Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-08-09
AN ISLAND In A BLAZE.
What Capt. Muir Saw Last Week.-Mrs.
Big ManltoulID, In Lake Huron,
Devastated by Flames.
Bears and Deer scamper Before Nov.
ing Wall Of Firo--A Thrilling
Scene.


| The May left this port three weeks age
"Wednesday, towing the bargcs Muskoka,
Severn, and Waubaushene. After an un.
eyentful run OF Ave days they cast anchor
of the Mantoulin island, large strip OF
land densely covered with cedar trees on
the Canadian side Of Lake Huron. The
captain learned on stepping ashore that
not drop Of rain had fallen on the island
for seven weeks. The smaller streams
had dried up, the earth was parched and
cracked, and many Of the inhabitants were
suffering from dysentery. A few hours
after the May and her tow began taking
on their cargo Of cedar posts aud ties the
woods suddenly burst into blaze.
Famed by furious wind, which shifted al.
most hourly, the flames spread right and
left. An impenetrable wall OF yellow
smoke hung over the island, and from the
decks of the boats 1t looked as though a
coniiagration was raging in mid-air as
well as on shore. Great belts of blood
red fire shot hither and thlther in the
midst of the sitting smoke, while the sur
face of the island seemed to be ingulied
by flaming pillows.
The inhabitants were seized with con-
sternation and rushed frantically up and
down the beach. Many who had fled
from the interior when the fire started
made miraculous escapes. In several
Instances the soles of the mems boots
were burned of and their feet blistered
by the embers over which they were com-
PEELED to flee. Capt. Muir, seeing that
the island was doomed, took the terror
stricken people on board his ships and
then steamed out into the lake.
HE wind grew i'm violence % Tho 1ov
began to wane, and at dusk 1t was blow
ing hurricane. The dry cedars Kissed
ana cracked Us the flames ran up their
trunks and spread among their limbs,
the lhickest were clothed IN hre, and the
patches OF dry, yellow, stunted grass
burned Ike powder. 1t was aterrible but
nevertheless sublime scene, and IL grew
in grandeur as the night wore on. About
midnight the wind shifted, and for several
hours blew toaurd the ships. A curtain
OF crimson sparks, which seemed to hang
from the shy to the ruddy waters, rolled
out before the spectators; balls Of Are,
glowing aod dlsintegrating as they spread
before the wind, fell about the bolte, and
dancing over the island, which now APP
peared to be ablaze from end TO end, We're
myriads of golden crescents. In the
midst OF the magnificent spectacle Capt.
Muir, fearing that mis- vessel would catch
lire, ordered all sails hauled in, and the
deck loads drenched with water. The neat
from the burning island was so intense
mat " blistercd the painton the steamers
cabin.
All through the night the fire burned
with undimnishing fury. The roaring of
me names as they swept through the Jun
sies and heavy growth of timber was
something appalling. Affrighted birds !
Tell upon the decks of the vessels and
dashed themselves against the mast, |
while others sped by in the darkness ut.
Lerlng oiscordant cries,
At daybreak scene Of devastation was |
spread out before the watchers. Where |
before the ground was covered with i'm |
mense cedars, nothing remained but a |
cnaouc mass of blackened stumps and |
heaps OF ashes from which great clouds of !
smoke were still rising. The thousands |
Di p SITS and ties which had been piled
Az ng the beach had disappeared, and the
niue wooden cabins in which the people
lad lived were utterly destroyed. Every
thing was black and desolate. The fire
had rolled over that portion nearest the
'hlpS IKE restless wave, and, having de.
stroyed everything IN its path, had sud
1enly turned round and began TO blaze
us way back into the interior. Huge
clouds OF smoke hung over the lake, shut
llhg out the sun and horizon, and away
10 the east the crimson glow on the SOM
Der curtain told where the fire was still
raging
The spectators on board the shin now
Deheld strange scene on shore. All
through the night they had heard the roar
ing Of the panc.stricken beasts, which
lau Deen driven from their dens by the
names From the masts Of the vessels
'ney could now see scores Of bears run.
mig up and down the beach, utterina the
most dismal noises, while standing neck
leep IN the water were many deer
whose antlers arose above the surface of T,
Ihe lake like huge branches of coral
other animals, too small to be seen
.nIough the smoky atmosphere with the
naked eye, were huddled together on the
1each, apparently paralyzed by fear.
Inc nre burned with undated fury dur.
hg the second day, but late at night n
'alnstorm arose. The water lel in tor.
rents and soon stopped further progress
u the flames. After remalnip5 m tbe
STAND ten days Capt Muir carried the nm.
fortunate people ashore and then ser sai,
.or chicago His stock of provisions was
nearly exhausted in caring for the inbabi.
AN :, but he thought he SIN had enoueb
cit TO carry him to his destination. The
steamer had to pick her way tBrough the
smoke which had settled down mon the +,
axe, thus consuming much OF the limo
which Capt. Muir had scheduled for his
run The vessel had her consorts passed
through the straits Monday night, hut had
barely entered Lake Michigan when tbev
ah into another bank of smoke even NOR,
tense than the one they had lust LETT he.
iluu; The Weather was so tnick that the
lfst barge Of the tow could not Va seen
rom the stern of the steamer. The fesr
y collision with some passing vessel
vas not allnyed when the cook Informed ,
ne captain tat the provisions were about
Nnausted. BY sounding the whistle NJ :
Ieq1ent intervals, however, the Nav wss ,
'na9led to make her way through me !
ulohe IN safety. So much time had heno :
consumed IN making the trip. however !
y when about one hundred miles norm !
!, I, Shleago the engineer made the start
ing announcement that the coal hnnsars :
we're empty. The cravv- 49,,