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THOMPSON'S COAST PILOT. 131 presenting a phenomenon peculiar to all northern latitudes. This is the season of health and pleasure to the permanent residents. Hancock, Houghton county, Michigan, is situated on the north side of Portage Lake, opposite to the village of Houghton, with which it is connected by a steam ferry. The town was first laid out in 1858, and now contains about 4,000 inhabitants, including the mining population on the north side of the lake; its sudden rise and prosperity being identified with the rich deposit of native copper, in which this section of country abounds. The site of the village is on a hill-side, rising from the lake level toa height of about 500 feet, where the opening to the mines is situated. Here is one Oongrega- tional, one Methodist, and one Roman Catholic church ; three public houses--the Mason House being a well kept hotel; a number of stores and warehouses, one steam saw mill, one barrel factory, one foundry and machine shop, and other manufacturing establishments; also, in the vicinity are four extensive steam stamping mills, worked by the different mining companies. The Portage Lake Smelting Works is an incorporated company, turning out annually a large amount of pure merchantable copper. The business of the company consists of fusing and converting the mineral into refined metal for manufacturing purposes. | 7 The Quincy, Hancock, Pewabic, nis Franklin mines are situated on the north side of the lake, on elevated ground, being now in active operation, giving employment to about 1,800 operatives. The 'successful working of these mines by.means of improved machinery, in connection with the smelting works, will, no doubt, give profitable employment to thousands of miners and laborers, thereby rendering this locality the great copper mart of this region, the pure metal being shipped to the eastern market during the sea- son of navigation. KEewerenaw Pornr* is a large extent of land jutting out into Lake Superior, from ten to twenty-five miles wide, and about sixty * 'On many maps spelled Keweewaiwona, and otherwise. Pronounced by our Indians, ' Ki-wi-wai-non-ing,' now written. and pronounced as above ; meaning a portage, or place where a portage is made--the whole distance of some eighty or ninety miles around the Point being saved by entering Portage Lakeand following up a small stream, leaving a-portage of only about half a mile to Lake Superior on the over Fide, "-- Fos- ter and Whitney's Report.