There is only one company here, of forty-seven men, including officers. The place is impregnable if well fortified. I inclose a sketch of the island, reduced from a drawing by Lieut. Eveleth, who was drowned some years ago in Lake Michigan. The drawing represents the island as it is approached from the south-east, and is an excellent representation of it, judging from what I have seen. Interesting historical events crowd in upon my mind in regard to this island; and old Mackinac-(you see I write the name sometimes in extenso, and sometimes as now abbreviated) to some of which I will refer in the course of my correspond-. ence from here; and as I intend travelling all over the island, I may have some descriptions to give. But these, like the rest of my efforts to gratify you, will be sketches, and rapid ones only.

MY DEAR ***

Island Michillimackinac, Aug. 29, 1826.

All the world knows that the name of this island

Some have thought it belief that an Indian

is Indian, and means Great Turtle. came from Imakinakos, from the spirit once inhabited the island. The figure of the island, its top resembling the shell of a turtle, would confirm the supposition that its name is derived from its form.

The morning was clear, and was ushered in by a salute of thirteen guns from the fort, and these were the tokens of those mingled feelings of sorrow and joy which are going the rounds of our country, for the loss of the two great men whose spirits, on the fourth of July last, joined in their ascent to their great reward, and to run together from the same starting place, the rounds of the same eternity. The tidings of their deaths have just been received here.

At seven o'clock the sky was suddenly blackened over , with clouds from the north, and a heavy rain fell, accompanied with lightning and thunder. Minute guns were fired, after the salute, through the day, and I could but

remark, that often their flash was followed by one more brilliant from the clouds; and their roar with a peal of thunder. It seemed like reflection and echo. Minute guns, you know, are fired every half hour; and I believe I counted four distinct echoes of this sort, which followed immediately, though with louder sounds, the discharges of the artillery. The Revenue Cutter displayed her flag at half mast, and thus the emblems of mourning have been exhibited at this post, and fifty-six days after our venerable fathers, to whose memories these honours have been awarded, had fallen asleep. And further on yet are these honours destined to be shewn. At the Sault, and up the Mississippi; nor will they cease until every spot, on which the power of the country rests, or floats, shall have assisted in circulating the funeral dirge, and proclaiming that two great men have fallen in our Israel. written you, at the Sault; and first witnessed these mournful honours here. Col. Laurence was waiting for the arrival of the official despatch. The newspapers had outrun it; but on their annunciation he thought it best not to act.

We met the tidings, as I have already

In the afternoon I visited, in company with Mrs. Stuart, and her amiable visiter, Miss the missionary station, and examined the buildings and the children. The buildings occupy the eastern slope of the island, and front south-east, looking out upon the lake; and are admirably adapted for the object for which they were built. They are composed of a centre and two wings; the centre is occupied chiefly as an eating apartment, and the offices connected therewith, and is eighty-four feet by twenty-one. The wings are thirty-two by forty-four. The western wing accommodates the family. In this wing are eight roomsfour below and four above. A communication is had between the west end, and from the second story with the second story of the centre building, which is the dormitory. In the eastern wing, and on the second floor, are the school rooms; and below are apartments for various purposes. The dining room is in the centre building, and is thirty

eight feet by twenty-one, and here one hundred and seven little foresters eat, and are happy. There are apartments in the eastern wing, in the ground story, for shoemakers and other manufacturers.

Every thing in the building is plain. There are no mouldings, nor ornaments of any kind. But every thing is well planned, in excellent order, and entirely adapted to the purposes intended to be answered by it.

In the girls' school, were seventy-three, from four to seventeen years of age. Three were full blood, the remainder half breeds, and quarter breeds, and fifteen white children, belonging to the island. These were examined in spelling,

reading, writing, arithmetic, and geography.

In personal cleanliness and neatness; in behaviour; in attainments in the various parts of learning that they had been engaged in acquiring; no children, white or red, excel them. I could but contrast the appearance of these little favourites of fortune with that of their less favoured sisters of the lakes, nor get rid of the most agreeable surprise at the change which education, and good, wholesome food, had made. There are two daughters of Mr. Holliday here, children of great promise-I supposed them to be about eleven and fourteen years old. Their acquirements are considerable, and their appearance and manners both very fine.

The boys' school is composed of about eighty, whose ages are from four to eighteen years. Eight of these are full blooded; thirty-five are the children of the citizens of the island, and the rest are quarter, or half breeds. These were also examined in spelling, reading, writing, and arithmetic. Thirty-five write well, and thirty had made considerable progress in arithmetic. There is one boy here from the Fond du Lac, upwards of seven hundred miles distant, and who has been at school only one year, and writes a large hand good enough for a leger! He is a half breed. There is another from the Lake of the Woods!-Poor things, how far they have to come to get light; and how few of the many are there who come at all.