The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-07-10
The scenery or..he Upper Lakes.
Bf 9. u. cAsNos.

The Scenery Of the Upper Lakes.
Bf g. n. CANNON. .,t
| Not long since we traversed these north
ern seas, and passed q summer along the
borders of the great Lake. Since then our
summers have been passed in exploring the
interior Of our own fine Peninsula--LOwe
Michigan, and we have been particularly in
terestsd with the appearances OF the country
merely TO notice these features, aud in the
future may resume ihe subject, and sketch
this hitherto almost unknown country in its
capacity Of settlement, and Of sustaining a
population embracing its agricultural res
sources, Sc. The lakes Of this region are
numerous, and they xil lie along the south
ern border of the primitive range which
leads of, spur Of the Rocky Mountains.
No one has err traxerssd these vast inland
Mediterraneans-this chain Of great lakes
that lie as an arch circling the northern por.
iiOn of our Union. without observing more
or less their marked characteristics. From
the thousand islands that gem the trnnspar.
ent waters of Huron, TO the Apostles
Group, near the head Of Lake Superior, we
are fOrcibIy reminded of and interested with,
the wild scenery presentedby the lake coast.
The diversified character of the Huron Is
lands, their various size, from the small is
land OF rock, 10 one of several miles in ex-
tent, sparingly timhered with the evergreen
of the North--ihe small opening upon the
beach, where the smoke curling above the
forest, tells the locality Of the red mans re-
treat, while his bark canoe lying upon the
beach, speaks his occupation--these contin-
ually greet our view as we traverse among
them Leaving these, the range Of high
and barren rocks skirtng along Ste. Marie's
river interest the view, and passing the fall
of old Superior, the "Father Of Lakes" we
emerge upon its broad boso,n Here the
display of mountainous rage Of rocks with
precii'itous broken sides, lying along the
coast, or its absence supplied by immense
heaps OF sand drift, cannot fail to attract
the eye Of the traveller traversing its varied
scenery. The sinuosities OF the coast Civ
ing rise to deep bays which serve as the EN-.
bochure Of some river or mountain stream
the cape or bold pronontory extending for
miles into the lake-the precipitous cliff
standing MS buttress against the wave and
the rugged and broken outline of the prim-
tive rock farther inland, present themselves
10 our view "a marked features of the south
ern shore. OF the noted localities along
this shore, uOne are more interesting than
the far famed Pictured Rocks and the Grand
Sauble; the former presenting lofty escarp-
meDt Of 200 feet to the wind aud waves.
''colored in all their fantastic and grim fig
ures, or shapes, half real and half imag gina
ry, neither animal nor in the likeness Of
anything else that is natural, but so near
the natural as To give rise To the idea Of
monsters-Griffias and Genii-the astunish-
meut Of every behol,ler--the old voyageur's
place of sincere reverence, aud where the
Indian thinks of his Manitou." The latter
an immense pile of sand, four miles long aud
500 feet high, regularly stratifed with vari-
egated cOiors Of red aud white, its summit
CAPPED with moving clouds Of sand drift,
and destitute Of vegetation, no tree or shrub
in the range of vision. Viewed in a plea
SAINT day from a distance, this wonderful
looking, immense pile Of sand. stands as a
monument, a marked feature of the grea,
lake. Pleasant and interesting as is the
scenery presented by the southern shore,
yet great contrast is observed when we
view the northern coast of the lake. No
very deep bays dsfgure its outline, while
range Of ragge, and broken rocks, having a
course parallel to the lake coast, with an Ell.
ovation of 1000 to 1900 feet high, gives to
the country its wild scenery and sterile as
pect. This range extends hut few miles
inland, Cat most but fifteen or twcnty,) fire.
quently rising in mural escarp,nents of 100
to $50 feet high, often giving rise to bold
shore or rock bound beach. The rocks
of this range are hare over considerable.
areas, which enables the traveller a few
miles out, in his coasiing boat, to trace with
his eye for miles the course of some stream
as it winds il. way, broken by cascades; a
nong the bluffs, until il pours over some
ledge Of rock into the great reservoir below,
forming a fall frequently, Of eighty feet per-
pen,Iicular height. The ear is accustomed
to the continual sound of the waterfall, or
the music of The rushing water lraIring over
the high cliff or dashing through the deep
gorges Of the mountains, presenting fire.
quentiy, a continued line Of falls for three or
four miles, while the Overhanging wall Of
rock, which occasionally skirts the shore Of
the lake, being crowned with the perpetual
verdure of the evergreen, the tall Norway
Pine, Hemlock and Cedar, and tenanted by
the various aquatic fowl Of this northern
solitude, seem to he set as gems TO add to
the scenery. Such is but an imperfect out
line afforded by the characteristic features
bordering this vast inland sea. Ere long
we doubt not its wild shores will be much
frequsnted as place Of res0rt-its pure air
breathed by the invalid, while its clear cold
wafer forms q constant theme Of delight
But to behold this luke in all it's grandeur,
we must witness the waves raging in foam,
aud the storm cloud from the mountain
sweeping over its broad bosom-the waves
leaping and dashing against the rocky beach
Tho clouds congregated in knots, as it
WERE, among the far-off hills, and the con-
tinual roaring of the thunder and the APP
proaching tempest Then, in all its majes-
iy, we behold the Father Of Lakes" *
The Proposed Park in New York City.
! The grouad selected by the Committee Of
the New York Common Council. for the
new Park, extends from Sixiy-Fourth to
Seventy Fifth ST., and from Thiri-av. to the
East River, being somewhat more than half
mile square, and containing one hundred
and sixty acres. There are at present very
few buildings on it, and at least half the
fgrounG is covered with fine growth Of for
est trees. The East River side is bold and
steep, with charming views up and down
the River, and across Blackw Island 10
the Long Island shore. The probable ex-
nersa Of ,he Park includin9 tha coat of