350 THE SOUTH HUTS SHORES OF LAKE 8UPEE10B. 



Portail," the illusion was for the time complete, which suggested to 

 the fancy one of the ancient ruins of Eoman masonry still to be seen 

 in the south of England, where the tier3 of chalk or stone are banded 

 by occasional layers of the flat-tile Soman brick. 



The cliff's are hollowed, arched, and perforated into caverns, evi- 

 dently by the action of the waters when at a much higher, and vary- 

 ing relative level. Two groups of these, designated respectively the 

 "Chapel" and the "Miner's Castle," have been excavated into 

 aisles, arched recesses and columns, so as to rival the most picturesque 

 ruins of the castled Rhine ; while overhead the foliage of the uncleared 

 forest crests their summits, and at one spot near the Chapel Sock, a 

 beautiful cascade dashes in white foam over the cliffs into the Lake i 



"The rolling stream, the precipice's gloom, 

 The forest's growth, and Gothic walls between, 

 The wild rocks shaped as they had turrets been 

 In mockery of man's art."* 



" Le Grand Portail" is another of the more striking features of this 

 scene. A huge quadrangular mass of rock projects out several hun- 

 dred feet from the main range of cliffs, terminating, at their eastern 

 end, one long and singularly picturesque group. Looking on this 

 at a little distance, from the northwest, it presents the appearance of 

 a castellated structure flanked on the west by two massive, but time- 

 worn bastions with an irregular curtain wall between; and by a 

 boldly projecting circular tower. A. square, but time-worn mass 

 terminates it on the east, while between, an elliptical arch seemingly 

 from certain points nearly symmetrical in structure, appears to have 

 been thrown over the intervening space, forming the Grand Portal, 

 the dimensions of which, as given by the United States geologists, 

 are about one hundred feet in height, and one hundred and sixty- 

 eight feet wide at the water level. This forms the entrance into a 

 vast cavern, or domed hall, hewn by the waves out of the projecting 

 mass of rock, and perforated through another side of the cliff; while 

 smaller arches and caverns correspond to the posterns and sally- 

 ports of the ancient fortress which it so much resembles. Of this 

 magnificent natural formation, the view in " The Geology of the Lake 

 Superior Land District," is so deficient in every characteristic detail, 

 with the single exception of a representation — far from minutely cor- 

 rect, — of the great archway which gives the name to the group of 

 rocks : that in comparing it with the original, I conceived I must be 

 looking on a sketch of some other portion of the Pictured Rocks to 



* Childe ITarold, can. III., s. lxL 



