Through the Wilds. A record of sport and adventure in the forests of New Hampshire and Maine ... Illustrated, etc

Front matter

WORKS BY CAPT. CHAS. A. J. FARRAR. THE ANDROSCOGGIN LAKES. Illustrated. Cloth .fi.oo A complete and reliable guide to the sporting region in North-western Maine. 360 pages, 100 illustrations, and large map. The 15th thousand of this valuable book. Corrected up to date. MOOSEHEAD LAKE AND THE NORTH MAINE WILDER- NESS. Illustrated. Cloth $1.00 A thorough and exhaustive guide to the sporting resorts of Northern Maine and New Brunswick. 300 pages, 76 illustrations, and large Map. 10th thousand. Should be in every family library. CAMP LIFE IN THE WILDERNESS. Third edition. 224 pages, 30 illustrations. Handsome cloth binding $1.00 FROM LAKE TO LAKE; or, A Trip Across Country. Second edition. Ornamented cloth binding. Fully illustrated. 224 pages $i.co BEFORE AND BEHIND THE CURTAIN; or, The Adventures Of Billy Shakespoke.

A story of Amateur and Professional Stage Life. Six full-page engravings. Neatly bound in cloth. 272 pages .... $1.00 THE LAKE AND FOREST SERIES. EASTWARD HO! or, Adventures at Rangeley Lakes. A spicy and fascinating story of Sportsmen's Life in the wilds of Maine. Full-page illustrations and map. 372 pages $..2C WILD WOODS LIFE; or, A Trip to Parmachenee. Fully illustrated. Cloth. 400 pa^s $i.2C DOWN THE WEST BRANCH; or, Camps and Tramps Around Katahdin. Full-page illustrations. 320 pages $1.25 UP THE NORTH BRANCH; A Summer's Outing. Illustrated. Cloth. 332 pages $I2r This series of books is having a phenomenal sale, several editions of each volume having already been issued. The books are as great favorites with old people as with young, and have also met with a hearty reception from the gentle sex.

FARRAR'S POCKET MAP OF THE ENTIRE ANDROS- COGGIN LAKES REGION; including the Dead River Waters. Mounted on linen, and bound in cloth $1.00 FARRAR'S POCKET MAP OF SEBEC AND MOOSEHEAD LAKES AND THE NORTH MAINE WILDERNESS . . . $1.00 Mounted on linen, and bound in cloth. With this Map any person can travel through Northern Maine without a guide. Any book or map on the above list sent by mail, postpaid, on receipt of price, br ESTES & LAURIAT, BOSTON. CAFI'AIN FARRAR AT HOME. THROUGH THE WILDS A Record of Sport and Adventure in the Forests of New Hampshire and Maine BY CAPT. CHARLES A. J. FARRAR AUTHOR OF "THE ANDROSCOGGIN LAKES ILLUSTRATED," "CAMP LIFE IN THE WILDERNESS,' " MOOSEHEAD LAKE AND THE NORTH MAINE WILDERNESS," "EASTWARD HO ! " " WILD WOODS LIFE," " DOWN THE WEST BRANCH," " UP THE NORTH BRANCH," " FROM LAKE TO LAKE," ETC.

Chapter I. Down Boston Harbor

ON THE BRINY DEEP. ALONG THE COAST. PLACES OF INTEREST. CAPE ANN. MAN OVERBOARD. THE RESCUE. ISLES OF SHOALS. PORTLAND HEAD. CUSHING'S ISLAND. PORT LAND HARBOR. THE FOREST CITY. NY person who had been on the forward deck of the steamer Fleetwing one fine July morning in the summer of '83, could scarcely have overlooked a group of four boys who were standing closely to gether, busily engaged in conver sation both interesting and amus- VIEW IN BOSTON HARBOR. ing, judging from their earnestness and the hearty peals of laughter that were occasionally wafted to the bystanders. With an author's license, we will play eavesdropper for a few moments, while taking a mental survey of them. They are American boys, well dressed, with bright and intelligent faces, and their ages apparently from fifteen to eighteen.

" Quarter past eight," exclaimed the youngest, taking out a nice silver watch and referring to it ; " in fifteen minutes more we shall be afloat on the briny deep." "We are now, Dick," returned the eldest, laughing, "for the water under us is briny, and deep also. High tide, you know." " Don't catch a fellow up so quick, George ; if you begin that sort of thing now, and propose to continue it during the trip, we shall bury you somewhere in the wilds, and return without you," and Dick gave his elder friend a good-natured poke in the ribs. The young gentlemen thus brought to our notice have long been friends, and are to take a summer vacation together in New England, and have already resolved to spend the most of it in the woods. The youngest of the party, Dick Burton, was the son of a wealthy spec ulator, whose parents, at the present time, were abroad, and being offered his choice between joining them for the summer THE CAMPING PARTY. in Europe or visiting the wilds of Maine with a party of his chums, had accepted the latter alternative as promising the most pleasure.

Dick was a few months over fifteen, fond of shooting and fishing, and thought that a European tour would suit him a little better later in life. For the present, he preferred a visit to the bright lakes and sparkling streams where the speckled trout are easily lured to rise to an artificial fly, and in whose forest borders a quick eye, a steady hand, and a true aim, would furnish a fat buck for the camp larder. His closest friend and steady companion, Fred Holmes, nearly a year older than Dick, was the son of a well-known clergyman of the Hub, whose family name, for various reasons, we have changed, and was known to his intimate friends only as the " Parson." Fred had studied a little too hard the past year, and his father had arranged the present excursion for his son, while the boy had made choice of companions, the three friends who accompanied him.

The third in the party, Edward Bailey, or "Ned" as his chums called him, was seventeen years of age, the son of a wealthy dry-goods merchant, who had intended him for the same business. But Ned declared he would never be a counter-jumper, his tastes running in an entirely different direction. He had a decided pen chant for work requiring the use of tools, and he hoped to be a machinist or engineer. The eldest of the group whom we are introducing, George Howe, was eighteen years old, tall, slim, and fine looking. His father was a newspaper publisher, and George, who aspired to either literature or the stage, had already begun reporting news items for the daily, and was a bright and shining light, perhaps we should say " star," in a South End Dramatic Club. The friendship of the four boys was of several years' standing, and they had made other trips together before of two or three weeks in length.

But this was to be a protracted one, it being their intention to remain away from the city three or four months. The excursion had been talked over for weeks and weeks, and their talk and plans had finally culminated in their presence on board the steamboat this pleasant Monday morning in July, en route for Portland. George had favored making the run to Portland by rail, but Dick, who was very fond of the water, represented the pleasures of a sea-voyage by daylight in such an enthusiastic manner, that he carried the point, and the party took passage on one of the St. John steamers. " All ashore that's goin'," now sang out a darky, poking his head out of the saloon door for a moment, and ringing a large bell, to call attention to his words. " Half-past eight," said Dick, consulting his watch again, " and now I suppose we are off."

"There goes the bow line," remarked Fred, who had stepped to the side of the steamer, and was looking down on the dock. Just then the huge wheels began to revolve, one long whistle was heard, — a warning note for other craft, — and the beautiful boat moved slowly and majestically out from her dock. It was a very hot morning on shore, with scarcely a breath of wind, and the current of air that the boat made as she gathered headway, was fully appreciated by our young friends, who had obtained stools, and were seated just in front of the pilot-house, where they could command an extensive view of the harbor. A revenue cutter, several sailing and one steam yacht, and numerous vessels of all sizes and kinds peculiar to our merchant marine, were anchored near the wharves, and through these the steamer made her way, turning and twisting, as occasion demanded, until she had passed East Boston, and had a comparatively clear course, when her route was less circuitous, she only following the turns of the channel.

The boat passed a dredging-machine, and the boys were much interested in its workings. And for some time they watched the large iron buckets, that went down with a rattle and splurge, and then reappeared loaded with mud, the water pouring from it STEAMEK CUMBERLAND. in a stream, as it was dumped into scows that were anchored near. " That is a clumsy-looking machine," said Ned, as the dredger disappeared from sight ; "I believe I could improve on that." " Oh, let it alone," bantered the Parson ; " you are always improving something." " Yes, he's improving the shining hours now," put in Dick with a smile. VIEW IN BOSTON HARBOR. Belay your puns, Dick ! " exclaimed George with a make-believe frown. "There comes the Nantasket, boys," cried Ned; "what a crowd there is on her." "Yes; the business men who live at Hull and Hing-ham are just coming up to their stores," added the Parson.

" I am glad we are heading from Boston instead of towards it; ain't you, my boy?" and Dick gave the Parson a slap on his thigh that made him wince. " You need not break a fellow's leg if you are," replied his friend, at the same time moving out of reach. As the steamer reached Fort Independence, the attention of the boys was drawn towards it, and Ned asked his companions if either of them could tell him how old the fort was. All con fessed ignorance to its age or history ; but for the benefit of our readers, some of whom, like Ned, may have curiosity about it, we quote a few facts : — "The first fort built upon Castle Island was constructed in 1634, and since that time the island has always been fortified. The works have been rebuilt a great many times. Castle William stood on this island when the Revolutionary War broke out, and when the British troops were obliged to evac uate Boston, they destroyed the fort and burned it to ashes.

The Provincial forces then took possession of the island, and restored the fort. FORT INDEPENDENCE In 1798 its name was formally changed to Fort Independence, the President, John Adams, being present on the occasion. In 1798 the island was ceded to the United States. From 1785 until 1805 this fort was the place appointed for the confinement of prisoners sentenced to hard labor, provision having been made in the act of cession to the United States that this privilege should be retained. The present fort is of comparatively recent construction." Directly opposite Fort Independence, across the main ship channel, is Fort Winthrop, still uncompleted, on Governor's Island. " I should like to know if Uncle Sam intends to finish that fort ? " queried Dick. " He don't seem to be in much of a hurry about it," answered George ; "it has been in its present condition, as near as I can judge, since I was a child."

A writer says of it : — "The island was granted to Governor Winthrop 1632, and was subsequently confirmed to his heirs. In 1640, the conditions of his ownership having already been once previously changed, he was granted the island on condition of paying one bushel of apples to the Governor and one to the General Court in winter annually. It continued in the sole possession of the Winthrop family until 1808, when a part of it was sold to the Government for the purpose of erecting a fort, which was named Fort Warren. The name given to the work now the work now in process of erection is Fort Winthrop, in honor of the Governo r of Massachusetts Bay and first owner of the island; while the name of the former fort has been trans ferred to the FORT WINTHROP. fortification further down the harbor.

When fully completed, Fort Winthrop is intended to be a most important defence to the harbor." The day, for a sea trip, was all that could be desired : warm and pleasant, with a perfectly clear atmosphere, enabling the boys to sight vessels a long distance off, and even George acknowledged that they were much more comfortable on the boat than they would have been on the cars. "There's the Government boat that runs between the city and Fort Warren," exclaimed Dick, as a very fast and handsome tug flashed by them, heading up the harbor. "Isn't she a daisy?* " Ploughs the water as if she meant business," acknowledged the Parson. " I should not object to owning her." " I wish you did," added Ned, " and then you could take us off for a three months' cruise." The steamer now swung more to the eastward, heading for Broad Sound Channel, and the boys soon noticed Long Island on the starboard side, and Deer Island on the port, and questioned each other in regard to them, without gaining a great deal of infor- LONG ISLAND HEAD LIGHT. •nation.

On the bluff, or head, of Long Island, are a lighthouse and an uncompleted battery. The lighthouse was built in 1819. The tower is twenty-two feet in height, but the light is eighty feet above the sea. The tower is of iron, painted white ; the lantern has nine burners ; the light is fixed, and can be seen in a clear night about fifteen miles. The battery, intended to be a very strono one when completed, is still in course of construction, and will, no doubt, be finished some time, if Uncle Sam's purse is lonoenough. Deer Island belongs to the city of Boston, and contains a number of fine buildings. It is noted as the place where common and uncom mon drunks, after being run through ptE-OiLANP •tm-iT Lifitur" the mill of the Police Court, and bounced out of the hopper, find rest for periods ranging from one to six months. 'There is Nix's Mate," said George, pointing to a peculiar looking object, rising out of the water to the right.

Does it mark a reef there ? " asked Dick. " I believe so. Either a reef or shoal, and it runs in towards the shore a long way, as seen at low water. I have an idea that I have read something interesting connected with it, but don't remember now what it was." " You should cultivate your memory," declared the Parson. "Who knows but we have lost a first-rate yarn through your forgetfulness ? " As George could give no account of this well-known beacon, we quote the following for the I benefit of those of our I readers who may feel interested, of whom no noticed I down the I bor — Head there is a low, rocky island on which stands a singularly-shaped monument. It consists of a solid structure of stone, twelve feet in height, and forty feet square. All the stones in this piece of masonry are securely fastened together with copper.

Upon it stands an octagonal pyramid of wood, twenty feet high, and painted black. It is supposed that this monument was erected in the earliest years of the present century, though the date is not known. Its purpose was to warn vessels of one of the most dangerous shoals in the harbor. This island is called Nix's Mate, though for what reason is not known. There is a tradition, unsupported by facts, that the mate of a WLLDS. 11 vessel of which one Captain Nix was master, was executed upon the island, for killing the latter. But it was known as ' Nix's Island,' as long ago as 1636, and this would seem to dispose of the story. It is, however, true that several murderers and pirates have been hanged upon the island, and one William Fly was hanged there in chains in 1726 for the crime of piracy, on which occasion, the Boston News ALetter informs us, Fly ' behaved himself very unbecomingly, even to the last.' It is a part of the tradition above referred to that Nix's mate declared his innocence, and asserted as a proof of it that the island would be washed away.

If any such prophecy was ever made, it has certainly been fulfilled. We know by the records that it contained in the neighborhood of twelve acres in 1636 ; there is now not more than one acre of shoal, and there is not a vestige of soil remaining." " There is Fort Warren," cried Ned, pointing off to starboard, "but we are not going very near it." " Yes," said Dick, " and I can see Boston Light farther out, and way beyond it the tall shaft of Minot's." " I mean to visit the islands in the harbor some time," said the Parson. "Wouldn't you like to, Dick?" " First-rate. I should like to go up into one of the lighthouses also." " We will take a day some time next summer, hire a steam yacht, and do them all," added George. " I should like to know their history, — it must be interesting." As some of my readers may be of George's opinion, I quote the following in regard to these well-known places : — " Fort Warren is situated on George's Island, near the entrance to the harbor, and is the most famous of all the defences of the city.

George's Island was claimed as the property of James Pemberton of Hull, as early as 1622. His possession of it having been confirmed, it was bought, sold, and inherited by numerous owners, until 1825, when it became the property of the city of Boston. It is now, of course, under the jurisdiction of the United States Government. The construction of the present fort was begun in April, 1833, and was completed in 1850. The material is finely-hammered Quincy granite, and the stone faces, as well as those parts that have been protected with earth and sodded over, are as neat and trim as art can make them. The fort is one of great strength, but it has never vet been needed to defend the J BOSTON LIGHT. harbor of Boston. During the Rebellion, it was used as a place of confinement for noted Confederate prisoners, the most famous of all being the rebel commissioners to Europe, Mason and Slidell, who were sent here for confinement, after their capture on board the Trent by Commodore Wilkes.

" About two miles from Fort Warren, nearly due east, and at the entrance of the harbor, is the Boston Light. The island on which it stands has been used as a lighthouse station since 1715, when the General Court of the Colony passed the necessary acts. The land was generously given to the Colony by the owners of it, though as there is soil on only about three-quarters of an acre, the rest of the two or three acres being bare jagged rock, the gift entailed no great loss upon them. In the time of the Revolution, the lighthouse was the object of much small warfare, and was several times destroyed and rebuilt. In 1783 it was once more restored by the State, being built this time of stone ; and it is this lighthouse which still stands at the mouth of the harbor, though it has since been enlarged and refitted several times.

The top of the lighthouse now stands ninetyeight feet above the level of the sea, and is fitted with a revolving light which can be seen from a distance of sixteen nautical miles in fair weather. " Still nearer to Fort Warren, and on the direct line to Boston Light, is the Spit, or Bug Light. It is a curious structure. The lower part is a system of iron pillars fixed in the rock, affording no surface for the waves to beat against and destroy. The fixed red light is about thirty-five feet above the level of the sea, and can be seen at a distance of about seven miles in clear weather. This light was built in 1856. Its object is to warn navi gators of the dangerous obstacle known as Harding's Ledge, about two miles out at sea, east of Point^^^ Allerton, at the head of Nantasket J 'each. "I The boat was now well alnnvB in Broad Sound Channel, and the boys were watching and com- 1 menting on the islands still in I sight.

Off on the starboard side I lay the three Brewsters^jmd^^^^^^^H westerly, Graves. The was there was sea as land on the Graves from a row-boat with comparative ease, but to see these cruel rocks in a northeast gale, with the breakers dashingin immense volumes of white angry water, and with thunderous roar submerging these ledges, you would say these islands were rightly named. An excursion steamer from Nahant now passed them, and the boys waved their hats and handkerchiefs at the passengers, some of whom returned the compliment. ' Were you ever at Nahant, Dick ? " asked George. No ; but I mean to go some time, and visit Maolis Garden." " That don't amount to much ; I have been in it. But I can never pass Nahant headland without a shudder. I had a narrow escape from death there one night." "How was that?" eagerly inquired the Parson " A party of six of us left City Point, South Boston, one evening, about seven o'clock, to go down to Swampscott to a muster.

Ned Bray was to be one of the party, but business called him to Lynn that afternoon, and he agreed to meet us at Nahant, if we would run in there and pick him up. We promised to do so, and I told him we should probably get there about eight or nine o'clock. " We started from the Point in a large sloop yacht, all of us in first rate spirits. There was a light south erly breeze, and I laid a straight course for Broad Sound. Only one of my companions was at all familiar with the art of sailing a boat, so he and I took turns in the management of our craft. 'The evening was beautiful when we left the wharf, and we naturally anticipated a very pleasant sail. But the poet says 'The best-laid schemes of mice and men gang aft aglee,' and it was so in our case." "Did the poet say that all alone by himself?" broke in Ned, with a roguish smile.

" Now, Ned, if you interrupt me in that way again, I'll call the captain and have you put down in the bilge hole," and George shook his finger warningly at the joker. " Reel off your yarn, and I'll keep him quiet, George," added Fred. " All right. Lay him on the deck and sit down on him if he speaks again," laughed George, and resumed his story. "We had passed Deer Island and were about half-way between that and Nahant, with all the harbor lights visible, when in five minutes, before I noticed it, talking and laughing as we were, there rolled in a fog as thick as mud, and hid everything from view. " When the lights disappeared we were heading in a bee line for the steamboat landing at Nahant. But as the fog increased, the wind changed and came out from the eastward, and began to blow a little fresher than I cared to have it.

I had neglected to take a compass, and, as you may suppose, that did not help matters any. " We began to tear through the water at a rate that frightened two of the timid ones, and every few minutes we were plentifully spattered from the spray of some large roller breaking on the weather bow. " It was not exactly dark, for the moon was shining above and making an ineffectual attempt to pierce the fog, but still we could only see for the length of a fathom or two around us, and I began to feel uneasy as to our exact position. " For the last half-hour I had laid our course as near as I could by the wind, and I called Tom Smith up to me, on whom I depended for help in working the boat, and asked him in a whisper if he had any idea where we were. He thought we must be about opposite West Lynn, and said I had better change the course and run for the shore.

WIIDS. "As I could think of nothing better to do, I followed his advice. During the last half-hour the wind had increased very much, and the boat rushed through the water with ' a bone in her teeth,' and we were fast getting wet through. " For fifteen minutes, I should judge, we dashed on in this manner, when suddenly I was startled by the noise of breakers. I cast an inquiring glance towards Tom, and saw that his face was turned in the direction of the sound, and that he was listening attentively. " The next moment the fog lifted, or cleared, a little, so that a few rays of moonlight illumined the angry waters before us, and right ahead I saw " — What ? " broke in Dick, excitedly "The ragged walls of Nahant, with the breakers dashing up on the scarred and honeycombed rocks some twenty or thirty feet.

" Tom took in the situation at the same moment, and being better acquainted with Nahant than I was, — he had lived there one summer, — knew exactly where we were. "With an expression on his face that I shall never forget, he cried, — "'The Swallow's Cave! Hard-a-port your helm — hard-a-port ! If she misses stays our lives are not worth a farthing,' and seizing an oar he put it out on the port side and pulled for dear life. "The boat came up to the wind lively, but moved slower as the sails shivered in the wind's eye, and I actually believe that if it had not been for Tom's oar she would have missed stays, for she had a trick of doing it sometimes in rough water, and there was a very heavy sea on by that time. " I hauled the windward jib sheet as tight as I could draw it, and only slacked it off when the boat had swung around so far BREAKERS AHEAD I that her lee rail was under water, and I knew there was no danger of her going back on us ; then trimming the mainsail we hove away from our dangerous position.

" The fog thickened again ; and after running on our present tack fifteen minutes by my watch, I slacked off the sheets, squared away, and run awhile before the wind until I felt satisfied that we had cleared Nahant, when I put my helm to port, hauled in our sheets, and stood for the shore. "After running on that course as long as I dared, I brought the boat into the wind, had the boys haul down the jib, and we dropped anchor. Then Tom jumped into the tender and pulled away to see if he could discover where we were. It was then about ten o'clock. " He was gone nearly an hour, and when he returned he brought Ned Bray with him, who told us he had been waiting on the wharf for two hours, and was half frozen. " Tom informed me that we were not more than half a mile from the steamboat wharf. We hauled up the anchor, hoisted the jib, and Tom took the helm, as he had the best idea of where the wharf lay.

" The fog was as thick as ever ; so I went forward, and, lying down on deck, peered into the mist, ready to announce the first sight of land. " The boat sped toward the shore like an arrow, occasionally shipping a barrel or two of water, that wet us all to the skin, for none of the boys would go into the cabin, although they might have kept dry there ; and in a few moments I saw off on the starboard bow a large white object, looking dim and ghostly, as it appeared suddenly through the fog. It was the steamboat lying at the wharf, and we were but a short distance from it, and were running parallel with it. " I was just rising to my feet to slack away the jib halyards, when I made out a cat-boat at anchor directly ahead of us, and not twenty feet distant. ' Starboard your helm ! ' I shouted. ' Quick ! hard-a-starboard ! ' and, excited with the impending collision, my voice rose far above the roar of the wind and water.

Tom heard me, and obeyed the order promptly. But he was not quick enough for the speed at which we tore through the waves, and the next moment we struck the boat amidships with a tremendous crash, cutting her almost in two, our boat swinging clear of her as she sank. ' The shock of the collision brought me to the deck all in a heap ; but the moment I had scrambled up, I let go the jib and mainsail halyards, and yelled to Tom to haul in the main sheet; and the next moment we had landed on the beach, with our bow nearly out of water, bringing up so suddenly as to throw every body down, while I went heels over head out on the shore. Luckily it was sand and gravel where I struck, and I was not hurt much ; but my temper was terribly ruffled, and I inwardly consigned the fog to Davy Jones's locker.