mate is _supposed_ to be cold. But, what is
climate? Climate is relative and composed of many elements. The first
is temperature, as determined by latitude. The Straits of Mackinaw are
in the _latitude_ of 45 deg. 46'. North of this lies a part of Canada,
containing at least a million of inhabitants. North of this latitude
lies the city of Quebec in America; London, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin,
Vienna, Warsaw, Copenhagen, Moscow, and St. Petersburg, in Europe;
Odessa and Astracan, in Asia. North of it, are in Prussia, Poland, and
Russia, dense populations, and a great agricultural production. The
latitude of Mackinaw, therefore, is in the midst of that temperate
zone, where commerce, population, cities, and the arts have most
flourished. The climate, however, is actually milder than the latitude
represents. The isothermal line, which passes through Mackinaw, also
passes in Wisconsin, nearly as low as 43 deg., and in the east also
deflects south. This is the true line of vegetation; and thus it
appears that the actual climate of Mackinaw is about that of 43 deg. 30'.
The same isothermal line, passes through Prussia and Poland, the
finest grain countries of Europe. The climate of the straits is,
therefore, as favorable as that of most civilized States, either for
the production of food or the pursuits of commerce.

The Marquette Journal gives some items relative to the winter of that
locality. The mercury was not below zero until the evening of January
8th, and then only 2 deg. below. The highest point reached in January, was
20 deg. above, and lowest 16 deg. below zero. In February, the highest point
was 55 deg. above, the lowest 20 deg. below zero. The average temperature for
the three winter months had been about 15 deg. above zero. In the
"Relations of the Jesuits," 3d. volume, 1671, it is stated that the
"winter in Mackinaw is short, not commencing until after Christmas and
closing the middle of March, at which time spring begins."

The Lake Superior Journal for February 23, 1859, says:--

"We are now within five days of the first spring month, and have
scarcely had a brush of winter yet. But very few days has the
thermometer been below zero, and but a single day as low as ten
degrees below. Most of the time it has been mild. For two weeks past,
there has been a blandness and mellowness in the atmosphere, which was
enough to cause the moodiest heart to sing for joy. There was a
flare-up, however, for a single day (the