Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-10-13

Coz. Cass's description of the Pictured Rocks
of Lake Superior Upon the Southern coast of
Lake Superior. about fifty miles from the falls OF
st. Mary, are the immense precipitous chff., cal
led by the voyagers, LIE Portrait aud the Pictur-
ed Rocks. This name has been given to them
in consequence Of the different appearances
which they present.to the traveller as he passes
their base in his canoe. 1t requires little aid
from the imagination tn discern IN them the cas-
telated tower and lofty dome. spires and pima.
Giles, and every sublime, grotesque, or fantastic
shape thatthe senius of architecture ever inven.
ted. These cliffs are an unbrOken mass OF rocks,
rising to an elevation of 500 feet above the level
of the lake, and stretching along the coast for
miles. The voyagers never pass this coast but In
profound calm; and the Indians, before they make
the attempt, offer their accustomed oblations to
propitiate the favor of their Monitous.
The eye instnctively searches along this eter-
nal rampant for single place Of security; but the
search is in vain. With an impossible barrier oil
rocks on one side, and on in.erminab!e expanse OF
water on the other, sudden storm upon the
lake would as inevitably insure destruction TO
the passenger 10 his frail conoe, as it he were on
the brink of the cataract of Niagara. The rock
itself is sand stone, which is disentegrated by
the continual action of the water With compare
tive facility. There are no broken masses upon
which the eve can rest and lind relief The
lake is so deep, that these masses, as they are
torn from the precpce, arc concealed beneath
its waters until they are reduced to sand. The
action of the waves has undermined every pro-
jectins point; and there the immense precipice
rests upon arches, and the foundation IL inter-
sected with caverns in every direction.
When we passed this mighty fabric Of nature,
the wind was still and the take was calm. But
even the slightest motion of the waves, which in
the most profound calm agltates these inland
seas, swept through the caverEs with the noise
of distant thunder, and died away upon the ear,
as if rolled forward in the dark rccesses inacces.
sible to human observation. No sound more me.
iancholy or more awful ever vibrated upon hu-
man nerves. 1t has left an impression which
neither time nor distance can ever eflaCc. Rest
ing in trail bark canoe upon the limpd waters
of the lakes we seemed almost suspended in air,
so pellucid is the element upon which we floated.
In gazing upon the towering battlement which
impended over US, and from which the smallest
fragment would have destroyed US, we telt, and
felt intensely our own insIgniicance. No situa-
ton can be imagined more appalling TO the cou-
rage, or more hunblins to the pride OF man.
We appeared like speck upon the face OF crea-
ton. Our whole party, Indians and Voyagers,
and soldiers, officers aud servants, contemplated
in mute establishment the awful display of crea-
tive power, at whose base we hung; and no sound
broke upon the ear to interrupt the eeaseless
roaring of the waters. No splendid cathedral,
no temple built with human hands. no pomp. OF
Worship could ever impress the spectator with
such humility, and 50 strong conviction OF the
immense distance between him and the Almighty
Architect.
The writer of this article has viewed the Falls
of Niagara, and the passage of the Potomac
through the Blue Ridge, two of the most stu
pendous objects in the natural features OF our
country The impression they produce Is lee
bic and transient. compared with that OF the
"Pictured Rocks" on Lake Superior.