RIVER LIFE. 



193 



northern extremity of the flat the ridge curves to the east, and 

 rises to a peak about equal in height to the eastern peak of the 

 northern wing. This is probably the highest of the northern 

 peaks, from which a spur makes down, a little south of east, to 

 within one quarter of a mile from the one that comes from the 

 southern wing. All this nearly includes a deep basin, with walls 

 almost perpendicular, and in some places apparently two thou- 

 sand feet high. 



" To survey the bottom of this basin I have since made a sep- 

 arate journey. It contains perhaps two hundred acres, covered 

 with large square blocks of granite that seem to have come from 

 the surrounding walls. There are in all six lakes and ponds, 

 varying in size from two to ten acr.es. One of them I crossed on 

 ice the 15th of October. 



" From its outlet inward to the southwest is about a mile, 

 where there is a small lake of clear water which has no visible 

 outlet. So far as I can learn, I was the first human visitor to 

 this fabled residence of the Indians' Pamolah. It is not strange 

 that a superstitiovis people should have many traditions of his 

 wonderful pranks, and be kept away from close engagement with 

 such a foe. When we reach the lake on our way to Ktaadn, it 

 is easy to see the origin of those fears which the Indians are said 

 to have respecting the mountain as the residence of Pamolah or 

 Big Devil. Clouds form in the basin, and are seen whirling out 

 in all directions. Tradition tells a ' long yarn' about a ' hand- 

 some squaw' among the Penobscots, who once did a great busi- 

 ness in slaying her thousands among the young chiefs of her na- 

 tion, but was finally taken by Pamolah to Ktaadn, where he now 

 protects himself and his prize from approaching Indians with all 

 his artillery of thunder and hail. 



" The Indian says that it is ' sartin true, 'cause handsome 

 squaw always ketch em deble ;' whether this be true or not, the 

 basin is the birth-place of storms, and I have myself heard the 

 I 



