New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-08-09
LAKE SUPERIOR.
a Trip % Isle Royal and the Nsrth shsre-The Mag
nifcent Scenery, dse.


beautiful scenery have ever beheld either 10 Europe
or America Through the kindness Of some gentlemen
who going 70 the North Shore Of the Lake, 70
examine the now deserted mine at Princes Bay, vas
allowed join the party and the SAM Ward boat re.
Gently launched this side Of the Sent chartered
to take u.s. small boat luggage provisions &c over
We ran first TO the extremity OF Isle Roy
ale distance Of some fifty miles across the open AXE
and by Doon threading the nsrros passages De
tween the small Islands protecting washington harOof
from the fury Of the storms which come sweeping down
the Lake from the Minnesota shore. The day jay ~
was superb the shoDe brilliantly me orgh' "aels
sparked eorousy the eernsfrest OF evergreen trees
clothed every set and the long ridges OF lse Rcyse ~
robe ftbe darkest green and a. We passed the open
ing of the habOr general burst OF delight from the
rous pssseneers sttested the marvellous beauty OF
the spot ,
the osrsel ridges which compose the Island have been
xss6ed away 10 but comparatively small extent, add
instead Of the long points the fingers Of lsie
"Royse"-wiih DarrOw boys stretching miles away ia
land bcb give the northeastern end, most peculiar
character, have here one principal opening only
between the ridges some three miles in length and per
hap. half mile in width, but growing broader inland
This is Washington Hsrbor; saw it, smooth a.
glass and daIkeDed by the shades OF the Orescrowned
nights about il perfect solitude with no trace OF the
works of mans band Before it lie the headlaDds Of
Pbeps Island with beautiful indenatons and little bays
betw and cluster Of other green spots rising from
the clear waters beautiful forms and away in the dis
lance 10 the north the bounded BY the blue anu
misty preeipces Of the Canada shore
A. We left Isle Royale, all eyes became fixed upon
the North shore as in the lessenng distance, the dim
outline grew and more lndistInct Directly ahead
seen beyond Victoria, Spar and Thompson lsands tne
lofty headands around Princes and Sturgeon Bays,
with pecptous sides and forest crowned tops, were as
cunning each It's respective form and outline. Farther
in the distance McKsys Mountain 900 feet sheer
from the waters edge To the right, Pc Island, us
western mart counter art in form the famous Saxon
&c hpaved hup9 brow 80 feet
almost perpendculary from the Lake, and still iartner
in the same direction Thunder Cape bounded The view
with lis bald summit lifted 800 feet from the waves,
which dash upon its base To the west down along
the coast from Princes Bay, similar line Of precl
pjces and promOntOes, down 10 the grand portage OF
Pigeon River and still onward far vision could reach
The distance the channel between Isle hoyae ana
the main land is about 10 miles and as the sam Wardsnct
across the smooth waters the pecuiaes othe scenery
came out in this clear atmosphere with singular rapdlty
An English gentleman, by chance on board TO whom
ali that Europe has OF grandeur Is familiar was espec
ally Impressed and saving the ruDriyalled APPS
knew OF nothing more grand and enchanting tban thiS
eoast While still some miles from the shore, white
,pot in the distance attracted notice Was il cascade
oaminQ down into the lake, 1t proved 10 be broad
belt Of spar some II feet wide white the driven snow,
which crosses the neck Of island, Ia which gives
pame al il lost far out under the waters
And pass through the narrow entrance be
tween Victoria and Spar Islands into Princes Bay and
in few minutes more have crossed-some two miles
10 the main land and to in front Of the deserted
location Of the Prince Mine, beneath the PrecIplous
hAdland which afterwaId gave the name OF obdWs
Bluff.
Our boat baggage and were put shore, and
by O'Clock 10 the afternoon our party of eight were LEFT
BY the Ward 10 explore and enjoy ~ We might the mag
nifcent spot in which she had deposited us
The lowest of the headlands Of which have spoken
must be- from three TO four hundred feet in hight but
beside those which form the marked features OF the
coast the little points islands, prOnOntorles enclosing
al IaVa NJ
berless During the three days were there we made
several excursions 10 various points IN the neghbOrbo0d
One Of these to Spar Island. Weiound hat mining
operations had been carried pretty extensively IN the
belt Of Spar already mentioned, but could In the
matter thrown out few indications Of the presence OF
metallic wealth-hOWeyer cannot speak professionally
The shafts were still Ia considerable hight from The
bottom covered with snow and ice The island IL per
baps two miles in length and has two lofty nights From
one up which climbed the view is superb as may
easily be conceived To the southwest the open lake
south and the misty ridges Of Isle Royae then the
lake again spreading away like the ocean then the dun
outline Of Thunder Cape in the northeast next tbe
precipces deep DdentatOns aud raynes of Pie Island
then glimpse of Thunder Bay stretching away some
thirty miles inland and the rest Of the view bounded by
the nights Of the main shore.
Shaw's Bluff, beneath which, in a deserted log house,
We had established quarters is about mile long by
halt that width and rises at least 400 feet above the bay
On the north side Of is bold precpce OF DARK, COM
pact trap rock which evidently during the prOecu'
ton of mining Princes vein place OF resort as We
found trail leading thither through the dense forest
and well might il be place Of resort, Tor we had from
il one of most beautiful views. Pie Island was the
grand point between the two main bodies OF which one
caught glimpse of Thunder Cape across a low island
We had the waters of Thunder Bay IN sight and ulne
datey before the promOntory which ncloes on the
north Evira Bay whose gentle dashng upon the shore
hardly distngushable at this hight from tie signing
of the wind in the dark forest
The rocks this coast of an excessively hard and
pact trap which in some places has assumed strait
fed appearance and indeed To- such extent 10 have
given rise To belief in the existence OF beds of slate
This is not the Five years since found the i'm
sssion in the lake country that In these rocks
would be found most magnificent deposits OF mineral
wealth Judging from what | saw | should say (stil
speaking from avery slight knowledge OF Geology aud
MneTaoN) that such expectations must prove uuie;
az all events could not those appearances IN the
rocks and veins which the opposite shore are con-
sidered indications of workable mines. This by the way
On the morning after arrival at the place some Of
the party had passed over to Spar Island and the rest
were making an exploration ofthe vein and dggns some
distance back in the woods leaving effects entirely
ungusrded in n house without doors windows, whenwe
saw two canoes filed with people approaching the land
inc from Elyra Bay Soon after he's reached the land
inc We heard shot and afterwards learned from those
of our party who first reached the house that the stran
gers had landed and, finding no person ABOUT the prem
SEES had placed piece Of board across The opening OF the
door in token of having touched nothing and hen re-
turned TO their canoes fired the shot and sat patiently
waiting for cur appearance They proved 70 be two
families Of Indians their way from Fort William, a
station Of the Hudson Bay Company about twouy miles
from us On the west shore of Thunder Bay 10 the upper
end of the lake cigar or two 20 the men few small
crackers TO the women and children, and some other
SLIGHT presents and then shake the hand ali roand
ipfi ity of BOcjous" don jour) and they went |
an their vav rejoicing Another Indian family, who |