The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-08-12
Our saat Ste. Marie Corr dependence.


sAUr STE. MARIE. July 81. 1866.
Trip Darn TIE 81. Laurence Rsrer SceSery-A
pTldge on fhs Way-Copprr Mining-An In
dan Setfiemens-M Missionaries 4 tPIidrness-
Troopers Stations--1he Cgnd Nirigation.
Those who have had the good fortune to pass
down the st. Lawrence among the Thousand Islands
win be able to form good idea of the passage up
the St. Marys river to this place. Probably no other
spot in the world deserves to be compared to it.
had heard great deal Of the beauty Of the scenery
but supposed, as is too often the case, that
Twas distance lent enchantment to the view.
But find that, in fact, the whole had not been
told.
The river from the Saul to Lake Huron is about
sixty miles long in its most direct course but in its
passa It embraces innumerable wooded islands, Of
all Sizes from mere rock few yards square. to
those containing hundreds Of acres. The steamer in
which you are voyaging seems completely land
locked al the while, and the wonder is how you are
to extricate yourself from the watery labyrinth
through which you wind your devious way; but
new vistas Of enchanting beauty are constantly
opening before and all around you, and thus you.
pass on tor hours and hours through avenues OF
liquid emerald, planted on both sides with the love-
Hest wooded isets-a perfect eremite Paradise,
were eremite now the fashion.
On our way up we stopped at the "Bruce Mines
little mining village OF some forty or fifty strag
Cling, mostly implanted and dreadfully weather
beaten houses, standing in the midst Of rocky
clearing, and presenting most forbidding aspect.
Copper. in the shape OF an impure sulphnret. Is
obtained here and the ORE after being stamped and
washed is barrelled up and sent to England TO be
sMelted. The mining is carried on IN the rudest
manner, horse power only being used to pump the
mines and to raise the ore. Not yestigs Of gar,
give the place sterile and dreary an appearance
US possible, not single tree Of the thick forest
which formerly occupied the site had been left
standing.
The Saut St. Marie is one of the oldest towns in
America, and for more than two hundred years
has been the extreme limit Of civilization in
this direction. The banks OF the river, Tor
many miles. are liaed with Indian huts,
whose inhabitants exhibit phase Of humanity
but q single degree removed from the deepest bar
barism. The Catholic missionaries have labored
indefatigably here for more than two centuries and
the little effect that hes been produced is only to be
attributed to the nvunerabe stoicsm of the Indian
character. The village itself contains about hum
dred houses. with two or three good hotels among
them, but the charges here are enormous. Inc Few
travellers bold enough to reach this remote region
ere considered lawful prey, and are deeced in
style which would do credit to Niagara or Newport.
But one must expect to pay for ones entertainments
in OF such ambitious pretensons us the
William Tell House and the Napoleon Hotel.
The whole region round about, in every direction,
is one vast wilderness, boundless contiguity Of
shsde,r which would satisfy the most ardent aspira-
tions Of the poet. Miles and miles OF evergreen
forest stretches every side in dark Alpine soil
tude, unbroken save by the continuous roar OF the
falls of st. Mary, which exactly resemble the rapids
at Niagara, except that the volume OF water poured
over them is much less, The river at thy Polnt
abounds in fish of the very hest quality, and Indians
in their canoes may lie seen at all times ut the foot
OF the rapids, dipping out the luscious trout and
whitefish with their scoop nets.
The Hudson's Bay Company, have station at
this point on the Canada side where formerly much
business was Done Hunters and trappers from all
regions of the North and West con-
Ccntrated here at certain seasons OF the year.
laden with the rich spoils OF the beaver
and the otter, the sable and the ermine, for the
royalty and the aiistocrecy OF the Old World COM
PEELED even the interminable wilds Of the New, to
contribute to their pomp and lnagnifccnce. The
hardy uoyageIrs and the wild Indian hunters min
ged together here in bosterous and hilarious equa
ty, exchanging for few days Of giddy pleasure the
fruits Of months OF toll and privatiOn less to be
pitied perhaps even in this than the sordd miser,
who accumulates only TO hoard, and denies himself
every indulgence for the miserable satisfaction OF
dying rich.
The descent of the river here, in the course Of a
mile il about thirty feet, and Of course put COM
in vessels larger than canoes thus shutting out the
vast inland sea that lay above. To the Indian and
the Jesuit missionary in their light birchen canoes,
the obstacle WIS easily surmounted not SO, howe
yer, to the merchant and his bulky vessel He could
not brook the inconvenience OF unloading and reload
his goods although q railroad had been constructed
to facilitate their transportation past the falls and
ship canal has just been completed, excavated for
nearly oil the way through the solid rock, and of
sufficient capacity to allow the passage Of vessels Of
any size to pass. This has been done at a cost Of
seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and the
company by whom 1t was accomplished have taken
their pay in government lands, most of which have
been located in the best lumber and mineral regions
Of the Lake Superior district. The canal is now the
property Of the State and will tend greatly to faci
tate the occupation of the upper country.
FENNER.