The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-10

towed her to within a quarter of a mile of
the first rapids, and within half mile of
they dared approach. They cut the big yes
sci adrift and she passed Enthusiastically on,
while the oarsmen Of the yawl had to bend
their every nerve and muscle to remove
themselves from the peril of their position
and the danger Of being drawn down by the
rushing waters. Indeed such had been the
fear and apprehension Of the men that they
mutinied against Captain Rough and cut the
tow line before the time he had set. II they
had obeyed the reckless old captain, he,
the yawl and its crew would have preceded
the Michigan over the falls.
The high grounds on both shores of the
river were lined with people as the Michi-
gan, unguided by human agency. APP
preached, head on, the first rapid of the
seething descent, apparently Keeping the
very course that a skilful navigator would
have guided her in. The American ensign
streamed from her bowsprit and the Brit
ish jack foated at her stern. The vessel
shot the first rapid unhurt, still head on,
making plunge, shipping a sea, and rising
from it in beautiful style. In her descent
of the second rapid, the water nomentar-
lily increasing in velocity and tunult, her
towering masts went by the board, giving
the spectators a startling representation of
the crashing of vessels spars in a. ship
wreck at sea. She swung around and pre-
scented her broadside to the dashing and
foaming water, and, after remaining, as it
seemed, stationary for moment, swung
around until she was headed up stream.
Passing the third rapid she bilged, but car
ried her hull to all appearances whole as
she tossed and groaned between Grass ISL
and and the British shore to the Horseshoe
Fall, over which she was drawn stern fore
most and hurled into the laundering abyss
She was dashed TO fragments before she
struck in the SSething waters below. I'M
mediately after she went over hundreds of
people hurried below the falls. The river
was covered with fragments Of the vessel.
Nowhere could be found as much as two
boards nailed together, and her great tim
bers were broken into bits like firewood.
There were aboard the Michigan when
she started on her trip toward the falls a
wild bull buffalo from a Western prairie
two bears from the Lake Superior regions,
two foxes, raccoon, a dog, cat and four
geese. When the vessel left Yale's landing
In tow, all these were let loose on the deck
except the buffalo He was incIosed in a
pen. The two bears got enough of the trip
first rapid, and they climbed down the side
next the Canada shore, plunged into the
swift water, breasted it's powerful sweep
successfully, and reached the shore. They
they they made no resistance to being cap
tured, and they fell into the possession of a
tavern keeper. The bears, before they
abandoned the ship, climbed the masts of
that outlook saw what their finish would
be anyhow, and then determined to take
the chances of getting to land slim as they
were The raccoon ran up a mast and re-
NAMED there until the mast fell. He was
never seen again. The foxes ran frantically
the schooner, as did the buffalo bull and
the geese. Not a trace of foxes or buffalo
was ever found. Two of the geese swan
ashore half a mile below the falls. The
the foxes The two geese that survived the
awful plunge over Niagara were secured by
Major Frazer. He sold one to an English
man, who took it to England with him."