The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-06-27

Breakfast over the next thing was a
rush for the Island of Mackinac to see
the sights. Every available vehicle was
in command, and dozens took it foot
All were well repaid for the day OF
sight seeing.
The town of Mackinac is situated on
the shore of the island of the same maine,
and contains about 800 inhabitants. 1t
is the county seat of Mackinac county,
Michigan. Its situation is beautiful and
with its bracing climate we can easily
understand why tits becoming so popular
as a summer resort. In front is the strait
of Mackinaw, a clear and lovely body of
water. The town has five or six hotels,
which are well kept, a dozen stores
which deal largely in Indian goods and
trinkets, and the necessaries of life.
The merchants did a very fair trade
with our excursionists in the way of In
dian trinkets. Several ladies supplied
themselves with summer hats made of
bark. The town is stretched along the
lake shore, for a mile or more. Just
back of the village the hills rise abruptly
to the height of 100 to $50 feet. On one
of these overlooking the town is Fort
Mackinaw. There are now two CON-
panies of soldiers there. This fort
has complete command of the
straits and with proper guns,
which a soldier told us could speedily
he brought there, could make it exceed
ingly interesting for any vessel to under
take TO pass. The fort is kept in fine
condition. II was built by the British IN
1912. The scenery on the island,
which is about three miles long and two
wide, is grand. We all went into costa
cies over it-especially the ladies. We
cannot attempt full description now of
all the points of interest. They are
named 1.-THE Fort" "RObinson's Folly"
"Arch Rock" "Sugar Loaf Rock"
British Landing" THE DEVILS Kitcli-
en-" etc. These were all visited by most of
the party, and many were the tired legs
and sore feet that night. The first per
manent white settlement was made on
the island in 1880, and in 1920 it con-
tanned about $50 inhabitants, so it will
be seen its growth has not been rapid.
The island is covered with athick growth
of pines, sugar maple, birch and other
timber. The timber growth seems to be
comparatively young. 1t is stated that
the island has at times been stripped of
its timbe. The inhabitants, which are
nearly all in the village, cary on fishing
extensively. The white fish taken here
are large and delicious. Considerable
quantities of maple sugar are made. The
excursionists who visit the island furn-
ish patronage which is of great benefit
to the inhabitants. The drives, though
rough in many places, are densely sha-
found on the shores, and ferns, MOSES,
etc, in the woods. A person who is fond
of admiring the beauties of nature could
put in a month in rambling about the
island, and could constantly find some
thing to interest the mind. Springs
abound, and the water on the island is
of the best quality. The "Arch Rock, J."
before alluded to, is great natural GU
riOsity. 1t is magnificent natural arch
spanning chasm of eighty or ninety feet
in height and forty or Fifty feet in width.
The summit of the rock is 149 feet above
the level of the lake. The summit is
crossed, if person is sufficiently reck-
less to undertake the task, by path two
or three feet wide. Two of our party,
Will ID. Jenkins, of the Smith County
Pioneer, and Miss Gertie Bullene, of
Lawrence, performed the hazardous
journey across the rock. Miss b. is said
to be the second lady who is known to
have crossed the frightful chasm on the
narrow path. We may state that Mr..
jenkins also climbed to the top of Sugar
Loaf Rock" a task which seemed iR-
possible to a looker-on. We were salts
fled entirely with climbing down the gen.
tie slope of Lovers Leap" and taking a
peep into the DEVILS Kitchen. The con-
ditIOn of our walking machinery" for
the next two or three days satisfies us
that we acted wisely in quitting the
climbing business when we did. The
British Landing is lovely spot, where
We watched the beat of the waves on the
gravely shore for an hour or so, and
contemplated the scene where the
British soldiers trOd the spot, on
war intent, nearly sixty years before
ThOsel poor soldiers! Not one lives to
tell the tale of their triumph. This was
also the landing place of American sol
diers afterwards. The history of this
beautiful and wonderful island is full oil
stories of conquest by battle, as well as
love. The Indian traditions, especially
the one related of the dusky maiden who
threw her gentle form from the top Of
Lovers Leap, because her brave went of
one morning in canoe and got an enc
my's arrow through his diaphragm in
such Il manner as to cause him to stay
away, is sad and thrilling.
But night came, and the Duluth, com
manded by the gallant captain AleXan
der McDOugall, was reported approach
ing, and on her we were to sail for Chi
cago. The universal wish was that W,
could stay at Mackinac a week, and til,
regret at leaving so soon amounted al
most to sorrow. The editorial boys
J with their girls, gathered at their hotels
tired with the days ramble, and afte
eating another farewell meal of fish, ant
while the sunbeams were glimmering oil
the lake from behind the hills, packed
their little gripsacks and tied up thei
Mackinac trophies. There must hav,
been a cord of canes. The farewell per
Torrance was a serenade by our magnifi
cent Knights Templar band to the post
master, Mr.. Ketchum, who had done u
many favOrs, and to the hotels who ha(
so handsomely entertained the eXcuI
sionists. The whole town turned out
including the soldiers at the fort, ant
there was universal praise of our band
The echoes of the inspiring tones diet
away across the lake as we boarded tn
steamer The boat did not get away ill
ten O'Clock. The run back to Chicago
of 376 miles, was made by 10 a. m. Thurs
day. There was hardly ripple on tn
lake the whole distance from Mackinai
to Chicago, and the enjoyment of tn
ride was complete.