The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1895-07-06
BIG SPRING OF TIE CHiPPEWAs.
A Peculiar and Beautiful Curiosity In the
wiIds of Michigan,

i
| A Peculiar and Beautiful Curiosity In the
! wi1ds of Michigan.
Kitchi- -Kipi, 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 III 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 thewa
| ter, at least six distinct shades of
green, varying from the hghtest to
| the darkest, are to be seen. 1t is as
serted that under favorable condi-
tions all the prlsmatic rays are re-
Gected.
The water is so clear that a penny
or a dime or even a pin may be
| watched in its fight to the bottom,
and once there a 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 il
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 cedars
project into the spring. These are
draped with moses in the most fan
tastic 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
tribe located many miles from the
spring. At last the dusky maiden
declared her preference, and the re-
jected slitor, 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 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
er became frantic One night when
he was tossing in sorrow in his wig
wan the spirit of Kitchi-ta-Kipi ap-
peared to him.
''Take your loved one," it said,
'and fly by night to yon mountain.
AS a FREELY 1 will be your guide.
Follow me. To the great bowl of
the healing waters we will 60"
The young brave did as he was di-
rected, and the story Of the flight is
told in poetical language. Over hill
and hollow, through swamps and
across and down streams they went
until their journey was ended. The
princess drank of the healing waters
and was cured. Finally their trail
was found, and they were followed
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 avail, and being kept
from swimming ashore the prisoner
finally sank, his face green with rage.
The Indians have always believed
that it is the reflection of the drowned
Indians face that makes the spring
SO green.
Another legend is told which re-
cites the drowning of a great green
eagle in the spring, and tits said that
if one has a good imagination he can
see the outlines of the big bird lying
with outstretched wings to this day.
Chicago Record.