nt house. The
French and others who still remained at Old Mackinaw, amounting only
to about three hundred, continued a few years, when they finally left,
and everything was suffered to go into decay. A desolation reigned
over it for many years, and, on account of the bloody siege, that
point, which was the most attractive as well as the most important to
Indians, French, and English in all the Lake region was, as if by
common consent, abandoned.

[Illustration: Arch Rock.]

[Illustration: Rock Castle--Pictured Rocks.]

The "New Mackinaw," as it is called, distant seven miles from the Old,
is on an island about nine miles in circumference, and covers an area
of six thousand acres. Its extreme elevation above the lake is about
three hundred and twelve feet. The village and fortress are situated
on the southeastern extremity of the island, where there is a good
harbor protected by a water battery. The island remained in possession
of the British until 1793, when it was surrendered to the United
States. It was retaken in 1812, but restored again by the treaty of
Ghent, in 1814. It is situated in North lat. 45 deg. 54', West lon. 84 deg.
30' from Greenwich, being 7 deg. 30' west from Washington. It is three
hundred and fifty miles north of Chicago and about three hundred miles
north from Detroit, and about two hundred and fifty miles west of
Collingswood, Canada. The fort stands on an elevated ground about two
hundred feet above the water. The town contains at present three
hotels, six boarding houses, eight dry-goods stores, and seven
groceries. Its public buildings are a Court House, Jail, Custom House,
Post Office, and Express Office. There are two Churches, the Roman
Catholic and Presbyterian.

The first thing we shall notice as a natural attraction on the island,
is what is called "The Arch Rock." This is a natural arch projecting
from the precipice on the northeastern side of the island, about a
mile from the fort, and elevated about one hundred and forty feet
above the level of the water. Its abutments are formed of calcareous
rock, and have been produced by the falling down of great masses of
rock, leaving a chasm of eighty or ninety feet in height, and covered
by the arch which spans it of fifty or sixty feet sweep. The scene
presented by cliff and chasm is one of wild grandeur. Like the Natural
Bridge of Virginia, it possesses an attraction to all fond of natural
curiosities, sufficient of itself to justify a