| The Saco river begins in the mountains of New | | | | There had been tales circulating around that an |
| Hampshire and winds it's way through southern | | | | Indian baby could swim from birth, so the sailors |
| Maine to the Atlantic ocean. It is a rough and | | | | decided to put this to the test. They captured the |
| dangerous river which has taken the lives of | | | | canoe, took the baby from the mother and |
| many who chose to risk it. Every year the news | | | | threw him right into the water, where he |
| media reports the crashing of boats on the rocks | | | | drowned. |
| or kids braving the ice chunks. The mouth of the | | | | When the mother returned to her tribe, she |
| river is a place called Camp Ellis. Just a few weeks | | | | spoke with the chief who instructed the medicine |
| ago during a major storm a few houses collapsed | | | | man to place a curse upon the river. The curse |
| as Camp Ellis with the help of the river, is slowly | | | | was said to go like this. Three or more white man |
| eroding away into the ocean. | | | | shall die in this river every year. |
| I once went on a fishing trip with my father. We | | | | He then warned me to be very careful around |
| went to a popular fishing spot at a place called the | | | | here. |
| Skeleton Dam. The water was deep there, so it | | | | This wouldn't be the last time I heard of it either. |
| was the perfect spot for catching trout. There | | | | While telling my grandmother the story, she dug |
| were a few people there that day, including an old | | | | out a box of 45 rpm records. There was a song |
| man who my father just happened to know from | | | | about it, that she had, called the Curse of the |
| his own childhood. They talked for a little while. | | | | Saco River. The song was sung by a local |
| He, at one point, turned to me and said, "You | | | | woman, although I do not remember who. |
| know this river is cursed don't you?" Of course I | | | | So far, to my knowledge, this number has held |
| didn't, but I was sure about to find out. As it turns | | | | true. There are also various stories about the |
| out, there is an old legend in southern Maine | | | | curse of the Saco River on the web. A Google |
| regarding the early English settlers and the Saco | | | | search will turn some of them up. But I can |
| River. | | | | testify that if you live in southern Maine, you are |
| The story goes like this. Back in the summer of | | | | bound to see news stories every year of people |
| 1675, a group of drunken sailors, anchored off the | | | | drowning. Perhaps it's just the nature of the |
| coast of what is now southern Maine came | | | | beast. Perhaps it's due to the carelessness of |
| across a young Native American mother in a | | | | those who brave the waters. Then again, maybe |
| canoe with her child. | | | | there is something to this curse after all. |