. What seem mountains elsewhere to the tired brain WHERE THE SPORTSMAN LOVES TO LIXGEE. 35 become molehills. ]\[orbid thoughts give wixj to ijleasant reflections. The inward antipathy hidden by outward cour- tesy of man towards man resolves itself into the true Chris- tian spirit. Woman's jealousy of woman has no abiding place in the woods of Maine. The struggle for worldly goods that is driving many business men to the asylum and penitentiary ceases for the time being. In fact, the surroundings there give one that quiet repose that enables A'ou to see this life as it should be seen. 3(j WIIKItE THE .SPOirr.S.AIAX LOVES TO LINCER. CHAPTEK Til. CHESUXCOOK TO r^LSASKIS LAKE. FiiAGRA>:cE fi-oin lu'uilock bonsihs must hv a panacea for insoiiiiila, as tlie niijlit passed mid pleasant dreams. For breakfast we bad some delicious trout cau.i^bt in tbe early morn by one of tbe Indians. Tbe tented field of tbe uigbt before, ^\■itll all our beloni^inti's, ^vas loaded into tbe canoes, and we started on a day's Journey in ^\bicli Ix'fove niiilit- fall we were to exjieritnice all tbe vai'ieties of canoeinji' tbrou!.;b tbe wilds of Elaine. An lionr's paddlini; on tlie bead\Aaters of (diesun.cook Lalce br(!U.L':bt us to tbe lake ]U'op(n'. Tbe lake lay to tbe soutb of US, and off to tbe soutbeast old Katabdin lonmed skTVx'ard. At tbe little settlement at tbe bead of tlie lake was a postoffice, tla^ last until we arrived at Connors, on the St. John, one bundred and twenty-live mib^s further north. Our course lay across tbe liead of tbe lake to tbe mouth of rnibazooksus stream. Tbe eanoeman siets lots of exiMn'i(>nce i^oini;- ^^^ T'lubazoolcsus stream to a lal^c of tlie same name. Tlse first six miles is uarrow, windinji' and muddy; tbe last tlircM' shallow and rocky, where one has to don I'ubber boots and lead tbe canoe. Undia/ooksns Lake is situated iu a country wild with scenic l)eauty. Across tbe n^ot of it our ciuirse lay to some spcu'tiny, camps near tbe famous Miul Pond (^arry. ^lud WIIKRl-: THE SrORTSMAX LOVES TO LINGER. o I Pond Cari'v, Avliich is two miles lonii', crosses the vertelir;e of the State of Maine. It is on tlie watershed. It was raining- -when we crossed it, and stopping' for a moment on its apex, we saw the rain drops clioose tlieir conrse, hiihlinjj; each otlier i;ood-live, some to follow the Allaeash and Chosuncook Lake. the St. Jolin, others the West Branch and the main Peuohscot, TO meet, perchance, again among the "sad sea waves." On the shore of ^Mud Pond we ate onr noonday meal. j\rud Pond is an nninviting bodj' of water — that is, to man, but not to the ungainly moose. It is shallow and abounds witli lily pads, in consequence of which it is surrounded by a great moose country. From our noonday camp we counted nine moose, some far from the shore, with their 3S WHERE THE Sl'ORTSilAN LO\'E.S TO LINGER. heads half of tlie time uuder the water seeking the roots of tlie succulent lily pad. Our course lay across the poud to its outlet, wjiich empties into the second largest lake Mud Pond Carry, in Maine — Cliamberlain. AVe found the outlet of Mud Pond similar to tlie last half of TTmbazooksus stream. As \Ye entered Ciiamherlain Lake its waters were calm, wliicli fact the Indians said was somewhat unusual. Our course lay across the lake and up its eastern shore to Cham- WHERE THE SPORTSMAN LOVES TO LINGER. 39 berlaiii dam, wLicli we hoped to reach in time to camp for the nii;ht. Unfortunately for us, when halfway across the ^^■ind began to blow, and continued to increase until a high sea Avas running. Being anxious to get across as soon as possible, AA'e took our first lesson in paddling, and wei-e surprised how soon \ie caught on. AVater continually swashed into the boats, giving everything a good wetting. We finally got under tlie protection of the eastern shore and slowly AAorked our way up the lake to Chamberlain dam. The clouds began to lift and Old Sol came out, showing that we had an hour before sundown to pitch our tents. Here we met quite a party of Xew Yorkers, among whom -were several ladies, on their Avay back from Church- ill Lake to Kineo. Here for the first time we heard of what is called Chase's Carry, which we afterwai-d learned was the worst piece of water run bv canoemen in 40 \viii:rk teie srouTSjiAX loves to lincer. the vState. Haviuii' tired of fish and "eml)almed meat," we were anxious to push on to Churchill Lake, where, the snides informed us, we could try our luck with our shoot- ing-irons. The next day we ^lassed down Chand)erlain outlet to Eagle Lalu', through the thoroughfare bet«-eeu Eagle and Churchill, and late in the afternoon we pitched our tents within hearing of the roar of Chase's Carry. We informed the guides that we would tarrv a day or two on Churchill ; so tliey set to work and arranged a camp with that idea in yiew, and a most comf(jrtal)le one they staked out. The game at that time of the year is yery tame, and, the Doctor being a good shot, we could already see a piece of juicy venison in the frying pan. We were amused while in camp at Chamberlain dam, where there was a watchman stationed to see that no one distiirlied the gates. lie had the usual characteristics of night watchmen, for when nightfall came he retired to his tent and peacefully snored tlie night away. While we were in cansp on Chamberlain outlet we met two game wardens with a prisoner on the way to Foxcroft. Any one who shoots deer out of season and partakes there- of wants to be careful when strangers come around. It seems that this fellow was cam]iiug on P^agle Lake and living, as General !-lherman did when marching through Georgia, on the fat of the land. The gauu^ wardens heard of the gentleman and made him a visit under the guise of sports. He invited them to dine, and had deer on the bill of fare, with the result tliat he contributed lifty dollars to the exchequer of the State, and in consideration of his kindness the State insisted on his bcMug iis guest for thirty days in order that he might study the beauties of the elev- enth commandment. WIIKRE THE .SI'OETSMAX LOVES TO LINGER. 41 The governini; power acts the coward towards the Beef Trust, but it sets the minions of the law on the trail of the poor guide who, Mith liis hard -working helpmate, is trying to malce a living from his sportijig camp. While passing through Eagle Lake we visited the tram- ChambiTim Dam. way, a "moving sidewalk,'" (■{mstrncted through the woods from lOagle to ('liamberlain Lakes. The waters in Eagle Lake flow toward tlie St. Jolm and on tlirougli New Bruns- wick to tlie sea. The tramway enables the lumbermen on Eagle Lake to float their logs via Chamberlain and the East Brancji to tlie mills on the Penobscot, tlu^reby avoid- ing a Canadian tax. As one traverses the woods of [Maine he is often reminded of bj'gone days bj' the immense rotting stumps of tlie for- 42 WHERE THE SroRTSMAN LoVES TO LINGER. mcT luoiiai'clis of tlie woods, the pine trees. One occasion- ally lies with its full lenj^-th on the j^rotmd, covered with moss, one of those yiants left for some cause by the wood- choppers. No other tiiidjer in the woods did or ever will equal the proportions of the pine. They seemed to have We Were Within a Canoe's Length of This Gentleman. lived in the a^e of human !.;iants and the animals and fish of biblical times, and in the days when the giant ansler. "ITis angle rod made of sturdy pine, Witli a cable, that storms ne'er broke, for a line; His liook he baited with a dragon's tail. And sat on a rock and bol)l)e(l for a whale." WHERE THE SrORTSilAX L(JVES TO LINGER. 43 We fouud many iuaccuracies in maps and descriptions as published. Among other things, maps sliow a dam and a carry between Churcliill and Umsaslvis Lakes, to this day called Chase's Cari-y. There was at one time a dam there, but there has not been for, lo! these many years. A The Greed of the Beef Trust Drives a Fellow to This. dam was a long time ago constructed on the Allagash be- low Churchill Lake to raise the water of Eagle, but some of tjie boys in the lundvr business on the lower Allagash, being short of water to float their logs, sneaked u]) the river one night and in the dark of the moon dynamited the dam, which ^^'ith a crash disappeared from the Allagash, but seemingly not from nmps and liter iture. The next morning, leaving the guides at home, we took a walk down the lake. Tiounding a point, we saw, feeding. u WT-IERE THE SPORTSilAN LOVES TO LIXGEU. some distance aloiii;- the shore, a red ohject we had seen so many times liefore. Tlie wind was in our favor, enabling us to bring the young buel-:, as lie proved to l)e, within easy range. It is surprising liow susi)ieious tliej' are, forever looking around while feeding, tlieir heads constantly going up and down, always on the alert. Something Avouderful The Author Supplying the "Meat Market," is tlseir sense of smell and liearing. It must have heard us, and suddenly turned, facing us. The time liad come, and with a roar tliat sounded over the lake like a cannon the object of our aim droiii)ed, tlien arose and ran down tlie slKire of tlie lake. One often liears tlie assertion that a sliot tlirougli tlu' heart means instant death, but that animal ran one Imndred yards sliot tlirougli tlie lienrt. We returned lo the cam]) for a camH', and, with the Doctor as WnKUlC TIIK Sl'dltT.SMAX LOVES TO LIX(!ER. 45 chief suri^eoii, the ten(lerh)in and hiiidfiuarters were soon hanging on a tree a short distance from the camp. Meat in that liii^h, dry atmosphei'c soon cures. "Sports" keep The Dortor Pei'lorjiiins tlif Autopsy. the "meat market'' some distance from the camp, as the law re(]uires you to be caught Avitli the "goods on." The hill of fare for the next two days consisted of "tenderloin of buck a In Churchill Lake." One day we spent in the woods successfully hunting partridges. 4G \A'HEKE THE SPORTSMAN LOVES TO LINGER. Duriui;- our stay on Cliurchill we visited the cauip of Seuatoi- CJiia.v on Spider Lal^e. A tlioi-ou,nlifare from Cliurcliill leads to Spider. Tlie camp was closed. What a contrast between that beautiful lake, situated in one of the most attractive spots for a s]3ortsman in Maine, and the Capitol at Washington! As Ave sat on the Senator's piazza, breathing in the delicious fragrance of the trees that surrounded it and looking over the clear and lovely lake, we could not help Iiut think what fools men are when they have accumulated sufficient -worldly goods to sacri- fice their health for more. To retain the power the Sen- ator had in the State of Pennsylvania, and to keep in touch with his henchmen, the days of midsummer found him in the hot city, instead of enjoying that cool and healthy spot. It does seem that, like women for social standing, men will for wealth and power sacrifice every- thing. If tlie Senator had spent more time on Spider Lake and less in AVashington he would have lived longer to en- joy what it had been his good fortune to accumulate; but, like the Wall Street manipulator, the ticker was his life. The dread of Chase's Carry began to keep us awake, so we broke camp and started down the long lagoon that leads to the commencement of the Allagash. If any one wants to get his mind off his biisiness, we will guarantee, when he is going down the Allagash from Churchill, no matter Avhat his occupation, he will be think- ing of nothing but rocks. We doubt if that eleven miles has its equal for wildness in the State of Elaine. Towering banks, with dense jungle, are on both sides; immense trees lean over the stream as if to grab you. The current runs like a mill race; great boulders are everywhere, abnigside of you, under you, and you are lucky if some do not get on top of you. The channel, if there is one, is narrow and WHEKE THE Sl'OIiTSMAN LOVES TO LIXGEK. it constantly circling- around and a}iion,i; huge boulders, first ou one side of the river and then on the other; in the middle and then where the onrushing \\'aters take j'ou. Canoes are constantly being swamped. Along the bottom of the riA'er one catclies glimpses of bakers, tin cans, kettles, bags The End of Chase's Carry. Au Revoir. of provisions — in fact, all kinds of camp equipage lost by unfortunate canoemen. Some day Chase's Carry will be worked to good advantage, as there is lots of pay dirt deposited there and nu»re l»eing constantl}' added. Tlie day Ave made tlie run was dark and lowering. We had worked our way down stream not more than a mile, A\'hen the elements concluded they would take a hand in the game and opened with one of the worst thunder show- ers we ever passed through. The rain came in torrents 4S WHERE THE SP()KTS:\IAN LO^'ES TO LIXOER. and the lightninc;- was a hair-vaiser. Tlirouiili it all the faithful guides stood their ground, pole in hand, guiding us safely through the treacherous channels. As the dark- ness passed aAvay and the sun shone fiu'th wt- drojiiied into Umsaskis dead water, completing the wildest ride on tJie entire trip. ^Ye were drenched to the skin and were half scared to death along the whole eleven miles. Chase's Carry and the headAvaters of Umsaskis Lake are simply a repetition of this life; do not falter when the tug comes, as come it will, but brace against it, as there is always quiet waters bevond. \\'IIKRE THE SruliTSMAN LOVES TO LINGER. 49 CHAPTER IV. rirSASKIS LAKE TO FORT KENT. In a]l stages of dcca.y hiniber camps are found along the rivei'S and on the sJiores of the lakes of jNIaine. We found the old cedar shingles of the roof of one of the buildings nearl)y where we camped very desirable firewood. We staj^ed on Umsaskis two days, our time being occupied dry- ing our (dothes. A ivceper once wrote on the door at Sing Sing where prisoners first enter, "Me who enters here leave liope behind." The sportsman who enters the woods of Elaine sliould leaA'e cotton goods at home. Every article of clothing should be an'ooI. Strong, common-sense shoes and moccasins should be the footwear; a pair of rubber boots Avould not come amiss. More than once, after a good dreufdiing, our woolen (dothes saved us from catching cold. ;\Iany times we have taken off our moccasins, emptied out tlie water, wrung out our woolen socks, and put the same socks and moccasins on again, Avith no l)ad results. On tlie second day of our stop on Umsaskis Ave saw a l)attle royal bet^A'cen two bull moose. Coming from oppo- site directions, they met at the lake side, not far from our camp. TlK\y locked horns, shoving eacdi otlier up and down the beacli, paying no attention wliatever to us. After smasliing all tlie di'y-ki and overturning every stone within a radius of a hundred feet, one, evidently having enough, 50 WIIEUE THE Sl'OItTSilAN LOVES TO LINGER. pluuged iuto the Jake aud swaiu fur t]ie opposite shore. The other stood looking at him, and, as the victor turual to go iuto the woods, lie stopped for a moment viewing our camp, as if to say, "Well, boys, I made him take water." On the afternoon of the same day Ave saw the most langli- Between Umsaskis and Long Lakes. al)le incident that occurred on our trip. Our tents were pitched on high ground, a sliort distance from the lake. 'I'lie woods liad been cleared away in front. There was a small island a short distance olf shore. "We noticed several moose here and there in I he water. One was well out in the lake aud gradually working his way to our camp, his head being umler water half of the time after the roots of the lily tjad. lie ke])t on coming nearer and nearer, evi- \^ HERE THE .srOKTSMAX LO\'E.S TO LINGER. 51 dently uot seeing us. He no doubt had traveled the same route before. lie finally caught sight of the camp, stood for a moment looking at those white objects with the dark woods as a background, became frightened, whirled and started for the island, disappearing therein, but in a few The Winding Aliagasb. moments reappeared and plunged into the water, with two more moose with him, all striking out for the opposite shore. One could imagine that as soon as he struck the island the other moose had asked wliat was up, and he no doubt replied, "Don't ask me any questions, but run for 3'our life.'' Two otiier moose, wlio had Iteen feeding well out in the lake, saw the rush coming, and they, too, were stampeded, and the whole bunch were still on the lope as they disappeared in tlie timber. .>:J WIIEKE THE SI'ORTSJIAX LOVKS TO LINGER. Passino- out of Umsaskisi Lake and tlii-ou!:;li the tlioi-oui^h- fare, one enters Long Lake, the Last hake on the Allagash trijj. Years ago, on account of a love affair, one Priestly snuglit an isolated abode. He came to Long Lake, on the Allagash. As years rolled on he cleared up quite a farm. Tlie farm Axas liouglit liy one Ilarvey. -who also evidently prefcri-ed isolation, t^poi-tsmen < ' ai stopped at the place, some of Mliom liad iicen swampc ,n Cliase's Carry. Har- vey estahlislied a su])]ily depot, toting the sujiidies from Canada during the Avintcr. Our supply of sugar liaving hecn waterlogged in Cliase's Carry, we W(>re glad that Pi'iestly liad been discarded by one of the weaker sex, as it enabled us to sui)]dy our larder at Hei^ot Farm. All day long we glided (!o\\n the rai)id, rocky waters of the A\iiiding .Vllagash, seeing deer and moose at ever\- turn WHEEE THE Sl'ORTSMAX LOVES TO LINGER. 53 eatiii;:^ our lunch as >ve floated ovei' tlie only dead water on tlie ri^er, and as t'\\'ilig]it was castini;' its sliadows across the stream AHajxash Falls was reached, near which we pitclied our tents. Tlie only sleepless night on the whole trip we passed at Allagash Falls. It seems tlie Allagash log driye failed to get througli, and logs were scattered along the river from Ptound Pond to the St. John. Below Allagash Falls the river was full of them, except a narrow channel for canoes. The Little Fawn We Saved. About iiiidniglit we a^'oke, hearing a sound like that of a crying baby: whenever the wind blew the sound of the falls away we could hear the cry. Sometimes it would sound lil;e a child and then like a calf. At the break of day we dressed, s^ill hearing the same little wail. It sounded among the logs. The Indians were already up and we called their attention to it. Together we investi- gated, and there in the water, between some logs, was a little fawn. One of the Indians said at dusk the night be- fore he had seen a doe crossing the logs, followed by a faAvn. The little fellow had evidently fallen in and was nearly o-t WHERE THE Sl'dKTSMAX LO\ES TO LINGER. chilled to death. The uiothei- was ijcjwhere iu si!j,ht. We carried the poor thing up to the camp, rubbed it dry and fed it some condensed milk and hot water. It became a passenger on our trip as far as Connors, Avhere we gave it away. We stopped at a farmhouse a few miles )»clow the The Allagash Enttring the SL. Johu. falls, obtained some cow's milk, and fortunately a rubber nipple, and our little charge had its rations early and often and seemed to enjoy our society. On the menu card at Allagash Falls was "fruit in sea- son." Forest fires had left gi'cat trat-ts of timber land along the Allagash bare and desolate; acres of red rasp- berry bushes had grown thereon, and the fruit was ripe ^\'hil(> we were tliere. WIIEllB THE S1'0IIT«MAN LOVES TO LIXGEIt. 55 Aiiiony the tro]»hies we gathered on our trip, a bear pelt we obtained at Allai^a^h Falls we prize above all others. While the Kiueo Indian was getting the noonday meal the Bangor guide wnt in search of raspl)erries. He luad been gone about lialf an liour, '\\iien we heard a shot, the growl :>■:■•*■ ' v^'>> ■ -»■>*/ 1»>^ Li^ ■ ''■^' ■ ■ 'VtCX^-v >^ f r " €lease(l and astonislied to find it crowded with a bevy of young, hantlsome and frolicking girls. In- quiring of tlie waiter who they were, he informed us they were "the choi-us of the sliow to-night." It seems many theatrical troupes follow the vacationists to Maine. Sev- eral of the young ladies insisted on dining at the same table witli our guides, and kept U]i (|uite a Hirtation with the noble red men, greatly to the amusement of the guests, but to the discomfiture of the Indians. After dinner we asked the Kineo guide what he thought of the girls. "Heap fine squaws." We went to the shOAV, of course, and the revelry of the night brought back to our recollection the Rialto in little old New York. We dreaded tlie railroad ride, as we expected in this far- off wilderness to find dirty and broken-down rolling stock, 62 WHERE THE SrOIlTSMAN LUVES TO LJNGEIt. an uneven roadljed, a rough lot of passengei'S, and, as usual at terminals on the frontier, tlie depot a box-ear, with a stovepipe for a cJiinmey. Imagine our surprise to find a handsome depot, and standing on the main line beside it a railroad train, from the oow-eateher to the hind plat- i^ Taking-Out Place— Fort Keut. form on the last car, in e(]uipment equal to any running out of the Grand Central Depot, and far superior to many trains coming into Xew York carrying the bustling com- muter. The trainmen, in their neat uniforms, we found gentlemanly, social and accoiiuuodating. The roa(l))ed sliowed that the superintendent and section men under- stood their business. lie who travels over the B. & A. from Fort Kent to Nor- cross need not fear he is going to starve because there is WHEKK THK SPORTSMAN L(JVi:S TO LINGKll. 63 no dining car on the train nor eating stations along tlie line, as about the time for luncheon the conductor passes through the train announcing the fact that luncheon will be brought aboard the train at the next station for those Historic Block House. who want it ; and a nice one it is, put in a paper box and left with you to eat at your leisure. There Avas a county fair somewhere down the road, and we had an opportunity of seeing the natives. What a con- trast between A\]iat we call a New Yorker and the citizens of Aroostook County! The former a pale, anxious-looking citizen, continually on tlie verge of a c(dlapse; tlie latter a healthy, rosy-clieeked, contented individual, who looked 64 WIIEUE THE SPORTSMAN LOVES TO LINGER. and acted as if tlie greed for gold was not the aim of life. What a contrast between those excursionists, on pleasure bent, and the pale, sickly denizens of the East vSide as we The Modest Chorus Girl We Aainired. ha^'e seen tliem on some l)arge on their way up the Sound t -woods alongside of the lakes, over the streams and around the mountains of that heallli-restoriiiii- counti-y. WHERE THE SPOKTSMAX LOVES TO LINGER. 65 As one passes tln'oni;h tlio farmiDg districts of Maine, if lie has ever lived in the country, he will appreciate the manner of the constrnction of the farm buildings. On account of my health the fifteen years following my gradu- ation from Columl/ia College Law School I spent on a stoclc Between Fort Kent and Norcross. ranch in the State of Iowa, in a county bordering on the Jli.ssouri Iliver, and would have likely remained there if the Beef Trust had even left me the first cut back of the horns; but it insisted on taking the whole steer. If before I had erected my Iowa 1,'uildings I liad taken a trip through Jfaine I would have bundled them instead of isolating them. Tlie Jlaine farmer joins all his Ituildings together. First comes the house, then the carriage house, then the GG \^'HEK]C TJIK SroUTSilAX IJJVES TO LINGER. Avoo.'lslied aud the aiiiiual (luartcrs, with other necessary buihiiiigs joined tliereou, with doors opeuiui;' from one to the other, A\i]ereas tlie ^Vestel•n man buih;ls his apart. We have often heard our New York friends s^ieak of the blizzard of 1.'~<8S, bnt we tell them thev do not know what a Idizzard is, and we are bold enoniili to say that a ^Maine farmei' lias soiiielliini;- to learn in tliat line, lie who lives in a wooded country knows nothinji- of the storm-swept prairies. AVliile the blizzard is on the Maine farmer can rise in tlie morning and walk under cover from his parlor to Ids pi^-])en, everytldnii' jirotei ted w itliin, Avhile tlie storm howls witliout. Xiit so witli Ins A\'estern nt'i-hbor, with his detaclied buildings, with (dotlieslines as guide ropes, WIIKRE THE SI'ORTSMAN Ll)VE8 TO LIX(;ER. 07 strunt!; from building to linildiug, so as not to luse tlic trail; the liired Land, AA'itli a scoop-sliovcl, trying- to locate the ■woodpile; the boss of the ranch Avallowiug through snow to his arm-pits in a vain endeavor to reacli the animal king- dom; the horses, for want of food, eating up the stable in front and kicking holes through it in the rear; the cows l)ellowing to be milked, the hog-pen covered with moun- tains of snow, the haystack and corn-crilt out of sight, and the usually patient housewife yelling at her lord at the top of her voice through a crack in the door, ''Dry wood, or no breakfast I" Through the courtesy of the superintendent of a pulp mill we stopped over at [Millinocket and saw the process whereby the virgin forest is turned into paper. The logs were saA\ed into blocks, the blocks ground into pulp and the pulp converted into paper. The lumbering camps of Maine are fast removing the trees from which the State got its sobri(juet; nor does the pine tree come again where once cut off. Strange as it may seem, where years ago the great pine forest was, now one has difficulty in finding a pine tree. As a general rule, similar growth springs up from the stump of a tree cut down, but not so with the "pumpkin" pine. Almost invariably birch comes instead. ^\e saw repeatedly white birch growing from the stump, we might say, of a pine tree. From the way the pine tree is disappearing ^klaine will have to change her other name. There Avas a time when pine was the only tree cut in the State; now the spruce and hemlock are also fast disappear- ing. But worse than the woodchopper are the pulp mills. They clean out everA'thing in sight, large and small. Laws should ))e enacted protecting the young timber, or Maine will lose its attractiveness for the American sportsman. What a magnificent spectacle the woods of Maine must GS WllEKE THE .Sl'DUTSAJA.N E()\ 1-,S To IJMiEli have been when the pine was in its glory and the under- brush was an uidcnown (juautity ! "The sliades of night were falling fast" as the trainmen announced : "Noreross the next station." 'SA'e were some- what disapjiointed with Xoreross; for the taking-out place '\,^ Ambajejus Lake. of the most pn])ular canoe trip in the State we expected to see an u]i-lo-d:ite to\\'n, hut \\t' found it next door to nothing. But, as we were looking for ozone and not style, for (lie work of nature and not tliat of "the man in the over- alls," we entei'ed tlie liotel, al)Out tlie only l»uilding in town, ■wliere we put up for tlie niglit. (^'onnected A\itli the liotel Avas a sui)])ly stort^ The next ni(n-iiiug a\(' hiid in our supi)lii's for llie West P.raucli tri]). A\'e left Xoreross on a lill 1" sicaiiier whidi runs tlirough WHERE THE SPOETSMAX LOVES TO LINGER. 69 Nortli T^^•m, Pemailiimeook and Ambajejns Lakes. As one sails np those lakes there is constantly in view and nearer and nearer he approaclies old Katahdin. Thousands of lo_f^s were floating on the surface of the lake, as the West Brauch drive had just gotten through. We had quite an exciting Loon, or Great Northern Diver. and amusing experience on the little steamer which i)lies between Norcross and Ambajeius Falls. The deck of the boat Avas loaded with sportsmen, both men and women, canoes and dunnage, and we Avere all enjoying the delight- ful l;rip, when, witli a roar, volumes of steam burst from the pilot-house; and the pilot, who acted as captain, deck- hand, assistant engineer and cook, all combined in one, (0 WHERE THE SPORTSMAN LOVES TO LINGER. canio rnsliiiic: out of the pilot-liouse, yelling, "Over -with the lifeboats^."' Everylxidy thought the boat was goiDg to blow up. Over went the eanoes, over Avent the passengers, some landing in the eanoes, others in the water. It seems a stop-cock on a steampipe in the pilot-house had burst. The combination pilot, captain, deckhand, assistant engi- neer and cook rushed back into the pilot-house and, in an attempt to shut off tlie steam, choked, fainted and got scalded, ^ye might as well have stayed where we were, as tlie steam soon exhausted itself. It was one of those cases when the crew lost its head. The passengers r^eturned to the l)oat and attempted to reA'i^e the "comltination.'' In- stead of attending to tlie poor fidlow's wounds, everyliody suggested giving him whiskey, wliicli resulted in completely stupefying liini. As our boat was being towed back to Norcross alarming reports preceded us. The family of the "combination," physicians "who had been telegraphed for along the line and the few inhabitants of the hnvn were there to meet us. Everybody was symi)athetic as tln^v l)egan to carry out the "dead," and were surprised and relie^•ed to find that the only "dead one" was tlie "comliination." After a hasty examination bv the physicians and explanations l)y the passengers "a walk around the block" brought the "com- bination" back to life, little the worse for his experience as a navigator over the waters of Maine. And the last we heard of him he was singing "The Yarn of the 'Xancy Beir ■• : "O, I am a cook and a captain bold, And the mate of the 'Xancy' brig, And a bo-sun tight, and a midship mite, And the crew of the cn])tain"s gig." WHEUE TEIE SPUUl'S.MAX L(JVE>S TO LINGER. 71 We were trajisferred to aiiotLer stt'auicr, and at the head of Aml)ajejus all our belongiugs wei'e unloaded aud again the Avild life of the canoeist was before us. The guides were again our guardians. All will admit there is a difference whether you are going up hill or down. Debconeag Falls. Evei'j'thing so far was down stream, but now we were "up against it." Where one canoeist goes up the West Brancli hundreds go do^^■n. As the day was well gone, we camped on tl»e shore of Ambajejus Lake, and while lying on our bough bed, listening to the continuous wail of the great Northern diver, IMorpheus claimed us as liis own. Before us for the next day was tjie liardest day's work for the guides of the entire trip. There were five carrys iZ ^^'IIERE THE SI'ORTSMAN LOVES TO LINGER. on the next ten miles, but it was surprisini:;; to see how easily and quiekly the Indians made them. That night we camped Avhere Abol stream enters the ^\'est Branch, at the foot of what Pike's Peak is to the Rockies, the "tie to" of Northern Maine, Katahdin Jlountain. "Katahdin is the monarch of mountains; They crowned him long ago On a throne of rocks, in a robe of clouds, With a diadem of snoAV." WHKUE THIO SrOETSJrAX LOVKS I'O LINGER. CHAPTER VI. \vj:,st p.raxch — mocjnt katahuix to sourdnaiiunk dead WATER. Fortunate it was for a poor guide on Pockwockamus Carry that the dental colleges of to-day require students who graduate tlierefrom to be thorouglily proficient in an- atomy. ^A'liile the guides were making the carry we strolled along tlie river bank, casting our lines for an occasional speckled beauty. The Pangor Indian came rushing to us, saying there was a man hurt, ^^'e found a guide lying on the ground, sutt'ei-ing excruciating pain. It seems he had stunddiHl while carrying a canoe and had dislocated his knee-joint. They were about to take him to Norcross, when the Bangor Indian informed the party that a doctor was one of liis party. All hands made way for the doctor. The o])erating table was tlie ground and sympathy the ana'S- tlietic. Tlie doctor stripped the clothing from the guide's leg, placed him in a proper position, put his knee on the dislocated bone, and ordered us to catch hold of the fel- low's leg and pull. ^Vith a groan from the guide and a snap of the bone the knee went back into place. The Doc- tor informed the party that they had l)etter set up a tent tlien and tliere, as the [>atient A\'Ould not 1ie able to move for a fortnight. It generally takes about four round-trips to make a 74 ^^'IIEI;E the srortTSiiAN loves to lin(;er. carry. The caiKK- is uwually the first load, and is carried Ixjttom side up on the shouJders of the oujde. Then fol- lows tiie rest of the outfit, the guide taking on each trip about wliat he tliinks he can conveniently lug. Straps such as soldiers use in carrying their knapsacks are used Pockwockainus Dead \\'ater. in c-arrying the tents and l)edding, whicli are covered with wateryiroof blankets. The longest carry for the guides on the West Brancli is PockAvockamus; and on the East Branch, ITaskell Rock, both aliout tliree-()uarters of a mile. On the Allagash ther(> is only one carry, \\-e niiglit say, and Ihat a sliort one, at Allagash h'alls, in conseciin'nce of Avhicli tlie .\llagasli trip was becoming very ])oi)ular. ,V guide al- ways breathes easier when the "sports" infoi'm him that lliey are goi)ig to i:il<(' llie Allagiish (rip. WHERE THE SPORTSAIAX LOVES TO LINGER. 75 From our infancy wo liave heard of Plvmoutli Eock and the rockbouud Xew England Coast, liut tlie rocks of the kState of Elaine are not all along the coast line. Canoes can testif}'^ that there are a few along the rivers. The rocks along the AUagash East and West Branch show evidence Pockwockamus Carry. of contact with canoes by tlie paint left thereon. If it were not tJiat tlie constant flow of water for ages has worn tlie rocks sniootli, the canoe tri]ts tliat afford so much pleasure to the sportsman could not be accomplished. AVe doubt if there are any more rocks in a given space in the State of Elaine, or in any otlier State, for that matter, than there is at Pockwockamus Falls, on the West P.ranch of the Penol)scot Pi^er. There are enough rocks there to build tlie foundations for all the skyscrapers that will be i(> W'UVAIE THE SroRTS^rAX LOVES TO LIXCEU. erected (ui ^faiiliattaTi Island duriiij:;- tliis generation. It loolvs as if Till' rtuiirenie Bein^u'. when lie commenced dis- tributinji' stones along the West Rraneh, mnst liave become leg-Avearv or went on strike wlien He reached Poekwocka- mus Falls and tliere dumped the balance of His load. One gets lols (if unldoor exercise between Ambajejns Lhkeand Abol sjveam ; in fact, we got so much of it that we were reminded nf the slory of 1he English letter-carrier. His ronte -was on (he outskirts of London, and in ordei' to make his rounds he was coiii]ielle:l to walk seventeen miles a ibiy. n'he jioor fellow bi-oke down niider the sirain, was taken ill and sent foi' a (lo<-tor. The doctor examined his pnlse, looked al his tongue and asked the letter-cai-rier his WIIKKE THE ej'ORTSMAX LOVES '10 LINGER. 77 occupation. T!ic lettcr-can-ier told liiiu he was in tlie Post- office Department. Tlie wise dia,i;nostician, inferring tliat his patient Avas confined in some dingy postal office, thought he was safe in saying, "AMiat you -want is outdoor exercise." AMiile in camp at tlie foot of JMouut Katahdin we were to start anotlier meat market, witli the same l)rand of goi»ds we had in stock at Churchill Lake, and we were also to ascend the mountain; so we had the Indians lay out the camp in due and ancient form. Obtaining venison along tlie \^'est r>rancli is a mucli more risky l)usiness than along the Allagasli, as where you will meet one canoeman on the Allagash vou will meet hundi'eds on the ^Vest Branch. 78 W'llKKE THE .SPORTSMAN LOVK.S TO LINGER. Tliere A\a.s iiume iu plenty, and all night long you could lieai' the "Idow" of the deer and the heavy tramp of the moose. One of the few noises denoting the ]3resence of game is the snort of the deer through curiosity. This same curiosity has cost many of them their lives. They are like the horse in the jiasture who sees some strange object and cannot rest until he finds out Avhat it is. The silent ap- proaching canoe has held game as if riveted to the ground, they thinking there is no danger until the floating object conies nearer, little knowing that the deadly rifle has them already in range. The hunter Avho has never visited Maine during the closed season has no idea how tame the game is. One has no difficult.y getting within a coujile of canoe-lengths of deer and moose. They are constantly around the camp, day and night. It is an awful temptation to the average sportsman. One of the guides remarked, "Thej' seem to know when it is closed season." AVlien October comes and the firing begins they awake to a sad realization that it is no longer "rbised season." After breakfast, leaving the Indians at home, we took a stroll along the river bank. The only game we saw that afforded us any Icind of a shot was a deer across the river. It was a long shot, but we scored a hit. Returning to the camp, we were soon paddling to where we thought we had shot the deer. After a long hunt we were startled in seeing the deer a hundred yards from where A\'e shot it, dragging its hind parts. It had been shot in the back, paralyzing its hind legs. We soon put it out of its misery. It is sur- prising that, no matter what the conditions, seldom do game make any noise; there was that animal in awful agony, yet not a sound did it give forth. If any reader of this narrative ever takes the West WHERE THE SL'OKTJSilAX LOVE.S '10 LIX(;EU. 79 Branch trip, lie should not neglect asteudiiig Monnt Katah- diu. The view from its Hnmniit is no doubt one of the most inspiring in all tliis land. The day we made the ascent From Mount Katalidin's Summit. the camp was early astir, as it is a hard and long day's tramp to the summit and return. At sunrise, with the two Indians, Ave started on the spotted trail that leads along ►Sandy stream and through the dense forest to Avhat is called the ''slide." In the eai-ly forties a landslide oc- 80 WHERE THE SPORTSMAN LOVES TO LINGER. curred on the southern slope of the mountain. Up and up that gravellv, rocky pathway we and the two Indians dup: ahmg. Six hours after we left camp we were on the summit. Mount Katahdin reminded us of the Eockies, on account of its timber line. One could easily imagine that the beautiful lakes, mountains and streams, spread out be- fore us as far as the glass could reach, would some day be the summer homes of America's multi-millionaires. For a time a passing thunder storm, halfway down the moim- tainside, obstructed our view. The sun was but a few hours high when we began the ascent; notwithstanding it grew dark, the Indians followed the spotted trail to the camp, a])d that ended tlie hardest day's work on the entire trip. While we were in camp at the foot of ^Mount Katahdin we met some friends from Chicago, who invited us to spend a da,v or two at their camp on Sourdnaliunk Lake to enjoy the fishing. If the angler wants to satisfy his heart's de- sire, he can find no better place in all INIaine than in the Si:)urdnaluink region. The little ponds along Sourdnahunk stream abound with speckled beauties, and they rise to any kind of fly. "A-sudden, the speckled haviic of the brook Darts fi'om his covert and seizes the hook. Swift spins the reel; with easy slip The line plays out, and the rod, like a whip, Litlie and arrowy, tai^ering, slim. Is bent to a bow o"ei' the brooklet's brim, Till the trout leaps up in the sun and flings The spray from the flash of his finnj' wings." We had often admired tlie head and horns of an immense moose in our friend's Chicago banking house, aud, now that \^'IIEUE THE SPOGTBMAN LOVES TO LINGER. 81 ^\Q wove on the lake wliere lie secured it, we heard the story of tlie trick, often tried, but seldom accomplislied, of simu- lating the call of the cow moose and bringing the bull. "One clear, crisp afternoon one of the guides informed the camp of his intentions. Fashioning n megaphonic horn "Good Horning, Mr. Trout! How Are All the Family?" of birch liark, lie went about a quarter of a mile from the caiiqi, \\iiere a toting road ended at the lake. We soon heard echoing (hnnigli (he tinilier and over the lake an exact imi- tation of the long drawn-out, weird, ner\'e-racking plaint of the cow moose. At intervals the guide continued the call. Yon coubl hear a pin drop in the camp. Between times one could hear The busy 'stake-driver,' the report of the gun of some distant hunter and the wail of the loon. While ^\■e were intently listening one of the guides jumped to his 82 WHERE THE Kl'OltTHMAN L(J\'E.S TO LIxXliEtt. feet, i-i'iiiarkini^', 'Did you liear that?' Like the animals that roam tliose forests, the guides acquire a keen sense of sight and liearing. Tlie guide continued calling with re- newed vigor. Soon the Avhole camp heard, far away to- ward ilount Katahdin, the faint answer of the monarch Our Chii-ngo Friend's Camp, Sourdnabunk Lake. of tlie forest. One of the guides estinuited the distance as at least seven miles. One could hear the answering call ])lain]3', and tlicn hardly ixTccjililiU'; yet we could tidl that (lie animal was gradually ai>prt)ac]iing. Three of us hid behind trees a sliori distance hack from the loli' road. ".Vfter two hours of ijalicut waiting, and just as the sun was sinking, with Hie cracking of dry-ki and smashing of limbs, I he huge, pan ling beast came in sight on a ledge some distance u[i tlie road. lie was iiind to his belly, WHEIIE TIIK rirORTS.UAN LOVES TO LINGEK. 83 caiLsed by wallowing through bogs on his hasty trip. He stood for a moment, grunting and scenting the air. The guide, who had in the meantime climbed a tree, continued Find the Fish. to call. The moose, being on high ground, and in tlie twi- liglit, looked as I)ig as an elepliant. The wind was blowing toward him, and he no doubt scented us; yet down the tote road, ■\^'ith that aAvkward though rapid gait, he came, head erect and his great antlers brushing the bouglis. Woe 84 WHERE THE SP()1!TS:\IAX LOVES TO UNfJER. l)e to the poor marksman wlio undertalves to stop a moose under such conditions. Just as he os- ton. The questicm arose regarding shooting deer out of season. It seemed to be the universal ojunion tliat the in- tent of the law was solely to ju-evcul the wanton destruc- tion of game, not that one should dc]uive himself of fresh meal", IciHed for liis own iiiimeilinte use. It is llie general opinion among lawy<'rs that if a case was carried to the WHERE THE SroUTSJIAX LOVES TO LIXCER. 85 ln_!j,lier coiirt tliat coni-t would hold tliat a sportsman who killed i;am(' oi;t of season for his own use while in camp was not violating the intent of the law. In TOur stock of provisions it is AAell to take some plug toliacco, even if you do not chew it. We placed a certain plug where it did us a whole lot of good. While Ave were in camp at the foot of 3Iount Katahdin, on the West Branch, a bateau Avas seen coming up stream loaded with barrels and boxes of prfivisions. They stopped opposite our camp, and a very gooddooking fellow came ashore and asked if \vq had any plug tobacco. We made him a present of a plug. He was transporting su])plies for some civil engineers avIio were building a dam at Sourduahunk Falls for a corporation known as the fxreat Northern Company. Horses and a sleigh called a "jumper" were used by the company transporting the supplies over the carrys. Some- times the carry Avould be on one side of the river and then on the otiier. necessitating the horses swimming the river. They seemed to sense the situation and took to the watej' as if tliey liad some duck Idood in their veins. Thegi'eat question in tlie lundteriug business in the State of Maiiu' is to get sufficient water to float a log tf» the mill. The Great Northern must have a pull with the poAvers that be, as they dam up the riA'ers, overfloAv the lakes and change tlie Avater courses of the State Avith impunity. But a man living Avhere Tammany Hall rules supreme does not throw up the s|)onge if he happens to run up against a pull; if he did the sponge would lie in the air all the time. The incident of the plug of tobacco had passed out of mind as we broke camp and started on our trip up the river, "\^']len we reached the foot of Sourduahunk Falls A\e Avei e surprised to again see the young man to Avhom we ]iad given the tobacco. It seems he Avas the boss of the SG wherl: the sportsman loves to linger. truusportatioii lines along the West Branch of the Great IS^orthern Company. Lie invited us to the supply camp, insisted on our taking dinner, and made us a present of Grub for Knights of the Tripod. some delicious fruit, liad his men help us over the carry, and telejdioned to the man who totes ])arties over IJipo- genus t'arry to he on tlie lookout for the ''most a.cconimn- datiug sportsmen tliat ever went u}) the West Branch." WHEltE THE Sl'OUT.SJIAN LOVES TO LINGER. 8i CHAPTER VII. SOUKDNAHUNK DEAD WATER TO CIIESUNCOOK. Our next camping place was on Sourdnaliunk dead water, at the foot of the Horserace, and was the ideal canijnng ground of the entire trip. Here the river broad- ens into a miniature lake, calm and placid, the banks easy of access and timbered, not with the Maine jungle, but similar to the woods of the Central states, into which one can see long distances. Spring water and birch altound, the scenery is pictures(iue beyond description, deer and moose are plentiful, ami the waters of the nearby brooks are alive with delicious trout. There the weary toiler from the hot city will find his haven of rest. He will imleed believe that "God made the country and man made the town." The next two miles before us was the dreaded Horse- race, a second Chase's Carry, and the toughest proposition for the canoeist along the Avhole West Branch trip. It is diflicult and dangerous to go down, but going down is not a bagat(_'lle to going nj.). The way the waters run no doubt gave it its name. Along the river banks of [Maine there are paths made by lumbermen and game on which one can easily walk. The day we went up the Horserace we were to meet our lirst misfoi-tune of any consequence, los- ing practically all our provisions. The Horserace going 88 \A'riEI!i:. TIIK SI'OKTSilAN LOVES TO LINHER. down can be run on tlie paddle, but i^oms^ up canoes liave to be led all the way. From the hitih cliffs along the river bank we could see the Indians in the valley below battling witii the rnsliiiig ^-atci-s among tlie rocks. The Kiueo Indian got reckless, and in endeavoring to Author's Tent, Where the Narrative Was Drafted. pole his canoe upset it, and, ^\ith the exception of some salt pork and prunes that were in the other canoe, our stock of provisions mingled witJi the waters of the Horse- race, to be seen no more. Yet with all his faults we loved him still. ITe was the cook, and a good one. We have eaten many a meal at swell restaurants along uppei" Broad- way that rould not comjiare in the art of cooking with that of the head of our culinary department — the gentlenmn frtmi Kineo, WHERE THE SPORTSMAN LOVES TO LINGER. 89 Wliile we were in camp on Sourdualiunk dead Avater we came near witnessing a terrible tragedy tlirongli tlie crimi- nal oversight of a careless hunter and the lacli of linowl- edge on the part of a parent. A gentleman from St. Lonis, with Iiis family, was camping a short distance from us. Sourdnahunk Stream. His family consisted of his wife and two children — a son about twelve years old and a daughter ahout six. A little l)elow where the St. Louis nmn camped was a sandy beach, wliere tlie cliildren played much of tlunr time. During tlie summer the coat of the deer is red, -whereas later in the fiill it slieds its coat of red and brown hair comes in its place. Tlie night before the incident occurred a party came do\\-n the river and pitched their tent on the opposite sliore from the sandy beach, distant about half a mile. 90 WHEKK THE SPORTSMAN LOVES TO LINGER. The day of the incident the mother unfortunately dressed the little girl in red. The brother had taken his sister to their favorite playing grounds, and, unbeknown to the parents, had gone tlshiug in a nearby brook. We heard a shot, and almost at the same time a eanoe pushed out from the opposite shore, headed toward the sandy beach. The canoe had gone only a few lengths when it turned, and the occupants paddled rapidly back from where it started. In tlie mean\^■hile we saw the little girl running toward us, crying as if her heart Avould break. We all rushed down to meet her. She was holding a little, headless doll in lier hands. From all appearances the head had been shot off. The Indian guides, who had heard the shot and seen tlie action of the canoe, informed us that the little girl had no d(mbt been taken for a deer. In com- pany with the Doctor and the St, Louis man we crossed the river to the camp, and it was "with difficulty Ave re- strained the father from giving the impertinent fellow we found there the whipping he deserved. If there was an example made of some of those careless hunters, who shoot without know ing what they are shooting at, there would be a few less dead men carried out of the Elaine woods. Big Eddy was our next camping place, and there we spent the Jiiost miserable time of all our trip. Fighting black liies and ''no see em's" on a diet of salt pork and prunes is not a very enjoyable occupation. If it were not for a smudge campers-out would pass many sleei^less nights. The next three miles Avas over the roughest carry and alongside of the grandest gcu'ge in the State. Big Eddy is at tlie foot of Kipogenus (loi-ge, the dread of the hunber- men of llie A\'est r>i-anch. The water rolls and tumbles owv and aiiKing greai in-eciiiiccs, and when Ihe di-ive is WHEER THE SI'ORTSMAX LOVES TO LINGER. 91 on log jams are of frequent oeeurrence. In the settlement of the early West there was a common expression that "life there was death to women and oxen." The Ripogenus Carry and gorge is death to horses and logs. On all the otlier carries the enides either did the carrv- Sourdnahunk Palls. ing or our outfit was transported by wagon ; but a two- horse sleigli, or, in other Avords, a "jumper," was the means of conveyance over that carry. With the canoes and dun- nage securelj' tied on the jumper, we star-ted on foot over the three miles that ended at Ilipogeuus Lake. It was Cliase's Carry on sliore. Over stumps, logs and boulders the horses picked their way and the "jumper" jumped. We expected any moment the jumper to upset or climl) a tree. Home of the gulleys were so steep they had to snul) 93 WHEliE THE f4rOi;TS:MAN LOVES TO LINGER. tlie jumper witli a rope to keep it from jumping clear over the horses. If ever a person earned six dollars, the old man who jumped us across that carry was the individual. Ripogenus Gorge. "We paddled across IJiponcnus Lake, anotlier short carry, aiile])hoinnL;', uiiknown to anybody, said a man had shot a caribmi and they were holdini; Ihe culpi'it. There are always game warck'us at WHEK]'; THE Sl'ORTSMAN LOVES TO LINGER. 99 Kiueo, aud two iiiuuodiately stai'ted dowu the West Braiu-h. On their arri\al at (_'hesuiieook they found the priwjuei" in a barn, -with two or three fellows sittiui;, on him, and they wanted to know the whereabouts of the cari- bou. They were informed that the "Caribou" had gone down the lake, Imt would l)e back shortly. The wardens finally ascertained A\hat kind of a caribou had been shot, and nuide an unsuccessful hunt for the fellow who did the telephonini;'. The boys, getting tired of sitting on the prisoner, telephoned to the sheriff, and the day aftei' our arrival tlie sheriff and his prisoner started in a canoe for the shire-town. 100 WHERE THE SPORTSMAN LOVES TO LINGER. CHAPTER VITI. TO GR.VND LAKE. We laid in sufficient provenfler at Chesuncoolc for tlie trip to Crindstone, and tlie nioriiinii' after our arrival at tlie hotel saw our canoes a.nain t-rossinji' the head of the lake for T'^ndiazookus stream. Ac:ain "\ve were toted across jMud Pond Carry; a.uain cut the waters of ;Mud Pond, with its lily ]iads and moose, and down tlie outlet again to Chamberlain Lake. Our cours(^ lay down the lake instead of up it. As we reached Telos Lake the afternoon was fast ])assinji- away, and on its shore we pitched our tents for tlie first niijht l>y the waters that flow to the l']ast Bi-anch. The devout auiiler campini;' at T(dos Lake should take tln^ nule tramp over to Coffeelos; there he will tind as i;ood fish- in.n' as in the ponds of the Sourdnahunk reiiion. While ]iassin,n- down the outlet from ^lud Pond we nu^t conrin.ii nj) the nai'i'ow, rocky channel a canoe, or, uuir(> projx'rly speakino-, an impi'ovised and)ulance. A poor fel- ]ow had had his leji' cruslied. at the tramway hetween Ea.iile and ('hand)(>rlain Lakes, and his companions wer(> hurryinji' liim (o Kir,(>o, sixty miles distant, it beinji' the nearest l>lace where he could receive nu'dical treatment. You who live in the city, with a doctor on every block, think of what this man had to endure. \"\'HEJ!E THE SI'(.)1!TS^JAX LOVES TO LINGER. 101 AMieii the accident happened he was seventy miles from a physician and nearly a hundred miles from a railroad. He was placed in a bateau, rowed ten miles down Cham- berlain, transferred into a caooe, taken up Mud Pond out- let and across I\Iud Pond, transferred to a wason and 'Suncook'"— storm Cuiiiiiif transported over the rousili and rocky :\lud Pond Carry, ]drtccd in a canoe, passed over Umliazookns Lake down the nine miles of Umbazookns stream, across Chesuncook Lake, and then poled and paddled twenty miles up the West Branch to Northeast Carry, placed again on a wagon, trans- ported over the carry to Moosehead Lake and then twenty miles by steamer doAvn the lake to Kineo, reaching a physi- cian thirty-six hours after the accident. How would that strike the impatient invalid who growls at the nurse if his 102 A^'HEKE THE HPORTSilAN LUVES '} LINGER. A\aiit8 are not satisfied as soon as tlie button is pressed? The ladies seem iiieliued to ftjllow tlie men to tlie woods, as they have on tlie bicvele and ,n<>lf i;roiinds. They need not fear the fatii^ue of a canoe trip over the waters of Maine, as they Avili find it far less fatiguing than a season s])ent at one of our summer hotels ; nor need thej' wait for an escort, as in the hands of the ro\gistered guides of IMaine they are as safe as if they were Mitli a brother, and much more so than in the company of the average young man of to-da,y. They can rest assured they will he welcome, as we had evidence of that Mliile we were on Telos Lake. A large party from Louisville, Ky., among whom were sev- eral 3'oung ladies, were in camp not far from us, and we noticed that all the "sports" who were on Telos and Cham- berlain seemed to spend their evenings close to the girls. Some six months after our sojourn there we received cards inviting us to a wedding, the bride and bridegroom having fii"st met on pictures(]ue Telos. The daj' after our arrival on Q'elos we had a seance with some feathered fowl, and we are not likely to re]ieat the experience. l.,eaving the guides at home, we went on an unsuccessful expedition foi- another supply of venison. Not a deer or a moose did we see. On the rivers and lakes of Maine one often sec^s tlocks of young diic'ks skipping along, too young to fly; they are always led by the old ones. As Ave Avere coming out of a small tributary of Telos, just as we entered the lake, not less than forty ducks came out of the grass, slid into the water, and started swimming up the lake. "We fired our rifle and expected them to rise and fly; as they did not, we, of course, thought they were too young, and so an easy task to run do^^•n. Away went the ducks, churning the water, and we after them. Soon they strung out in line, one seeming to be WHERE THE SPORTSMAN LOVES TO LINGER. 103 the leader, AvUich kept up a i)eculiar noise — a call, we in- ferred. We ijaddled with all our strength, the ducks kick- ing up the water in great shape, making a noise like a cataract. Occasionally they would rest for a moment; we thought they were A\-inded and that we were gaining on Tlie Detr We Couldn't Eat. them, but the gaining Avas merely a delusion. For several miles we kept up the chase, but finally, through exhaustion, were compelled to call a halt and started home. We did not mention the occurrence to our guides, as we were not very anxious for them to know that we had been making fools of ourselves. AVe were under the impression tliat if our wind had not given out and we could have con- tinued a mile or two further we would have bagged the 104 WHERE TFIE SroRTS^iIAX LOVES TO LINGER. game, but that evenino- -no learned to the contrary. We determined to find a solntioii of the problem that very night. Further up the lake was another camp. After sup- per Ave pushed one of tlie canoes into the lake aud called on the occupants of the other camp, to "feel" of them con- What We Saw ou Webster Lake. ceruing our experience of the afternoon. We ajiproaehecl the subject carefully, and had asked but a few questions when they all broke into a laugh, they having seen the whole circus and having been themselves taken in by the same game. They had seen us going hcune and, thinking we had tired the ducks out, proposed to bag the whole bunch ; so into their canoes they went after the ducks, and, from what they told us, they ran them at least three miles further up the \viii:re The sroKTs>rAx love.s to linger. 105 lake, M'ith the same result. So we Avould suiigest that if any hunter wants to hacj ^Maine ducks he had better try them on the wing and not on the water. The next day we were more successful in supplying- our "meat market." But the meat we threw away; we could Entering Grand Lalie. not liear to eat it. It was a doe we killed, and she was giving milk, '\^'e imagined Ave could see the helpless little fawn in that Icmely Avilderness waiting and starving for the mother that ucA-er returned. AA'e decided then and there to lay aside our firearms for the rest of the trip, and we kept our resolution. The thought of what we had done saddened in a measure the balance of the trip. We de- rived some consolation from the fact that if Ave were the lOG WIIEKE THE SPORTSMAX LOVES TO LIXOER. means of tlio death of a fa^A-n at Telos, we savwl one ou tlie AUai^asli. Fortunate it is for those "who traverse the woods of Maine for pleasui-e or profit tliat upon nearly all the lakes are the hahitations of man. Few of the lakes but have their Dream That Came True. spornng camps, generally kept by some tjuide. Telos was no exception. From a nuide at the sporting camp at the foot of the lake we heard some news concerning what they called "the second East Branch drive" which gave us little concern at tirst, l)ut which afterward nearly caused us to give up tJie trip down tlie East Branch. To hel]) the log drive along, the gates Avere up at the dam at the foot of Telos, giving pl(>nty of Avater to run our canoes tlu'ongh th(> cana.l 1o \\'ehslei" Lake. It seems that WHERE THE SrOETSMAX LOVES TO LINGER. 107 years ago the outflow of Telos and Chamberlain Lakes went do^\n the ^Mhigasli. All logs cut in that vast region reached tlie sea through Canadian waters, the lumbermen being compelled to pay the "Canucks" a tax thereon. To avoid this the lundtermen dammed up the outlet from Breaking Log Wings. Cl]aml)erlain — where we camped on the Allagash trip — and opened up tlie canal we Avere about to go down, thereby changing the flow of the water of these lakes and their tributaries from Canadian to American rivers. Tlie canal at the foot of Telos is a boisterous stream of water, somewhat rocky, and it reciuired expert canoeing on the ])art of tlie guides to float us safely into Webster l^ake. Chase's Can-y, on the Allagasli, and tlie Iloi-serace, on the 108 WHERE THE SPORTSMAN LOVES TO LINGER. AYest Branch, oot us i^ell acclimated to take the medi- cine dealt out to us along Webster stream. We found it as hard a problem to solve as one will meet in many a day, and before we got through it one of the canoes landed on a sharp ] ock, cutting a hole a foot long through the can- vas, compelling the occupants to jump into the river. The accident occurred just before we reached Indian Carry at the falls, Adhere Ave intended to camp for the night. In that smash-up Ave met Avith our greatest misfortune, losing a camera ccmtaining many of our pictures. With extra canvas, tacks and Avhite lead the canoe was repaired, and the next morning saAV us passing through Second Lake on down the thoroughfare to Grand Lake, the last lake of the trip. Tlirough an oversight, Ave discoA'ered, Avhen too far to turn back, that Ave had left a bag containing, among other things, oui' supply of tea, coffee and tobacco, where Ave had camped the night before. Fortunately there Avas a supply de])ot on (li'and Lake. The tea and tobacco Ave got there Avere passable, but the Avord "coffee" on the package Avas the only coffee alxiut it. As we neared the end of (Irand Lake Ave could hear the sound of oar-locks. With a glass Ave could see a bateau tilled A\ itli men towing logs and, further do\An toAA'ard the outlet, acres of logs tloating on the surface. Having been told \\ha1 dilticulties and dangers one encounteis in navi- gating streams Avbile a log drive is on, Ave looked forAvard to the balance of our trip Avith apprehensi(m. But Ave look buck to that forty miles from Grand l^ake to Gi-iudstone as the most exciting, interesting and instructive of the Avhole four hundred, as often in this life the dreaded expectancy proN'cs to lie a ])Ieasant materialization. Liltle does one reali:'.e, as lu> sits in his comfortable home. \'\iii:re the si'ortsmax loves to lixcjer. 109 Avliat hardsbips men have endured to obtain tlie materials that compose it. In the winter, with its deep snows and zero Aveatlier, far np on the mountainside the poorly paid woodchoppers -n'ork from early morn until late at night, some felling trees, others cutting off the limhs, sawing oft" Winter Scene. tlie tops and stripping the hark; others, Avith the aid of horses, hauling the logs down the mountainside onto the frozen lakes and streams, on which, as the ice goes out, they are floated to the mills. TIiCA' told us few parties take the East Branch trip, Iteing discouraged l)y guides, aaIio truthfully tell of its rough waters; so we were somewhat of a curiosity. The ^Mainc log-driver is generally French. There are a few Indians 110 WHERE THE SPORTSMAN LOVES TO LINGER. and au occasioual "Yank." The bosses are all Americans, some being younii' men and well educated. That night we camped at the dam at the foot of Grand Lake and saw for the first time the sluicing of logs. WHEKK THE Sl'URTi^JIA.X LU\ES TO LINGER. Ill CHAPTER IX. PEOJI GRAND LAKE HOME. The East Branch from Grand Lakf to Bowlin Pitch i.-i ahout an rough a piece of water as the aA-crage canoenian cares to tackle, and when, in addition, you have a lot of logs sailing on all sides, it is enough to give you a good start for a sanitarium. There was no alternative for us hut to go on Avith the logs, for if we waited for the drive to get through to Grindstone tlie business of a certain New York law office would come to a stop and the patients of a Bangor dentist would be howling with pain. The teleplione is a godsend to the river driver. Prior to its use, whenevei- there was a jam there was no way of stopping the oncoming logs or securing help except liy the slow information conveyed by men on foot. We found the telephone all along the East Branch. At all the falls, rapids and sharp l)ends in the river were telephone boxes nailed to trees, with men nearby ready to notify those above of any jam below. The day we selected to start from Grand Lake, on ac- count of a jam furtlier down, they stopped sluicing, leaving the river free of logs and affording its smooth sailing to ►Stair Falls. At that point there is a carry. As we neared Haskell Rock we could see logs and trouble ahead. They were holding back the logs on account of the jam below. ll::i WIIEKE THE SI'ORTSMAN LUVES TO LIKCiEU. The l)aiiks of the ri\er wliere we struck the logs was low, the Avater- backing far iuto the interior. There was a quar- ter of a mile of logs between us and Haskell IJock; the afteruoou was waning awaj-; tliere was no place to camp there, au'l we wei-e simjih' being devoured by that affection- ftlakiug a Carry Over Logs. ate little creature, tlie mos(piito, wliich seems to be ever in evidence, A\]ietlier jon are in the tropics, under the bandtoo tree, or in the Arctic Circle seekiug gcdd along the Yukon. After two hours of ininching logs and dragging the canoes over them we struck solid ground tliat led to Haskell Rock. There are always pitched at convenient distances along tlie river duriiig a log di'i\'e two tents — oue a large "leau- to," for the men to sleep in, and the other a place to eat. In the latter, called a '•wangan," are the cook's (piarters, WIIi:UE THE SrOUTSMAN LOVES TO LIX(;ER. 113 ■wlicre all the cookiug is clone. There ave no more lios- jiitable set of men on earth than the cooks in the woods of ]\Iaine. As a stranger enters a. "wangan" almost the first word spoken is an invitation from the cook : "Will you have a dish of l)eans and a cup of tea?" No one knows -Hulling Machine. Rouncling Log Wing wlien a stranger enters a "wangan" where he comes from. Possibly he has been lost in tlie woods and is in a starving condition. ^^'llile we were in camp that night at Haskell Rock we were informed by the Bangor Indian that the lioss of the rear of the drive was eating his supper in the "wangan." Our experience with the average New York politician had taught us that it was not a bad idea to get on the right side of the "man higher up." From the men along the line 114 \A'ni;(tE THE si'out.sman loves to lincer. we -would likely seek iiiforuiatiou and possibly re(]uire as- sistance. We knew something about the potency of whis- key, especially in a prohibition State, where a river driver was concerned. One (luart bottle of the two we had pur- chased at Clair's, on the Canadian frontier, opposite Fort Taking a Breathing Spell. Kent, remained. On several occasions we noticed that the Kineo Indian had his eye on it, and, feariuji' that he niijiht .li'ct liis hand on the object of his eye and paint some "wan- pm" tlie same beaidiful color he had the little New Bruns- wick town (d' Connors, we proceeded to ])lace that bottle of '•medicine" wliere it would do the most ^ood, and it proved to be the best investment we made on the entire trip. There is a i^reat (liirerenc(> lietween a New Yorker and a New Englaudei' as regards .iictting ac(iuainted. It did not WHERE TBIE .SPORTyjlAX LOVES TO LINGER. 115 take us long to get a little Scottish importation inside of the anatomy of the boss of the rear of tlie h)g drive and tlie bottle in one of his hip pockets. Just before we retired for the uiglit the Bangor ludiau poked his head into our tent, telling us: "Evervthing is O. K. You fixed it." '*»ai' Up Agaiuat It at Last. Next daj' Ave started doAvu tlie river with the logs, a canoe accompanying us, occupied by two river drivers, as a "wind shield" against the logs. Across all the carrys the occu- pants of the canoe assiste^l us. The word was telephoned along the line: "Distinguished party coming down the river; render all assistance." ^Vhat an important message that was to us. Instead of meeting a lot of rough river drivers, an army of Chesterficdds was continually at our ser- vice. Our recei^tion was like the triumphant return of the 11 (i WHERE THE SPORTSMAN LOVES TO LINGER. victor 'witli tlie spoils of war. Even tlie stolid Iiidiaii guides could not help but smile at the secjuel to the x^resentatiou of that bottle of nerviue. The inuoceut log-driver thought he was paying homage to some high and mighty potentate, and it seems cold-blooded that a beneficiary of his kind- ness should 1)6 rhe first to puldish the deception to the Avorld. The Kineo Indian shed a few tears when we parted with our last drop of ''fire-water," but afterward admitted that "the New Yorker knows a trick or two." At Bowliu Falls, where we were to camp that night, ended the hard part of the river. There our escort bade us good-bye, aud ■we pirched our tents on the brink of the falls, where we were to pass the most memoral>le night of any yet exjierienced. It AAas a beautiful moonlight night; one could see tlie passing logs rolling and plunging over the falls into the whirlpool below. Occasionally a jam would form below the falls, and nu^n with dynamite A\ould break it, throw- ing pieces of logs from the v\yev valley fai' back into the Avoods. Bet^ween the plunging logs, roar of the waters aud discharges of dynamite there Mas an awful noise the whole night through. All the ne.xt day, down to Whetstone, Ave had many narrow escapes from being crushed, and it re- quired the best kind of a canocmau to save us from being sucked under Avhile rounding log wings. From AMietst(uie to (rrindst(in(\ the end of our canoe trip, Avas ten miles. From Avhat they told us up I'iA'er about the log jam at (irindstone, we cousidere^'hat a blessing it is that there are havens Avliere one can regain his health, without which this life is not worth the living! THE END.