Old Mackinaw; Or, The Fortress of the Lakes and its Surroundings

by W. P. Strickland

Mackinac Island.
1. Lover's Leap. 2. Harbor. 3. Village. 4. Fort. 5. Signal. 6. Sugar Loaf. 7. Mission. 8. Robinson's Folly.

"The land rises gradually from the water at Mackinaw City, until it reaches an elevation of seventy-five feet, from which beautiful and picturesque views are obtained of the waters of the Straits, with the numerous Islands sleeping on its bosom. The prospect from the City is beautiful, beyond description—the Battery at New York can only be compared to it, which is like it in its location. The visitor will enjoy the view presented of the Islands, Points, and adjacent shores; especially on a calm day, for the lake, and the green woods upon isle and promontory, lie with a sleepy stillness before him, enhancing the beauty of the prospect; and when the mind contemplates the events of two hundred and fifty years ago, when thousands of the red sons of the forest passed and repassed the site upon which he now stands, he will appreciate more fully the rapid strides of civilization.

"Two hundred and fifty years ago, bark canoes only dotted the surface of the Lake; this spell of quiet was then broken a few years afterward by the boisterous Canadian Voyageur with his songs, as he rowed or paddled his bateaux and large northwest canoe. Now, the roaring noise of the wheels of steamers, the shrill whistle of the propeller, and the whitening sails of hundreds of vessels have succeeded to the past age of darkness and quiet. Civilization and commerce have broken the charm which beautified Indian scenery in years forever gone by."

A work, published under the auspices of the Canadian Government, in three large octavo volumes, French, entitled "Relations of the Jesuits," containing the most remarkable events that transpired in the missions of the Jesuits in New France, furnishes valuable information of the missions in the Mackinaw region. Among the remarkable phenomena which came under the observation of the Jesuit Fathers in Mackinaw, was the appearance of a parhelion on the 21st of January, 1671. This remarkable phenomenon occurred about two hours before sunset. It presented the form of a great crescent with its points turned toward the sun. At the same time two other suns appeared, equidistant from it, partly covered by a cloud having all the colors of the rainbow, very luminous and dazzling to the eye. The Indians said it was a premonition of great cold, which followed soon after. On the 16th March the same parhelion appeared, and was seen from three different places more than fifty leagues apart. The observer at the Mackinaw mission saw three suns distant some half league from each other. They were seen twice the same day, one hour before sunrise and one hour before sunset. In the morning they were on the south side of the true sun, and in the evening on the west side. That on the south side was so accurate that it was difficult to distinguish it from the true sun, excepting that it was partly surrounded by a scarlet band on the side toward the sun. That on the other side had more the appearance of an oval iris than a sun, nevertheless it was an image like those which painters adorn with golden rays, giving it a very magnificent appearance.

The same parhelion was seen on the island of Manitou in Lake Huron, and accompanied by a very remarkable appearance. Three suns appeared in the west, parallel with the earth. They were equal in size, but not in beauty. The true sun was west-by-southwest, and the false sun on each side. At the same time were seen parts of two circles parallel to the horizon, having the colors of the rainbow, beside a fourth part of the circle perpendicular to the horizon, having nearly the same color, touched the false sun, which was in the southwest, and cutting the half circle parallel to the horizon, was mingled and lost in its rays. The false suns disappeared from time to time, and even the true sun. Finally, a fourth sun was seen placed in a right line. When the false suns disappeared they left after them two rainbows, as beautiful as their own light. The Indians, who attributed all these signs to the Genii, and who believe that they are married, wanted to know of the missionary if these were not the wives of the sun. At this question it occurred to him that a favorable opportunity was presented for explaining to them the mysteries of the Trinity. On the next day the Indian women, who before would not come to hear prayers, came and presented their children to be baptized.

At the Saut St. Mary, seven false suns appeared around the true sun. The true sun was in the centre of a circle formed by the colors of the rainbow. On either side were two false suns, and also one above and one below. These four were placed on the circumference of the circle, and at equal distances directly opposite from each other. Beside this, another circle of the same color as the first, but much larger, rested the upper part of its circumference in the centre of the true sun, while below and on either side were the false suns. All these eight luminaries made a grand spectacle.

Auroras, even in midsummer, are of frequent occurrence, and exhibit a brilliancy and extent rarely observed in lower latitudes. The phenomena which most frequently occur are the following: A dark cloud tinged on the upper edge with a pale luminous haze, skirts the northern horizon. From this streaks of orange and blue colored light flash up, and often reach a point south of the zenith. They rapidly increase and decrease, giving to the whole hemisphere the appearance of luminous waves and occasionally forming perfect corona. They commence shortly after sunset and continue during the night. The voyagers regard them as the precursors of storms and gales, and our own observations have confirmed the result. Occasionally broad belts of light are seen spanning the whole arc of the heavens, of sufficient brilliancy to enable one to read. In the winter these phenomena are much more frequent, and the ground appears tinged with a crimson hue.

We find in these relations of the Jesuits other matters of equal interest. The fathers of the missions in and around the Straits of Mackinaw gave it as their opinion, that the waters of Lake Superior entered into the Straits by a subterranean passage, and in support of it, mention the wonderful fact that the current floats against the wind, and notwithstanding it drives furiously in one direction, vessels are enabled to sail in a contrary direction as rapidly as though the wind were not blowing. In addition to this, they refer to the constant boiling up of the waters. Without admitting this theory, they affirmed that it was impossible to explain two things. The first is, that without such subterranean passage it is impossible to tell what becomes of the waters of Lake Superior. This vast lake has but one visible outlet, namely, the river of the Saut, while it receives into its bosom the waters of a large number of rivers, some twelve of which are of greater dimensions than the Saut. What then, they ask, becomes of all these waters if they do not find an issue through a subterranean river. The second reason for their belief in this theory is the impossibility to explain from whence come the waters of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan? But very few rivers flow into these lakes, and their size is such as to justify the belief that they must be supplied through the subterranean river entering into the Straits.[(Back to Content)]