229
*
Lake Umbagog.
Whale-back Cove
1897.
Sept. 7
(No 3)
things I saw and heard I will note down briefly
some of the chief characteristics of the place.
The shallow creek expands near its mouth to a width
of 40 or 50 yards forming a long pool of open water with
a broad belt of marsh on either side. Further back
(perhaps 200yards from the Lake) it narrows gradually
and becomes more winding with mud flats & lumps
rising above the surface and stumps, snags and fallen
trees lining its margin which is everywhere marshy and
covered with harsh, wild grasses. At our spot a low
ridge covered with green woods comes nearly to the
water's edge and on every side, excepting that towards
the Lake, tall, bleached larch stubs form a brittling
background and give the place a wild and in some
lights, dreary look.
  I selected the extreme end of the green ridge as
the best place to command the peak which the
Ducks especially frequented and have made myself
as comfortable as possible behind a fallen log with
Will crouching by my side. The evening was heavily
with the most deliciously soft, dry air. The
sky was without a cloud and of a pale, tender
blue. For sometime after sunset the afterglow cast
a strong, amber light on the grain stubs and the
rich green meadow grass. Within the creek thee
was not a breath of wind but from the Lake
outside came the regular, pulsating beat of waves
breaking along the narrow, sandy beach. The only
drawback was the mosquitos which were almost