Year: 1876

am ABOUT 10 say tQaC very laCeiy nave
come to believe that this is great coun-
try.


Last week 1 took q trip up into the
woods to visit some of the lumber camps.
went because 1 wished to, and that l
might be able to get an accurate report
as to the amount of logs being ''watered'
upon the Cheboygan River and its tribu-
taries.


You see had made up my mind that
there had been guess work enough about
the log crop-as it is called-and thought
would investigate for myself, and per-
haps give report which was a leal old
genuine, reliable one. With me to de-
termine was to do. Accordingly after
looking about 1 found "tote team''
about to start for one of the camps upon
upper Black River.


You all know we'll enough what a
''tote team" is. A 'stote team" is always
from force Of circumstances every way
reliable. That is to say, if there is pro-
vender enough on the load they are
drawing, for the team to eat, they will
surely go through to their destination
before 1.-THE provender-is all gone.


This was the case with Ollr team and
load, for it was comprised entirely Of
hay and grain. felt, when we stlrted,
that the team would not starve it did
which was certainly very satisfactory
feeling.


The morning we started was warm


and very pleasant; but just as soon as it
got noised around among the elements
that was going upon this long and per-


ilOus journey, it began to rain. My
driver guessed it was not going to be


much OF shower; therefore, we started,
but it rained and rained until was wet
enough to wiring out. However, we
were bound to go through. The wind
changed, and it grew cold and colder.
The rain turned into snow, and how it
did snow. My clothes soon froze stiff.
upon me. OF course [ shivered, but nv
courage never failed.


/ do not know but it would have done
so had not my driver exerted himself
TO make things pleasant for me. / shall
always think kinIly of him-how he
managed to keep my mind occupied by
telling me little stories-by trotting his
team down every little mitch we came to,
just to show me what curious gait his
rear horse had.


1t is said that all things must have an
end. That day at last came to an end.
1t ended just about the time that we az
rived wet and cold at the Black Lake
house kept by Mrs. Cummings.


We were glad to see her and her house,
and she was glad, l had no doubt, at the
time to see us; for, like all good land
ladies, she soon had on roaring fire and
a good supper ready for us to partake OF.


was very much fatigued that night.
and of course slept soundly until about
three in the morning, when my '.boss"
(that is the teamstcr you know aroused
me and said we should be getting ready
for to start across Black Lake.


1t was not long before We had break
fast and team already for start, and soon
we were upon the vast waste of frozen
waters called Black Lake. We skirted
along the beach up the lake Just far
enough from the shore to be safe from
drowning should W., break through. We
did this because all the tracks wert that
way, and because it was necessary to 90
around crack i'm the ice which runs
across the lake about in the middle Of it.


My "boss" said that every winter
Black Lake had crack across it i'm just
about the same place. / asked him the
reason of it, and he remarked, after a
few moments reflection, that he knew of
no other reason than because it did.


1 have reflected upon it good deal
since that time, and do not know that i
can give better one. Well, we got
around the end Of it and then made all
haste to cross the lake. The wind blew
terribly across that expanse of ice. and
by the time it struck us with its acceler.
ated speed it seemed to caill me through
and through. felt it so keenly that l
wished l was in my own dooryard. My
'boss" wanted to know what tor. / told
him if was only there would go into
the house "piaguy'' quick.


We finally got across the lake, and
then had five miles of ''plains" to cross,
which was about as bad as the lake. We
then reached what is called the river
camp, now occupied by w. I. Milliken as
his head quarters. lie had large num-
ber of logs upon his roll way; how
many could not ascertain. AS for
guessing of course would not do that,
for it is too common nowadays.


We crossed the foaming and dashing
river at this place upon bridge that
seemed to be very unsafe; but of course !
we should always speak well of bridge
that carries us safe over. l cannot, how
ever, refrain from saying that would
not be at all surprised if Mr.. Milliken
should wake some fine morning and find
Il n A