he brink of
its fearful wall, will live forever."--Simpson, vol. i., p. 33.]

[Footnote 123: "The Indian appellation of 'Sacred Isles' first occurs at
Lake Huron, and thence westward is met with in Superior, Michigan, and
the vast and numerous lakes of the interior. Those who have been in
Asia, and have turned their attention to the subject, will recognize the
resemblance in sound between the North American Indian and the Tartar
names."--Montgomery Martin's _History of Canada_, vol. i., p. 117.]

[Footnote 124: "The remarkable post of Michillimackinack is a beautiful
island or great rock, planted in the strait of the same name, which
forms the connection between Lakes Huron and Michigan. The meaning of
the Indian word Michillimackinack is _Great Turtle_. The island is
crowned with a cap 300 feet above the surrounding waters, on the top of
which is a fortification. If Quebec is the Gibraltar of North America,
Mackinaw (the vulgar appellation for this fort) is only second in its
physical character, and in its susceptibilities of improvement as a
military post. It is also a must important position for the facilities
it affords in the fur trade between New York and the Northwest."--Mr.
Colton's _American Lakes_, vol. i., p. 92.

The value of canals and steam navigation may be judged of from the fact
that, in 1812, the news of the declaration of war against Great Britain
by the United States did not reach the post of Michillimackinack (1107
miles from Quebec) in a shorter time than two months; the same place is
now within the distance of ten days' journey from the Atlantic.]

[Footnote 125: "So clear are the waters of these lakes, that a white
napkin, tied to a lead, and sunk thirty fathoms beneath a smooth
surface, may be seen as distinctly as when immersed three
feet."--Colton. vol. i., p. 93.]

[Footnote 126: "The St. Clair (according to Dr. Bigsby) is the only
river of discharge for Lakes Superior, Michigan, and Huron, which cover
a surface of thirty-eight and a half million of acres, and are fed by
numerous large rivers. Other able observers are of opinion that the
Missouri and the Mississippi receive some of the waters of Superior and
Michigan. Many persons think that a subterraneous communication exists
between all the great lakes, as is surmised to be the case between the
Mediterranean and the Euxine."--Montgomery Martin.]

[Footnote 127: "The Lake Erie is justly dignified by the illustrious
name of Conti, for