The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1879-07-24
A Cruise to Mackinac-Chase for
the Oswegatchie-Fourth of
July on Lake Huron.

the OSW0R6JCul6-TOu Ox
July on Lake Huron.
Our diminutive Saratogas were packed
for three weeks cruise on the Northern
Lakes in search of rest, health and pleas
ure-much needed after the years ex-
hausting labor.
The gentlemanly agent at Toledo of
the Northern Transit Company, had Civ
en- the most confident assurance to our
party Of ten, (seven women to three men)
that the steamer Oswegatchie would
leave her dock at that port at 8 A. NJ /,
on the Sd of July. When at 8 A. NJ,
we made our appearance, armed and
equipped for the route, the CONSERVATION
of the agent was overwhelming; no Os-
wegatchie had come, none was to come;
it had gone direct from Cleveland to De-
troit, all unmindful of the gentlemanly
agent and our expectant party. But the
heroic agent, equal to the emergency,
stilled our complaining by his generos.
ity, and hurried us to the early train to
Detroit, with tickets furnished at the ex-
pensc of the Transit Company; and the
pursuit of rest, health and pleasure was
for the time abandoned in the chase for
the Oswegatchie.
We gave a lingering sigh for the
beautiful boat ride we might have had,
and congratulated ourselves as we cir.
cled Detroit on the Lake Shore r. 1.-THE
engine putting and the bell ringing, that
we had not had an unpleasant time, we
had not found it as hot as we had ex-
pected. On the contrary the bronze of
the wheat fields and the fresh greenness
of the foliage had pleased and rested
our city tired eyes. The man portion
of our party had such q strong belief in
our importance and that the Northern
Transit Company must be duly impressed
with it, and were bound to attend to every
means that. would add to our comfort
and enjoyment, that they fully expected
some one from the boat would be in
waiting at the Detroit depot to convey
US and our baggage to the expectant
deck of the Oswegatchie. They were
quite undeceived, however, when, after
some mistakes and many inquiries, We
finally reached the boat landing and
found the Oswegatchie had gone off half
an hour before our arrival, not even
knowing of our existence. Twas amused
to see how the different members of our
company received the news of this pro.
voking dilemma. The women-as wom-
en- always do-raised at once their indig-
nant voices in exclamation and lamenta-
tions and protestations; the men-well,
they seemed silent. Whether it was be.
cause they had no chance to speak, or
whether they were taking the matter in
q cool and philosophic spirit, or whether
they were pOndering some practical ex-
trication from the difficulty, have not
yet been able to determine.
The agent of the N. 7. Cos line at
Detroit, expressed great sympathy for
our disappointment, and what was more
TO the purpose, took US to q hotel and
gave US our dinners, then furnished US
with tickets to Port Huron. The horrors
of that afternoons ride to Port Huron l
dread to recall. By the deliberate or &C.
cidental mismanagcment of somebody,
our train, after being switched out Of
Detroit, was attached to the rear Of Q
cattle train. The sun burned down like
fame Of fire. The country through
which we passed was continuous waste
Of swampy underbrush and dead timber,
while the occasional breezes brought
back to our disguised sense the vile
stencil from hundreds of suffering hogs,
closely packed in their sitting filthy
cages. For six weary hours we endured
this, rest and renewal OF
our wasted energies who had pic
tured ourselves taking in long health.
giving draughts of the pure lake air and
gazing our fill ON its sparkling waters
we, seeking pleasure! Right there We
looked into each others hot, tired faces
snd-lsughed at the supreme ridiculous
ness of the whole thing-this chase after
the Oswagatchie. The continued and
renewed disappointment Of every step OF
the way thus far was 30 inauspicious