MOUNT DESERT, an island in Maine, having, Frenchman's bay and five rocky islands called the Porcupines on the e.; Mount Desert rock ';.0 rn. s. in the open sea; and Soame's sound flowing up into its s. portion for about six m.; the island being 12 in. in width and 15 m. long; pop. '80, 1017. It is included in Hancock co., and comprises the towns of Eden, Mount Desert, and Tremont, with 11 post-offices; among them, Soames ville, Seal Cove, and East Eden. The Mount Desert post-office is at Soamesville. The island is one in. from the main laud, and has 3 convenient harbors, Bar Harbor, North-east, and South-west. Great Head and Schooner Head are tall cliffs on the s.e. coast. It is crossed by 7 ridges of hills, the highest peak, mount Adam or mount Green, rising to an altitude of 1762 ft. above the level of the sea; and among the mountains are beautiful lakes of considerable size. It is celebrated for the grandeur and beauty of its
scenery, and is much frequented as a summer resort. It is 30 m, s.c of Bangor and was first discovered by the French in 1608, who named it St. Sauveur, but Ihe settlement was destroyed in 1613 by an expedition commanded by Samuel Argall, of Virginia, under the governorship of sir Thomas Dale. The first house of the future permanent fettlement was built by Abraham Soames, in the center of the island, overlooking the head of the sound, in 1761. It has excellent public schools, 6 churches, and about 20 hotels. It has a prosperous community engaged in cod and mackerel fishing, the manu facture of lumber, and ship-building. A feature of peculiar attractiveness as compared with many seashore resorts is the combination of mountain and marine scenery.