Cleveland was founded in 1796, and named in honor of General Moses Cleveland of Connecticut, who then had charge of the surveying of this region. It was an important point in the war of 1812, incorporated as a village in 1814, and as a city in 1836. The number of its inhabitants is estimated to be more than 200,000. The "Forest City" has an extensive trade in copper and iron ore, shipped from the Lake Superior mining regions, as well as in coal, petroleum, wool, and lumber, received by railroad, canal, and lake transportation. A sojourn of at least one week is requisite in order to acquaint one's self with all the attractions of Cleveland, with its unrivaled position and manifold beauties of scenery.
In fact, our honorable President can be proud to share his name with this delightful place; and, in return, the "Forest City" may consider it an honor to be the namesake of Grover Cleveland, the present leader of the powerful Republic.
On Friday morning, as soon as the dawning day dispatched its first rays over Cleveland, we resumed our voyage on Lake Erie. The flakes of light were falling every moment faster and broader among the spires and towers of the city of which we gradually lost sight. They were only discernible as long, gray shadows on the elevated lake shore. The mists were couched in quiet masses, iridescent with the morning light, upon the breasts of the remote hills, over whose leagues of massy undulations, they melted into the robe of material light, fading, lost in the increasing lustre, again to reappear in the higher heavens, while their bases vanished into the unsubstantial and mocking blue of the lake below. The dispersing wreaths of white clouds gradually gave place to the pale azure of the horizon. The level of the beautiful inland-sea was bathed in the glorious sunlight and the whole heaven—one scarlet canopy—colored the limpid waters with an exquisite, roseate tint; thus giving a redoubled splendor to this fine panorama.
While the midday sun was sending forth his warm rays, we came abreast of
Marblehead, and speeding along we reached Green Island at 1 o'clock.
Having passed Barr Point Lighthouse we chose our halting place on the Canadian shore near Amherstburg, a small village pleasantly situated on the Detroit River.
As the yacht was fastened to the dock, the heavens were yet illumined by the parting day; which gave us opportunity to admire the superb spectacle on the opposite shore. Its southwestern extremity was adorned with numerous verdant islands of various size and form; some stretching for miles in length—the largest containing a circumference of fourteen miles; several so small that they seemed destined for a race of fairies; others in clusters; and some like beautiful vestals, in single loveliness, whose holy vows ordained them forever to live alone.
The last streak of light had faded from the west, and a pale lustre kindling in the eastern portions of the sky, became brighter and brighter till the white falcated moon was lifted up above the horizon; while uncountable stars appeared to reflect their brilliancy in the waters below. This delightful scene around us, so perfectly filled and satisfied our sense of beauty that we reluctantly gave up our comfortable seats on the stern-deck, notwithstanding an advanced time of night.
On the following morning the sun rose in his clearest splendor. As soon as that flood of luminous rays which constitutes day, was flowing on the crystalline sea, we departed from this romantic country scene in Canada.
Sailing along, we approached the terminus of our voyage on Lake Erie, which is considered the most dangerous of all the Great Lakes as to navigation, owing to its comparative shallowness—its mean depth, being about ninety feet—and the consequent liability to a heavy ground swell. The peculiar features of this body of water are its inferior depth and the clayey nature of its shores, which are generally low; on the south, however, bordered by an elevated plateau, through which the rivers have cut deep channels.
Though the lake possesses but a small number of good harbors, the amount of traffic on its waters, and on the connecting railways is enormous.