The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-04-25

a continued mountainous embankment
IF rock, from 800 to 1900 feet in height.
There are numerous coyes and sandy
bays to land in, which are frequently
sheltered by islands from the swell ofthe
Lake. This is particularly the case at
the distance of one hundred miles to the
eastward of the Grand Portage, and is
called the Pays Plat. This seems to
have been caused by some CONFUSION Of
nature, for many of the islands display
a composition Of lava, intermixed with
round stones of the size Of a pigeons
egg. The surrounding rock is general
lily hard and Of dark blue grey, though
it frequently has the appearance Of iron
and copper. The south side of the Lake
from Point Shagoimago east, is almost a
continual straight line Of sandy beach,,
interspersed with rocky precipices of
limestone, sometimes rising to an hum
dred feet in height, without bay. Tho
entertainments from that point westward
are in general of strong clay interspers-
ed with stones, which renders the navi-
CATION irksome and dangerous. The
copper mines on the south side Of the
Lake are supposed to be much richer
than those on the north coa The
principal rivers discharging themselves
into Lake Superior are the St. Louis,
the Nipigon, the Pie, and the Michipico-'
ten; as these rivers are inconsiderable,
the Lake itself may be denominated tho
grand reservoir Of the river St. Law
renee.
This vast collection Of water is often
covered with fog, particularly when The
wind Is from the east, which driving
against the high barren rocks on the north
and west shore, dissolves in torrents Of
rain. 1t is very generally said that the
storms on this lake arc denoted by
swell on the preceding day, but this Cir.
cumstancc does not appear to be reg,
ular phenomenon, as the swells more ire-
quently subside without any subsequent
wind
Along the surrounding rocks Of this
immense lake evident marks appear Of
the decrease Of lis water, by the lines
observable along them; the space how
ever, between the highest and the lowest
Is not SO great as 10 the smaller lakes,
as 1t does not amount TO more than six
feet the former being very faint.
The Grande Portage is situated on
pleasant bay Oh the north side of the
Lake, having al its entrance an island
which screens the harbor fromi every
wind except the south, the shallowness
of the water however, renders i. neces-
sary for vessels to anchor near a mile
from the shore where there is not moro
than IA feet water. Avery curious phe-
nomenon was observed some years ago
at this point for which no obvious cause
could be assigned. The water withdrew
leaving the ground dry that had never
before been visible, the fall being equal
to four perpendicular feet, and rushing
back with great velocity above the COM
mon mark. 1t continued thus falling
and rising for several hours, gradually
decreasing until it stopped at its usual
height. There is frequently an irregu-
lar influx and defux which does not ex-
coed 10 inches, and is attributed to the
wind; will not this account for irregu-
larities in the yearly formations Office?
The general face Of the country on
the north shore Of Lake Superior offers
a wild scene of huge hills and rocks,
separated by stony valleys, lakes and
ponds; wherever there is the least soil
it is well covered with trees. The rocks
appear to have been overrun BY fire,
and the stunted timber which once grew
there is frequently seen lying along the
surface of them, but it is not easy to be
reconciled that anything should grow
where there is so little appearance Of
soil. Between the fallen trees there are
briers with whortleberry and gooseber-
ry bushes, raspberries, Sc, which invite
the bears in greater or lesser numbers
as they are favorite food Of that ami
NAL; beyond the rocky banks Of the Lake
are found few moose and fa1low deer.
The waters alone are abundantly inhab-
tied.
The outlet of Lake Superior is the
Saint Mary's river, about so miles long,
and connecting Lake Superior with Lake
Huron. The average width of the river
is about mile The town of Sault Ste.
Marie or Falls of St. Mary, is stu
ated about l5 miles from Lake Supe.
rior, on the southern bark Of the river,
and at the foot Of the rapids or falls
The rapids are about mile in lcngth,
and between the head and foot there is
six feet fall. Canoes pass over the falls
navigated by Indians. in safety. AT the
foot of the rapids white fish are caught
by the Indians in canoes, with scoop
net, and speckied trout arc caught with
a hook and line in their season. Tho
best season for catching white fish is the
fall, as they then leave the deep waters
Of the Lake, and crowd in shoals TO the
shallow water to spawn. II is contem- 4
plated that at some future and no distant
day there will be ship canal Of about
| mile in length constructed to pass
around the Falls Of St. Mary. In 1916
the steamer Julia Palmer was carried
over the portage of these falls on a Sill
ding railway. and schooners and small
craft are carried in this way across near
/ ly every year. The western extrenity