96 NEW ENGLAND AND THE AROOSTOOK. 



that name joins the west branch of the Penobscot, canoes 

 and Indians can be hired for a voyage up the last-mentioned 

 stream to Ambijejis, Chesuncook, Milhnoket, Bamedump- 

 cook, and other lakes which constitute its head- waters. The 

 scenery in some sections of this wilderness territory is grand 

 in the extreme. Its numerous waterfalls, its swelhng hills, 

 and in some instances towering mountains, from whose tops 

 may be counted an almost endless number of lakes, and the 

 vast groves of towering pines scattered at intervals over mil- 

 lions of acres of forest land, make it altogether one of the 

 wildest and most romantic regions imaginable. The Penob- 

 scot Eiver flows within striking distance of Mount Katah- 

 din — one of the most conspicuous and celebrated of the 

 mountains of Maine — an isolated peak, five thousand three 

 hundred feet high, growing out of the vast expanse of forest. 

 From a distance, looking westward, its upper outline resem- 

 bles the entire face, figure, and form of a recumbent giant, 

 stretched at full length. Its ascent has frequently been made, 

 though not without great personal risk. A description of a 

 mountain so rarely visited and so little kno^vn will not be 

 amiss in these pages ; it is taken from Springer's " Forest 

 Life and Forest Trees." The ascent was made in the early 

 part of September. 



" A ' slide ' seiTCS as a path to the top of the southeastern 

 ridge, which is above aU timber growth, and about two-thirds 

 of the whole pei*pendicular height. From the head of the 

 slide we ascended to the most eastern peak. It is perhaps 

 the most favorable spot for viewing the whole structure. 

 From thence the primeval peaks are in a curved line, going 

 southwest, then west and northwest. The second peak, called 

 the ' Chimney,' is nearly square in form, and separated from 

 the first by a sharp cut, one hundred and fifty or two hun- 

 dred feet deep. Ascending the Chimney we went from one 

 hummock to another, making on the whole a gradual ascent 

 till we reached the middle of the principal peaks, a distance 

 of nearly half-a-mile. Here we found a monument that had 



