GEOLOGICAL WANDERINGS 253 



on some tracts of a thousand acres there is not enough soil to hide the naked- 

 ness of a single acre. Bleak bare rocks channelled with all sorts of ugly 

 scars of ice. 



SOUTHWEST HARBOR, MOUNT DESERT, Thursday evening. 



... I came to-day from Sedgwick, first by carriage six miles, then by 

 fishing boat eight, then by carriage again eight to this place, saving thereby 

 nearly two days of time. To-morrow and Saturday morning I hope to finish 

 my work here and leave that noon for Machias, which lies about twenty miles 

 from Eastport. Sunday I shall, if all goes well, cross that distance, and if 

 nothing goes awry, get home on Tuesday morning. The mountains here 

 have been wrapped in clouds nearly all day. They have fine, strong outlines, 

 though too bleak to be beautiful. The deep inlets and lakes of the island give 

 it a peculiar beauty. After all I am inclined to think it the most beautiful 

 part of our shore. My ride to-day has been lonesome enough ; a drizzling 

 rain is not good company, and one tires of the unending march. 



EASTPORT, MAINE, Sept. 15. 



... I have kept up well under food at all hours and all fashions ; dined 

 to-day off of potatoes and pie. Within twenty-four hours have travelled in 

 two rowboats, one sailboat, one steamboat, one express- wagon, one buggy, 

 besides multitudinous goings afoot with baggage and without. Eastport has 

 burned down and been built up since I was here : the people I knew have died 

 save one old man, who I dare say has forgotten me. Eleven years brings its 

 changes. Of our Anticosti expedition three of the six, and the most strong, 

 are gone. 



The town is pretty, but a dreadful fog hole. It has, however, become a 

 place of summer resort. We are getting thickly crowded when the world comes 

 to this land of eclipse for summer. I fear I shall soon be bored with geology 

 if it keeps me away from you and your chickens. 



About this time Mr. Shaler also undertook several scientific 

 expeditions of a more or less private nature. One of these was 

 a journey with nine students, his family, and two men servants, 

 as far south as the White Sulphur Springs of Virginia. The party 

 started in wagons from Mr. Shaler's door in Cambridge, driving 

 or walking by day and sleeping in tents at night. He did not 

 urge the students to walk more than ten miles a day ; for, when 

 this limit is exceeded, he said, "your soul goes to your shoes 

 and you have not nervous force enough left to be keenly appre- 

 ciative of that which passes around you." 



