The record-union., 1894-09-18
KITCHI-TA-KIPI.
a Peculiar and beautiful Curiosity in
the Michigan Wilds.

a Peculiar and beautiful Curiosity in
the Michigan Wilds.
Kitchi-ta- Kipi. or the Big Spring of the
Chippewas, is really one of the wonders
of Michigan, if not of the entire Northern
country, says the Chicago Record. kitchi-
ta-kipi is nearly circular in form and
nearly 200 feet in diameter. 1t is sixty
five feet deep-a great bowl of water.
clear as air and green as emerald. When
the sun shines and the wind does not
ripple the surface of the water, at least
six distinct shades of green, varying
from the lightest to the darkest, are to be
seen. It is asserted that under favorable
conditions all the prismatic rays are re-
flected.
The water is so clear that penny or
dime or even pin may be watched III its
flight to the bottom, and once there Pc
culiar property OF magnifying possessed
by the spring makes the article look sew
eral times its real size. The grains of
sand can be plainly seen at the bottom.
and the places where the water boils in at
the bottom look like SO many small era
terS. There are dozens of places where
the water bursts in, and they vary in size
from the diameter of a dollar to three
feet. In former days many dollars worth
of silver coin were thrown upon the altar
of the spirit OF the spring, but III these
times visitors are obliged TO De content
with throwing pieces of tin into the great
depths. Gnarled trunks of cedars project
into the spring. These are draped with
MOSES in the most fantastic manner, all
in the brightest green.
Many interesting legends are told of
Kitchi-t a-Kipi. One is that there were
two brave suitors for the hand of a
beautiful Indian princess, in tribe
located many miles from the spring. At
last the dusky maiden declared her pref
and the rpiaptp6 Sultnr hpinu wild
with rage planned to be revenged. When
a boy he had learned many of the mys-
teries of the medicine man, and so he dug
a root and brewed medicine that would
produce slow decline and death. This
he succeeded in getting an attendant OF
the princess to give to her. The luster of
her cheeks died away, they became hol-
low, and her voice, once clear AID sweet.
became husky. She lost courage and
courted death, and her lover became
frantic. One night when he was tossing
in his wigwam the spirit Of Kitchi-ta-
Kipi appeared to him:
Take your loved one," it said, ''and
fly by night to yon mountain. AS fire.
fly l will be your guide. Follow me. TO
the great bowl of the healing waters we
will CO."
The young brave did as he was di-
rected and the story of the fight is told in
poetical language. Over hill and hollow,
through SWampS ana across ana down
streams they went until their journey
was ended. The princess drunk of the
hea ling waters and was cured. Finally
their trail was found and they were fol-
lowed by the rival, but he was trapped.
The successful suitor caught him leaning
over the spring TO take a drink and
pushed him in. The sides are as
steep as wall, and, being kept from
swimming ashore, the prisoner finally
sunk, his face green with rage. The
Indians have always believed that it is
the reflection of the drowned Indian S
face that makes the spring so green.
| Another legend is told which recites
the drowning of great green eagle in
the spring, and it is said that if one has a
good imagination he can see the outlines
of the big bird lying with outstretched
wings to this day.
The famous spring is located fourteen
| miles from the village. Out of it flows a
brook into Indian Lake, SO deep as to be
1 easily navigable for canoe and row boat
| One way OF reaching the spring from
| Manistique is to drive to Indian Lake
cross the lake in a boat, and then ascend
the outlet OF the spring.