AND THE WILDERNESS BLOSSOMED 



northern shore, and a still smaller portion of the 

 southern shore had been partially cleared of 

 timber, and thrifty-looking farm-houses dotted 

 the green slopes. The small hotel in the village 

 was frequented by travelling anglers in the sum- 

 mer months, and almost buried under snow in 

 the winter. Near the western end, at the lake's 

 outlet, was still another small hotel, and near by 

 was a club-house owned by Boston anglers. Both 

 these hotels were well filled in summer, for the 

 fame of trout-fishing in Insley Lake was wide- 

 spread, and indeed it was the excellence of the 

 fishing that first turned my steps to this part of 

 Maine, and on more than one occasion I had 

 brought wife and children with me. Since start- 

 ing to build my house, I regret to say, I have 

 never had time to go a-fishing, so the reader 

 need not look here for any accounts of great 

 catches of big trout. 



Insley Lake, named after an early settler, had 

 been known to the Indians as Nikowussoc. 

 Beyond its eastern border rises the highest 

 mountain in this part of Maine, Keespennaden- 

 gog. A little further north is a smaller conical 

 peak known as Penakadensis, while parallel to 

 the north shore of the lake is a long ridge whose 



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