, 1876-06-04
LAKE "REMINISCENCES.

The Lake Superior Copper Fever" of 1886
Capt. StewaTt's Story of .tCommodoro -
Blake.
For The Tribune.
Perhaps no excitement SO intense or wide
sprcadlng-not even excepting the California
god-ilscovery-has ever been known in our
country as that which followed the report Of
douglass aoughton, tho accomplished and ILL.,
starred State Geologist Of the Peninsula State,
on the discovery of the rich copper mines OF
Lake Superior. Chicago, being in want Of q
grand sensation, was fully aroused, md "babc
and sire, the old and young" all seemed eager
to embark in the alluring enterprise.
A disastrous shipwrccE on Lake Michigan left
me adr1tt Tor the time being; md, as an esteem
ed kfnsman, had been appointed Agent Of the
Montreal Mining Company by Sir George Simp-
son, to locate their copper 'permits II on the
north shore of Superior. l accepted his offer of
making one OF the exploring party, all of whom
we're Chicagoans.
We reached the Sault ste- Marie on the 25th of
April, and on the Both we embarked on board
the schooner Napoleon, Capt. John Stewart, for
Copper Harbor, from which point the various
parties were to radiate to their different dcsti-
nations.
A fair wind waited us swiftly across the tran
gull bosom Of Argemot (the Indian name for
this queen OF inland scas), until at Point Iro-
quois 1t headed nsiisnna' We came to anchor in
three fathoms water: Our passengers numbered
sixty-thret, Of all ages and every VARIETY of
character, from the grap-halred spcculator, who
hourly figured his probable receipts from cop
per-stock, to the young and sangujno advcntur-
er, whose enthusiastic temperament Ind led him
to visit the magnificent scenery Of tile Father
Lake, /" and vary the monotony OF civilized life
by a few months Of yoya5eur's perils, hard
ships, and delights, The conversation ut our
"wee short hours ayont the twa1," and copper
stock,'' "1ocaton,'' conglomerate," strip
rock,' etc, etc" were the prominent features
OF each discourse.
TIE sKnPER's TARN,
Capt: John Stewart was one of the very early
lake-sailors, and he served his apprenticeship
with old s'Commodore Blake. He was called
upon to enlivcn the tedium OF the night-anchor
age BY some anecdotes Of by-gonc days, and he
teristic Of the old COMMODORE and drew
forth shouts Of laughter from Ill who knew til e
veteran OF the Lakes Us vino did not?
"'Twas, let me sce,'' said Capt. John. sin
the yearly gracious, boys! I've clean forgot
was Mate with the old man, who was then Com
nandcr of the brig --, and VIC we're bound to
Green Bay. Noo one cared about being caught
up the bay in those early days, for there were
and fellow was not always clean eartn OF the
exact lay OF the land.' Besides thisa fal-gae in
the bay WAS no fool Of breeze, mind tell ye, as
my old saltwater fritEd there, Capt Sam, can
tell ye; for be has hammered ont one or two Of
those old snifters,', In The steamship James
Madison, as I've hcered him tell. Then, too,
when heavy fog lay like j funeral pail over
land and lake, why, i few hours run might
make it very desirable for d fellow to get
glimpse Of some well-known headIand for his
direction.
"Weu, We reached our destination, hustled
our freight ashore as fast as our crew, and lot
of Indians, could do it, and then up stick for
Detroit, and homo for The winter. / tell ye,
sailor's life, when, alter long seasons hard
work and perils, he tics up the old craft and HES
away to his tarlu-home, to hug his 'doxy' by
the great, CHEEKY log fire. and loss his babies on
7Well, I'm getting off my course bit; but
hold on minute, and III tell you the trick
played PLAYED on the .old man. 49,. ....,... .
strong hcad-wind, gale more like, for we were
under double-reefcd mainsail, reefcd foresail,
and bonnet off the jib and there was mur
thoring sea, while in the no'theast there we're
Indications OF q snow-storn.
"Oll Blake was sailor, every inch Of him,
and about as watchful a man as ever see
aboard vessel; and larnt what I know about
sailing from him, for he seemed to think as
much OF me Us though I'd been brother, or
son, maybe. Look out, my lad,' says he to me
now and ag'in; keep your weathcr-cye al-
ways open, and your lead always goin', and you
won't be very apt to be shipwreckcd'; and I've
followed his advice in he main.
swell, as I was sayin', We were bcatin' down
the hay, and we had been keeping sharp look
out for land; butt sakcs alive! yc might as soon
hope to look through d brick wall as to pierce
the dense clouds that hung over us that night.
Still, wc had stcered our course very close and
at midnight the old man says to me, John,
I'm clean tired out, and I wish you would re-
licye me spell, while I try to get about forty
winks. Wen be putty clus to land by 1 O'Clock
on this course; and, mind you, call me prompt
IT. then, and before, too, il the wind gets more
ADVERSE
aso, wet and tired, the old man threw him
self down on the transom-lockcr, 'a1l standin',
like troopers horec,' and was soon snoring
away like Mississippi htgE-pressure boat.
kept an anxious eye on the compass, salIs and
and did not feel as easy as might have done
under more favorable circumstances. Every
little while glanced down the companion to
notice how the skipper was making It. Hc
"While pacing the deck, about s O'Clock in
the morning, I Thought heard the dash OF
breakers under the Ice, and sprang to rouse
the old man, when, sudden as clap OF thunder,
tho wind dropped to dead calm for minute,
then bright Streak flashed athwart the sky,
the black clouds parted, and light fair wind
sprang up, and clleerily enough we shook
out the reefs and went booming through the
straits. When all was trimmed, l went
down in the cabin, and there tho old man lay,
his monkey jacket buttoned up close around
him, and bis sou'westcr pulled down over his
eyes.
table, and, lighting dozen OF them, held
them under the old mans nose. &c shook his
head like lion, and roarcd out In his dream, as
be smelt tho sulphur:
'ssUard down your helm hard down! In
H-adcs-just as I expected!"
Well, this hes spun out. The copper cr-e1plora-
ttons will have to await another number.
@HS CAPT. SAN.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
The Iowa Association.
Specid5 Dispalch to TIE tribune.