“The Grand Sable possesses a scenic interest little inferior to that of the Pictured Rocks.  The explorer passes abruptly from a coast of consolidated sand to one of loose materials; and although in the one case the cliffs are less precipitous, yet in the other they attain a higher altitude.  He sees before him a long reach of coast, resembling a vast sand-bank, more than three hundred and fifty feet in height, without a trace of vegetation.  Ascending to the top, rounded hillocks of blown sand are observed, with occasional clumps of trees standing out like oases in the desert.”

Onaway!  Awake, beloved!

The original of this song may be found in Littell’s Living Age,
Vol.  XXV. p. 45.

On the Red Swan floating, flying.

The fanciful tradition of the Red Swan may be found in Schoolcraft’s Algic Researches, Vol.  II. p. 9.  Three brothers were hunting on a wager to see who would bring home the first game.

“They were to shoot no other animal,” so the legend says, “but such as each was in the habit of killing.  They set out different ways:  Odjibwa, the youngest, had not gone far before he saw a bear, an animal he was not to kill, by the agreement.  He followed him close, and drove an arrow through him, which brought him to the ground.  Although contrary to the bet, he immediately commenced skinning him, when suddenly something red tinged all the air around him.  He rubbed his eyes, thinking he was perhaps deceived; but without effect, for the red hue continued.  At length he heard a strange noise at a distance.  It first appeared like a human voice, but after following the sound for some distance, he reached the shores of a lake, and soon saw the object he was looking for.  At a distance out in the lake sat a most beautiful Red Swan, whose plumage glittered in the sun, and who would now and then make the same noise he had heard.  He was within long bow-shot, and, pulling the arrow from the bowstring up to his ear, took deliberate aim and shot.  The arrow took no effect; and he shot and shot again till his quiver was empty.  Still the swan remained, moving round and round, stretching its long neck and dipping its bill into the water, as if heedless of the arrows shot at it.  Odjibwa ran home, and got all his own and his brother’s arrows and shot them all away.  He then stood and gazed at the beautiful bird.  While standing, he remembered his brother’s saying that in their deceased father’s medicine-sack were three magic arrows.  Off he started, his anxiety to kill the swan overcoming all scruples.  At any other time, he would have deemed it sacrilege to open his father’s medicine-sack; but now he hastily seized the three arrows and ran back, leaving the other contents of the sack scattered over the lodge.  The swan was still there.  He shot the first arrow with great precision, and came very near to it.  The second came still closer; as he took the last arrow, he felt his arm firmer, and, drawing it up with vigor, saw it pass through the neck of the swan a little above the breast.  Still it did not prevent the bird from flying off, which it did, however, at first slowly, flapping its wings and rising gradually into the airs and teen flying off toward the sinking of the sun.” —­ pp.10-12.