178 Notice of the White Mountains. 
able attainments in literature and science. Settlements 
to the east, and the ocean seventy miles distant, are dis- 
tinguishable in a very clear day. The cultivated tracts 
distinctly seen, are most extensive in a western direction, 
comprising the beautiful valley of Lancaster, improve- 
ments in the towns of Bethlehem and Littleton, and con- 
siderable clearings on the hills of Vermont. A large pro- 
portion of these primitive hills, though very elevated, pos- 
sess a strong soil, and their sides, and fertile intervening 
vallies are under good cultivation. A diameter of near 
two hundred miles is embraced in the landscape. 
The streams and lakes presented on the map of nature, 
are numerous and interesting: eastwardly the Andros- 
coggin winds its way through a pine-clad valley. At its 
head appears an extensive crooked lake, called Umbagog. 
Other wood environed waters are located in this quarter. 
There are no settlements within a great distance of these 
lakes. The wild animals of this wilderness, being rarely 
molested by man, are numerous. The moose ranges fear- 
lessiy—the carabo and common deer are abundant. The 
lynx, bear, wolverine, loup cervie, and sometimes the 
panther, are encountered by the hunters. Wolves very 
rarely occur in New-Hampshire and Maine; rabbits are 
found in droves; otters are plenty, and beavers linger 
about the Umbagog, Moose-Head Lake, and other remote 
waters. Wild geese and ducks abound in the season of 
their migration, and salmon-trout are large and numerous 
in the lakes. Several ponds situated in Maine, and various 
parts of New-Hampshire, were in view. The Sebago 
Lake, near Portland, and Lovewell’s Pond, adjacent to 
Fryburg, gleamed conspicuously in the morning sun. To 
the south, the extensive sheet of water called Winipisioge 
Lake, embracing numerous islands, and diversified by 
numerous promontories and deep bays, was distinctly seen, 
together with Squam Lake adjacent, a large and beautiful 
body of water, and other ponds of minor importance. 
The Saco to the south, and the Amonoosuc to the west, 
appear for many miles winding through woody vales. The 
Connecticut shews itself in a few places—small ponds are 
noticed in the valleys leading to Lancaster and Bethlehem. 
We descended the White Mountains in the afternoon, 
and entered the vale of the Amonoosuc. I noticed in 
