New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-23
ON THE GREAT LAKES.
THE VOYAGE BY STEAMER FROM BUFFALO
TO DULUTH

TO DULUTH.
Duluth Mimi, Sept 81 (speclaD.-From this place
10 Buffalo the lake travel about 200 miles.
and II takes them nearly six days to do u. For
business man. who In hurry to get from one
pIaee TO another this may seem like slow and
tedious tourney for who has the time to spare
,bere are few more enjoy able ways Of spending It,
II IS remarkable how few people there arc In what
those in this part of the country call the East who
know very much OF this portion Of the Northwest ana
the manner OF reaching 1t by the big lake steamers
Their Ignorance of the lakes probably due IN part 10
the stories Of and sudden storms tha roll ana
turn the biggest ships sending all on board save the
officers and crew. to their stalerooms win reenhg
ha.ds and unouet somachs. OF the early spring and
tho fall this IS true but during the summe@ months
,bora * seldom storm enough To disturb the
most delicate traveller.
One meets a peculiar mixture CT people on ines"
steamers-a mixture seldom seen In any other psce'
In the first place no one seems to be In hurls anu
there Il no growing or grumblng If the boats are
DELAYED By one reason or another Everyone Is u'oi''
a,parently for quiet coed time, as long as IL aSs'
II traders cattle dealers lumbemen, Spectators OF
ono kind or another miners, invads and those SEEKING
IN get time behind them fast and as easily 40 pos
sbIe are some Of the persons met. bhuie iailio9
going TO new homes in the west, 10 "iom INC s~'"s
~ the few dollars that travel this way makes Is
considerations are also the list OF saiOoh passenseS
Down between deckS. StOWtu away ahu"h NV
countless boxes and barrels of miscellaneous west
bound freight Is where the immigrants rae. Ihcy
are the same uncIeanly looking men. women snu
children who were landed at Castle GARDEN Jew DAYS
before and are now their way TO the Northwest W
find employment in the Wisconsin pincnes inc iuioor
and corner mills or the iron mines. Iney arc prih-
cInalIv Swedes and Danes, with sprnkhnS OF
ITungsrlans and Germans. When the steamers are
ruin ND to pier and freight is to be landed they a'
driven out upon the wharf TO DO out OF the way Oh 'ho
,Ionrshoremen There they camp out in little groups
Of from ten to twenty each, every man lugehs MS
trunk or valse and the women holding tightly to the
children and keeping watch Of the half dozen different
articles making up the remainder OF the iamhS
possessions. This is by no means pleasant for theh'
at least In the Eastern ports, for at every pier aV
canps of roughs who take special delight In making
sport OF the immigrants. The men usually
sit stolidy smoking their huge pipes ana
appear Indifferent, but their wives SEEM
to be thoroughly frightened and look from one
o another as II wondering whether this sort of thing
is likely to continue for ever. 1t is not long that
they have to submit to IT, however, for oy another
afternoon perhaps the steamer gets up into country
where the Scands" and Huns are more numerous
and where they are frequently received with great
warmth.
In the evening the sound of music is heard coming
from the deck below and the tones OF the violin anu
accordion can be heard above the rattle Of the ships
machinery. The immigrants are enjoying themselves
with music and dancing, the latter In Limited space
though for freight room Is valuable. Let them have
their pleasure now they do not consider the long and
bitter cold winters tho hard work in the mines,
mills and forests to which they are going.
Among the saloon passengers everything Is done
to make one comfortable and to mako the hours
fly as swiftly as possible. Music, dancing and card
playing serve for rainy days; loungng on deck In
shady places for pleasant ones There Is little gam
bling If money is risked, it is in small sums only,
Just large enough to add more interest TO the games
Until the leaves the wharf at Detroit. little
has been passed of novelty or interest But If this
port is left at night the view from the steamer is
worth waiting up to sec. The city IS lighted by
electricity. with a dozen lamps grouped together and
mounted on towers. high above tho taeSt buildings.
From the steamers deck she pushes to the north
the clustered arcs first resemble massive terrace OF
light; then the distance extends, 1t Is an immense
bed Of sparkling stars which gradually die out as
the steamer plods along The the steamer gets
TO Lake SUPERIOR the wilder becomes tho scenery ana
the civilization High hats, standing collars ana
polished boots fall away, their places being taken
by fur caps, wide sombreros, once white, hightopped
boots or mOccasins. The boats approaching salute
seems to be the signal for outpourng of the entire
population at least Of those old enough and vigorous
enough to walk and they swarm to the pier to await
the arrival Of the steamer. No one appears TO be
IN a hurry The men, in flannel shirts and rough
clothes with bronze coOred skin loaf around, working
their hardest to keep their pipes going While the
women. in clothes not made for appearances sake but
FOR wear, with shawls thrown over their heads and
with one to three children in charge,
stand IN the background, and between
scodlng Ito chllden, gossping in mixed
dialect and looking the busiest ones there. The
local agent of the steamship line is the only man
who pIctends to dress with all idea for appearance
lie wears bed' shirt and store clothes, and is the
greatest man in the village. Everyone seerIs to stand
in awe of him. After the steamer has been made
fast, which is something Of a task as no ono Is in
hurry except those on the vessel, there Is usually
rush for tie forward part Of the ship, where the
immigrants are now crowded to the gangway. Old
country acquaintance are met, perhaps, and some
of the immigrants may land here. At any rate they
are quickly surrounded by their former countrymen
and women and complete Babel OF voices Is instantly
set up This lasts until the deck and freight hands
drive them out OF the way, SO that the freight can DC
Apparently the most dsinterested witnesses of such
A scene are the Indians and half-brecd men ana
women who, occupying the sunniest ana Warlnese
places on the pier, watch these proceedings. Inc
men in scmicivized attire, as dirty as 1t Is possible
for men 10 be- lie at full length in the sun. and mo
women with brlghtcOlored shawls thrown around
their shoulders, stand by and hardy ute. s%
word sometimes they have DaS TslHsnr s&i
and ofcr them far sale in pigeon English mixed
with few words OF gad frcGa, AZ SSuI 1s nome
by taking persons through the rapids Of The 81 Mays
Eivcr. If however, one is venturesomc ehougn 10
rIst his life in their hands, he sholld be sure va
make the bargain first, especially 50 accompanies
by lady. Otherwise the Indians walt uhtl 'ne
canoe Is nearing the rapids, too far in the current 10
turn back and then make the bargain for INC rae,
adrotly rocking the canoe and nearly drying me WIS
ont of the heads OF the passengers. Now IL COSTS
Won 40 less than I'll head, ana perhaps 30, II YOU
look as though you could pay st, before you are
landed I'm smooth watcN below. The wafer Is aplu
and the canoe fairly flies through the boiling current.
A Sin OF the Ind ans paddle would drive the lghi
chances
would be crushed pieces before carried Depw lo
.rapds by the stream The excitement OF ms posi-
billty can bo enjoyed for fifty cents, II Daf6a" Is
made before the journey IS begun.
THE WOMAN'S MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
n Natinnal WDman'S Evan