The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1872-02-22
flor the Democratic Press.l iG-
Recollections of an old Settler.
BY c. oAcKLER.
A Hunting Expedition.

A Hunting Expedition.
thought would give you histo-
ry of . trapping and hunting expedi-
ton up the lake in early days, in 1917,
by three of us, Col. George Darrow,
Joseph Darrow, and myself. We
built little boat on Darrow street, in
Hudson, IL feet long, and four feet
wide in the middle. We prepared
ourselves for six weeks trip. We
got sixty traps and two guns, and
started about the middle of March in
1877 We hauled our boat to the riv-
er in Boston, near the .f big opening
and launched it and loaded up, got in,
and down the river we went, antici-
pating good time of it. The river
was almost walled in with ice on each
bank, the day was fine and warm. and
down we went, with two oars and a
paddle to streer with, until we got to
the Pinery in Mortified, where there
was fallen tree with bushy top,
which reached about two-thirds across
the river. We thought we could run
around it, but the water sucked us iuto
the top, knocked both of our guns
overheard and came very near cap
sizing our little boat but we managed
to save her and run around the top,
and what to do we did not know. We
had no money to buy, and did not want
to go without, guns, so we thought we
would make the attempt to regain
them. We cast lots to see who should
make the attempt. They were the
oldest and got it onto me. stripped
off and took hold of limb, and in /
went. The water was as deep as /
was +" long," but I happened to strike
one of them with my feet, and got it
up, and in 1 went again, and felt
around with my feet and found the
other and got it up so that they got
hold of it. / got SO cold l was about
stiff. They hauled me into the boat.
We had jug of whiskey with us. 1
took q good "horn" when I went in
and when l got out, and got my clothes
on and they rolled me up in some
blankets. I lay there most of the
day. II it had not been for the whis-
key it would have almost killed me.
We went down the river within few
miles of Cleveland, where we encamp-
ed for the night. The next morning
we loaded up and got to Cleveland
about o'clock a. m. The day was
warm and fine but the lake was full of
ice. But the breeze from land had
broken it off from shore, so there was
a strip about twenty rods wide, of
open water. We went on and when
we came to Rock river, there was
about seven miles of ofiron-bound shore
where man could not save himself in
time of storm. The weather being
fine we thought we could risk it. We
made our oars play lively to get by.
the rocks, but the wind changed and
the ice drifted back. We pulled for
dear life, but before we got through
the ice began to crowd us. We came
to>a place where there was little hol-
low, where little drain came in, and
we hauled out. Quite a snow storm
came up and we stayed there two
nights. The second night it cleared
off and we went on again. About
O'Clock a. m, we came in sight of Yer
million river where the ice had broken
off. It led us into the lake nearly a
mile where the channel of the river
came in; but the wind changed again,
and before we got through the ice
closed in upon us, and we had a serious
time of it. When the ice closed up
we were about twenty rods fro I'm the
channel, and we thought our time had
come. Our little boat was knocked
about by the ice, sometimes on top
and again almost under, and the water
kept splashing in so that one had to
keep bailing it out and the other two
had to contend with the ice and work
ahead slowly. We stuck there for
long time, but with patience and hard
work we got through to the channel
of the river, and glad enough to get
what we might call the for
lorn hope" There was family living
at the mouth of the river, and we
stayed there that day and night. We
dried our things and went on our
journey, and came to Huron river,
where we found large marsh in
which were plenty of muskrats. We
set our traps and caught over sixty
rats that night The next night we
again set our traps. The Canadian
French found us out and stole ten of
them. The next morning we went in
search of them, bat were glad enough
to get off with what we had and q
whole skin. We left as soon as we
could. The next place was Sandusky
bay. There was the greatest sight I
ever saw in the way of feathered flock
The swans, geese and ducks had gath
cred into the bay, and were still COM
ing in from every direction and by
night there were acres covered with |
Them. They layed their eggs and
hatched their young on those islands. |
AT that period they kept in the mid
1le Of the bay SO that we could not
get at them, but after dark Darrow
thought he would give them a shot, |
but before he got there some trappers
On the opposite side fired at them, and |
they all rose and flew, and with the |,
squaking and Tapping of wings you |
would think there was q wonderful |
thunder storm near by; and when |
they came over Darrow fired at them |
and that increased their noise. We
went out in the morning and found
TWO geese. We camped on q small |
creek that came into the bay, called
Coal Creek, and came out of hill |
about mile from the bav. It was [
arge enough for our boat to GO up to
he head of it. .aThe second day we went
lp the bay, which was nine miles long.
We got Frenchman to haul our boat
.cross a neck of land. about half q
nile across, to the main lake, and /
where Canon river, afterwards called
Portage river, runs through Black
Iwamp. We went up the lake about
our miles, came to stream that emp
led into the lake There was big
marsh that was full of muskrat houses
L should think two or three hundred
.cres. We landed and pitched our
ent, and prepared to catch rats. The
irst night we caught over sixty rats.
)ne of us was out among the traps
most of the night. The next night
Joseph Darrow started out with the
raps in a canoe, and met three French
men coming down stream, who de-
handed the canoe, and Darrew pad
lied back. The fellows followed after
nd when Darrow came up we pulled
he canoe on shore. They landed and
,ot hold of it and attempted to push
back into the water and got 1T partly
n. One of them Jumped into the
anoe and was trying to push 1t off.
had one of our guns in my hands
nd 1 put 1t against him and pushed
inn over into the water He got nm