Michigan is comprised in two peninsulas of irregular shape, separated from each other by the strait of Mackinaw, connecting lake Michigan with lake Huron. The largest of these peninsulas embraces the whole territory lying between these two lakes, and at its s.e. corner touches lake Erie. From lake Erie to the southern end of lake Huron it is divided from Canada by the Detroit and St. Clair rivers, the latter flowing into the former through lake St. Clair. The great mass of the inhabitants of the state at the present time dwell on the southern half of this peninsula, the northern portion, together with the whole of the upper peninsula, being very sparsely inhabited.
The upper peninsula, containing a little more than one-third of the state's arca, is rugged and broken, and in parts mountainous. The Porcupine range of mountains is the watershed between the streams flowing into lake Superior and those flowing into lake Michigan. This range at its highest point is 1400 ft. above lake Superior-2,000 ft. above the sea. The surface on each side of the mountains presents a rugg,ed aspect, with some picturesque scenery and considerable variety of soil. At the eastern end the mountains at their highest points do not rise more than 400 ft. above lake Superior. There are numerous lakes and marshes, and great forests, where pine and other soft woods are the prevailing growths, though fine groves of sugar-maple are found in some places. In some portions of the peninsula the forests have been destroyed by fire, thus transforming the region into a desert. The n.w. extremity of the peninsula is celebrated for its extensive deposits of copper and iron. The sugar-ma-ple is found here in great abundance and of the best quality, but the soft woods are scarce. The land is generally sterile. The northern peninsula is 3'18 m. in length from e. to w., and from 30 to 160 m. in width, and in 1874 contained 61,814 inhabitants.
The southern peninsula, or Michigan proper, is in almost every respect a contrast to the northern. The surface is generally level. though in the s. it is broken by- low conical hills rising from 30 to 200 feet. The length of the peninsula from s. to n. is about 275 m., its width 259 miles. It is unequally divided by a loW water-shed extending from s. to n., and-rising at the highest point front 600 to 700 feet. The larger portion of the peninsula lies w. of this water-shed, which slopes gradually towards lake Michigan. The shores on both sides are in many places steep, curving picturesquely around numerous bays anti inlets, On lake Michigan they are frequently broken by bluffs and sand-hills from 100 to 300 ft. high. The s. portion of the peninsula is very fertile, the n. portion less so.
The islands in the state are mitnerouS. The principal of these are isle Royal and Grand isle in lake Superior; Sugar and Nebish islands in St. Mary's strait, and Drum• mond island at its mouth; Marquette, 3fackinaw, and Bois Blanc islands near the n. end of lake Huron; and the Beaver, Fox, and Manitou groups in the n. end of lake Michigan. The principal rivers are the Cheboygan, Thunder Bay, Au Sable, and Saginaw, flowing into lake Huron; the Huron and Raisin, into lake Erie; the St. Joseph, Kalamapo, Grand, Muskegon, Manistee, Grand Traverse, Manistique, and Escinaba, into lake Michi gan; and the Ontonagon and Tequarnenon, into lake Superior. Most of these rivers are amall, though several are navigable for short distances. Many small ponds are scattered through the state.
Tltere is a coal field of 12.000 sq.m. in extent in the s.e. part of the state, but the veins Are so far below the surface that they cannot be worked to advantage. The supplies of fuel for the iron-works on lake Superior are more cheaply obtained from Ohio. Limo-. stone is abundant, and on the shores of lake Huron, in the n. part of the state, are formations which yield excellent grindstones. In the valley of Saginaw river salt is obtained by boring. The most productive copper region in the world, except that of Chili, is at the n.w. end of the upper peninsula. -The veins sometimes bear silver in small quantities. The copper mines are mainly in the counties of Ontonagon, Houghton, and Neweenaw. The iron mines are, principally in Marquette county. In the peninsula are remains of ancient mines and mining implements, which justify the presumption that at some distant period in the past the country was occupied by a race advanced in civilization.
Among the natural curiosities of the state are the " pictured rocks," so-called, on the shores of lake Superior, not far w. of Sault Ste. Marie. They are sandstone rocks worn by the water into picturesque shapes,:resembling old castles, temples, arches, etc., which, viewed from a steamer's deck, are impressive and wonderful. In some instances the upper surface of these bluffs projects so far over the lake that steamers pass directly under them, and behind cascades which fall from the summits.