Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-09-08
Editorial Correspondence.
EuktUIAaI VULIespVUUtHct.
LAKE SUPERIOR, on board City !
of Cleveland AUG 2S1. 1853.

oil cleveland AUG 2Si, 1853.
Dear Chronicle: We passed Sault Ste
Marie, Just after sun rise, on the e2d.-
.Ofthis place we shall give some account
hereafter. as we intend TO stop here one
or two days, on our return. Passing
through Whiskey Bay. "a very sugges-
tTe name) by IrOquOis Point on the left
and Gros Cap on the right, through Teg.
asmenon Bay. past White Fish Point
and light house, We entered upon the
broad, clear waters Of Lake Superior,
the largest body of fresh water upon the
globe, covering the largest area, $4,000
square miles. and 1000 feet in depth
The surface is 600 feet above the Level
of the sea. and its extreme depth 400
feet below.
The wonderful purity and clearness
of the atmosphere is such that's as the gaze
-.Tanders over the seemingly boundless
expanse of waters, it is limited only by
the ~rotundity CT the earth, and high
lands ere distinctly visible at a distance
of fifty or sixty miles. Equally as clear
and pure are the waters beneath, and
when the surface is smooth, the bottom
can be plainly seen 10 a depth Of 90 or
e5 feet, showing rocks, shells, and fishes
gliding to and fro. chasing each other,
laying on the sand, or suspended mid
way in their native element. Never did
we realise SO fully the truth of the Scrip
ture saying. THE eye is never satisfied
with seeing" as here: and we only
wished to stand still and gaze. With
the poet. We would have said:
Father of Lakes; Thy waters bend
Beyond the eagles utmost view.
When throned in heaven, hesees thee send
Back to thesky its world of blue.
eBoundless and deep thy forests weave
Their twilight shade thy borders Ger,
And threatening cliffs like giants heave
Their rugged forms xiong thy shore. -
Beyond Point Au Sable, on the South
shore, are the Sand Hills. These are
piles of sand which the wind has heaped
sxp TO the heighih Of two or three hun
bred feet.
The Pictured Rocks, about 10 miles
west of Saut Ste Marie, we passed in the
afternoon, but the steamer rsn so far out
in the Lake, (some 0 miles. that We
could only notice the most prominent
features. The Afched Rock. the Chapel
and Grand Portal were distinctly seen.
.Longfellow in his Hiawatha, describes
the flight of an Indian hero, pursued BY
7Hiawatha, TO these rocks, and says:
To the Pictured Rocks OF Sandstone.
Looking over lake and landscape;
And the Old Man of the Mountain.
He, the Manitou of mountains
Opened wide his deep abysses.
Foster and Whitney, in their Report
Of the Geology of the Lake Superior Land
District. give an extended, and very in
teresting description of these rocks
They,saJ:
In tke Pictured Rocks. are Two fea-
lures which communicate to the scenery
q wonderful and very unique character.
These are FIRST, the curious manner in
which the cliffs have been excavated and
worn away by the action of the Lake, which
Tor centuries has dashed al ocean
like surf agsinst their base; and second,
the equally curious manner in which
large portions of The surface have been
colored by bands of brilliant hues.
The colors do not by any means cover
ihe whole surface of the elf, but are
confined to certain portions in the vicini-
~ of the AmphitheatIe. The colors are
limited in their vertical ran &c, rarely ex
tending more than 80 or forty feet above
the water, or g quarter of the y~estieal
heigbth of the cliff. The prevailing
tints are deep brown, yellow and gray.
burnt sienna. and French gray FREEDOM
mating. There are bright blues and
greens. though less frequent. All of the
tints are fresh. brilliant sad distinct, and
harmonic admirably with one another
which, taken into connection with the
grandeur of The arched and governed
surfaces on which they are laid. and the
deep pure green Of the water which
heaves and s.ells at the base, and The
rich foliage which wsres above, produce
an effect truly wonderful. !
The Grand Portal which opens out on
tbe Lake is 100 feet in heighth. and 100
feet broad, at ihe level of the water
The extreme heighth Of the cliff. includ.
ing the thickness of the rock above the
arch. is ia3 feet. An intelligent travel /,
Ier who closely inspected this wonder,
ssys: The vast dimensions Of the cav
ern. the yaulted passages, the varied e.
fects of the light as it streams through
the arch and fslls on different objects,
the deep emerald green Of the water,
the unvsrying swell of the Lake. keeping J
up a succession Of musical echoes. The
reverberations Of oze's own voice. all 1
these must be seen and felt to be fully i
appreciated.
Opposite the Pictured Rocks. is Grand =
Island. Here is the large Paper city of !
Of Minising. 1t was at this place the t
Steamer Superior was lost, and the sur q