A.ccount of an Excursion to Mount Katahdin. 33 



jecting above water, appeared like globular masses of some light 

 substance afloat, and it was almost impossible to distinguish the di- 

 viding line between an object and its image. 



A solemn stillness reigned upon these lakes, broken only by the 

 sound of our paddles, the wild laugh of a loon, or cry of a white ea- 

 gle which we occasionally startled from his perch on some lofty pine. 



Near Hoyt's stream, however, we heard one " sound familiar to 

 our ear;" it was the tinkling of cow bells, which we found were 

 fastened to some fine oxen grazing on the islands in the stream. 

 They belonged to Mr. Gibson, who has a camp farm at Sowada- 

 hunk, six miles above our landing place. We met him in his boat 

 as we were descending the river; he was carrying up some men to 

 cut the wild meadow hay, which is in great demand in this region 

 during winter, when the woods are filled with " loggers" and their 

 cattle. 



Nothing worth recording occurred during the remainder of our 

 journey to Grand Falls, where we arrived before sunset. The next 

 morning, Monday, we engaged our faithful guides to transport us in 

 their boat to Matawamkeag Point, where we arrived about three 

 o'clock, P. M. with our relish for the comforts of civilization much 

 heightened by our excursion. We returned, via Bangor, &;c., to 

 Waterville, and on calculating our expenses, found them to have 

 been but twenty five dollars each, including the hire of the horse 

 and wagon. 



Before closing this article, I wish briefly to mention the places at 

 which I have had an opportunity of observing the Argillite so often 

 alluded to in the above article. During this journey it was the only 

 rock seen in situ, from Waterville, east to Bangor, and thence north 

 and north westerly to a point between Grand Falls and Quakish 

 Lake. I observed it on an excursion made on foot to Mount Abra- 

 ham in 1832, at the following places : from Waterville all the way 

 to Norridgewock, where it forms the falls ; and in Starks, Industry, 

 Freeman, Kingsfield, and Anson. The only other rock observed, 

 was a small hill of granite between Starks and Industry, and the 

 granite forming the summit of Mount Abraham. 



I have merely stated above the places where I have myself had 

 an opportunity of examining the Argillite formation. It doubtless ex- 

 tends far beyond the limits of my observations, and as it is said to 

 occur at Holton, it is not improbable that it traverses the whole state 

 m a north easterly direction, and enters into New Brunswick. This 



Vol. XXXII.— No. 1. 5 



