222 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



worth sixty dollars per ton. The mines arc wrought, during 

 the Winter with about the same force as m summer, but no 

 ore is brought down. The miners are seldom h ore, there 

 being stores, hotels, saloons, etc, at Negnuneo— the village 

 of the mines. We get a mail once a week through by Bay 

 deNoquet. The lumbermen of Bay de Noquet have shan- 

 ties in forty miles in this direction," and there is a road the 

 greater part of the way from here to the shanties, so that 

 with the exception ol some sixteen or eighteen miles, I be- 

 te is a kind of road for the mail Carrie*, whl - uses a 

 horse and jumper or p'.auj; that part of the route where a 

 horse is not available dogs and toboggms are used to carry | 

 the mail-bags. It takes letters about, twelve days to reucn 

 ns from Detroit. Notwithstanding, the apparent dullness 

 of the place, the people keep up considerable social activity 

 in the way of parties for dancing, parties tor euchre, parties 

 for fishing trie finny tribe being caught in Dead River 

 through holes in the ice— and lectures before the Literary 



Old ilific Society, not to mention the excitement of 



riding down hill on hand-sleds every evening. At the latter 

 item you may be inclined to smile, out if here, you would 

 see not merely boys and girl,, but lull-grown and married 

 ladies and gentlemen indulging in the sport. There is a 

 long hill, up which the principal street runs its whole length, 

 about three-eighths of a mile, and fox two or three, hours 

 ning you may see the excitement, in which in your 

 younger days you may have worn away the amplest part of 

 your lndispensables, and indulged in with many extras and 

 keenest relish; and why should we not romp and run, and 

 dance and shout, and feel like school-boys once more? 

 " e world, and m by ourselves, we have none 



make 



r hearts he 



ud financial pa 



i which trouble you to 



: i light. If we have 



need not borrow trouble. 



the heaviest houses in 



only enough to last till spring, 

 Let the money panic shake d 



Detroit or New York, what ear. we even it they De our 

 creditors? They cannot send their processes and thai) 

 drummers to compel n- to i tab ssignments, or to take 

 away our means before spring; ami spring is afar oil. We 

 are clear of your sheriffs and your duns, and your bwn 

 bliUiff's till then. What care we If the political panic throw 

 stump orators into spasms, or give statesmen the colic, or 

 the States themselves such an emetic that they throw up the 

 Constitution? You cannot call militia from here before 

 spring; and we don't care a fig for the fuss, bat think that 

 as likely as not the whole trouble will be over before we tiave 

 anything to say about it. 'thus, perched upon our hand- 

 sleds, we sweep down upon and past you, shouting — "Clear 

 I ■ ' - ! —look out for your shins ! — lire away ! — whew !'' 



& y what you like, we" are the nearest to philosophers of 

 any n Michigan, and like old Palstall'. we say, "A plague on 

 this trouble, it blows up a man like a bladder; clap to the 

 doors, hostess!" Shut out trouble, shut out bill: bauiffs 

 and recruiting sergeants, and bring on the hand-sleds ! 



There are more ways than hand-sleigh riding by which 

 men get capsized among you of the lower world. I'd rather 

 from it hand-sied any day than from a political 

 hobby. And oh, what a tumbling there is going on all over 

 the Union at present among the holders and seekers oi the 

 ,i fishes! Some of them go quite as much hoels- 

 over-huad in the gutter as we do in the snow banks. We, 

 indeed, wear out a part of out pantaloons, but in many of 



i s the destruction is carried still further, and I fear 



the coat skirts will not hide the damage. After sliding 

 down we scramble back again to the hill top, but they, poor 

 fellows, have taken their la-.t slide. The people here talk 

 politic-, of course, but there does not seem to be any great 

 concern about the matter. In fact, 1 think the Bui'Ch divorce 

 -i-d more talk than the political panic. The Repub- 

 licans h.-re are, I suppose, like those of other places, silently 

 rolling up their sleeves for a plunge into the official dish. 



is- i>i i n'e.r .i a iud of fusion ticket, 



: ...dy giving up the name: they can hardly be said 



., . any polities lit, but ore Ufa old Mayor B .. who 



some j ears ago, "out W est," ran as an independent candi- 

 date. During Iris canvassing tour, while making a stunip- 



omeone in the crowd called out, "L , what, are 



your polil 



••Gentlemen," responded the Mayor, "1 have no politics." 

 "No polities !" rejoined the other. 



"No, gentlemen," s:dd he. "not a d d politic." 



mocrats up here have become somewhat like Mayor 

 -. Talking of the nps and downs of tumbles from the 

 snow banks, and tumbles from the "White House," 



white i 



prompt- - 



as I undi i tdil 

 sis mileBj and alt 



s would 



itll, 



of 



uutol'i 



Yar 



ttmble "in real life," 



ly to ride out some 



'1 wrappers 



rman, I repaired to 



, : table and had a Steed caparisoned and attached 



to what had once been an elegant cutter. That It Old 



v,a-. no disparagement in my i yes, as 1 am noted for my an- 

 tiquarian proclivities; the organ of veneration is naturally 

 ,,,. .... ,,, ol course, it's true] in the head's 

 .,1 oi,i l.i, _, i i : '■ i progenitors; and we inherit that jn I . 

 ■;., , I -i.- .' teotigh perhaps we beat them a 



he latter. V, i, . ,• - large excepts.,. 



i — and we eb'ng with affection to an old hat, coat 



llyforco sad, reasons), or pair of boots, i I 



in the. latter ease if we are d— blessed with corns. But to 



, tender points and recur to our vehicle. I really 



- . I i outfit highly. The cutter was long, and my whip 



was short— a mere stub. The livery man had evidently mis- 



, ii si I',, r a lawyer, and given mean opportunity to id.. 



nil i ,.il .-■' habit of "making points;" for at each 



ship fell short of 

 the mark, ami I merely "made a point" at him. He ap- 

 peared to understand the matter, and took it coolly, merely 

 taking a, jig-jog gad. and pointing his caudal attachment at. 

 in,. ,,s 1 pointed my whip at him. We got through tend be- 

 ... in sum, but I could not endure the indignity offered 

 i he easy-mannered animal; so, bending reveren- 

 i i ngel'uliy. 1 mean") upon my knees in the front of 



1 'proved to him that I could apply my points at 



times. Away he flew like the wind, I applying tl 

 tergp until having given him what 1 supposed sufficient im- 

 petus to carry him and me home, 1 rose; the cutter bobbed: I 

 soused info my seat, and carried seat and back over behind 

 i i Ihting on for dear life, and called to him in ac- 

 cents of earnestness to— wdioa I Repealed entreaty, coupled 

 with expressions of the powerful attachment which bound 

 him to the vehicle, and the cords of affection which I held 

 ft .I 1, I,, ..acioiis grasp in my hands, eventually prevailed 

 upon him to suddenly slacken his pace. A moment's retiec- 

 . . si, and a most pow- 



erful conviction of his heedlessness must have at once pos- 

 sessed him; for he not only stopped going forward, but 



o.-iu-ii i ■. ,-; is .is ■( s-.i. suoh rapidity that my head, whiah 



had before nearly touched the ground, now actually collided 



with it, nry heels being yet upon the back of the cutter. 



. i snge of the, conscience-stricken animal backward, 



and my legs were doubled over my h. ad. so that my ten in- 

 ferior digits pointed heavenward; and I w.th fast being not 

 merely everted, but even in the way of being retrdverted. 

 Whether man was ever intended to assume this position 

 when ho wished to decide with preternatural rapidity, or 

 whether the fire which flashed from my eyes illumined my 



of the cutter against 

 ents, or not, I shall leave 

 n it is, however, that I in- 

 ■so at the proper moment; 

 left mo. and all the. emo- 



plored the animal to pro- 



course, or whether the pr 

 suddenly expressed my seutii 

 physiologists to decide. Certii 

 stantly adopted the proper cot 

 and with all the breath that was 

 tions excited by the occasion, I 



ceed; at the same time relaxing my hold upon the lines 

 if seeing the matter in a new light, he sprang quickly for- 

 ward; and when, after disentangling myself from the seat 

 and the robe, and I had made an exchange of position be- 

 tween head and toes, I caught a glimpse of the hinder part 

 of the cutter as it disappeared like lightning at a turn of the 

 road about, sixty rods ahead. 



Seeing that niy letter is already of a reasonable length, I 

 shall lei other matters remain intact for this week, and « isb 

 you a hearty good bye. Akcheb. 



THE RANGELEY LAKE REGION. 



BT THOMAS SEUGWICX STEELE. 



i the wants of the "inner 

 anglers whose appetites ore 

 (sphere will give "steady cni- 



(Co, itiiu'fd from, our las' issue.) 

 Camp Kennkbago, Rangeley, Franklin Co., Me. 



NO small part of the superintendent's daily duties at 

 this camp is to alter 

 man," and a dozen or mor 

 sharpened by this , , 

 plbyment" to one so situaten 



Most of the trout, which appear on our table weigh from 

 one to three pounds each. If, in capturing a trout, he is 

 not "badly hooked," as we say, he is immediately placed 

 alive in our cauf's and will so remain until our departure, 



but about, half are. killed in landing, and from this 



is derived the supply on our table. In addition to the usual 

 way of broiling and' Irving them, a favorite method here is 

 to boil them in cream, which to my taste ha- exceeds all others. 

 "We have occasionally longed for a fry of little trout, three to 

 four inches long, so common in our native State, and we 

 have frequently satisfied ourselves, as they can fee caught in 

 abundance within a stone's throw of camp. Provisions in 

 tins part of the country are decidedly cheap. The best of 

 mutton and beef costs eight cents a pound, butter twenty- 

 three cents a pound, milk four cents a quart, white clover 

 honey twenty-five cents a pound, while eggs arc only 

 thirteen cents a dozen. 



On Monday, the 1-itlr inst., a party of us ascended the 

 Kennebago River, a distance of eight mdes. The river has 

 a succession of falls ami rapid-,, over which a boat posses 

 with great difficulty. The guides aw armed with poles 

 twelve feet in length, which terminate in sharp iron spikes, 

 with which a secure hold can be had on the rocks below. 

 Up this lovely stream we ascended, rapid after rapid, fall 

 alter fall, until we readied the Scrcwaugcr Fall, when all of 

 us were obliged to throw ourselves into the water up to our 

 waists and help the toats into the deep, still water beyond. 



On our return, some one suggested a race. First one was 

 ahead, and then by some slight manoeuvre another got the 

 advantage and shot beyond hint, and when we came to 

 shallow places we sprang into the water and almost carried 

 the boat bodily over them, for what, cared we for getting wet, 

 so long as we 'won the. race. In this way we mad 

 miles that day on the river, caught soiue twenty trout, and 

 returned to camp at night tired, hut m all the- better health 

 for our excursion. 



Major Gilbivth, United Slides Army, arrived, and at night 

 our number was further increased by Mr. -\. H. Badger, 

 editor of the Main,.- tbrmtr, who came iu company with 

 Baron Hayes and M ■-. rs. I i orn fc Pi Ott, all of Eng- 

 land. The three lost-named gt iustarrivedin 



the country Oh a hsi.ing ami hunting trip, ami bail been in- 

 troduced to Camp Refinebagi | a up cjal pi i m it. from 11. 

 G. Allerton, Esq., secretary of the n ;■-.. i iation. 



We added to our caui to-daj sixteen trout, the largest of 

 which weighed one and three-quarter pounds. 



This (Wednesday) morning we. have packed OUJ I 

 and propose to return home by the entire chain Of these 

 liaugi ley lakes, a trip upon which very few of the riaito] 

 camp ever venture. Oh ! how we regis t parting from these 

 pleasant scenes and delightful friends, which we have en- 

 loye.d for two weeks past. But business calls, and we must 

 respond. So, shaking hand:, with our frc-mls, to Stand 

 grouped at the end of t 

 fusty cheers, we bid farewell w uampjxeuui ms 



Alter bidding our friends good bye, we placed onr 



aboard our small row boats, and wii gui I B s, - 



Soon passed down the bang, ley stream, and ihi-n oul into 



Oup i.; sue LaJte, througn the narrow.,, into . 

 lueinieguutic Liike, from whose wall i ,. HUBS 



big trout, during our thre-e seasoi». mil. 

 misty morning, "and the vapory clouds hung t "- on In si 

 of the mountains, but through the haze we BOH] I i ' ttd 

 then discern old Bald and Kumebugo Mountain:. 

 we waved a parting adieu. Across Mooselucmagnntie Luke 

 we pulled, and reached the "Upper Dam" at 11 a. at. ' The 

 annual booms of logs having all passed these dams, the 



ii ■ , , o ,| n, utiy opened, making (as I have mentioned 

 before) u difference of fifteen feet in tne height of 

 for within an hour after shutting these gales (at any time i 

 the water will rise four feet. This resulted in our being 

 obliged to transport our trunks and boal I 

 across the carry to the Alolcehitnkemunk Lake. 1 be mi 

 of conveyance was singular indeed: — I (real 



made on the grounds), to whiol tvil I 

 est kind of harness were attached a pair of oxen. On the 

 sled the several trunks wire arranged, and on top Of all 

 were placed our boats. OVerthi tre aid s l . 



i two feet high, the oxen dragged the load, swing- 

 ing their bodies from side, to side and gazing at us in their 

 usual meek way, while with rods over our shpuli I re fl I 



traveling-bags iii our hands we walked by t is c i imilSll 



to ourselves at this new way of transportation. There are- 

 one or two low wood houses at this placi 

 which is kept by a comical old Frmchmim nyd 



We retained" one rod apiece from our baggage, 



troll alL the wav down the several lakes, and in crossing 

 this last, one w«"had been SO fortunate as to land five fine 

 trout. bO which number we added on the oil, I laki 



At the opposite side of the dum is a very comfortable 

 -.1 the "Boston Club Camp," whll, s I 

 the landing, on Molechunkemunk Lake, is a camp consist- 





of Philadelphia, 

 year. B 



I .,, 

 pull of 



I i ,' 1 1 II by a Mr. BeJoti 



L when 



transferred our b: - led to (he 1 



finishing our dinner, embarked again on a 

 eight miles (o the "Middle Dam." 



Mount Observatory at the head of Molechunkemunk Lake 

 is one of the finest bits of scenery in this vicinity, and on 

 this occasion heavy clouds floated across its sides; but peep- 

 ing through , ly blue cone, the light and shade 

 making constantly changing pictures of great beauty and 

 variety.' 



Two and a half miles down the lake on tho east side, is one 

 o llii . - -.: complete camps (every house is called a camp 

 in this region) to be found jn the entire trip, built by Mr, J. 

 1'. Whitney of Boston The house is two stories high, con- 

 taining eight rooms furnished with sets of French furniture, 

 and all the luxuries of a comfortable, modern home, and 

 many a friend of Mr. Whitney from the. "Hub" enjoys him- 

 self at this place. 



The coast, on the west, oilers few specialties of picturesque 

 Ihe "primeval wilderness" extends down to the 

 ge, but as you reach the landing at the Middle 

 Lam, the extended view across the lake to the south is re- 

 uiiu kably fine. We occasionally met, parties camping out 

 along our route, who fired us' a salute from their small 

 armories as we passed, which we acknowledged bj 

 our huts. We reached the "Middle Dam"' on rVelqkeneba- 

 cook lake at 4 p. m., and our landing was for a time disputed 



by two largo bull dogs who made the Ives remarkably 



"numerous." But soon the landlord made his appearance, 

 and, driving off the dogs, welcomed us to "The Angler's Re- 



s a consisted of tour wooden houses, or,, 

 is built of rough, unhewn logs. On top of one of the 



.si ... Is • ■ : i: which is rang at meal times to call the 

 anglers on Hie lake. The buildings contain nine sleeping 

 ,,, addition of our party made fourteen to 

 occupy them, so some of as engaged favorite corners on the 

 Boor. ' The principal room is low, smoky and greasy, a stove 

 s 1 1 a '-.-Hi , i i i ■!,. i pans, ad other household utensils 

 ... isi, , ,! on the sides, while across the beams over our heads 

 ;ud numerous fish rods. The meals were clean 

 and good, although the man who waited on the table divided 

 tie ii ' "i about equally betrwet o ourselves and a big pipe 

 s , is -sii' in .-. and the" numerous empty whiskey bottles 

 ni in ilis ■' I ■.-: i I .1: .wed too plainly the taste of its 



ith all the pure, exhilarating 



rde: 



I , man in this region, with all the pur, 

 effect of its atmosphere, can desire to farther - 



liquor, is more than the writer can imagine, but 1 suppose 

 after the clean, wholesome and temperate quarters at Camp 

 Ketuieuago the contrast seemed greater. After supper we 

 bid our guides good bye, and their four boats were soon lost 

 in the distance on the' way back to camp. 



, that desires can stop at this ■•Anglers' Retreat." 

 per week. The fishing is good and within a radius 

 of half a mile, 



After breakfast, Thursday morning, our baggage was put on 



another conveyance (this time a horse and wagon), and 



hauled four and a half miles down to Eapid River, while we 



a behind. What an enjoyable tramp that was 



through the woods. 



Avon v,, we,,! in --Indian His" with our light baggage and 



i UT should s. ■ ig the --Marsh from laii-.l," 



to which we all kepi p We stopped for a moment's rest 

 ariis-F - ii of Boston, then 



on we trud ,, ,-■ nmp,"and alter a row of one and 

 -a half m'dea down the river, passing over one lovely fall on 

 the route, we went on board the "Steamer Diamond," and 

 witnessed for the first lira K "- 'I: I \ ideiiees oi civili- 

 zation. A large number of .other sportsmen from various 

 points in this vicinity, with ,dogs, guns, and fish rods, came 

 aboard, and the little steamer, shout fifty lest long (which 

 we found could run on two feet of water), pushed out into 



Lmbsgog Lake. 



This boal runs to Frrol Dam, Magallowuy Elver aud 



. ., s Tuesdays, Thursdays and .Saturdays, and offers u 



ii o] i s I unity' to enjoy excellent fishing without much 



trouble or expense, although, of course, it is not equal to the 



is i -, above, 



I nils u.; Lake is the lowest of the Bix Range-ley Lakes, 



. , I ,. 1256 i"i above the- sea level, while Rangeley 



, , i i i: ,,, OupsuptUC 1,48(1 feet, and Molechunke- 

 .-. i.doki n Is :-: l,45ti feet. The scenery is beau- 

 tiful, but not. equal to the other lakes. 



From Lake Lmbagog we passed into the Androscoggin 

 River and were soon at Errol or Lower Dam, and then a 

 short walk brought us to the hotel. On inquiring about the 

 fishing in l!i : , h-arned that in addition to the 



trout, a gentleman yesterday captured in Dmbogog Lake 

 three ]»e!:siel 



men nrri 1 1 -d last year for fishing out 



of season for trout, and revenged themselves by putting 

 i thi lake. We all offered to pay the funeral ex- 

 penses of those men! In all probability the pickerel in 



time will ran np the el I I : is s snd destroy com- 



ploti ly id! l .i, l pool iu 1 1 .- 



,. F'-d for homo, over the mountains 



,i miles through the celebrated "Dixville Notch" to 



Colcbi-ook, thence by stage fourteen miles to North Stratford, 



and next day by the Girmd Trunk Railroad to Grafton, 



,■::,., ( uncord, Montreal 



and White Mountain Railroad. 



, one of the pleasant, st trips the writer has ever 

 is. s to this, the greatest of all kroui gioe 



I untie ui( leader, put my pet Hies away in my book, un- 

 ioinr m: . . i .!'.-. i . Dtongel&y Trottl 



■ ,' ,'>V»-',,[)it. 



SHOOTING ON PIGEON CREEK. 



TW'ENTi ml si ii ml;, tv.o hours from Port Hope to 

 . ., ,,, , i-l i i : ■ -. -ii. 



■ u- impatient .duck hunters, but at last we reached 

 Our destination by train, and pushing our eanoesinto Pigeon 

 i treamby moonlight, 



, ■ i eleven miles 



, , ,, i -. I - I '■■ Ii df-pai.f elevo i 



rather tired (md I I, i .,.,.-, ,i 



things warm For duck i it moj Ding 1 dui I 

 here at thai i principally on the morning anil 



evening flights, and our chance for ducks was very slim until 

 evening again, we concluded to paddle down to Floods Bog, 



h is further, and try our hand utsnipe, which we did. 



,1,1 to push out of 



, , ,, ,i imp, which we reached about 



half-post five. Despatching a ha.-' started for 



i , , s., . . , ... bed lots of dii,-l . 



rllll ie in t" ' ... ■■ "' shooting. But onget- 



tiue nicely settled an hour before dusk, we were chagrined 



