24 Account of an Excursion to Mount Katahdin. 



opposite " Dolby's," about six miles from Grand Falls. Here we 

 found two log cabins, to which we went after crossing the river in a 

 bateau belonging to one of them. After getting a miserable dinner 

 we engaged two men to convey us in their boat to Grand Falls. We 

 found the river very low, and had many opportunities of admiring the 

 skill and coolness with which our boatmen managed their bateau, and 

 forced it up rapids which at first seemed impassable. We stopped, at 

 the mouth of the Millinoket to fish for pickerel ; while our boat lay 

 here, I observed in the water great quantities of Lobelia Dortmanna, 

 Nymphcea odorata, JYuphar advena, Hydropeltis purpurea, Villar- 

 sia lacunosa, Eriocaulon pellucidmn, with stipes two or three feet 

 long. The E. pellucidum is generally described as being but two 

 or three inches in height ; but the plants above referred to, as well 

 as similar ones four feet long, which I have seen in ponds near Ha- 

 verhill, Mass. do not appear to differ essentially from this species. 

 The length of the stipe depends on the depth of water in which the 

 plant grows. We also noticed here the leaves of a plant which I 

 believe is Sparganium nutans, Smith ; these leaves were " long, 

 floating, flat, and pellucid," about one fourth of an inch wide, and 

 from eight to ten inches in length. It grows abundantly in all the 

 upper lakes of the Penobscot. A short time after we reached the 

 settlement at Grand Falls, we were agreeably surprised by the arri- 

 val of Prof. Barnes, who had set out from Matawamkeag Point in 

 pursuit of us that morning, and performed on foot in one day the 

 same distance for which we took part of two. We gave him a hearty 

 welcome, and this evening determined upon our plan of proceeding 

 to the mountain. We engaged two athletic " loggers" named Mac 

 Astlin to act as guides and boatmen, and agreed to pay each two 

 dollars per day for his services. 



At Grand Falls, the only settlement consists of two log huts, oc- 

 cupied by persons engaged in logging. They cultivate but little 

 ground, and have most of their supplies brought up the river in boats. 

 In the smoky garret of one of these huts we passed the night, and 

 rose early on Thursday to prepare for our journey. While waiting 

 for our breakfast I was much pleased by discovering at this cabin — 

 the very out-post of civilization in this direction — a well thumbed 

 copy of Scott's Heart of Mid Lothian. "■ There's fame for you !" 



Having each procured a blanket, a pound of pork and a pound of 

 bread per day, a little tea and salt, and by a lucky thought, each 

 taking a red flannel shirt, which afterwards proved very serviceable 



