FISHING IN MAINE. 147 



than England and Scotland together, it is desirable 

 that the particular locality should be mentioned. 

 Seventy miles from the thriving sea-port of Portland, 

 along the Grand Trunk line of railroad will be found 

 on the map the picturesque, clean, flourishing village 

 of Bethel ; twenty-seven miles north from it Lake Um- 

 bagog. Here you have the last settlement, and by 

 follow^ing up the Androscoggin River, wdiich enters 

 the top of the last-mentioned lake, you get into a per- 

 fect labyrinth of lakes and j^onds, united together by 

 brawling streams, only navigable by the lumber- 

 man's flat or Indian's birch-bark. On all sides precip- 

 itous mountains rise, covered with pine-trees where 

 there is a possibility of their clinging, or immense 

 bowlders, to all appearance ready to roll from their 

 resting-place into the waters beneath. x\nd here in 

 this vast solitude, free from cares, we made our home, 

 fishing or hunting by day, and sleeping such sleep 

 upon piles of hemlock as seldom is enjoyed on feather 

 beds (that is at the end of the fly season) ; for though 

 the beai-s might growl around, the gray wolf give us 

 a proof of his vocal powers, or the weird note of the 

 loon come shrilly 'over the waters, still all formed but 

 a lullaby to make us rest the better. 



lu fishino' the rivers of all the wild lands of the 



