Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1858-09-18


~ tsg SUFERfoR, Sept 4, 1858.
Mk EpIrOk-Is the weather below real
y 50 wdrm'as all onr letters represent it 70
be Z We At the head Of Lake Superior,
6nd II hard to believe Tho summer here,
! has thus far been the coolest known BY the
"ioldestl iuhabitant,H and the Capt. Of the
North Star says he has made bat one trip,
when it was not necessary to bayc Sres in
the saloon. h ~ n55g
The ladies' resident here, haze scarcely
had a chance to air their sumner muslins,
and since noy arrival there has not been a
day which | called hot, for the last three
weeks of June in Ohio arose before me and
forbade it, Living as we do in the enjoy
ment of being just comfortable, you can
form some idea Of the pleasure we End in
the excursions, which once or twice week
are made upon the little steamer Seneca to
the different points of interest in the yicin-
ty. This steamer has saloon earpeted
and furnished; warm meals are provided on
board, and usually band of musicians ac-
companies the party.
Sometimes these trips are for business as
well as pleasure; and last week stock of
Indian goods, to the value of twenty thou
sand dollars, was taken to Grand Portage
by one of orr largest Fur traders This
gentleman recently exported furs to the
value Of twenty thousand dollars The
most valuable skins obtained are those Of
The silver grey fox, which frequently bring
from $50 to- SO each. o.
Tie scenery of the North Shore of the
Lake is at some points very beautiful. A
short time ago, accompanied party as
far as Encampmcnt, 80 miles from Super
ior The land in most places aseends gra-
dualy from the waters edge, to the hill
tops distance Of five or six miles, from
whence for long distance back it is au
elevated table lund, very productive, with
many little lakes well stocked with fish,
and wild game abouuds. Bears, elk, deer,
and caribou are numerous. Occasionally
q beaver settlement is found; but these sa-
gacious animals are rapidly rctreating be-
fore "the march of civilization Many
small rivers course down the hill-sides, form
ing beautiful cascades, and the silver trout
are here taken in great numbers, and Of a
large size. 2 The surface Indications of cop
per aud silver are very promising, and each
prc-elnpter Of these lands has store of
specimens 1~rich enough to excite the
fancy Of any speculator. The mineral re-
sources Of this shore are as yet undeveloI-
ed. but nobody doubts its hidden wealth
The vegetables grown here in the lutte
clearings around each pre-emptor's cabin,
would bear comparison with any Of far
SUMNER clmes Occasionally at the side ef
the water you see Clearing" where some
town site has gained two or three local
habitations and name" bat most Of the
country is covered with dense growth Of
silver birch, spruec, norway pine, and
| btOfOS VI ou5Wt 'hu piS'
But began telling you about our trip
to Encampment The first stopping place
after leaving Superior and gaining the wa
ters Of the Lake, was at Portland. Here
are a substantial wharf warehouse, and
several private dwellings. ought to en-
large upon the advantages of the invest
meut of surplus capital in this newly incor-
porated city-inasmuch as my liege-lord is
one of the proprietors- but modest for.
bids. So merely saying that we here gain
ed an accession to our numbers, we will
pass on to the next city which boasts a
wharf This is Buchanan, 20 miles down
the shore Here are two log hotels, the
! U. S. Land office, aud a few other build
ings, and any Gumbcr Of prostrate tree
trunks and charred stumps. A little below
the dock is lovely little island, covered
with flowers and redrasp-berrieS, and lying
opposite the mouth Of Knife River which
is famous resort for the followers OF lack
Walton. Here we left many of our pas
sengers, although below Buchanan, the
scenery grows more beautiful continually.
The bluffs are over six hundred feet in
height, and rising almost perpendicular
from the waters edge. The upper stratum
is Of trap rock, aud looks as though it had
been fused, and flowing onward had cooled
where il lies This is crowned with vcge.
taticu, but beneath is half-baked clay
which is not sufficiently hard to resist the
action Of the waves, aud here are worn
deep cayerns which sometimes contain iet
until after midsummer
At Agate Bay, passengers are landed in
small boats to gather agates and comelions
which are found IN great numbers These
are sold at Superior upon the arrival o.
steamboats, They are usually placed in
bottles, covered with alcohol and sealed
These bottles are sold for prices varying
from two to ten dollars, aud sometimes 4
single agate is sold for so large a sum. O