Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1857-10-07

icy. SO near 10 'fairy land," as we now
really seemed. As the steamer round
ed the headland on the left and passed
Drummond island on the right, there lay
before us, islet back of islet, covered
with aspen, fir and cedar, various in size
usually elevated toward the centre, all
with bold shores, and surrounded with
broad expanse of water, constantly
opening new channels to our vision with
every rod of our progress. The charts
tell us that there are 22, 900 islands hele
within a distance of 200 miles. The
largest of these is the st. Josephs, which
we are approaching on the right, and
that spot so beautifully green with its
mantling of second growth shrubs, is the
''old French military post" Here and
there along this channel. among the
islands may be seen Struggling hut of
some forlorn Chippeway, or his kinsman
"half-breed," but nearly all this Terri
tory is left as it ever ought to be, a wild,
where the sea gull above and the fishes
below. may sport in their glee, and man
may admire.
Mud Bay, Neibish Island and Lake
George, are in our course, but the engi
neer is pressing steam, to reach before
night,
THE SAUT ST. MARIE,
15miles below the lower end or outlet
of Lake Superior. This point in river st.
Marie as also the village and military
post, are popularity known as The Saut
(SOo.) The main channel of the river
from Lake Superior to Lake Huron, a
distance of 63 miles, is sufficient in depth
to float vessels drawing 10 feet of water,
except at the Falls of st. Marie. The
old French name Sdut, or leap, indicates
this interruption. For Z of mile here
the whole drainage of Lake Superior is
hurried confusedly over a precipitous
rocky bed, of irregular formation. with a
descent of 92 feet in that short distance.
This afforded an effectual barrier to all
heavy boat navigation, from the earliest
exploration of the country up to 1856
Boats engaged in the Indian trade had
previously been constructed and launch
ed on Lake Superior, but the connection
of freight and passage, had to be made
by heavy land passage of one mile
Prior 10 the date above given, Congress
gave to the Stale of Michigan $50, 900
acres of public lands, in and adjacent to
that State, and Michigan conveyed the
same 10 Eras,us Corning & Co., who con-
tracted, in payment for this land, to con-
struct "Ship Canal around these falls
by the 18th of May, 1856. Before the
time set. the work was completed. The
walls are of solid mason work in the locks,
the wings, walls and buttresses making
/ of a mile of solid work from massive
blocks of white lime stone. The locks
are each 800 feet long, by 20 feet wide,
the gstes are each 40 feet, and moved by
a windlass. The canal is lis feet wide
at the top of the banks, and has 12 feet of
water. The whole bed of this canal is
excavated through stratum of rock.
This is the work of art, and still the
red aboriginee rides the Saut in his bark
canoe, and the Canadian "half- breed"
eniangles the adventurous trout and
white fish in his scoop net, on the rapids.
These wandering citizens of the wood
and water, carry on large fishing and
trapping business with the Anglo whites.
The latter numbering about 1000 at this
place. have all the appliances of civiliza
tion, except summer, and they would
have these if the Spring and Fall did not
come SO near together. The former are
but degenerate Indians from the old Chip
peway tribe; their homes are yet con-
structed of birch or cedar bark, small
and of the simplest style. This tribe still
holds a reserve of so miles square, in |
this vicinity, and number in all some 500 |
to 600 semi and demi-semi natives. The
business of locking through, being COM
pleted, we were soon reposing in our
berths, listening with dropping eyelids to
the heavy strokes of the engine, as the |
steamer, under headway, plowed the
waters of
LAKE SUPERIOR.
The estimated area of this King of
Lakes is 80, 600 square miles. 1t is over
II hundred miles in circuit, and other
wise of vast dimensions, being altogether
a LARGE nond of fresh wafer The mineral