The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1877-10-09
PENCILINGS AT DEVILS
LAKE.


and beautiful alliance between all pas
times pursued by flood, field and fell. Z"
So, too, each should add it's charms TO
n sport pursued by either of the others.
The fragrance OF purple clover, the
beauty of wooded shores. illumined by
bursts OF sunshine on those cloudy
days loved by all anglers, contribute
to the piquant enjoyment felt by the
true sportsman IA he sees far ont from
his skih the frantic leap Of the hooked
bass or pickerel. The thrill caused by
fierce tug upon a rod Is doubly rel
ished, when the music and tremor of
the running reel come 10 one who has
been prepared TO enjoy them by n
beautiful landscape. The gray fields
where keen dogs start the whirring
covey of quail, lie among hedgerows,
single trees, groves and forests rich in
autumn colors, and blessed, il may be,
with the sparkle of lake or river
Shooting on real prairie is compare
lively monotonous, and so IS fishing
out of sight of land. That sport is
best which can be pursued among the
combined beauties of forest aud stream,
aud such sport may be found at Devils
Lake, in Southern Michigan, about 10
miles west Of Adrian, and ten miles
north of Hudson, on the Michigan Di-
vision OF the Lake Shore Road. The
stage which runs from Hudson north
to Coontown leaves the voyageur with
in two miles Of the lake, and mine
hosts, Terpney aud Morley, landlords
OF the two dingy hotels of Coontown,
will give him good accommodations. -
The lake is about miles long and one
wide. and ihnumerable camp-meetings,
celebrations and picnics have combined
with its natural beauty and excellent
fishing TO make il public fsvorite.-
According to the lectures Of General
Cass, il was in l760 the headquarters
Of large branch of the tribe of Otta-
wa Indians. Pontiac, the Indian Ma
poleon, occasionally visited them, and
there yet remain faint traces OF the
deeply worn trail which led 10 the
French post, then established at De-
troit. The scars, found by the first
settlers, upon the old naples thickly
scattered over the region, the discovery
OF old brass kettles, the plowiDg up OF
numerous knives, stone hatchets, axes
aud arrow heads. indicate that the OF
tawas were numerous. DIR. "Jo"
Welch, Of Hudson. champion wing
shot OF the State, has large collection
Of these relics, including stone ham,
mers, pipes, spear heads, drills. and
skinning instruments, together with
iron knives stamped with q Greek
cross-the early trade mark of the
Franciscan monks. The Devils Lake
tradition was well known to Joseph
Beal, a recently deceased centenarian
OF the vicinity. He. had befriended
the savsges, receiving substantial preof
OF their gratitude in the form Of occa-
sional wild turkeys and saddles OF ven
ison. He kept tobacco and pipes in
his log cabin, and under the influence
of the genial weed, several Of the In
dians had related the tradition, and
freely answered his numerous uues-
tions. Long before its occupation by
the Ottawas, the lake was known
among the Indians as Honey Water"
aud a great chief lived there with a
numerous tribe. Game and fish were
abundant, the naples yielded sugar.
wild bees swarmed among the forest
flowers, and were traced to ample
stores of honey, while the banks of the
birch-treed brooks shielded the mink,
otter and beaver, whose furs enriched
the couches of the wigwams. The
chiefs daughter had been presented
with canoe by the tribe, in the con-
struction OF which many rude but low
ing hands had assisted the birch sides
were inlaid with shells, the walnut pad
dies were carved with strange figures.
and its happy owner loved 10 float far
out on the lake at evening. One night
this canoe. propelled by an invisible
power. came swiftly 10 the village
beach at sunset, aud instinctively the
chief knew that his daughter was
drowned. After fruitless search for
her dead body, the grief-stricken chief
drowned himself in the waters as the
first sunlight of the morning was Gid
ing their surface. Now civil discord
arose, as the braves fought for the va
cant chieitainship; but in the midst of
deplorable strife, several Indians rush
ed wildly into one of the camps with
the startling intelligence that on a bluff
at the east side OF the lake appeared
ghostly wigwam, and that Michi- Mani
tou, the Spirit Of Evil, had doubtless
reared IL there foI some purpose which
could bode only evil TO the tribe. The
braves assembled in council. when ten
warriors were appointed to examine
the bluff Crouched fearfully behind
the protecting trunks Of trees, the ex-
plonng party watched, until, Mt night
fall, they suddenly saw tongues OF fire
issuing from the lake, and the Evil
Spirit, veiled by thick smoke, pres
emily emerged and disappeared in the
heavy forest. Fairy music and hideous
laughter and song were heard all night
upon the crown Of the bluff: but nj
daylight, the spirit returned 10 the
deep water, aud none of the frightened
beholders could describe him. That
morning one OF the girls Of the tribe
attempted TO cross the spot with deer
she had killed, aud was taken from her
boat TO grace the Evil Spirits subma-
rine lodge. The Indians were terrified;
supernatural power wanted their
maidens, their game and their fish, and
they named the lake Michi-Manitou
and left its beautiful but dangerous
waters far behind them. And the for.
eat around il remained deserted for
many hundred moons, until Pontiac
established there a village Of Ottawas.
But the lake is still waiting for some
Irving or Cooper TO perpotuate it's
story.
Michi- -Manitou has not vet been de-
scribed; no Wordsworth or Southy has
celebrated its beauties in verse where
the eve travels delighted over the pas
lures and wheat fields that mellow 10
the reedy margins Of the water. Ma.
ny fish are caught through the ice in
winter, and in summer the spear is
used ia defiance OF the laws. The ru-
dest angler is almost sure Of good
sport. yet there are localities known
! only 10 favored few where the fishing
is superb. During a stiff breeze, and
while there was running a very heavy
sea for the oarsman in light skiff. and
anchored in twelve feet of water, the
writer caught forty.six large bass in
/ two hours and half. The black bass
is fastidious fellow; he likes live bai:
-minnows-and is alarmed by large
| line. Pine silk lines Of dark gray
/ seem 10 answer very well, but the
hooks should be large and perfect. rs
the struck fish often leaps three feet
/ from the water, which be churns into
foam-bells "a he bounds blue-white in
10 the air, in desperate effort 10 shake
himself loose. Little Will, an eight
year-old nephew, lost monster fish
this simmer by reason Of defective
hook, and he is incons0lable. At Dew
lis Lake al classes meet on equal
terms; the piece is democratic. Yon.
der b,ight-eyed boy, who ssfely lands
/ n bass In HE skiff with veil Of de-