The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-12-03
Correspondence of the Boston Mail.
LAKE SUPERIOR, Ontonagon,

October 80, 1916.


LAKE SUPERIOR, Ontonagon,
October 80, 1916.
Dear Mail Il have never passed a wintc
III this high northern Latitude, but l am tolC
by those who have, that the weather is no
near as cold as many suppose it to be. True
there is Il steady cold, Tut the air is so tenn
pered by the waters of the lake, that the Their
mometer seldom goes down below zero. Ii
Boston you have many colder snaps" thar
any experienced on the shores of the Lake
Winter here begins early in Autumn, ant
holds on late in the Spring, but when Sum
mer fairly sets in, vegetation springs into Wig
orous life and grows as if it really feared tina
the frosts of Autumn would overtake it, ere
it reached its maturity. While Boston har
Dor may be bound in icy letters, the pure wa
tiers of Lake Superior flow on, dashed by the
wlntry winds, but never frozen by hem.
The Julia Palmer, a wheel steamboat, the
independence, a propeller, and the other lake
craft, some ten or twelve iii number, Of all
classes, are about to go into winter quarters,
for the navigation Of the lake in the winter
season is a somewhat dangerous enterprise,
and but few would be willing to venture their
lives on this boisterous deep. Seldom do the
Indians meet with any disasters upon the
lake Expert in managing their bark canoes,
when oyertaken by any sudden storm, and
extremely cautious to keep their weather
eye" open, They are generally safe in
their.lodges, their trail banks high and dry
upon the rock bound shores, when the waves
would be most dangerous. The bump of eau
ton is very fully developed in these sons of
the forest. They possess not half the cour.
age, and not title of the temerity which
characterize the white royageurs on this fresh
water ocean. The Indian has vast deal
more cunning than courage. When any of
their brethren have met with shipwreck and
lost their lives or their canoes, the spot where
the accident happened is well marked and
avoided. They always pass by it
with superstitious dread, as if they feared
some evil genius presided over the place.
The island Manatou, or Great Spirit, situa-
ted some two or three miles off point Ke-
wiena, is regarded by the Indians with
much superstitlous fear, for they have a ira
dition among them that many lives have been
lost, and canoes destroyed upon the rugged
rocks which form the shores of this island.
The angler can here find sport to his
hearts content, for the lake abounds with
variety OF fish Of extraordinary size and quail |
ty. The white fish, trout and siskowettc are
he most valuable. Nature has stored these
waters with an abundance of food. The trout |
lere grow to an enormous size. Mr.. John
ION, well educated halt-breed, and gentle
nan who is thoroughly acquainted with the
axe and regions which surround it, told me
hat he has seen trout taken from the depths
# these waters which weighed one hundred
oupds piece. Such fish would make sad
avoc witt the silk worm gut, tinsel fly, silk
n line and slender rod Of the scientiGce an
Ter. Such trout would have thrown Isaac
Walton into fits, and completely upset the
Philosophy Of Sir Humphrey Davy. 1t is i'll
eed most exciting sport to hook even a forty
ounder and feel him running off with the
ne through the water occasionally leaping up
ITO the air, showing his bright and shining
dies in the rays of the morning sun, and anon
lunging into the dark depths of the lake.
he white fish weigh from two to seven or
light pounds, and afford most excellent food,
he flesh being very white, hard and free from
ones. These fellows cannot be killed with
lie hook, being usually taken in gull or dish
ct. The siskowette is a kind of trout, but
0 not grow so large as the lake trout They
re really what the Indian name imports-"a I
It fish, and a most luscious one too. / have
ade many meal from them, and most sumD-
lous ones too. l hardly know which to adj
ire most, the sport of catching them, or the
lxury of eating them. When | commenced {
lis letter, | intended to give your readers
'me account of the lake, but the trout have S
much occupied the space allotted to this +
ssile that must postpone that account to
'me future day, barely remarking that the {
,gion about the Ontonagon has awakened
rong hopes in the Venturers," and bids fair
turn out rich in mineral wealth. Steady
nd we'll directed efforts and judicious plans
i'll develope something valuable in this quar-
II, and richly reward those who have en-
aged in the mining enterprise.
PONTIAC