The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-08-07
s.u1 81. Mann, August 2, 1gs5.

&c.s dc.
SAUL ST. MARIE, August 2, 1855.
DEAR LEADER: The steamer Meteor, Cap
tain Thomas Wilson, left Cleveland for Lake
Superior on the evening of July Gath, car
rying a few Cleveland and Columbus people
and several from the country. Thepsssen-
gers were entertained for an hour or so with
capital music discoursed by acolored string
band. We awoke in the morning and found
ourselves opposite Fort Wayne, three miles
from Detroit. Extensive Improvements
are now being made on this work, which
consist of q wall around the entire fort built
against the timbers of the old one. The
garrison numbers about one hundred men,,
including the band.
The Meteor left Detroit at midnight, July
25th, with a good load of passengers and
freight. The programme of the weather.
two pleasant days, and then q rainy one
seemed to have been changed, for the
morning of Wednesday was as beautiful as
one could wish. We found ourselves near
ing the enterprising towns of Port Huron
and sarnia. Two miles further up, on the
Canada side, and at the commencement
of st. Clair river, is situated Point Henry
where is the ferry of the Grand Trunk
Railway. Here w stopped, IN hopes Of
finding six walters. some Of whom belonged
10 our band. Not finding them, we stopped
at Fort Gratios, but they were not there,
and we went on with our negro minstrel
force much reduced.
All felt in the mood to enjoy the beauties
of Lake Huron. 1t was perfectly calm anu
of a brilliant green color, and the foam and
bubbles caused by the pressure Of the boat,
were crisp and sparkling. Off Saginaw
Bay vessels pass out of sight of land, and
landsmen are generally treated to sea sick
ness at that rough point. But sea sickness
did not seem to be in the bill of fare or a.
q Meteor" during that trip. The unearthly
screech Of the steam whistle awoke the pas
ssngers on Thursday morning to witness
our approach to Point De Tour lighthouse.
Two miles above this we passed through q
narrow strait, half 9 mile in width, and
stopped at De Tour, where are e steamboat
pier, q hotel, a few dwellings, and many
staring Indians. But the things Of
interest 10 the stranger are the
many fine specimens of fossils and q
substance strongly resembling coral
1t seems strange to speak of finding Co
raj on an island in fresh water, but it could
be palmed off as sea coral without difficulty.
The greater wonder is that some enterpris-
ing Yankee does not gather up these speci-
mems, and sell them at he,exorbitant rates
charged for Lake Superior curiosities.
On the right of the entrance is Drummond
Island, belonging to Michigan, on which
are to be seen the ruins Of an old fort. St.
Mary's river offers the sight of q complete
chain of beautiful islands, which furnish
delightful and ~ever-changing scenery. One
constantly wonders how the first navig ator
found his way through this labyrinth. Our
guide books and the officers were in con-
slant demand, especially the latter, for
they gave more than one or two dry facts,
and were always ready to give information.
Ten miles above De Tour the lower ex-
tremity of st. Joseph Island is reached.
This is large, fertile and heavily timbered,
and belongs to Canada. On 6 point of it
commanding the river, the ruins of an old
British fort are distinctly seen. A broad
expanse of the river has received the name
of Mud Lake, which appears very sppro-
pirate when we compare its waters with
those of Huron. 1t is easily riIed, appears
to lave no current, and freezes before any
Of its nsighboring waters.
At the head of st. Joseph's Island is the
North Channel, which connects, on the
east, with Georgian Bay. Here both chan
nels are guarded by two rocky islands,
which give a picturesque air TO the scene.
A most difficult part Of the river to nsyi-
gate is Nebish Rapids, since the navigable
sharp rocks. @Butthey are soon passed only
to be succeeded by Lake George, an ex-
panse of the river FIVE miles wide Hhd eight
long, and affordiDg some delightful views
After Wiggling through tho shallow and
narrow channel, marked out by buoys and
stakes, We reached Church's Landing, on
Sugar Island, the headquarters of raspberry
Jam. Two miles above the boat stopped to
wood ct Wilson's Landing, the home of
the father of Capt. Wilson.
The main points of interest at Saul Ste
Marie are the ship canal and the rapids.
The canal is one mile in length, and over
comes a fall of twenty feet. The width of
the top is lis feet, at the water-line 100
feet, and at the bottom 81 feet. It contains
two locks, each $50 feet in length, Tolls are
collected to defrsy the necessary expense
Of repairs. &c.
While the steamer wal passing through
the locks the passengers amused them
selves by watching the Indians on the
rapids, in their birch-bark canoes, catch
ing fish with d~ip-nets, and by visiting the
I1o. - Tknao .ka I.aSro q,
see the oft-cracked up cred man of the
forest" the "child of nature" can see him
here in his wigwsm, surrounded by his
"nine small pappOosss and one at the
breast" all glistening with oil and dirt.
Late Thursday afternoon we left st.
Msry's river; and entered Lake Superior.
That evening we Witnessed the most gor-
geous sunset that any of us had ever seen.
1t would be almost profane to attempt to
describe it; one must see with his "
eyes 10 appreciate such beauties of nature.
We were unavoidably denied the pleas
ure of seeing pictured Rocks" Mar
quette, beautifully situated on 8 bay of the
same name, just beyond these rocks, is
identified with the iron mines in Us vicin-
ity. The principal mines sre the Jackson,
Cleveland and Lake Superior, situated on
a ridge called Iron Mountain, from fourteen
to eighteen miles from Marquette. The
oldest and largest is The Jackson, which
employs about one hundred and fifty men
at two dollars per day, since the strike, and
exports enormous quantities Of ore. n
does not go up or down in entering this iron
mine, but simply walks into q large notch,
the hill is entirely removed, for the
ore extends nearly or quite TO the top. In
the first twelve miles from Marquette the
railroad TO the mines overcomes an eleYa-
ton of $50 feet, which greatly facilitates
transportation tothe port, where each COM
pany has a fine shipping pier.
A new canal is about. to be opened from
the head of Msrquette Bay across the POr-
tsge, a distance Of two miles and six hun
dred feet. Judge Avery and Mr.. WinsloW
are the proprietors of the canal, and lave q
grant of 200 900 acres OF mineral land from
the United States Government, and fxed
tolls, the work to be completed in two years.
The canal can be easily made, as there is
no rock to be removed, and but four inches
fall in the distance, consequently no locks
will be required. This work will shorten
the distance $50 miles, and save q voyage
the most dangerous coast on Lake
Superior;
We squirmed up through Portage Entry
and after four hours delay with the propel-
Ter Concord that was aground, reached
Houghtou on Thursday afternoon. The
stranger can spend much time here and at
Hancock on the opposite side of Portage
Lake, which many of us did on our return,
., .;oik5rn the akau,n and aruahiun milIa