National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-11-10
In the Michigan Forests.

nation we had TO pass through Saginaw,
ria the Detroit and Pere Marqne'"
Railroad. Commencing n point nhoh,
80 miles east Of Saginaw, we first enconl''
tered tho fire aud smoke, and from then
on through Saginaw, and at least Ioo
miles north and west, the country was
one vast sheet Of fire, and to but ie"
wards ahead. Reports reached Ms tina,
by going INTO Clare county we could get
rid of the fires and smoke, and conse-
ouentlv we started for that point.
Arr ng at this point we then went
about fifteen miles still futher north,
were we found all kinds Of game, aud
had Just settled in camp, intending 10
enjoy n good hunt, when we suddenly
became aware OF the tact that fires were
approaching from the northwest, and that
unless we had rain soon we should he
obliged to move. All day Monday dense
columns of smoke could be seen rising
from that direction, and towards night 1t
became evident to all that the fires were
approaching very rapidly and over the
very ground we would he obliged to take
10 get out of the wilderness. But one
wny for retreat was left open, and that
was through an unbroken wilderness to
Lake Huron, a distance of about seventy.
five miles. To do this we would he OBJ
iced to abandon our baggage and pro-
visions, and trust to one night, experience
in hunting and woodcraft for means Of
subsistence.
About o'clock Monday evening the
fire had approached so near that sparks
and cinders'showered into our camp and
we resolved to break up camp early the
next morning, bury what camp equipage
we could not carry, and make break
for the north. But here new difficulty
beset us. Our guide, man by the name
of Warner, was taken very sick, and to
move him would be almost certain death
from exposure, and to remain would be
still worse ny there was no possible chance
of saving the camp il the fire should reach
that place. Hastily constructing litter
on which to carry him, If needed, We
waited in anxious suspense. undecided
what to do next, and hoping that at least
we should be allowed to remain there
till morning, as the dense smoke had SO
darkened the woods that it would be alb
solutely impossible to travel before day
light. About 8 o'clock falling trees could
be distinctly heard in the distance, and in
the course of half an hour hundreds of
those huge pines could be heard crash
ing to the ground at once, making a II Disc
resembling the discharge of a Thousand
cannons.
All kinds of game, such rs bear, deer,
elk, foxes, &c, came tearing their way
through the woods-all trying to gain the
lowland surrounding small lake to the
north of us, while the air was completely
filed with birds of every description that
abound in the northern part of Michigan.
The darkness so enveloped us that only
occasionally could we see this vast swarm
of wild animals as they dashed past us.
but the noises made by the tread of their
feet mingled with the low sullen growl
of the bear, the piercing scream of the pan
Their, the hoarse howl of the wolf, the
yell of the wildcat, the timid bleat of the
thousands of birds and the roar of their
wings, together with the sullen roar of
the approaching fire and thunder the
crashes of thousands of huge pines con
tinually falling, rendered the scene one
at least not to be envied by us.
All night long we watched the approach
of the'fery fiend, hoping and fearing,
each one suggesting plans which would
be no sooner proposed than adopted,
and then abandoned none feeling safe
in making any decided movement, and
each one looking to the rest for advice.
Several times did we try to arouse our
guide and obtain advice but he, uncon-
80 oil around hin, lov
inside our "shanty'' helpless, and as we
feared, dying. Guards were appointed
to watch while the rest slept, although
none felt like sleep that. night By 4
O'Clock Thursday morning the fire had
approached within about one. half mile of
us and the scene that presented itself to
view was one of unsurpassed grandeur.
Thousands of the tallest pines IF Michi-
gan were completely enveloped in flames
which shot up many feet above the tree
tops, making one vast sea of fire, hum
dreds Of acres in extent, which swayed
with the wind in all directions. To make
the situation worse, the wind had in
creased to almost hurricane, and carri-
ed burning leaves and embers far into
the woods. These in many instances,
would again set fire to the dry leaves,
and long before daylight we became a
ware of being surrounded by fire, at least
on three sides, but consoled ourselves
with the belief that retreat to the north
was still open,
just at daylight three of us started
north to try, and ascertain the exact sit
uation, but after going perhaps over
half mile we discovered that retreat to
the north was cut off Here, indeed was
dilemma. In the very heart of an al
most unbroken wilderness, surrounded
by fire, one of our party unable TO be
moved, wild animals of every description
dashing by in every direction, it was
time that something be done, and that
with all possible haste. Hurrying back
to camp, which luckily was on the bank
of small stream, we decided to dig.
Our intentions were to dig into the bank
a place large enough for our sick guide,
then satu ate our own clothes and blank
cts with water, and burn back as rapidly
as possible. This could be done on a
prairie where fire travels rapidly and
soon goes out, but in the pine timber,
where the ground in some places burns
three foot deep, it was, to say the least,
rather uncertain.
While TINS engaged one of the party
fairly screamed rain, rain, rain. boys,
it rains, for an instant we all Suspended
operations to see if this was true, when
sure enough. We felt large drops falling
upon our faces and bare arms. In fifteen
minutesit was raining quite freely, which
so dampened the leaves that the spread
of the fire was checked, and in two hours
the fire was extinguished.
We remained here until our guide
was able to he removed. when we started
for the railroad station, about fifteen
miles. and passed through section com