The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1904-10-21
Tale of a Canoe Trip.

OhO SAophAS wv
cription of a canoe trip, written by
Kirby Thomas. and gives a very inter
esting account of portages and mos
quitoes in the Birch lake country.
Mr.. Thomas says:
"The Indian canoe Ia the automo-
bile OF the northern woods, and for
tunate is the hunter or cruiser whose
course in these roadless wilds permits
of canoe trip, instead Of the weari-
some foot tourney, with his bed and
board, and house too, in a pack on
his back. So when, on a mid-June
day, we three set out from Ely, to
make short exploration tip, the
knowledge that nearly all of the route
was along a waterway gave the two
of us who knew, pleasant anticipa-
tions, but we reckoned not with the
portages and the mosquitoes. There
were In the party southern man,
who was in all respects a tenderfoot,
an experienced woodsman and myself.
A team took us and our two heavy
packs, and the dozen bottles Of beer
belonging to W., the southern man,
to within half a mile Of mining
camp, near White Iron lake, from
which place we intended to start In
canoe in the morning. 1t was about
10 p. m, and no moon when the team
left us and ours beside the road We
took our bearings as best we could
and set of across country over rocks,
and stumps, and logs, and swamps.
for the camp, following our guide,
who lived at the camp. but it was b
case of the blind leading the blind.
and we wandered hither and thither,
pack-laden, beer-laden and mosquitoe-
eaten, until by accident about mid
night, we reached our haven. Al
though the night was somewhat tenn
pestuous, because Of the festive mos
quito, we were up with the mining
crew in the morning, and before the
sun had scattered the mists of dawn,
we were ready to take up our white
mans burden" and follow the "tote"
road to the lake. Here we loaded our
outfit, including the aforesaid dozen
bottles Of beer, into a birch canoe,
modernized by an outer coating of
painted canvas. The canoe was pretty
deep in the water, but it was balanced
and easy running. and as under the
quick strokes of M.-the woodsman-
we moved merrily on, we thought our
troubles were all over. The day was
fine and the Northern sun, tempered
by breeze, made us forget the troub-
les Of the past night. BY noon We had
crossed to the mouth of the Birch
river, flowing out of Birch lake, along
which our course lay. We had been
told that there was an ''easy" portage
around the rapids in the river, SO
pulling up our boat, on the rocky
bank, we left w. watching two Ind
ian maidens fishing, arranged with
the "nitchie" Indian bOy), to "pitch"
our canoe and NJ. and took the two
heavy packs, weighing so to 70pounds
and started along trail which we
thought was the portage to find the
landing, but the trail soon ran into
tangled swamp, flooded from the
high water Of the river, and we were
forced back into the trail.less upland
Keeping within sound of the rapids,
and making frequent stops to rest.
we trudged and tumbled through
underorush and fallen timber, and
laboriously clambered over the thickly
strewn boulders or around the rugged
granite outcrop. After about two
hours we struck the well-worn trail
OF the portage and were soon at the
landing. glad to be relieved of our
loads and well "winded." 1t was de-
cided that I should remain at the
landing to prepare dinner, while M.
went back along the portage trail to
bring up the canoe and w. 1t was
found that the portage left the lake
In bay at one side Of the river
mouth, a fact which, il known before,
would have saved US considerable hard
hot tramping.
ITO our dismay we found that the
river above the landing was blocked
by two log jams, about half mile
apart, and we were obliged, after
crossing the river. to make another
portage over poor trail for nearly
mile. It was o'clock before we
were again afioat, and after a couple
of miles we reached a dam, made a
short portage and were again in open
ways. The sun was far to the north
of west as we pulled to sloping
rocky bank for our first camp.
Eve effort was made to secure a
respite from the mosquitoes for the
night. We built a smudge in the
tent, beat the mosquitoes out will
boughs and closed the tent tight
But our precautions were all trust
rated by an undiscovered hole in the
tent about the size of a pencil
through which a multitude of birds