The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1899-01-28

he ran past the harbor and landed
his thirty-five passengers on the
beach at Little Presque Isle, ten
miles north. They were dumped
out indiscriminately on the SAL d
with their baggage but no food.
They were obliged to camp for the
night, and next day walked to Mar
quette, reaching there in an almost
famished condition.
In those early days Marquette, in
common with all other northern
lake cities, was absolutely cut off
from civilization and supplies during
the winter months and the failure OF
boat to arrive with a cargo which
was destined for the place was apt
to mean several months of hardship.
A story of this kind is told in con
nection with the schooner Sis-co- wit.
In November, 1849, she took on
load of oats at the 500 for Marquette.
For some reason instead of coming
in here her captain ran her straight
through for L 'Anse or Baraga, and
laid her up for the winter. But the
hardy settlers of Marquette did not
intend to suffer for want of the car
go, and two of them, Captain Sam
Moody and James Broadbent, went
from here to L'Anse on snowshoes,
took forcible possession of the YES
sci, reftted her, and sailed for home
on Christmas eve, and arrived here
Christmas day. The thermometer
registered fifteen degrees below
zero. 1t was an heroic effort. After
the precious cargo was discharged
captain Moody attempted to get the
schooner into the mouth of the
Chocolay river, but either from lack
of water in the channel or too much
ice he failed to make the river. TIE
schooner went on the beach few
hundred feet southwest, where her
hull now lies buried under the sand.
In 1915 the monster schooner
Swallow, eighty tons, was brought
over the 500 portage. She finally
became the property of Captain
James Bendry OF Baraga. Bendry
considered the Swallow altogether
too large for this lake, and
after the canal was opened sent her
below. The Merchant was brought
over the portage the same year.
Two years later .she went down off
Grand Island with crew and passen-
gers all on board. This is the first
serious wreck in the history OF Lake
Superior navigation.
Up to this time none Of the YES
sels--unless the fur companies boats
may be considered to have paid for
themselves indirectiy-either built
here or brought over, had made any
money.
The schooner Fur Trader, ninety
tons, was the first to break the
spell. She was brought over the
portage in 1845. Captain Calvin
Ripley sailed her. About this time
the great copper excitement sprang
up and the Fur Trader coined money
from the start. She was a favorite
passenger craft, even later on, when
there we're few steam vessels on
the lakes. "Old Rip" as the cap
tain was called, was a great joker.
He was for many years after pilot
on different steamers which came 10
Lake. Superior.
l845 is a notable year in Lake Su
perior's history, for it marks the
advent of the first steamer on its
waters. This was the propeller In
dependence, 280 tons burden. Cap
tain Averill was her master and
part owner. Her career was a
checkered one. She was full rugged
like vessel and had a powerful
steam engine, but she was always in
trouble. Neither wind nor steam
nor both could make her 90 right.
In 1849 on her first trip up the lake
that season she went ashore high
and dry in Eagle Harbor. A year
or two later she was got off,
and slightly after her release when
she was about mile out of the 500
bound up the lake her boiler burst
and she was blown into fragments.
Jonas w. Watson, the clerk, was
among the saved. He says he went
up in the air about $50 feet and as
he saw bundle Of hay passing
seized it and came down with it. He
was not even injured. 1t is said
that so methodical was Watson that
when about tn 90 nm he seixed tho