The Red Cloud chief., 1883-12-28
koek Formations on Lake Superior.

bVVn fOTmatjOns on Lake SUPERIOR
The famous Pictured Rocks Of Lake
Superior annually attract 10 the south
vast numbers of tourists from every
portion of the Republic and from Eu-
rope. The clitfy border of the lake Is
Of sandstone intcriaid with strata Of
gravel; and stretching along the shore
at q point beginning ut about one hun.
trcd miles from the Sault Ste. Marie.
and ending mt a point sixty miles from
Marquette, are the Pictured Rocks. The
entire panorama. II We may thus call II.
is in Schoolcraft County. Mich, and the
curious formations have been named by
French yoyagcrs. tourists and chance
COmcrs Not altogether appropriate or
%euphonious are these titles: La Cha
pcllc, Grand Portal and The Cascade;
10 the native guide, however. these are
known rs ''Thc Great Door and ''1'hc
chapel" Less prominent in the series
In Sail Rock" a fallen mass of lime
stone which bears so close u resemblance
10 n schooner under full sail. and head
Ing for the cliffs. that a passing stranger
might well hail lGr ghostiy skipper. il
tic bebcld her in the dark, and warn him
against the dangerous coast. The Grand
Portal gives into u cave worn into the
massive ledge Of limestone The ave
syidcns slightly from the entrance, and
n one hundred and eighty feet wide ut
~ amplcst part, and four hundred
feet long. The floor is the crystal
wave. except in the back part. where
the rocks are exposed, and afford u
firm footing for the explorer From
the watcry floor Ia the archcd roof
obove, the height varies from one hun
drcd aud fifty to two hundred feet. The
sweep Of this arch is wcll-nigh perfect
in its symmetry; and as one looks out
upon the surface Of the lake from the
rear, the effect Of the exterior picture.
framed rs il is in the rocky curve of the
portal. Is striking and novel. The vel
low sandstone drips with moisture,
aud Is fcstooned here and there with
closc-growing MOSES and licbcns that
darkcn with olive green's and grays the
stony surface. The side entrance. to
Shis wonderful save is thanked by
rocky columns of an exaggerated
Egyptian type. They remind the
traveller Of the gigantic monoli,hs Of
Thebes and karnak; or, ~ use a more
commonplace figure, thoy are Titanic
r~lour-glassrs in shape. the lower mem
bcrs being partially submerged in the
crystal tide. At evening, when the
rays Of the setting sun light up the sur
face of Che lake. aud the colors OF the
sunset are diilused throughout the at
mosphcrc. the reflections that play
along the inner walis Of the cave, and
gild with strange beauty the g~listcning
roof, make the place seem like . bit Of
fairy-land. ',...
The Chapel so closely resembles the
rnin Of some ancient temple that II Is
difficult TO resist Tho idUa that this Ia
the work OF mems. hands, rather than
she result Of centuries of action by wind
md wave upon thr friable rock. Seen
yum the beach. where the outlines are
partially concealed by the thickets. ono
may fancy that here are the gloomy
Portals OF some crumblihg Hindoo tenn
ple. ar the OWter columns of. the caves
of Elcphanta. The dome. which Is
deeply concave. is n solid mass of sand-
stone n hundred and ninety feet long
and sixty feet wide. In the rear, and
on the eastern side. IL Is supported by
the clitf, into which it, the cave. has
been followed. and on the front and
west by huge columnar masses, rcsem-
bling IN contour the supports of the
vaults Of The Portal. A few OF these
masses stand out from the general
structure, so to speak, and one of them,
west Of The Chapel u few feet, is about
eighty feet in height from the surface of
the water. The Pictured Rocks aro
stained with the wash of mineral nxidas