152 Rhodora. | [1901 
surpassing beauty and wildness. Now, while much of its former 
beauty remains, yet, in its ascent, we travelled the greater part of 
the way through an open rough and rocky country, from which the 
protecting forest had been almost entirely removed by the axe and 
by fire. Thus “progresses” everywhere the Maine wilderness. 
Some big primeval woods through which we climbed, well up Kat- 
ahdin's side, hitherto saved by their remoteness and inaccessibility, 
were, it was said, already doomed, and the trunks of these black 
spruces were this winter to follow their mates down the yearly 
diminishing current of the Wassataquoik to the saw mills. Some 
benefit however, from all this havoc had we in the logging camps, 
which derive their existence from this industry and which, at intervals 
each of several miles along our path, afforded us rude shelter and 
hospitality on our two days’ journey to our own “ Camp Kennedy." 
Two buckboards took us by the little wire ferry across the East 
Branch. At the outset we had a particularly exciting and boisterous 
passage through the low wet bottom lands which lay along the west 
bank. It was wet and miry, and as the mire was invariably much 
deeper on one side than the other, the center of gravity of our 
wagons was often dangerously near getting outside the base, and the 
woods rang with our shouts of alternate laughter and terror depend- 
ent upon which side at the moment was up and which down, ours or 
the other fellow's. 
Walking was here out of the question; there was too much water; 
so we stuck to our seats, observing the driver's direction, “ Just get 
your heft under you, then set on it"; but we rejoiced when after a 
mile we reached the dry land. Passing over the ridge between the 
two rivers we struck the Wassataquoik at Dacey Dam. ‘Thence our 
path lay along the left bank of the river, very gradually ascending. 
At noon we lunched at * Robar's," and before sunset, after some 
steeper grades and climbs, we reached the * Bell Camp" at the 
head of navigation for wheels. 
The log house was prettily situated above the steep river-bank. 
We had come that day about sixteen miles, and had acquired good 
appetites. There were trout in the river, and some of the party, 
instead of botanizing, undertook to provide for supper, with very 
good success. A notable collection was made en route in Zzszera 
auriculata, which grew in low ground by the river. 
Before stretching ourselves, some in bunks and some on the 
