Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-09-26
The Mackinaw Strait.

Fox Islands, then Beaver 1sappear
not long after noon We can soo
St. lgnace .in the distance s we
high bluffs of Mackinaw Is WIN
smoke-clouds hiding behind ' ~.
water becomes more calm. an,''
deep green color. The wayo "1 Is
against the PROV of the stean urea
back in foam, and the disturha1'
is deep indigo blue. AS Won loo[l "
distance it seems a g%listeninmA NJ
gray, well mixed with red and my
ochre, and waves-speckled WIZ Se
lar black spots. The sccneru ,fF
enter the straits is magniicsr," s
islands and main lands, coyero1
pinery woods which send swoo.
fumes across the waters, and IN a.
lance seem like spiral ferns Of We
shade of green. st. Ignace, whos:
the seventeenth century, Father
quette was laboring TO civilize NJ
age Hurons, IS now a thrlvino ri,
Round Island, containing onIr
acres, lies before us, aud a little J.
right is. the large Bots Blan. ~
containing over $1,000 acres, Nd
nav Island is! about three Mills u
and Two miles wide. On the SOM,
is a pretty little village of white bon
and the fort just above them ON
high bluff. The original
of the island was Michilimakiusc
nounced by the Indians Mishinim3
inong, and meaning Turtle Spirits
curse there is connected with !,
with most Indian names, a roma
legend, if there were time to renr,l
With the exception OF q few port;on
the island, which had been sS,
previously. it was set apart about
years ago by an act of Congress IL
National park. The old fort is at /
ent occupied by two companies Of
regular army soldiers. 1t can
reached from the village by a :,
flight of steps nearly two hundred
long. The block house at the O.,
most point of the bluff was built bv|
British soldiers under Major Sinclai1
1880. Just east of this are the old
GERS quarters, built of heavy stone
ing the same year. There are a num
of other buildings erected during nj
recent years.
To the west of the fort are two
tractive white frame houses, built
1876 for the officers quarters. AM
one-half mile north of Fort Mackjp1
on the highest point of the island,
the ruins of Fort Holmes. 1t was hi
by the British in 1o12, and called bythI
Fort George, but the Americans
named it TO commemorate the life
MAJOR Holmes, who was killed therl
1914. Going through dense young Il
csts of balsam, fir, pine, man
beech, Erch and elms, the drives J
all pleasant to those wearied |
monotonous regularity and EMIL
blocks of brick and stone, and natl
has been so generous with her gifts Id
that II turns from M choice sceul
find another Of quite equal beauty.
comparisons III to be made, perhd
the finest piece of her architecture
the Arch Rock. on the cast side of i
island. a perfect arch, $50 feet lid
standing almost alone, close to |
shore, and built OF me-ro.ks loosd
thrown toge' her. 1t wa upon this a
that Gitche Manitou stood, aier Ne
called the island into existence, in
ccive his children, who brought ID
offerings OF the skins of wild aniMd
and addressed them:
Yes, my children, dear, my loved ones
am here in Joy and gladncss:
Hercto live in joy and peace au0n.y91
Enter into my gateway proudly,
And ascend my staircase slowly,
Anu see the nome OF the Great Spirit.
Sugar-Loaf Rock is a large, poro;
cone-shaped rock about sixty feet hi.
Formerly 1t was covered with a crow
Of small trees, but the bungler has
tempted to show OF its beauties TO b
ter advantage, and has robbed it OF 0
of natures gifts. The same may
said concerning Arch Rock. Thee ul
tiend is said to be the late Quarterm;
ter Of Fort Mackinaw, an olicer in .
Tenth United States Infantry, at pres
on Through. Between Sugar-l,
Rock and Fort Holmes are Il MI
her of cemeteries belonging to i
churches and the military. Love
Leap is q rough rock staAdin OH
ruptly from the bluff at the watc
edge, and is about 40 f ct high. II
is the rock on which the Chilccli
peared and sang to the daughtcls
Nawanosh, who was heartbroken
cause of her lovers death in bait
She fancied the beautiful bird was
spirit of her lover and tried to follow
Her dead body was found at the foot
the rock. A few feet away on i
same shore is the Devils Kitcl'
which much resembles an old-fash.on
fireplace. 1t was probably formed
the a ton of the wind and water. !
many crevlces are said to have be
found full ofskulls, and the name it be;
was suggested as it though were I
workshop Of his Satanic Majesty. Nc
these last two places of interest art
number Of summer residences OF Int
pie from Detroit and Chicago. !
village itself is refreshingly count
like, and nearly every store is 4 ba1
OF curiously wrought souvenirs alles
to have been made by the indians
Cor. Chicayo Inter- tcean.