nets held the country, thus interrupting be devoted to its discussion. This is the progress of reform so happily begun the great religious awakening, standby the Republicans. Thus it will be ing, perhaps, without a parallel in this seen that, up to this time, the Repub- century. From small beginnings, in lican constitational party have had but 1846–47, the sacred Scriptures have limited opportunity to inaugurate and been slowly finding their way to Mexi. give effect to the many and vital re- can firesides, till, within the last five forms so necessary to divorce the State years, their circulation has been open and the people entirely and forever from and remarkably rapid. Already great the ancient political and clerical insti- numbers of the people have wholly tutions under which they have groaned abandoned the old religion in which for twelve generations. Yet, let us see they were born, and organized themwhat has been done.

selves into an independent Evangelical 1. They have firmly established a free Church, in harmony with the leading constitution, embodying those essential churches of the United States, and tak

, guarantees of liberty which we Anglo- ing the Bible only as their rule of faith. Saxons regard as fundamental, includ- They have ministers as spiritual sheping an entire divorce of Church and herds, of their own race and language, State.

who are esteemed bright and shining 2. They have secularized the vast and lights, and justly so. Their influence ill-gotten estates of the Church, from is rapidly extending by means of the the revenues of which it was always pulpit, religious societies, and the press. able to pay a mercenary soldiery in the Such, in few words, is a review of interest of despotism, and by which the past and present of that country, so they virtually controlled the country remarkable for its natural wealth and and kept it deluged in blood.

advantages, yet so cursed by the wick3. They have placed on an enduring edness of men. basis the rights of free speech, a free Pronunciamentos, commotions, outpress, speedy public trials, and, above rages, are not yet extinct there; but all, liberty of conscience in religious reflecting minds will see that now, worship; and are establishing univer- for the first time in her checkered sal suffrage, trial by jury, and subordi- career, Mexico has arrived at a position nating the military to the civil power. from which progress is not only prob

4. They have in operation, and are able, but hopeful. Finally to triumph steadily extending, a system of primary over the old-time despotism, and the schools, which could never have been restless, lawless chiefs generated by her done while the priestly tyranny con- long succession of internecine strifes, tinued.

and place herself in the attitude of a 5. And already the fruits of these peaceful, free, and progressive nation, beneficent victories are visible in the requires yet other years of struggle by press of the country, and an expanding her best sons. She may yet fall by the literature-in the growth of education wayside under the burden of her afflicamong the youth; while among the tions, and appeal to her more powerful adults, through the press and otherwise, sister to save her-many wise men so there is plainly visible an increased and believe; but, for a country in which a increasing intelligence. And, in anoth- purified religion and a practical civilier and grander aspect, the change is so zation are so steadily advancing, there remarkable, that a volume might well is certainly hope.

FAIRY ISLAND.

66

Right through the far eastern gate- of gay children roaming through the way rises the sun at dawn; first the woods, sailing over the deep waters, or light-house gleams white in the dis- basking in the sunshine on some baldtance, then the dim water is gilded, and faced rock, breathing the golden air in gradually the green hues of the woods long breaths of delight. Everywhere in on either side are lighted up, until all the forest we hear the gay laugh, or, if the eastern passage stands out distinct- not a laugh, then a song, borne upwards ly in the clear air, and Fairy Island it by bands of merry pilgrims thrown toself basks in the full glory of the noon- gether here by chance from all quarters day sun. All the morning the western of the world, and soon to part, perhaps passage lies hazy and dark, and the ves- never to meet again this side of heaven. sels coming up from the west look dusky Some daring spirits are standing on the and spectral, until Fairy Island is reach- dizzy height of " Arch Rock,” looking ed, when suddenly the sunshine strikes down one hundred and fifty feet into them, the white sails gleam, the grace- the water below; the giant fairies threw ful, raking masts stand out clearly amid this narrow bridge, sixty feet in mida network of ropes, and the glorified air, from cliff to cliff, and on moonlight vessel sails gayly on towards the east, nights they used to chase each other passing the green woods, the white light back and forth with peals of merry house, and disappearing finally through laughter, and then, adjourning to the the distant gateway into Lake Huron. Sugar-Loaf," and swinging themselves

In the afternoon the tide of glory up its steep gray sides, they would crowd turns, when the sun goes down to the together on the summit, and send a wild west, gilding the little church of St. fairy chorus echoing over the island, Ignatius, and touching the sunset pas- until the devil trembled in his gloomy sage with splendor; the narrow, rocky 6. Kitchen” on the western shore, and walls on either side of it stand out all the mysterious bones in “Skull clearly in the purple air, and between Cave” rattled together. them sinks the red orb into the glitter- The younger pilgrims usually waning water, leaving a pathway of crim- der off to “ Lover's Leap," and many a son and gold behind him. To any one pale-face has here asked his ladye-love living on Fairy Island, it seems as if she too would throw herself from though the god of day had no other the precipice for his sake, as did the occupation than to make his shining lovely “Meshenemockenungoqua” for transit across the Straits of Mackinac; the valiant“Genigegonzerrog!” Comand the simple Indians showed only a ing home, they pass through grassnatural reverence, when they gave to grown “Cupid's Pathway" into shady the beautiful island the name of Michili- “Lover's Lane," which, gradually widMackinac, or the “Home of the Giant ening into “Proposal Glade," leads Fairies."

them, alas ! down rough, stony “MatLife is long on Fairy Island, and life rimony Hill,” into the prosaic village is free and careless; a full century of and every-day life again. The elderly years is given to every mortal, and some- pilgrims usually climb the steep sides times one sees mummy-like old Indians of “Robinson's Folly,” and, with a triwho, from their appearance, might well umphant sense of duty fulfilled, sit have witnessed the creation of the world. breathlessly down, to wonder at their Strangers who come here gradually lose own temerity as they see the distant their identity, and become like a throng hotel beneath them. The ladies placid

6

ly discuss the myth of Robinson and the sunset. We have manned our boats his Folly-House, decide just where it with enterprising souls, provisioned them stood, and that he was in it at the time, with ample stores of meat and wine, and “drinking, probably, my dear; for those boldly steered towards the enchanted reold-fashioned officers, you know, were gions; but we could never reach them, much addicted to the bottle." The though we sailed all day; they fed begentlemien wander aimlessly about, until fore us hour by hour, until, impatient they discover that the soft arbor-vitæ and discouraged, we turned our prows can be worked into excellent canes; homeward ; but as soon as we reached with joy they produce their pocket- Fairy Island again, there they were in knives, and spend hours in shaping the the distance, one mysteriously dim, the white wood into curious forms, which other vividly clear, as the sun travelled they display in the evening with an ex- over the Straits down to his watery bed ultation curious to witness in any other in the west. place than Fairy Island.

One bright summer-day we sailed to Over the waters, in all directions, are Point St. Ignace, where the little church, seen the famous Mackinac boats, gliding with its spire cross, keeps watch over gracefully enough with a fair wind, but the Indian village. Few points of this only displaying their peculiar qualities new continent of ours possess any hiswhen, with a gale behind them, and toric interest, and but few of our busy their great white sails tilting far to one people are aware that, around Point St. side, they skim the white caps. In gay Ignatius, in the Straits of Mackinac, flotillas we visit Round Island, where cluster ancient traditions and legends lived and died the famous Indian spir- worthy to be crystallized into enduring itualist, Wachusco. His old lodge is fame by the poet's pen and the painter's still to be seen, where the strange lights brush. When the stern Puritans were appeared, and where the whistling wind enforcing their cold doctrines on the swept over the circle of silent Indians, barren shores of New England, and prositting with bowed heads to receive the tecting themselves carefully in little vilmanifestations of the Spirit. We cir- lages on the edge of the great wildercle Fairy Island, and leave our offer- ness, never dreaming of penetrating its ings of vine-wreaths at Magic Spring, depths, the French missionaries were where, in primitive days, the dusky following the course of the western maidens offered up their choicest orna- rivers, and planting the cross of Christ ments for the safety of their braves; a thousand miles towards the setting we pass the British Landing, where the In the year 1670, the celebrated English soldiers marched up to surprise Père Marquette, advancing westward our little garrison at Fort Holmes; we through the wilderness, carrying the sail in sight of the distant St. Martin's good tidings of salvation to the red Islands, and the mysterious region call- men, entered the Straits of Mackinac ed the “ Chenaux," or Snows," as the through the western gateway, and island dialect has it; but, in all our beached his canoe at the old Indian numerous pilgrimages to Fairy Island, town, on what was then called Iroquois we never succeeded in finding a person Point. Here he planted the cross, and •who had visited that hazy country, or rested some days among the friendly who could tell us where or what were Indians, who listened with curiosity to the “Chenaux." Whether channels or the tidings that a Saviour was born for mountains, land or water, no one knew; them afar off towards the rising sunbut, in answer to our inquiries, they a Saviour who gave up His life on the would vaguely point to the northward, cross tbat they might be saved, to meet and say, “Oh, it's just the Snows, that's Him in the land of good spirits beyond all ! "

It is recorded that Père Marquette sat abundant, and the deep water around shading his eyes with his hand, looking Fairy Island was called the “home of back earnestly at the little chapel of the fishes." Day after day the canoes St. Ignatius, which he was never more assembled at Iroquois Point, and the to see. At the western gateway, Maryoung missionary saw his congregation quette rose in his canoe, and, extending grow, as, standing by the rude cross, his arms over the water, gave a parting he preached to them the glad tidings benediction to the silent Indians, who of great joy. Encouraged by his suc- sat motionless until the last boat had cess, Père Marquette erected here a log disappeared into Lake Michigan, and chapel, and named it in honor of Igna- then returned sorrowing to their island tius Loyola ; and soon the sound of a homes. little bell echoed through the forest, In 1675, Marquette, worn out with calling the new-made converts to their his labors in exploring the Mississippi, devotions. Earnestly devoted to his returned eastward as far as the Mission work, speaking no less than nine dif- of St. Francis Xavier, at Green Bay, ferent Indian tongues, fiery in his elo where he was received by the brethren quence and warm-hearted in his love, with joy, as one who comes from an unis it any wonder that Marquette be- known land. Feeling the approach of came the idol of the red men who death, the dying man's thoughts turned thronged his chapel, learned his pray- to his little chapel in the Straits, and ers, and, kneeling on the beach, received he expressed a wish to rest under its the sacred symbol of salvation upon walls, where the shadow of the cross he their dark foreheads in the sparkling had raised might fall upon him. Lovwaters of the beautiful Straits? The ing hands carried him to the canoe, and next year, Marquette and his compan- all speed was made towards the Straits; ions erected a college within the inclo- but death overtook them, and the pasure, the first institution of the kind tient eyes closed without again beholdwest of New England. Here he gath- ing the beloved cross of St. Ignatius. ered the children together, and instruct. They buried him on the banks of the ed them in the truths of religion, hop- river, which still bears his name; but, ing thus to reach the hearts of the fierce when the Indians of the Straits beard warriors, who, adorned with reeking of his last wishes, they assembled a vast scalps, assembled to hear the words of fleet of canoes, and paddled swiftly peace. In 1672, while Marquette was down the lake after the body of their thus engrossed with his dusky converts, good father. On reaching the river, he was called upon to join an expedi- they inclosed the simple coffin in robes tion through the far West, in company of choice furs and beadwork, and then, with Joliet, another member of that in solemn procession, they turned back self-sacrificing band of Jesuit mission- towards the Straits, joined ever and aries whose adventures outshine the anon by delegations from other tribes, wildest pages of romance. Their ob- all pressing to do honor to the holy ject was to explore the course of the As the flotilla entered the sunMississippi river, then supposed to flow set gate, it was met by all the island into the Gulf of California ; and, with Indians; and as they neared Point Igthat implicit obedience which rules the natius, the missionaries in charge came Order, Marquette prepared to leave his down to the beach, clad in their vestlittle resting-place and move onward ments, and singing the funeral chant, through the pathless forest. On a bright while the coffin was silently borne May morning, the boats containing the ashore on the very spot which the good missionaries were started down the father's foot had first pressed five years Straits towards the western gateway, before. accompanied by a numerous flotilla of During the wars that followed-becanoes filled with sorrowing Indians. tween the English and the French, the Colonists and the Indians, the Revolu- gradually built up a little village around tion, the long Indian contests, and the his log cabin, and kept him supplied War of 1812the locality of the grave with game and fish.

Twice a-year a was lost; but somewhere on Point St. box of costly books came to him from Ignace peacefully he lies at rest, and at Paris; and if, by chance, visitors sought the last day he will rise in state, sur- him out in his retirement, he received rounded by the host of dusky warriors them politely, and showed them his who sleep around him, saved by his choice library with quiet pride. How zeal and devotion, the noble Père Mar- the Roman Catholic Church, that knows quette.

so well how to select the laborer for the This romantic history was related to field, could have sent this accomplishus by the white-haired priest, who wel- ed, elegant man, to vegetate in the wilcomed us politely at Point St. Ignace, derness, has always been a mystery. and invited us into his log cabin, where, Some political crime, some dark persearranged on pine shelves, our wonder- cution, or, perhaps, some youthful reing eyes beheld the choicest works of bellion against the severe laws of the the master-minds of the world, clad in priesthood, may have occasioned this Russia leather, and sparkling with gilt. banishment, which lasted so many long In this little village of Indians and years. But, whatever the mystery may Canadian half-breeds dwelt this courtly have been, it will never be solved ; for old gentleman, with the face of a noble- one morning, some years since, Father man and the manners of an aristocrat; Pierret received a heavy letter from evidently he belonged to the ancien ré- Paris, and set out on his homeward gime, and to our eyes he seemed only journey the same day, bearing with him fitted for some stately old salon in old his costly library, his pictures, and the fashioned Paris. Charmed and aston- mysterious iron-banded box, unopened ished at his conversation, we lingered for twenty years. His successor, an unas long as possible in his cabin, and the interesting German, lives at Mackinac, little vesper-bell found us still listening and the Mission of St. Ignatius is again to his graceful sentences. Entering the abandoned to silence and oblivion. chapel, we stood awhile watching the The village of Mackinac is a relic of small congregation at their devotions, the past. The houses on the beach are and then hastened to the beach and set venerable and moss-grown, while behind sail for Fairy Island, full of curiosity at them stand the deserted warehouses of this rara avis of the wilderness. As the fur-traders, once so filled with life much of his history as we afterwards and activity. The island was long the learned can be told in a few words. principal dépôt of the Northwestern About twenty years before, Father Pier- Fur Company; and here the trappers ret arrived at Mackinac, bringing with received their outfits for their perilous him stores of superb books and pictures, journeys over the Mississippi, and out costly clothing, jewels, and a mysteri- to the head-waters of the Missouri ; here ous box which was never opened. He came the merry voyageurs, singing their had been sent from Paris as missionary gay French songs as they paddled the to the Indians of the Straits, and, in- loaded canoe, and here, at evening, they stead of taking up his abode at the mis- danced on the beach to the sound of sion-house on Fairy Island, he chose for the violin with the copper-colored belles, his habitation the ancient site of Père whose features we may even now detect Marquette's log chapel at Point St. Ig- under the French names of many of nace, only coming over to Mackinac at the old families of Fairy Island. These stated seasons to hold service, and has- were gay days for Mackinac; but, with tening back to his solitary home as the death of John Jacob Astor, the soon as it closed. Thus he lived, shun- master-spirit of the Northwestern Comning all intercourse with white men, pany, the fur-trade languished, and but much beloved by the Indians, who finally retreated before advancing civil