THE WILDS OF MICHIGAN. 179 



Montreal River. Descending this stream a distance of 34 miles, with numer- 

 ous falls and rapids, making 804 feet of descent, we come to our place of 

 beginning. 



In this route we have traversed upwards of 800 miles of lake coast, 200 of 

 river, and only some 65 miles of land boundary; we have, however, enclosed 

 an area of considerably more than 16,000 square miles. 



With a step of four miles across the narrowest point of the Straits of 

 Mackinaw we touch the northernmost apex of the Lower Peninsula and stand 

 upon historic ground. Looking now to the southward we may straighten 

 out our legs 280 miles, and turning our feet at right angles along tlie Ohio 

 and Indiana lines, span a distance of 170 miles in an east and west direction; 

 while one arm, with a moderate length of fish line, extends along 400 miles 

 of western lake coast, and the other crooked over the Huron Peninsula 

 measures 600 miles to the Ohio line. 



This ideal man with the jaunty cap of the Upper Peninsula on his head 

 which is, perhaps, a little bulging on the off ear, on account of the largest 

 copper and iron mines in the world, can use the commerce of the lakes and 

 defy all competition. 



Grouping now the two peninsulas we have a total area of 59,000 square 

 miles or 37,760,000 acres. The whole of this area is not to be considered as 

 all land, as we have about 6,000 lakes or ponds, some of which are of con- 

 siderable size, and also a few meandered rivers. These will form an area of 

 about 1,000,000 of acres. AVe may also deduct from the sum total 13,000,000 

 acres now in farms (numbering 132,000), of which not less than 8,000,000 

 acres are improved. We have, therefore, remaining 24,000,000 acres not 

 classed into farms, and 5,000,000 unimproved in existing farms. From the 

 most reliable data at hand it is found that the farms of our State average a 

 little more than 90 acres each. Upon this basis we have land enough left to 

 make 265,000 farms. Probably the time will come when Michigan will count 

 within her borders no less than 500,000 farms. In this review we have not 

 directly considered the many islands within the confines of our State, some 

 of which are of large size; these would add materially to the land surface. 

 It is not to be understood that all the land comprised in this vast tract is 

 good for farming purposes, as there may be found large spaces of light sand 

 and extensive swamps and marshes. But so much remains, that one need 

 not go out of the State to seek a home or to find plenty of wild land. One 

 should hesitate long before emigrating elsewhere, especially to the treeless 

 and blizzard swept plains of the West. A cabin in the woods of Michigan 

 looks to us far more comfortable, with its well lighted interior, and its cheery 

 hardwood fire. 



Bitter disappointment is apt to meet those who seek to make a home else- 

 where, after once living in Michigan. We know of many families who were 

 in comfortable circumstances, but thinking to better themselves elsewhere, 

 sold out their homes and emigrated to the South and West, only to return 

 after two or three years, very much poorer and a little wiser, to begin again 

 the struggle of building a home under adverse circumstances. The fact is, 

 none need go out of this State to do Avell. If a pei'son is really anxious to 

 own a home of his own, it can be had in Michigan much better than else- 

 where; if he be already married so much the better. 



The settler can nuw be within easy reach of the main lines of communica- 

 tion wherever he may wish to locate. This large area of unoccupied land 

 has practically passed from the hands of the government, which holds, I 



