Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1870-06-09
FOR DULUTH.
Or THE WAY, May %, 1870.
RETROSPECTION.

RETRosPECTION.
And glance ba, kward over the wea-
~ distance we have overcome, l discover
many things and many points of inter
est, quite too numerous 10 mention, OF
course. But there is one 20 which wish
to refer, aud that is the
DIVIDING RIDGE.
Soon after We left Willow River, a
point about forty five miles from Superb
or, we assembled very steep, sandy hill,
where we found fine plateau for about
five miles. On this plateau We found lit
tie streams of water making in either
direction, which fact suggested the more
important one, to wit. that we were on
the back bone of this part of North
Am. RIGA. Three miles, and even less,
we saw the wild man Swimming along in
his birchen canoe, and now, and not tli
now had we found water that was not
discharged to the ocean via Mississippi.
Here we found, and hero we left foun
tain whose sparkling waters would be for
months on their journey to the mighty
ocean. But a few PAGES aud here IS an
other which seeks its final goal to and
through the mighty lakes. A few such
combine and form n stream called the
Black Hoof. The '-hlack" is taken from
its color, it being black, but not tuIbid
stream, the darkest, by far, ever saw.
The "hoof" has reference TO the peculiar
course of the stream, which nearly sur
rounds, peninsula, and then goes me-
anderiDg along to the lake. So say the
natives, nor did we doubt the fact.
LEVEL ROAD.
Descending from the plateau quite rs
abruptly as we made the ascent, we
found The road nearly level. with The ex-
ception of deep ravines, the beds of which
must be nearly in a level with the surface
of the lake. And here we come to
kind Of red. clay soil. very hard. when
dry, but very soft, slippery and tenacious
when slightly moistened. This may
seem TO be contradictory statement, but
we found the feet of our cattle and horses
loaded with mud till they were rs large
as ''peck measure" or a ten quart pan,
ard yet they would slip and sprawl in
every direction. And the footman found
al d will still find the same difficulty.
Of the city of
SUPERIOR
we had formed rather high expectations,
whether from lis exalted position in al
litude, or from the fact that it was all the
place in this part of Wisconsin about
which We had ever heard, know not;
hence / cast a wislful glance ahead for
long miles before reaching it. But we
had not out.reachei the tamaracks when
we espied a graveyard, and grave one,
indeed, for but one cheap marble monn
ment was found in that city Of the dead.
Six rods 10 the East Of it is another, the
Catholic cemetery, still .ess demonstraliVe
in honor or remembrance of the depart
ell, than the former. And here was one
cud of a long
SIDEWALK,
tracing which for a distance two miles.
sou come to tie business ccnter of the |
village, which excited establishment ralh
er than admiration. The extensive side
walk lad aroused oar expectations and
we were not prepared for disappointment.
But such as it is we found il. not on a
sandy foundation, nor vet Of rock. bat Of !
clay, ard the winds Of heaven have been
here and rocke,! the city like a cradle till
every house, every shop aud every build
ing herein stands "wee w." But very
few
NEW BUILDINGS
mark IFS growth. while full many an oil
tumble down marks It's fall from Il once
higher destiny. Then again there Is now
reaction, aud the village gives evidence
of new life, but not OF extensive proper
tionS or great business. lis inhabitants
are of that class known as smart, shrewd
men, who can ljSe aud get rich on =
barren rock. and well may they be thus
for none Of any ether class could live
hare.
But to me, at least, the great ceHter Of
attractions, for the eve as well as for the
mind, the main object in fact for which
| MADE this wearisome journey, was
LAKE SUPERIOR,
whose outlines when school boy, | often
traced on Olney's School Atlas, and quite
as.often dreamed that 10 future years
should make pilgrimage thereto. Now
/ behold it. and now can
look on its greatness and list to its roar
The wind is sweeping like hurricane
across its bosom, and its waves roll like
the pillows of the mighty deep. In
wonder aud admiration | view it, and
when 1 mediate upon the fact that it has
now become one of the great thorough
fares. no; only of this continent, but of
the whole world, my admiration for this
more than king or queen of inland wa
tiers, knows no bounds. Its waters are
clear as crystal. sweet and pure, cool and
refreshing. Hence it serves the double
purpose of floating the commerce of the
univers,, and of yielding unnumerabIe
tons of the finest food. in tho shape of
fresh fish, TO supply the daily wants of
the laborer, the artisan, or the amateur.
An iron band will soon connect it with
the east. the south and the west, and so
to every conceivable point in the known
world. 1t is worth journey os thou
sands of miles to Oeho'd il. An
AT DULUTH.
Is CAxP NEAR THE CRY, May %, 1870.