Penobscot Bay, Maine.
1896
June 30
  Clear with violent winds N.W. up to 11 a.m., afterwards S.W. falling
to a steady, moderate S.W. breeze at sunset.
  Starting at 8 a.m. we set sail for the eastward threading our
way for the first few miles through narrow channels among small
rocky islands, then crossing the mouth of Eggemoggan Reach & finally
emerging into Blue Hill Bay opposite Mt. Desert. Our destination
was Trumpet Island which we reached at 11 a.m. Just as we
crossed the bar at the north end of this island the wind
suddenly increased to almost a gale. Fortunately we were under
two reefs and in a few minutes more we cast anchor under
the lee of the island & landed. The wind blew so violently &
the island proved so interesting that we stayed on shore until
half-past five o'clock.
  Trumpet Island. Long & narrow, treeless, about five acres in extent,
the southern half a rounded hill rising about 20 feet above high water
& covered with uncut (& uncropped, for there are no sheep here) English
grass, white clover, sorrel & various small flowering plants; the northern half
an almost perfectly level flat only a few feet above the summer tides
(evidentally flooded by high spring tides) but protected on all the sides
towards the water by a natural dyke or narrow ridge thrown up by
the waves & covered with beach grass, beach pea vines & various other
maritime vegetation, the flat itself perfectly dry, of sandy loam, &
covered with a thin but uniform growth of a short succulent plant
which I took to be some species of maritime grass or sedge.
On first landing we walked around the entire island searching for
Red-breasted Merganser's nests in the rank growth of vegetation which
skirts most of the shore line along the natural dykes as well
as along the edges of the upland. Conary had strong hopes of
getting a set of eggs for me. Knight found two nests here last