364 



MICHIGAN. 



varies m shades of black, yellow, red, white, and brown. The waves, driven by the violent 

 north winds, have worn the rocky shores into numerous caverns, bays, and indentations, which 

 increase the romantic effect of these appearances. In one place, a cascade tumbles from the 

 top of the rock in so wide a curve, that boats pass between the sheet of water and the shore. 

 Another spot exhibits a mass of rock supported by four natural pillars, and overgrown on the 

 top with trees ; it is called the Doric Rock, and closely resembles a work of art. 



8, Soil. The country along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan consists of hills of sand 

 thrown up by the lake, and producing some scanty herbage, and a few stunted trees. The 

 land is still encroaching upon the water. In the eastern part of the peninsula, the soil is fertile ; 

 the northwestern parts have been little explored ; but the land along the rivers is of an ex- 

 cellent quality. Perhaps, taken as a whole, there is no region of equal extent, that contains so 

 much good land as the lower peninsula. In the northern, however, there are extensive tracts 

 of sandy plains and rocky hills. 



9. Vegetable Productions. All the water-courses, ponds, and marshes in the northwestern 

 parts, are covered with the Zizania aquatica, or wild rice. It is a tall, reedy water-plant, and 

 springs up from the depth of G or 7 feet, where the bottom is soft and muddy ; it rises nearly 

 as high above the water ; its leaves and spikes resemble those of oats, but are much larger. 

 When it is intended to be preserved, the spikes are bound together to preserve the grain from 

 the water-fowl, who resort to these spots in millions. After it has ripened, canoes are rowed 

 among the grain ; blankets are spread in the bottoms of the canoes, and the grain is beaten out 

 upon them. It is as white as common rice, and has much the taste of sago. 



POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY. 



1. Divisions. 



1810, 

 1820, . 



Michigan is divided into 41 counties.* 



Population at different Periods. 



4,762 

 8,896 



1830, 

 1837, 



28,004 

 175,000 



2. Towns. The city of Detroit, the capital, and much the largest town in the State, occu- 

 pies the site of an old French post and village, which took the name, meaning Strait, from the 

 river which connects lakes St. Clair and Erie. Although founded at the beginning of the last 

 century, Detroit was an inconsiderable village in 1830 ; its business and population have in- 

 creased with great rapidity during the last few years, and must continue to grow with the growth 

 of the great region bordering on the upper lakes. Standing in the centre of this great chain of 

 seas, and on the summit level in which the principal rivers of the continent rise, it communi- 

 cates easily with Quebec, New York, New Orleans, and with the shores of lakes Superior, 

 Huron, and Michigan. There are here several handsome public buildings, the streets are regu- 

 lar and spacious, and the situation pleasant. Population, 10,000. Numerous large steamers 

 run between this place and Chicago on the one side, and Buffalo on the other, touching at the 

 intermediate parts. The city o{ Monroe, on the River Raisin, is a flourishing and busy town, 

 with an active trade and considerable manufactures, l^opulation, 3,500. Mrian, Jinn Ar- 

 bor, Tecumseh, and Pontiac, in the southeast, St. Joseph, J^iles, and Grand Haven, in the 

 southwest, are small but growing villages. 



On the island of Mackinaw, at the mouth of the straits of the same name, are the little 

 village MackinaiB, and a frontier post of the United States. Fort Brady, at the outlet of 

 Lake Superior, is the northernmost military post of the United States in this quarter. Here 

 is also the little village of St. Mary, the only white settlement in the upper peninsula. Popu- 

 lation 800, mostly French and half-breeds. There is also a military post at the foot of Lake 

 Huron, called Fort Gratiot. 



Ottawa 

 Saginaw 

 St. Clair 

 St. Joseph 

 Sanilac 

 ' ' Shiawassee 

 Tuscola 

 Van Buren 

 Washtenau 

 J- . • Wayne 



* Allegan 



Gladwin 



Lapeer 



Arenac 



Gratiot 



Lenawee 



Barry 



Hillsdale 



Livingston 



Berrien 



Ingham 



Macomb 



Branch 



Ionia 



Mackinaw 



Calhoun 



Iosco • ■ 



■ ' Midland 



Cass 



Isabella 



Monroe 



Chippewa 



Jackson 



Montcalm 



Clinton 



Kalamazoo 



Oakland 



Eaton 



Kent 



Oceana 



Genesee 







