USA > Michigan > A history of the northern peninsula of Michigan and its people, its mining, lumber and agricultural industries, Volume I > Part 5
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pleasurable undertaking; however, as properly belonging to the pieture of the Upper Peninsula as first seen by white men, we mention as some of the most prominent features, the rapids of the St. Mary's River, the Island of Mackinac, or Miehilimackinae as at first ealled, the Pictured Roeks, and Grand Sable Island, as objects so grand as to inspire the awe of all who behold them, besides which there are many lake shores that are beauty spots for summer outing, and many lakes that offer attractive facilities for boating, bathing and fishing.
PICTURED ROCKS DESCRIBED IN 1834
Of the "Pictured Rocks," as well of their grandeur, as of the dan- gers of the sea as it beats upon them, and of an experience therewith,- Mr. Thomas L. MeKenna, of the Indian department, in his "Sketches of a Tour of the Lakes," in 1834, relates his approach to the Portaillé, of the French, now ealled the Pictured Rocks, and says: "Their be- ginning is in the Doric rock which is about two miles from the line of towers and battlements which compose the grand display of the Pic- tured Rocks; and seems to have been sent in advance to announce to the voyageur the surprising and appalling grandeur that awaits him ahead. We passed this Doric roek about one hundred yards, and landed. Our barges, as usual, behind. I lost not a moment in going to exam- ine it.
"The Dorie rock rests on a basement of sandstone, with irregular. step-like ledges of the same material, three in number, going from it into the lake, and stands about twelve feet back from a perpendicular line drawn from the last step. From the water to the base of the rock it is about thirty feet : and from the base to its top it is about forty feet. The center of the covering or arch is about three feet thick, -- and where' it rests on the pillars, about twelve. From the floor to the center of the arch is about thirty-seven feet. Between the second pillar of the south- west, or right of the view, and a third column in the rear, is an altar;
and to the right of that again an urn. · · · The place seems to have been provided by nature for a place of offering, whether to Diana, or which of the Gods or Goddesses, there are no means of ascertaining. A beautiful tree rises out of the very center of the arch.
I found, on examining this rock, which I did in all its parts, that the Indians had used it as a place of resort, for the ashes of their fires were yet several places within it.
"When, or for what purpose this rock was so fancifully formed no man living can tell. There are no records that contain the secret. It is among the wonders of nature, and seems, with other like evidences, to attest the truth of what has been often asserted before, that this globe has been the theater of violently contending elements, of whose fury we can now imagine but little, and which under the direction of Him who holds thein all in the hollow of His hand, have long since been con- fined there and ceased their mighty strife. That water has been the agent of all this variety there can be no doubt. Its marks are perfeet,
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but the floods, tired of lifting their heads so high, are content, in this age of the world, to lash the bases of these towering elevations.
* Our company preceded us to pass along the coast of the Pictured Rocks, and make the traverse to Grand Island before the air should stir in the morning. or the lake get in motion. For to be off the line of these Pictured Rocks in heavy barges, and the wind blowing hard from the north, or northwest, there is hardly a possibility of escaping.
"We took Mr. Lewis in our canoe to make some sketches of the Pic- tured Rocks. We embarked a little after sunrise, and soon reached the angle of a rock which commences this long line of awful grandeur. It is wall-like, and perpendicular, and higher than the capitol of Wash- ington .. It makes a sharp angle, the edge of which is as well defined as the north or any other corner of that splendid building. It staggers one's faith to believe that anything short of architectural skill, and human hands, could finish off such an angle. On turning it, a semi- circular formation, like the half of an immense dome, commences, the radins of which is not short of three hundred yards. The surface is smooth and stained in places with an iron-brown color, which is occa- sioned by the drip of water from above, and an oozing of it from numer- ous little cracks in its sides. These rocks are abont three hundred feet high. Many of them rest on arches, and all of them, whether on arches or columns, or unbroken at their base, rise immediately out of the lake. They do not run their whole extent of twelve miles on a straight line, but have more the appearance of an irregular echelon .- for a mile they will be thrown regularly back, and continue a solid wall, on nearly a straight line for a mile or two, then fall back again, or advance. At one point one of these huge rocks jnts far out into the lake, but without losing its connections with those upon its right and left, and resembles a castle with its towers, embattlements and embrazures. It would seem to have been put out thus in advance to protect the interior line of walls upon its right and left, and to have been built by giants.
"We had only got fairly out, and in view of these wonderful forma- tions and in the deep and green looking water of the lake, with Grand Island stretching out obliquely to our right, when the wind freshened, and the swells began to roll in upon these rock-bound shores, and dash and foam at their bases. The reaction from this commotion drove us farther out into the lake; there we were met with increasing billows which stilled the chanting of onr voyageurs, and put them to the ex- ercise of their skill in preserving themselves and us. I noticed when a wave larger than the rest was about to be met, their paddles were in- stantly suspended, and the canoe allowed to pitch over it with as little onward motion as possible. I soon discovered the object was to avoid driving her under the succeeding wave, which, on account of her being so sharp, would have been done had the suspension in paddling not been observed. Thus stationary, she rose over the waves that would meet her, when instantly the paddles would ply again. But with all this precaution the swells would dash over us, and make it necessary
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for the sponge to be kept constantly employed. These canoes are bailed by means of sponges large enough to take up a quart or half gallon of water at a time. The barges were just in view inclining over to the western end of Grand Island, and about five miles ahead. They had got out of the reach of the billows, their force now being broken by Grand Island. I confess I felt some apprehension. No one spoke. To make the shore was not possible; to have attempted it would have been certain destruction; and the east end of Grand Island was at least ten miles distant. We had no alternative but to keep on our course. In an hour we were in still water, when our voyageurs, all wet, and our- selves also, except where our great coats guarded us, began to chatter again, and pass their jokes upon the bowman in whose face many a swell had broken in making this traverse.
"The appearance of the southeastern shore of Grand Island, in going up between it and the Pictured Rocks, is strikingly magnificent, not only in regard to its extent, but to the mimic cities that line its shores, high up above the lake. The appearance would deceive anyone who did not know that the island was not inhabited. Buildings of vari- ous forms and dimensions, appearing to be of stone and brick, and wood, with spires and steeples, are as regularly shown in this distance of ten miles, as if they were real; and serve not a little to soothe one, even with a knowledge that all this is owing to the broken up rocks, similar in their character to the portaillé, or Pictured Rocks, opposite to them ; because the fancy will not let go its hold of images of domestic life, and the pleasures of the social state.
"It appears to me that Grand Island was once connected with the main; and that the swells of the lake, propelled by the northeast wind, and driven by their fury diagonally across the lake, broke down the connecting materials of earth and rock which once joined them.
"The Pictured Rocks terminate opposite the western end of Grand Island. For the whole way they are discolored, or stained, with the dripping of water from the crevices in their sides, and are to the eye like grey sandstone, stained with yellow and brown and even green. Their tops fringed for the whole distance with a thick growth of ver- dant trees gives a beautiful finish to their summits.
"I omitted to notice a sheet of water that flowed out from the grove near the Doric rock, of fan-like appearance, small at the top, and wid- ening at the bottom to ten feet. It came over from an elevation of about twenty feet above the lake. We saw several of these; some gush- ing out of the sides of the Pictured Rocks, and others flying over from the level of their tops, the issue of little streamlets from level country beyond. We more than once rested on our paddles to observe these lovely adornings of a region otherwise picturesque, but made more so by these cascades."
Of other interesting scenery along the Lake Superior coast there is a vast abundance, and the early writers were greatly attracted by it.
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Mr. MeKenna, on his first setting paddle into Lake Superior, and witnessing the unlimited expanse of water ahead, wrote of it as "a glorious mirror, where the Almighty's form glasses itself in tempests; in all time. Calin or convulsed, in breeze or gale, or storm." And again on landing at Granite Point he says of it: "And here huge rocks, split into chasms, into which the surge of the lake enters, but to recoil from the onset, and to demonstrate how immovable is the barrier against which these ceaseless attacks are made, stand boldly out. Descending from rock to rock for about thirty feet, I seated myself on a ledge that projected far ont into the lake, to survey the scenery, and contemplate the motion of the waters that, in towering waves, would roll against these rocks as if asleep and unconscious of their approaching destiny, till awakened by the shock of the contact, when they would mount high in the air, and fall back broken into a thousand parts, and be swallowed up by their successors, which, on reaching the same point met with the same overthrow."
Of Keweenaw point the same author writes: "Opposite a spur in the mountain, the lands rise in rocky and broken precipices, displaying a grandeur, and a barrenness equal to anything of the kind I have seen. It is nearly all rock; the shores are cut out into little bays, into many of which we entered, whilst the rocky projections of the mountains hung over us as if to threaten us with destruction. Huge masses of rocks, that had parted from the mountain, were lying out in the lake, some fifty and a hundred yards from the shore, between which, and others. that formed a kind of passageway, and with perpendicular walls, our little bark was passed on the smooth surface of the waters."
A person familiar with Lake Superior could write chapters concern- ing its barren and broken shores, Grand Sables Pictured Rocks; its beautiful islands, wonderful moonlight scenery, crystalline waters, and of the most gorgeous of aurora borealis with which the hand of nature decorates the most favored parts of the universe.
ST. MARY'S RIVER AND ISLAND OF MACKINAC
Beyond the power of my pen to describe are the varied seenes of the St. Mary's river, where the waters of the largest of earth's inland seas find outlet through a channel, the descent of which at the rapids, is about eighteen feet in the distance of three-fourths of a mile, and through which the waters plunge and dash and foam as if angered at the broken and jagged rocks that dare impede their passage. These rapids were considered hard to "shoot" by the skilled oarsmen of those early days, but the present-day visitor to this beauty spot of Michigan can still find representatives of the red race, each ready, for a modest consideration, to carry his passenger in his light and bounding canoe, down through this seething, boiling and dashing channel; and they do it with such skill as to compel the admiration of all and to invite the venturesome to make the trip. Passing the rapids, the river widens gradually, and is filled with beautiful islands of various sizes, and fur-
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nishes a scene of quiet beauty and natural splendor, vying in attractive- ness with, and yet in wonderful contrast to, the magnificent turbulency of the rapids. To those natural attractions, the government has added those of its monster locks, and its power canal, giving to it recognition as the foremost of the world's water-highways.
The group of islands, known as the "Beavers" always have been and still are objects of beauty and attractiveness; and these, as well as their advantages in the way of fishing and of seclusion, have given to them a part in history, the story of which, if fully told, would rival the most daring stories of frontier life.
Of the Island of Mackinac, and the islands that cluster around it, what shall I say? Again a master hand is needed to portray the beauty and grandeur which the hand of nature crowded together in a small area. Fortunately, however, the world knows of the beauty of this island and of the important part it has played in national and inter- national history. The world of today, however, sees it with its national park, its military fort, and its magnificent hotels and residences; the resort of many in the hot summer months. The first white men saw it as a favorite home of some and the resort of many Indians; and, as their canoes approached from the Lake Huron view, the island rose above the surface of the water in the form of a Great Turtle, and in its grandeur. looming to a magnificent height, beautifully bedecked with forest growths and ornamented with some of nature's most lavish adorn- ments of arches, pinnacles, domes and precipices. As these magnificent heights were scaled, the grandeur of the surrounding view was almost beyond conception. Lake Huron, specked over with its islands, stretched far to the west, varying and beautiful. To the northwest was the main- land of the peninsula, the Rabbit's Bask and to the west was the open- ing into Lake Michigan, the second largest fresh water sea in the world; and around, and within view were Bois Blane, Le Schneau, and other islands, in beautiful settings of changing hues, the better to adorn the scene. Of nature's adornments, naturally, Arch Rock, or the Giant Arch, commands first attention. Approaching this along the shore trail, so as to view it from below, we find the shore at this point some forty or fifty rods in width, covered with large fragments of roeks that have apparently succumbed to the battles of the elements and let go their hold from the cliffs above which rise to a height of approximately two hundred feet above the shore. From this precipice a rocky projection stands out to the northeast at this point, and therein is an arch-like opening through which ascent ean be made by clambering with diffi- culty, over a steep embankment of loose rocks and pebbles; and at an elevation of about fifty feet up this embankment, the climber stands directly under the Giant Arch which has a rugged outline, with one base resting on the rocky projection and the other upon the main ledge or hill. The span of the arch is about fifty feet and its height in the center, from the shore, is about one hundred and fifty feet. The view through the opening of this arch is magnificent, changing with the chang- ing hues of the sky and the forms and movements of the elouds.
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A good climber can proceed up the embankment, and, by scaling several precipices and almost vertical and craggy rocks, reach the sur- face through the arch, and, once there, the grandeur of the view repays the effort, the worn fingers and the torn clothes which the climb has cost.
The writer was one of a small company to perform this feat and does not regret it, though once is enough. The most common method of reaching the top of this arch is over the hill road where one can ride directly to it.
Chimney Rock is another of the natural attractions of the island. It stands on the side of a hill which slopes to the westerly or south-
ARCH ROCK, MACKINAC ISLAND
westerly coast. The Chimney consists of rocks which tower about f fty feet above the present surface of the hill at that point. It is evident from the way the rocks are piled together that they were at one time embedded in the earth, in that form, when the surface of the island was at or above the top of the present "chimney;" and, as by the processes of erosion, the earth was torn away and the surface lowered. these rocks so rested together that they have retained their position, and now stand there resembling a great chimney.
Many other interesting features of the island that were, perhaps, among its minor attractions when first seen by white men, have come into prominence, and are now objects of interest to tourists because of their connection with subsequent important historical events.
THE RESTFUL, GREEN BAY REGION
To adequately describe the beauties of Green Bay, with its indented bays, and settings of islands, is beyond the writer's power. It still 're-
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tains much of its original attractiveness and is annually receiving more and more of the recognition that is its due from the tourist world, and many of its bordering hamlets, with their sandy bathing beaches and attractive fishing facilities, are already thronged during the summer months with those who have learned that here the advantages for rest, recreation and recuperation are actually superior to those of the noted and more costly outing places of the Atlantic coast.
As the explorer pushed inland, he was, of course, at first compelled to follow the course of the many streams, and here again the varied dec- orations of the scene bore evidence of the lavish hand of nature. Amidst primeval forests, the most beautiful that the eager eye of an explorer ever rested upon, were miles upon miles of the most picturesque of rivers, bedecking the face of the entire peninsula like strings of glitter- ing gems, while the innumerable lakes, of various sizes, added to the beauty and grandeur of the Upper Peninsula landscape, as well as to its attractiveness from the standpoint of the hunter and the tradesman.
To mention all the many, many attractive features that met the eye of the first white men, is now impossible, but enough of grandeur. of beauty and of virgin splendor and purity, as well as wealth of natural resources, still remains to make of this small area a very desirable local- ity for pleasure seekers, health resorters and sportsmen, and last, but not least, for business men of every calling.
It is pleasing to note that the public is recognizing the importance of preserving some of the beauties of nature with which this locality has been endowed. Besides the National Park at Mackinac, several of the cities have already adopted measures of preserving as natural public parks, some of these beauties of nature, more attractive than the hand of man could plan or execute. Of these, Presque Isle park at Marquette, and the John Henes park at Menominee are among the most notable. As closely connected with like interests in the Upper Peninsula it is of interest and value to her people that the state of Wisconsin has dedi- cated as a state park a large tract on the eastern shore of Green bay, in Door county, where the natural and primitive beauty is to be preserved.
Vol. 1-2
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CHAPTER III INDIAN HISTORY
THE ANCIENT CAVE MAN -- SUPERNATURAL BELIEFS OF THE INDIAN- DEATH AND THE HEREAFTER -- THE DELUGE AND RACIAL ORIGIN-MED- ICINE BAG AND MEDICINE DANCE-TRIBAL GOVERNMENT AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS-UTENSILS, WEAPONS AND SPORTS-MAGIC ARTS AND SECRET INSTITUTIONS-PICTURE WRITING-HORSES INTRODUCED
It is difficult for Americans of today to realize that they are a con- quering people; and that to make room for the prosperity and advance- ment of the present day, a powerful race has been vanquished and dis- placed, and the surviving remnants perverted and degraded. But the truth of this is patent to anyone who pauses to think of the matter. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is one of the spots where the dis- integration of this race began.
THE ANCIENT CAVE MAN
Their history goes back to the cave men who fought for their ex- istence with the elephant, mastodon, megatherium and other gigantic beasts of the pre-glacial period. These progenitors of the Indians in America had only their hands, supplemented by the clubs and rocks which nature provided, to defend themselves, or with which to procure their food; for man was, in that pre-historie time, only a carnivorous animal, not much higher than the beasts with which he fought. The great physical changes of the land forced new conditions upon this ani- mal that alone stood upright; the fight for life developed shrewdness and a sort of skill, and, in the end, these are always superior to brute force. In time the cave man grew bolder as he became a more success- ful hunter ; he dwelt in forests, as well as caves, and so the evolution of the Indian, as the white men, with their limited geographical knowledge, called him, had its beginning. The story of this evolution is written in the mounds which hold their dead, and the weapons, tools and ornaments which they have left scattered over the entire country. The builders of these earth mounds had reached a degree of semi-civilization and they were more sedentary than the tribes about them, and possibly more
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peaceful. They built these mounds not only as burial places for their dead, hut to guard their villages, and for use in their religious rites. As their animal instincts developed into mental attributes, fear, which is the father of religion, compelled them to propitiation and semi-worship of things feared. They were mentally many ages beyond the primitive cave men ; they had added vegetable foods to their flesh diet; the culti- vated maize, squash, beans and grapes in fields outside their mound-pro- tected villages. They were manufacturers to the extent that they made nets and traps to catch fish and game: and from the bones and skins of the latter made household utensils and clothing. They apparently knew no metal but copper, from which they made chisels and axes, as well as ornaments. They carved beads and other articles from sea-shells, as well as bones, proving that they had commerce with people living near the sea. In spite of the progress they had made, they were swept out of existence by the fierce hunting tribes who are the more immediate ancestors of the Indians, and although they were forgotten-for who can say withont question just who the mound-builders were ?- the knowl- edge of their rnde arts was continned, and increased, by their successors.
These Indians were slow to change and have preserved their physical and mental attributes until modern times. As a whole, the race seems to be fragments of various tribes of men: their languages and dialects, which are many, being mostly derivative. When discovered by the white men, they were probably at their highest epoch as a nation. Phys- ically they have not changed; the straight black hair, glazed eyes, high cheek bones, red color and fine soft skin are still typical, and their mental traits, though modified by environment, seem as nearly indestructible as their physical.
SUPERNATURAL BELIEFS OF THE INDIAN
The natural Indian, before the greed, deceit and injustice of the whites had obliterated the good, and fully developed the evil, cruel side of his nature, was possessed of many admirable qualities, such as tem- perance, truthfulness, honesty and courtesy. He respected old age and was tolerant with and pitiful to the weak and unfortunate; hospitality was with him not only a virtue, but a strict duty. Physical bravery was. without doubt, the quality most admired. Pride, independence, and an intense love of personal freedom were qualities encouraged in the In- dians from boyhood. So strong was this last sentiment that at times it proved a source of weakness, as it frequently prevented combined ac- tion at critical periods. The Indian in his primitive condition was jovial, happy, loyal to ties of kinship, and his family; fond of games and sports, and story-telling,-whiling away the long winter hours with endless tales of ghost and spirits, of war and the chase; fond also of music, and daneing and dreaming; though all their arts were of the coarsest and crudest development. In addition to these good qualities, they possessed intense cruelty, a lax morality, superstition, cannibalism and remorseless revenge. The notions of the Indians concerning the
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