Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1888-02-16
The Pictured Rocks Of Lake

On the southern slNre OF Lake Su.
perior and some seventy miles west of
Whilelish Point and short distance
east of Muntsing arc the famous pic
lured rocks. These may be described
rs series of sandstone bluffs, rising
in many places abruptly out of the
water to height varying from fifty to
Two hundred feet Two features inn
part TO the scenery its remarkable APP
pearancc; the one. the strange style OF
the cliff excavations. worn away by the
aclion of tho lake. and the other the
qu te as strange way in which large
portions Of tho surface have been col
ored by bands OF brilliant colors. To
the first is 10 be ascribed the name
CLes Port,,ils") given TO the rocks by
the French voyageurs. and to the many
boldly is 10 be traced the American
name of Pictured Rocks. 1t Is not
now known when this term was first
appl cd to them. The denuding effects
Of the water upon these cliffs are
shown for distance of about five miles
along the shore. There is no beach,
the cliffs sing vertically out Of the
water In Wis ting the rocks two
ways arc taken; by passing them in
steamer, and in taking II boat at some
of tho nearest points, MS Muntsing.
The steamers run near enough in good
weather for tourists to obtain a pass
ing view. In going from east to west
we notice n few OF the most important
objects. The chapel is a vaulted apart
mcnt in the rock. thirty or forty feet
above the lake level; an arched roof of
sandstone rests on four columns of
rock so as 10 leave an apartment about
forty feet in diameter and the
same in length; within are pull
pit and altar. West, short distance of
the chapel. Is the Chapel river. which
falls over rocky ledge fifteen feet high
into the lake. The Grand Portal is the
most imposing feature Of the series.
1t is 100 feet high by l68 broad at the
water level. and the cliff it Is cut in
rises above the arch, making the whole
height 1875 feet. The great cave, en-
tered through the portal, extends back
in the shape of vaulted room. the
arches of The roof built of yellow lime
stone. and the sides frcttcd into fantas-
tic shapes by storm-driven waves.
About IL mile west is Sail Rock. group
of detached rocks, which bear a resent
blancc TO the mainsa and jb of a sloop;
the height of this is about forty feet.
NJ ncr's Castle. five miles west of the
chapel and just west of Miners river.
is the western end of the Pictured
Rocks, and resembles m old turreted
castle with an arched portal ;the height
of the advanced mass in which the
Gothic gateway may be recognized is
seventy feet. and the height of the
main wall forming the background is
146 feet. In regard to another part of
the Pictured Rocks, n writer says:
In one place there stands II majest-
ic profile looking towards the north-a
woman's face. the Empress of Lakes. :
1t is the pleasure of her royal highness
to visit the rock only b. night. Diana
of the New World. In the daytime
search in w n; she will not reveal her
self; but when the low down moon
shines across the water, behold, she APP
pears! She looks to the north. not sad
Is, not sternlr, like the Old Man of the
White Mountains, but benign Of aspect
and so beaut full in her rounded wom-
AMY curves, that the late watcher falls
into the dream of Endymion; but when
he wakes in the gray down he finds
her gone. and only shapelcss rock
glstens in the rays OF the rising sun. "
boston TranScri i.