22 THE PLANT WORLD 



and pleasant. Accordingly, upon the suggestion of his Honor, the Gov- 

 ernor, the writer alighted at Norcross, at the foot of North Twin Lake. 

 Here, he found a small steamer, the Gj'psy, that made regular trips at 

 intervals of two or three days through North Twin Lake, Lake Pema- 

 dumcook, to the head of steamboat navigation in Ambajejus Lake. The 

 steamer was about to leave when the train arrived, and the writer at once 

 engaged a passage. From Norcross to the upper end of Ambajejus Lake 

 is a distance of twelve miles. The steamer lands its passengers at the 

 camp of Selden J. McPheeter, where provisions, canoes and guides may 

 be procured for hunting, botanical, or fishing trips to the surrounding 

 country. 



Securing a guide in the person of Joe Cripps, and a canvas canoe, a 

 start was immediately made after a substantial backwoods dinner. The 

 first carry, or portage, was made about Ambajejus Falls, and the canoe 

 was launched into Passamagammet Dead Water. At the second carrj^ 

 above the lake around Passamagammet Rapids, the guide secured from 

 his cabin a rubber blanket, a woolen blanket, a teapot, a kettle, two tin- 

 cups, three plates, two knives and two forks, which with an ax, several 

 pounds of bread, a piece of ham, sweet cake, butter, salt, pepper, lard 

 and tea completed our simple outfit, packed securely in a carrying 

 basket and weighing in all about fifty pounds. Joe, the guide, carried 

 the ax and canoe over the portage on his shoulders, while the writer 

 "toted" the rest of the luggage in the Indian carrying basket. Passing 

 the rapids at Joe Cripp's log house, the canoe was paddled over the 

 smooth and placid surface of Debsconeague Dead Water, stopping to 

 rest and pay our resj^ects to Joe Francis, chief of the now civilized 

 Penobscot Indians. Joe Francis's camp is beautifully situated on the 

 broad waters of the West Branch of the Penobscot, in sight of Mount 

 Ktaadn, many miles back in the wilderness. The next portage was made 

 around Debsconeague Falls, and the canoe was again shoved into the 

 smooth water of the river above, known as Pockwockamus Dead Water. 

 Just as darkness was coming apace, a landing was made at the camp of 

 Benny Harris, at a place called Ktaadn View, where we spent the night 

 in a comfortable and well appointed log cabin of three rooms. In the 

 middle room, which served as dining-room and sitting-room, we dried 

 our wet clothing (having been caught in a thunder shower) before the 

 large open fire-place. Mr. Harris, the owner of the place, and his wife 

 spend the summer in camp, the winter in the settlements. The presence 

 of a woman, consequently, added considerably to keep up the appear- 

 ances of civilization. Mosquito screens in the doors and windows, a 

 well appointed kitchen, partitions covered with large strips of birch bark 

 in lieu of wall paper, books and novels in a book-case — all contributed 

 to make the cabin home-like and attractive. An Indian, off on a hunt- 



