206 
THE MAINE WOODS. 
The Indian said that the Umbazookskus, being a dead 
stream with broad meadows, was a good place for moose, 
and he frequently came a-hunting here, being out alone 
three weeks or more from Oldtown. He sometimes, 
also, went a-hunting to the Seboois Lakes, taking the 
stage, with his gun and ammunition, axe and blankets, 
bard bread and pork, perhaps for a hundred miles of the 
way, and jumped off at the wildest place on the road, 
where he was at once at home, and every rod was a tav¬ 
ern-site for him. Then, after a short journey through 
the woods, he would build a spruce-bark canoe in one 
day, putting but few ribs into it, that it might be light, 
and after doing his hunting with it on the lakes, would 
return with his furs the same way he had come. Thus 
you have an Indian availing himself cunningly of the 
advantages of civilization, without losing any of his 
woodcraft, but proving himself the more successful hunter 
for it. 
This man was very clever and quick to learn anything 
% in his line. Our tent was of a kind new to him; but 
when he had once seen it pitched it was surprising how 
quickly he would find and prepare the pole and forked 
stakes to pitch it with, cutting and placing them right the 
first time, though I am sure that the majority of white 
men would have blundered several times. 
This river came from Caucomgomoc Lake, about ten 
miles farther up. Though it was sluggish here, there 
were falls not far above us, and we saw the foam from 
them go by from time to time. The Indian said that 
Caucomgomoc meant Big-gull Lake, (i. e. Herring-gull, 
I suppose,) gomoc meaning lake. Hence this was Cau - 
comgomoctook , or the river from that lake. This was the 
Penobscot Caucomgomoc-toolc I there was another St. 
