La Pointe, Lake Superior, July 17, 1831.
Instead of a sand bank for a writing desk, I am now seated by the side
of a good table in your brother's house, and surrounded by comforts
and conveniences that would be no discredit to a place less out of the
world than La Pointe. We have luxuries that even the inhabitants of
St. Mary's might envy. Our table groans beneath its load of white-fish
and trout, veal and pigeons, rice-puddings and strawberries, all of
which are served up _à la mode_, in Joseph's best style, assisted by
the culinary skill of _Plufe_, the cook. We at present adopt the
maxim, "Live while you may," for we well know that soon we will be out
of the reach of every thing of this sort, and be glad to get our dish
of corn-soup. This is a very pleasant island, and presents quite a
village-like appearance. There are several large dwelling houses,
besides the trading establishment, and cultivated fields, with cattle
strolling about, that altogether make up a scene quite different from
any thing I expected to see before arriving at Green Bay.
Since my _first_ and _last_ letter to you, we have passed through a
variety of interesting incidents. As I closed my letter our Indians
arrived, and in a short time we were on our way across the Kewena
traverse. But now a fresh breeze had supplanted the calm atmosphere
{171} of the morning, and before we were half-way over the Bay, we
began to anticipate a second edition of the troubles and danger
experienced by Mr. S. in 1820. But we fortunately escaped, with no
inconvenience but a slight wetting, and at 12 at night came up to the
encampment of our friends,--when not wishing to disturb them, we
spread our blankets upon the gravel, with the heavens for our canopy,
and sought a few hours repose, previous to commencing an examination
of Kewena Point. In this we promised ourselves an abundance of
interest, and we suffered no disappointment. Such a banging the rocks
have not experienced for many a day, and we robbed them of no
inconsiderable quantity of their precious contents. The "King of the
metals" will be under the necessity of holding another convention,[3]
and if some of the delegates do not appear with battered visages, and
broken bones, then there is no virtue in our well-tried hammers. Now
you know, as we go skipping down the vale of life, that it is not
every circumstance that assumes a serious cast, but that we have a
mixture, or a kind of dish which in Scotland, and by Dr. Johnson,
would be called _hodge-podge_. So with us--after wearying ourselves in
discovering copper mines, and hunting from their dark and stony
enclosures the precious gems which here abounded, we would join with
no little zest in the pleasures of the chase. One or two opportunities
of doing this occurred while going round this Point. This was in the
pursuit of _quacks_; and impelled by the purest _patriotism_, we were
determined upon the extirpation of all that might fall in our way.
What, ask you, is it possible, that the _pro_scribed _pre_scribers of
"roots and herbs," and steam restoratives, have found their way to the
lone regions of the north? Why no, not exactly _this_ kind of quacks,
but a species more honest, who tell us beforehand what they are, and
which, of themselves, when properly prepared by a _suitable_
apothecary, form an excellent remedy for a well-known disease, and
which those in particular are apt to contract who labor for hours
together among rocks and over mountains. But to tell a plain
story:--while in our canoes we surprised several large broods of
ducks, which happened to be in that state when their unfledged wings
forbade them to fly, but when they were sufficiently large to furnish
excellent game for the table. Consequently it was a trial of skill
between our canoe-men and the poor quacklings, to see who could paddle
the fastest; but like the boys and the frogs, while it was sport to
the former, it was death to the latter. Although at first they
literally walked over the water, yet their strength was soon
exhausted; and what with the shouts of the men, which of themselves
were sufficient to scare a duck out of its senses, and their own
fatigue, they fell an easy prey to their enemies. But to secure the
victims after they were run down, afforded us the most amusement. The
men seemed to have given up their whole souls to the chase, and as the
ducks would dive to escape being taken, they would endeavor to spear
them with their poles and paddles, and these proving ineffectual,
plunge in themselves regardless of the consequences. Their zeal was
rewarded by the capture of twelve or fifteen of the unfortunate birds.
The only fear I experienced during this enlivening scene, was that the
Doctor would exhaust his stock of risibility, and in future we should
be deprived of his hearty ha, ha, that makes one join in sympathy with
him, _before the story comes_. He surrendered himself entirely to the
power of Momus; but we have had abundant demonstration since, that he
is still a subject of the laughing deity. But the afterpiece was the
most interesting to us individually; what that was you must guess. But
luckily the clouds now "began to gather blackness;" and before we had
proceeded many miles, we were favored with a couple of smart showers,
and finally obliged by the rain to go on shore--_luckily_, because
this spot proved to be the richest in minerals and metals, that we had
yet visited. Your brother discovered two rich veins of copper ore, and
we found agates and other gems in quantities. While we were thumping
about us, the Doctor got into the canoe for the purpose of seeking an
encamping place. This was found at the bottom of a very pretty bay,
but which nevertheless we dignified with the name of Musquito Cove.
Here we were wind-bound, and I spent a half hour very pleasantly on
the rocks, witnessing the foaming and dashing of the waves, that
seemed enraged at the resistance which they met, while the rocks
themselves groaned at the rencounter as if fearful of being shaken
from their solid foundations. Here was a place for melancholy, and a
mind like yours would have held a revelry with the wildness of the
scene. My curiosity to witness the onset of the waters, prompted me to
venture too near them, as I found by a salute, not very friendly, that
left me in rather a moist condition; but although experience is the
best school, yet forgetting myself, I was again reminded that being
but a spectator, it would be well to retire from the influence of the
battle shock.
[Footnote 3: Alludes to a jeu d' esprit poem.]
* * * * *
This ceremony over, we turned our faces homewards, but stopped for a
moment on the way to take a peep at the Superior. This was so pleasing
that I felt no disposition to quit it, and continued my way over the
rocks, until weariness alone induced me to return. My path was through
a pleasant wood, and as I was loitering along, I was startled by the
report of a gun, repeated three or four times in quick succession; and
upon making up to the place from whence the sound proceeded, found
that two of the men had been sent out to search for the supposed lost
one. The wind had abated, and we left our camp as the sun began to dip
below the horizon. The rest of my story I hope to have the pleasure of
communicating to you by word of mouth.
You will not probably hear from us again until our arrival at the
Sault.
In the meantime remember me to William, and the young gentlemen of
your household.