Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1843-12-09
mo. 80.
From the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser.
THE LAKE COUNTRY.


THE LAKE COUNTRY.
MAcKINAc.-M ackinao is situated al the
head or northwest extremity Of Lake Huron,
on an Island Of the same name. in about As .
north latitude, and long. w. about 81 c 500
miles from Detroit. The Island of Mackinac
is seen as you approach il from the Eas, from
20 TO 25 miles. and exhibits the shape ola
huge turtle, from which lis said il derived its
name from the natives. As the Island is ap.
preached the whitewsshsd walls and build
Ings Of the fort first attract, the strangers no.
lice. The fort is situated on the verge of the
hill about one hundred feet elevation, and az
You near the hsrbor the houses at the base Of
the hill appear on the margin Of the bay, near
" half moon In shape. The village num-
bers. independent Of the garrison, about 500
Inhabitants. There 10 Protestant Missiona-
~ establishment here and church: the Cath
olics have church and station here, also.
Then there are the buildings belonging to tho
American Fur Company, besides many pri-
vate trading establishments. There are, how
ever, dilapidsied old buildings, and but few
new ones being built-evincing a decline in
the once thriving trade Of tho American Fur
Company a, this point. Il is yet, however, =
convenisn, landing place for steamboats, to
wood a, and also to get a supply Of their IA.
nous salmon trout. and white fish, which arc
almost daily caught here by the fishermen. half
breeds, natives and French. Many of the old
buildings are yet standing which we've built of
iogs and covered with bark, and even now
some small buildings are being made Of logs
and covered, root and sides, with cedar bark,
an article of traffic like shingles with US. Mr..
Dousman has a farm abou, two miles back,
which nets good profit, and /, 10 principally
confined TO grass and dairy. this being Tho
only one Of any extent on tho island. Vegei-
alton here is rather iardy.-The best garden is
,ha, belonging TO fort Immediately under tho
hiIl-potatoes have been raised here some
years for expectation. curran,s. rasPberries.
strawberries, goosberries and green corn come
10 perfection in September Furs. trout, white
fish and few curiosi,ies made by the ra,ives
are their principal articles Of traffic 10 exchange
for necessary articles Of subsistence and coh-
ing. Salt trout and white fish are generally
from 45 to % per barrel.
There are at present three companies OF well
disciplined men here, Capt Scott ia command.
The nea, and orderly arrangement added to
the geniIemanly department Of tho command
ing officer, apparent TO the most unobserving
visi,er, rebounds much TO his credit, and en-
hances the pleasure Of a visi, 10 the fort. A.
UOuk uei tuilo Idrhutt up No ullts ot tdktI
on its summit are The ruins Of Fort Holmes.
which was surprised and taken 10 the early
par. Of last war by the British. The elevation
here 10 over two hundred feet above the lake,
and affords beautiful view OF the surround
ing islands in and about The Straits Of Macki-
nae; further along TO tho right on the border OF
a valley is tho celebrated Sugar Loaf Rock
which. completely isolated. rises about eighty
feet from its base. and was generally thought
10 be inaccessible, but two or three of our pat
iy assembled TO its top. East of this. on tho
ca stern shore is the arched rock. which pre-
SCENTS from the bank or from the lake, a we'll
defined gothic arch about 40 feet span. and
more than one hundred fee, high. The top Of
this rock Is fearful looking place to cross. be.
ing very narrow. yet il has been crossed. says
Capt Scott. and by females too. Most OF the
visiiers descen 10 the lake under this arch down
a decliviiy Of As degrees TO the lake. or on
their way pass through hole in the wall on
the right. near the base Of the right superssfuc-
iure, called The second arch.
The natives in their treaty reserved GER
tain number Of feet from the 'sAe IN this Bay
10 encamp upon during iLoir payments and ira
ding visits. At The payment this year which
tooE place 10 september, about three hundred
Of their y,,risble wigwsms or tents were Pitch
ed peon The beach and vicinity, encrcling tho
whole bay, presenting novel as we'll as in
teresting appearance to one who had never wit
nossed the like; these lodges are made OF poles
set sslani In tho ground, so as they meet at top.
they are then covered with birch bark or mat
ting. presenting the appearance Of so many
cones; their canoes are all made Of birch bark,
which they iii, on shore as soon as they land.
The food of these natives consist Of boiled
II E.k 10. A. ~
have seen the squaws assis, the fishermen to
clean fish, whom they came in 10 the morning.
and take the eniraiis for compensation. from
which II is said the make fine stew. Many
of this improviden, race get credit Of the ira
ders or merchants at Msckinsc on the coming
pa yment often TO the amount 10 DO received.
long before It IS due; their payment in cash or
specie. amounted this year TO about nine dol
lars each. including men. women and children:
each tribe was allowed portion Of -four. pork
and tobacco. 10 addition to money. Mr.. Stew
art Vi Detroit is the agent and stiendent TO the
payment; when they had nearly all assembled
he observed that drunkenness and disorder pro.
vailed. he therefore issued decree TO the ven
ders Of whiskey. that il they did not desist ho
would not commence TO pay. but remove them
to some other place; this had the desired effect.
for during two or three days Of the payment.
and two or three Of the preceding days. every
thing was order and quiet, not drunken In
dian was TO be seen or heard. The Steamer
Gen. Scott. Capt Shocks makes weekly iriPs
from Green Bay 10 Sault Ste. Marie. taking
Mackinac ia the ronie. II is about 100 miles
from this 10 the Msniiou Islands. and about
I65 miles from the Islands " Milwaukee.
The New Orleans Tropic says that ihe two
editors al vicksborg took a shot al each other.
a, sixty pacea. the other day. The difficulty