NEW ENGLAND AND THE AROOSTOOK. 93 



been " thrown open to the public." Its natural outlet, the 

 Kennebec, was long the highway for the lumberman. Down 

 its rushing tide millions of logs were borne on spring freshets 

 to the mills and seaboard below ; and when the logging busi- 

 ness grew to gigantic proportions, and the ravages of the axe 

 had stripped the nearest accessible forests of their wealth of 

 timber, steam-tugs were employed to haul great rafts of logs 

 from the head of the lake to its outlet. This was the enter- 

 ing wedge that rived its portals. Soon an excursion steam- 

 boat was placed upon the lake, and hotels were built at 

 eligible points. The Kennebec Railroad extended its iron 

 highway from the Atlantic and Androscoggin Railroad to 

 Carritunk Falls ; and from thar point stages now run to the 

 lake. This splendid fishing-ground is accessible by an easy 

 journey from Portland. Hither the ladies come in the sum- 

 mer days with their " pianos and parasols/' and share with 

 the rougher sex the pleasures of the wilderness. v Tents dot 

 the islands and shores, fishing-boats traverse its tranquil 

 waters, and music floats sweetly at eventide over its waves. 

 Its whole extent from north to south is about forty miles, 

 and varies in width from one to eight. It is very irregular 

 in shape, deeply indented with bays and coves, and diversi- 

 fied with numerous islands. Many of these are mere ledges 

 of rock, covered with a scanty growth of cedar and fir, with 

 shores that drop perpendicularly into the water to a depth 

 of eighty or ninety feet. On the eastern side of the lake, 

 opposite the mouth of Moose River, Mount Kihneo rises 

 abruptly from the water like a huge artificial wall to the 

 height of six hundred feet, and close to its sombre sides the 

 largest ship might float. This lake abounds in " tuladi " or 

 salmon trout, and its tributaries with speckled trout that 

 weigh from one to three pounds. 



The Umbagog chain of lakes includes the Rangely, 

 Oquossoc, and Molly chunkamunk, and are famous for their 

 monster trout (Salmo fontinalis), which have been taken 

 weighing as high as twelve pounds ! These lakes are the 



