The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1894-10-20
BIG SPRING OF TIE CHiPPEWAs
Peculiar and Beautiful Curiosity In tn


Peculiar and Beautiful Curiosity In the
Wilds of Michigan.
Kitchi-taKipi, or the big spring of
the Chippewas, is really one of the
wonders of Michigan, if not of the
entire northern country. Kitchi- ta-
Kipi is nearly circular In form and
nearly 200 feet in diameter 1t is IS
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 wa
ter, at least six distinct shades of
green, varying from the ightest to
the darkest, are to be seen. It is as
serted that under favorable condi-
tions all the p11smatic rays are re-
| fected.
The water is so clear that penny
or a dime or even a pin may be
watched in its flight to the bottom,
and once there peculiar property of
magnifying possessed by the spring
makes the article look several 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
craters. 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 coins !
were thrown upon the altar of the |
spirit of the spring, but in these times
visitors are obliged to be content with
throwing pieces of tin into the great
depths. Gnarled trunks of cedals
project into the spring, These ara
draped with moses in the most fan
tastlc manner, all in the brightest
Green, |
Many interesting legends are told
OF Kitchi-ta-Kipi. One is that there
were two brave suitors for the hand
OF a beautiful Indian princess in a
tribe located many miles from the
spring. At last the dusky maiden
declared her preference, and the re-
jected suitor, being wild with rage,
planned to be revenged. When a
boy, he had learned many Of the
mysteries of the medicine man, and
SO he dug a root and brewed medi-
cine that would produce a slow de-
cline and death, This he succeeded
in getting an attendant of the prin-
cess to give to her. The luster of her
cheeks died away, they became hol-
low, and her voice, once clear and
sweet, became husky. She lost cour-
age and courted death, and her low
II BECAME frantic One night when
ne was tossing in sorrow in his wig
VAN the spirit of Kitchi ia KIP ap-
oeared to him,
Take your loved one," it said,
and fly by night to yon mountain
As FREELY I will be your guide. :
Follow me. To the great bowl of ;
he healing waters we will 60"
The young brave did as he was di- /,
ected, and the story of the flight is /
old in poetical language. Over hill :
nd hollow, through swamps and )
cross and down streams they went =
Iptil their journey was ended. The y
'rincess drank of the healing waters :
nd was cured, Finally their trail !,
vas found, and they were followed :
" the rival, but he was trapnal - -
he successful suitor caught him =
Gaming over the spring to take a v
rink and pushed him in. The sides y
re as steep as wall, and being kept +
rom swimming ashore the prisoner =,
nally sank, his face green with rage. :,
he Indians have always believed :,
nat it is the reflection of the drowned r
adams face that makes the spring :,
} green. q, =,
Another legend is told which re- ~
ties the drowning of a great green II
agile in the spring, and it is said that -
one has good imagination he can r. r.
'e the outlines of the big bird lying =, ~
18th outstretched wings to this day y. W
Chicago Record 2.