24 Account of an Excursion to Mount Katahdin. 
opposite “ Dolby’s,” about six miles from Grand Falls. Here we 
found two log cabins, to which we went after crossing the river in a 
bateau belonging to one of them. After getting a miserable dinner 
we engaged two men to convey us in their boat to Grand Falls. We 
found the river very low, and had many opportunities of admiring the 
skill and coolness with which our boatmen managed their bateau, and 
forced it up rapids which at first seemed impassable. We stopped at 
the mouth of the Millinoket to fish for pickerel ; while our boat lay 
here, I observed in the water great quantities of Lobelia Dortmanna, 
Nymphaea odorata, Nuphar advena, Hydropeltis purpurea, Villar- 
sia lacunosa, Eriocaulon pellucidum, with stipes two or three feet 
long. The E. pellucidum is generally described as being but two 
or three inches in height; but the plants above referred to, as well 
as similar ones four feet long, which I have seen in ponds near Ha- 
verhill, Mass. do not appear to differ essentially from this species. 
The length of the stipe depends on the depth of water in which the 
plant grows. We also noticed here the leaves of a plant which I 
believe is Sparganium natans, Smith; these leaves were “ long, 
floating, flat, and pellucid,” about one fourth of an inch wide, and © 
from eight to ten inches in length. It grows abundantly in all the 
upper lakes of the Penobscot. A short time after we reached the 
settlement at Grand Falls, we were agreeably surprised by the arri- 
val of Prof. Barnes, who had set out from Matawamkeag Point in 
pursuit of us that morning, and performed on foot in one day the 
same distance for which we took part of two. We gave him a hearty 
welcome, and this evening determined upon our plan of proceeding 
to the mountain. We engaged two athletic ‘“ loggers” named Mac 
Astlin to act as guides and boatmen, and agreed to pay each two 
dollars per day for his services. 
At Grand Falls, the only settlement consists of two log huts, oc- 
cupied by persons engaged in logging. ‘They cultivate but little 
ground, and have most of their supplies brought up the river in boats. 
In the smoky garret of one of these huts we passed the night, and 
rose early on Thursday to prepare for our journey. While waiting 
for our breakfast I was much pleased by discovering at this cabin— 
the very out-post of civilization in this direction—a well thumbed 
pied of Scott’s Heart of Mid Lothian. ‘‘'There’s fame for you!” 
ng each procured a blanket, a pound of pork and a pound of 
bread per day, a little tea and salt, and by a lucky thought, each — 
taking a red flannel shirt, which afterwards proved very se | 
