Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1886-08-05
Strange Experience.

The Canadian steamer Isaac May stag
gered into the harbor at Chicago at late
hour on the night of July 20, without fuel
and almost destitute of provisions. Capt.
Muir, her master, relates strange expert
ence. The May left Chicago three weeks
before towing three barges. After
a run OF five days they arrived at Mani
toulin island, on the Canadian side OF
Lake Huron. 1t Is the largest island In
the great lakes, and is covered with cedar
trees. When the vessels arrived there the
inhabitants were badly frightened. For
weeks not drop OF rain had fallen'
Shortly after the steamer and her tow
began to take on their cargoes OF posts
and ties the woods suddenly burst into a
great blaze, and no sooner had the
fire started than severe wind storm
swept over the island, driving the flames
in every direction. The people fled in ter
ror to the beach, and sought shelter on
board OF the vessels, which pulled out into
the lake. Scores of bears, roaring with
pain, ran out of the woods with the hair
singed from their hides and plunged into
the lake.
The flames ragged for two days, burning
over acres of valuable timber and destroy
ing a vast amount of stock that had been
piled on the beach. for shipment. Then
drenching rains torn set in and continued
until the fire was put out. it was 10 days
from the time the vessels reached there
before they were ready to
leave, and their stock of provisions was
almost exhausted in caring for the people
who took refuge on them. Still Capt. Muir
thought he could make theprovisions hold
out until they reached Chicago:
But he did not count on having head
winds all of the way. The vessel left the
island Saturday morning, and as the
dense clouds OF smoke from the burning
timber had settled down over the water
the vessels had to pick their way slowly
through the darkness. The steamer passed
through the Straits of Mackinac Monday
evening, but had hprdly entered Lake
Michigan when they ran into another bank
of smoke that shut out everything from
view. So thick was the atmosphere that
the first barge of the tow could not be seen
from the decks of the steamer. Capt
Muir was momentarily expecting COLTS
ion with some approaching vessel. On all
sides could be heard the fog signals of pass
ing steamers, but by moving slowly and
sounding the whistle at frequent intervals
the steamer made her way through the
smoke in safety. Her progress had been
so greatly impeded, however, that when
about 100 miles north of Chicago the en-
gineer reported that the coal bunkers were
empty and about the same time the stew
ard informed the captain that there was
nothing left to eat but salt pork: Conse-
quently the crew were put under short
rations and the deck load of posts WIS
drawn on to feed the furnace. But the
cedar was so green that the boilers could
hardly he kept warm, and finally the
steamer had to cut her consorts adritt anc
come TO Chicago without them, making
her way there under sail, and tugs were
sent out to search Tor the barges.
The experience of the May and her
| barges at the Manitoulin islands during
the fire was thrilling. The scene from the
vessels, as told by spectator, was grand
beyond description. The flames shot into
the air for hundreds of feet and turned
night into day, while the heat was so in
| tense that the vessels were obliged tC
leave their moorings and push out into
| the lake. The noise was deafening, aud
| amid all the din and confusion thousands
| of birds fluttered around their late homes
until. tired with their constant flight, they
| dropped into the lake or fell into the
| flames. Deer and bear rushed from the
woods together and threw themselves into
the cooling waters of the lake. For five
! days the flames held their sway before the
| lumbermen could return to the island and
finish loading the vessels.
The barges were subsequently found of
Racine and towed into Chicago