mile farther up the Caucomgomoc, we went thither. The latter river, judging from the map, is the longer and principal stream, and, therefore, its name must prevail below the junction. So quickly we changed the civilizing sky of Chesuncook for the dark wood of the Caucomgomoc. On reaching the Indian's camping-ground, on the south side, where the bank was about a dozen feet high, I read on the trunk of a fir-tree blazed by an axe an inscription in charcoal which had been left by him. It was surmounted by a drawing of a bear paddling a canoe, which he said was the sign which had been used by his family always. The drawing, though rude, could not be mistaken for anything but a bear, and he doubted my ability to copy it. The inscription ran thus, verbatim et literatim. I interline the English of his Indian as he gave it to me.
[The figure of a bear in a boat.]
July 26,
1853.
| Niasoseb. | |
| We alone Joseph. | |
| Polls | clioi |
| Polis | start |
| sia | olta |
| for | Oldtown |
| ouke | ni |
| right | away. |
| quambi | |
July 15,
1855.
Niasoseb.
He added now below:—
1857,
July 26.
Io. Polis.
