The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-08-28
MAcKINAc.
The Ride Over From Little Ira
VeFse-.A Hnsty Glance nc the
3BeauteOus isle"


From EetOshey W AOlF
around the southwest coast Of Southern
Michigan, the distance is little short Of
sixty miles. A pretty little propeller,
the aMusiC,p makes the round trip daily
leaving Petoskey on the arrival Of the
train from Cincinnati at s A. NJ, reaching
Mackinac at half past one p. NJ, and re-
turning in the evening, connecting with
trains for the South. 1t is nearly ten
miles down Little Traverse Bay before
we reach the open Lake, the bay widen
ing to nearly an equal width between the
points on either side. 1t is beautiful
sheet Of water under a clear morning
sky such as we had coming over, A fresh
breeze sprang up and we had not proceed
ed far along the coast before we encOun-
tered pretty heavy swell. It had the
effect that heavy swell generally pro-
duces on those who encounter it Tor him.
viz a sensation Of nausea; and it was not
long before number Of lady passengers,
who did not have their Sea.legs on, Il
ought to beg pardon for using such an
expression in such u connection, but 1t is
purely GguratiYe, You know were laid
out on the upper deck, with shawls and
satchels for pillows, and shellering them
selves with umbrellas, wishing heartily,
no doubt, they had stayed at home, The
ride was delightful one to those who
we're not sea sick.
The air was fresh, without being chilly,
the sky was serene, and the water reflect
ing its tint CLEANED like molten silver.
However 1t may be to the stomach, a
smooth sea is nothing like 80 attractive
to the eye as a rough one, The waves go
coursing over the plain, MS some one has
preuily described in verse, like "legiOns
Of horses" arChing their Crests and
tossing their snowy names, and with an
unending succession that suggests the idea
Of unnumbered and innumerable legions,
truly. There Is something strangely at
tractiye about a lovely sheet OF water
under clear sky to n landsman unac-
customed to the aqueous element but
like all other pleasures, It pals on the
senses, as begin to find after only "a brief
experience.
The shores along the route are high
and afford most agreeable rest for the
vision when tired Of the lake. The cOun.
try hereabouts, both main land and
islands, lies high and bold, and Is wooded
to the waters edge, Some times a sand
bank rises bluff from the water seventy
or eighty feet, and the country back from
the lake rising still higher presents a
horizon Of unduluting ridges. Between
Mackinac and Petoskcy the forests are
nearly all maple, after fringe Of ever
greens along the shore, though there are
also some beech, basswOOd, cedar, balsam
FIR, tamarack and Norway spruce. The
maple ought to be valuable for commerce.
Alarge body Of this maple land, hitherto
included in q reservation, will be In the
market this Fall, and at government
prices certainly affords field for enter
prise. have been surprised to find that
this part Of Michigan, 80 far from being
swampy, as had conceived It to be, IL
high and rolling, the streams all having n
sharp decliyity and aaording abundant
water power.
Away of to the West we "pick up" the
Beaver Islands, famous for the fisheries
around their shores, and for being the
home Of the Mormons in the days when
Jo, Smith materialiled as Saint. am
told that while the MOrmons held those
islands, vessels were sometimes lost in
the adjacent waters, and it came to be be.
lieved In this region that they were de.
coyed ashore on the Mormon Islands by
false lights; the vessels plundered and
the crews murdered The beliefin these
stories grew so strong that an expedition
was organized and the MOrmons were
driven out. This must have been before
the settlement at NauvOo; but am not
writing history and I can't take time
Just now to verify these points.
We sight Mackenzie Island long time
before we reach ii. 1t has the boIdest
outline Of any Of the neighborlng shores,
and az far as we can ace it, We can see n
white speck, which We are told is Me
Fort We steam up to the dock, which
like all the docks up this way, is q long
platform laid on pile work reaching out
10 deep water, and find n shabby little
wooden village struggling along the shore
Tor a distance Of perhaps half mile
There are half dozen hotels (they are
called hotels, as somebody once said Nc.
Clellan was General "by courteSy'l, and
as the newly arrived pays his money he
can take his choice. The choice IL a
good deal like that presented to the
traveller by the two diverging roads in
Arkansas. No matter which he chooses
he will wish he had chosen the other.
The first thing one observes is
that there IL a conspicuous lack oil
strangers here. The Obliging clerk (who
does not wear diamond pin nor put on
the airs Of lord) informs you that the
season has been very cold and uniavora'
bic, and mentions that few people coming
here stay longer than day or two. After
you have been here aday or two you find
out reasons why. One can sec all the ele'
plants in single day You soon per-
ceive that the strong points on which the
Mackihacers pride themselves are two
certain natural features Of the island, and
the flavor Of antiquity that hangs round
II like as the scent Of roses hangs round
the broken vase celebrated in verse. This
Partially ior the flavor antique was ap.
parent even In the butter on the table Of
the fitst-class hotel where your CORES.
pondent stopped That it dated back to
the time when this island land indeed this
very hotel) was the headquarters Of the
American Fur Company, there is little
doubt; and the regularity with which il
was presented to The admiring and rever.
entail guests from day to day
showed how true the landlord was
to the traditions Of the island,
t,h,ia tto aa.o ,,;lk vvbtrh the pueaIs rr.