Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1853-08-31
Michipic0ten.

During recent trip towards the North Pole,
(sorry to say, saw nothing Of Sir John Frank.
linz our good boat, the Baltimore took into
her vapory head to run up to the almost un-
known Island Michipicoten, which is situated
on the mort shore Of Lake Superior. at the mouth
Of a long bay and river Of the same name
Speaking Of names. the word Michipicoten
being translated from the Ojibway into the
English. meanesh the Big Bay Early on the
morning of the Goth Of July, blue spec was
just visible on the Northern horizon. and the
vessel was heading directly for it. The pilot
had an easy task that day, for the head was
kept directly for the island until o'clock that
afternoon, when we swung INTO small harbor.
and made preparations-a few Of us-or going
ashore.
The Island viewed from sea is sublime
one. The Creator has here exhibited his
omnipotence in remarkable degree. As We
approached tie island. it seemed an immense
fortress, with towering battlements, aud walls
Of an immense height,all arm ed. and guarded
| by tai and beautiful trees. At the eastern
extremity, the bluff is no less than eight huI-
dred feet high, being almost precipice from
summit to sea. Along The Southern shore.
high lodges ascend direct from the water,
seeming to reach almost to the clouds. At
their bases the water is exceedingly deep, and
consequently vessels may lie close in to the
shore during the storms. The island has some
fine habors and refugees.
Michpicoten is fourteen miles long, and
varies in width from three to six miles. OF ito
interior nothing is known; it is said, however,
that game of all kinds, including "bars, 10
exceedingly abundant. 1t must certainly be
the home Of romance, if it corresponds with
the singular and wildly beautiful shores. The
cliffs and lodges along the water are principal.
ly Of greensboro and amygdaloid. The fo.ma.
lion Of the island is similar TO that Of the Min
ing Region. A Montreal Company has COM
menced operations here in the search for Cop
per aud silver. Large Jumps Of the latter have
been taken. out, and the operators are conf :
dent Of ultimate success. We stopped at the
mine. There were fifteen men here-all that
were on the island. Our boat brough. them
Mr.. Smith. the Superintendent, and seventeen
additional miners. We were received with
the widest demonstrations of joy. for they
had been alone on the Island, without the
sight of a vessel, for a number Of months. We
went ashore, visited the silver mine, the shaft
of which is nearly sixty feet deep, visited Mr..
Smiths rude log cabin, where he cracked =
bottle Of Heads;ck, and welcomed our party
to Michipicoten. We there obtained some
specimens Of silver ore, and returned on board.
In half an hour we were out upon the Lake,
and night had come upon the waters. So We
went to sleep, and dreamed pleasant dreams of
the fairy Island rising majestically and sub
timely from the cry stall waters of the great Lake.
We saw genii stalking upon the mountains
strldng from precipice to rrecIpce; we heard
the pippings of some Indian Pan. lamenting
his lost Syrinx, saw Maids and Syrens, and
greenhared Nereids reveling in the silver
streams that dash brightly among the trees;
heard the mystic chorusses Of fairies sporting
amid the flowers, ard tuning their harps by
the notes Of the sweet SOUTH but all that we
saw and heard, we could not tell, for we
dreamed till the noise and clangor of the trip
hammer of Marquette. on the other side of the
Lake, awake us.
The Baltimore was the first steam vessel
that ever visited Michipicoten. Cleve. PLAIN
Dealer