The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-11-13
In Tho Michigan Forests.

by going into Glare county We could get
rid OF the fires and smoke, and conse'
quently We started for that point,
Arriving ut this point we then went
about fifteen miles still iuther north,
were we found all kinds OF game, and
had Just settled in camp, intending ,oI
enjoy 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 be
obliged to move. All day Monday dense
columns OF smoke could be seen rising
from that direction, and towards night it
became evident to all that the fires We're
approaching very rapidly and over the
very ground we would be obliged to take
TO get out OF the wilderness. But one
way for retreat was left open, and that
was through m mhroken wilderness to
Lake Huron, II distance of about seventy
five miles. To 40 this we would be OBJ
liged TO abandon our baggage and pro.
visions, and trust to one night, experience
in hunting and woodcruft for means OF
subsistence.
About 8 o'clock Monday evening the
fire had approached so near that sparks
and cindersshowered into our camp: and
we resolved to break up camp early the
next morning bury what camp eqmpage
we could not carry, aud 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 remnin would he
still worse Us there was no possible chance
Of saving the campif the fire should reach
that place. Hastily constructinga litter
on which to carry him, II needed, We
waited in anxious suspense, undecided
what tc do next, and hoping that ut least
we should be allowed to remain there
till morning, ns the dense smoke had so
larkcned the woods that it would be all
solutely impossible to travel before day
light. About o o'clock falling trees could
be distinctly heard in the distance, andin
the course Of half m hour hundreds Of
those hugo pines could be heard crush
ing to the ground Mt once, making noise
resembling the discharge of thousand
cannons.
All kinds Of game, such ms 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 enyelOped us that only
occasionally could we see this vast swarm
Of vii animals MS they dashed past us,
hut the noises made by the tread OF their
feet mingled with the low sullCn growl
ofthe bear, thepiercingscream ofthe pan
ther, the hoarse howl OF tho wolf, the
yell of the wildcat, the timld 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
ut least not to be enyied by us.
All nightlong we watched the approach
Of the fiery iend, hoping and fearing,
each ono 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-
scious of all going on around him, lay
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 |
o'clock Thursday morning the fire had
approached within about One.hnli mile OF
us aud the scene that presented itself 10
view was one Of unsurpassed grandeur.
Thousands of the tnllest pines IF Michi.
gan were completely envelOped in flames
which shot up many feet above the tree
tops, making one ynst sea Of fire, hun
dreds Of acres in extent, which swayed
with the wind in all directions Tomake
the situation worse, the wind had in
creased to almost hurricane, aud carri-
ed burning leaves md embers far into
the woods. These in many instances,
would agnin set fire 10 the dry leaves,
and long before daylightwe became IL
WIRE Of fleeing surrounded by fire, ut least
on three sides, but cnnsoled ourselves
with the belief that retreat to the north
was still open,
Just at daylight three Of us started
north to try, aud 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 m nj.
most uubroken wilderness, surrounded
by fire, one Of our party unable 10 he
moved, wild animals OF every description
dashing by in every direction, it was
time that something I've done, and that
with all possible haste. Hurying back
to camp, which luckily was on the bank
OF small stream, We decided to dig.
Our intentions were to dig into the bank
place large enough for our sick guide,
then saturate our own clothes ind blank
cts with watt and burn back us rapidly
ms possible. This could be done on n
prairie where fire travels rapidly and
soon goes out, but in the pine timber,
where the ground in some pieces burns
three foot deep, it was, to say the least,
rather uncertain.
While thus engaged one Of the party
fairly screamed "riiin, rain, min! boys,
it rains, for mn instant we all suspended
operations 10 sec II this was true, when
sure enough, we felt lnrge drops falling
upon our faceS and bare arms In fifteen
minutesit was mining quite freely, which
so dampened the leaves that the spread
of the fire was checked, and in two hours
the FIRE was extingliished.
We remained here until our guide
,,op ,I,ia 10 no ro,poyod ,vLon ,vo sinrtcI