212 



MIDDLESEX FELLS. 



help any one with a good bump of locality to know the way 

 before he starts. A stranger wishing to visit the ponds is 

 advised to take the wood-road which leaves Wyoming Street 

 near the southeast corner of Spot Pond. The path from 

 Hemlock Pond to the Monument is hard to find ; but> the 

 Monument once found, the path to the pond is plain. Hem- 

 lock Pond is also easily reached by a wood-road which leaves 

 Fulton Street, Medford, at a point opposite a small house 

 standing close to the street. The wood-roads leading into 

 this section from Maiden and Melrose, especially the Bear 

 Den Path, are good ; but the stranger should be careful in 

 following them, unless he is willing to get lost. And why 

 not get lost ? If you have a compass and plenty of time, — 

 and both of these you always should have when tramping in 

 the woods,-— what greater charm is there than to wander 

 hither and thither, wondering what beautiful bit of Nature 

 you will stumble upon next ! It may be a precipitous cliff 

 or a mossy glen, a grove of noble pines or hemlocks, an inter- 

 esting bowlder or a pretty flower, a beautiful pond, an exten- 

 sive view, or a wilderness of charming cat-o'-nine-tails. 



That section which lies in Stoneham near Franklin Street 

 is not specially attractive, and probably would not have been 

 included by Mr. Wright within the limits of the Middlesex 

 Fells had it not been a part of the Spot Pond water-shed. 

 Doleful Pond merits its name, for it is largely surrounded by 

 swampy land and its chief inlet rises in a swamp. There are 

 several hills commanding northeast views, and many pleasant 

 paths, the chief one being a cart-path which goes from Pond 

 Street through to Green's Lane. I am indebted to A. Selwyn 

 Lynde, Esq., of Melrose, for valuable assistance in tracing the 

 paths in this section. 



In concluding, it may not be inappropriate to say a few 

 words concerning the present prospects of the Middlesex 

 Fells movement, and to summarize the arguments m its 

 favor. In the death of Elizur Wright the Fells lost their 

 most enthusiastic friend. His energy can no longer be relied 

 upon. Does it not, therefore, become the duty^of all who are 

 interested in the project to increase their efforts ? Mr. Wright 

 once wrote : — 



