Original. SKETCHES OF INCIDENTS, DURING A RESIDENCE IN MICHIGAN. In the course of a few years residence, in what is termed the "Lake Country," where abound the beautiful and extensive prairie and deep forest, and more especially whilst residing in the newly created state of Michigan, I occasionally encountered some few perils, by flood and field, in my hunting and exploring excursions in those Western Wilds; and I have often solaced myself under the fatigues incidental to a new way of life, then possessing the charm of novelty, by the thoughts of relating, when at home, some anecdotes of the Wilderness and its savage occupants. Among the few that I have recounted, there is none that dwells so forcibly on my memory as the incident which I shall now relate. We little realize, when seated around the blazing fires of our happy residences, amidst all the comforts of the well peopled cities of these Eastern states, the hardships so willingly undergone by the hardy settler in the West-and the spirit of adventurous daring with which he so freely embarks, in any expedition of hunting, or exploring the fastnesses of the deep forest or wide extent of the Prairie or timbered opening. It was on a fine morning about the first of September, in 1834, a company consisting of two of the new settlers and myself, left the beautiful village of A. situated in Oakland County, on an excursion to the head waters of the River Huron-then wild and unsettled, to hunt the deer, and fish in some of the numerous small lakes which abound in that region. We took with us provisions for a week's sojourn, and such materials for striking a tent as we could conveniently carry in a light one horse wagon. Our route was well marked for the extent of twenty miles, by the road that passed to and from the|| few new settlements, when we struck into the openings on the left, and regulated our course by the compass to the hunting ground at the lakes. The openings in that country, are very different from any thing seen in these States, where the face of the country is so broken and uneven. There, a plain extends as far as the eye can reach, thinly scattered with the burr oak, a beautiful species which looks very similar to a young apple tree in the regularity of its shape and thriftiness of growth, and not much exceeding the height of that tree when at maturity. What adds to the novelty as well as loveliness of the scene, is the entire absence of all underbrush on these plains. One might imagine a cultivated orchard that had been recently ploughed and seeded down with grass, as is frequently the practice here, and the traveller may direct his course to any point, he may desire with the same facility as on the highway, meeting with no obstacle either on horseback or in a wheeled vehicle. The plain was now dressed in its autumnal garb of the peculiarly lovely Fall flowers of the West. But to return-we proceeded on our course for ten miles, till we arrived within sight of some of the small lakes which lay scattered at intervals over the plain, when we separated a little distance from each other, the better to enable us to get a shot at the straggling deer that occasionally crossed our path, while I took charge of our conveyance and baggage, being yet weak, and not entirely recovered from the effects of the lake fever, with which I had been seriously ill, and had confined me to my room for the greater part of the two last months. It was just at sunset that I heard the crack of the rifle of one of my companions, who had come in sight of the lake, on whose borders we had determined to encamp. After untackling the horse, I gave him the wide plain for his accommodation, certain that he would be at no loss for either board or lodging in its luxuriant herbage. I was preparing to unload our "plunder" as my fellow travellers came in sight with the carcass of a large buck, of whose death the report of the rifle was the herald. Our place of encampment, as I have mentioned was decided to be at the head waters of the Huron River, which courses its way through plains and deep forests for many a mile from that point, until it reaches Lake Erie; and it was on the banks of one of these sheets of water that we erected our temporary dwelling. Having completed the erection of our tent, we prepared our supper of venison, spread our viands on the grassy board and fared as sumptuously as those surrounded by the comforts of home. The moon rose in loveliness as we completed our repast, but as fatigue somewhat weighed down our eyelids we deferred an excursion for game until the dawn should break, when "The Hunter with the day begins To wind the mellow horn, etc." We hunted that day and part of the next, and had the good luck to secure twelve fine deer. The following day was lowering, and a chill storm came on, that continued for a week; during which we could do nothing but fish, and keep up our fires, which latter, we found very necessary as a safeguard against the attack of wolves, which are very numerous and seek shelter in the Tamerack swales that are here and there scattered in the vicinity of the lakes, and whose long and monotonous howls sounded drearily on our ears, through the dark and stormy night. A company of Indians from the Shiawassee River, had pitched their camp on the opposite side of the lake. The troop consisted of the old chief, his wife, his son and his son's wife and family, together with about six or seven quite young Indians, boys and girls about sixteen to eighteen years of age, well formed and graceful, but wild as the game which they hunted. The old chief told me that a number of Emigrants had lately erected their Wigwams, (so he termed their log dwellings,) in the vicinity of his tribe, and the deer had fled from before the white man: his hunters had returned wearied from the chase, but the deer and the Elk were no longer at their feeding places. He had been at this lake about a week, and with his son's aid, had shot about twenty deer, and almost completed the process of drying the flesh; which they accomplish by cutting it in long slices and hanging it on poles within reach of a light heat of the fire, and in this state, it will retain its sweetness for a long time. The old chief appeared to be about ninety years of age, but his motion was yet easy and his bearing erect; he said he had been in many battles. The son said, his father was a great chief, and had been a mighty warrior. They had nearly obtained their supply of game, and intended soon to take the trail for the distant settlement of Mackinac, far on to the "setting sun." culiar loveliness. No sound is heard but the occasional shrill whistle of the large golden-crested woodpecker, or the low cooings of the wood pigeon. It is here, that man feels the nothingness of his own creations and schemes of self-aggrandizement, when compared to the works of nature and nature's God. Far from the bustling scenes of the busy city, which I had left, not more than a year before, imagine my feelings in this lonely wilderness amidst all that is most lovely and carelessly grace The next morning one of our company was despatched to convey home what game we had killed, (some of which we had salted down,) and recruit our store of ammunition from the nearest village. He left us early in the day with especial instruction to be again with us by the afternoon of the following day: he was also to bring my horse which I had left behind. The weather now became more mild and gradually cleared, and a fine morning with a clear sky, accompanied by a soft, yet bracing air invited my companions ful in nature-in the still hour of noon-day in a Western to resume their sport-as for myself I had not yet re- || wilderness-indeed, it called up feelings of delight, yet covered sufficient strength to roam far from our shantee, tempered with a strange sensation of awe. What are and the deer having become more timorous from the man's busy works, imaginings and contrivings, compared proximity of their unwelcome visitors, had compelled to the vast operations of centuries? the hunters to a wider range than that of the preceding I emerged from the wood into an open space of about week. We parted-they to the neighborhood of the six acres of mossy plain, partly covered with luxuriant Tamerack swales-the favorite fount of the deer, and I grass, and occasional clusters of the fragrant wild rose. shouldering my rifle, prepared for a stroll among the I there discovered a cranberry marsh, simply beautiful; small hillocks covered with clumps of burr oaks, which the bright berries glowed most invitingly, and growing in rose like dots on the level surface of the plain. The great profusion, they looked like fancy work as they beauty of the scene and bracing quality of the air, temp-clustered on their bed of thick green moss. On my ted me to prolong my ramble, until I came to a thick return I made this discovery known and the succeeding growth of cedars, far to the right of our location. Look-day we joined forces, and gathered some half dozen ing well to the percussion cap of my rifle, and giving the bushels of fruit, which probably had never before been ball a settling touch with the rod, I crept within the collected in that place, by the hands of the white man. entangled brakes in hopes of starting game. Here, permit me, to expatiate on scenes which are but seldom seen in this part of the country: Reader, bring to your mind's eye, a thick forest of cedar, whose trunks are occasionally two feet in diameter, the spaces between the trees often filled with the laurel and wild rose, the honey suckle and a variety of other flowering shurbs; thence after forcing your way through these intermingled sweets My remaining companion and myself did little that to a clear space, clear I mean from underbrush, where the day besides trying for a few fish, and pass compliments trees do not grow so thickly as elsewhere. Here be- with our Indian friends on the other side of the lake. neath your feet is a lovely carpet of the softest and most In fact we had resolved that as the weather appeared to luxuriant moss, and of the tenderest shade of green. thicken up and grow chilly, we would not try the deer Here and there a fallen log, which as it decayed, has be- that afternoon. However, a sportsman is rarely willing come the bed for a growth of moss of various hues and to remain quiet whilst on the hunting ground, and my texture; and a fanciful imagination may suppose it de- friend after many yawns and stretches came to the consigned for the velvet throne of some Sylvan deity. Fur-clusion that as it wanted about half an hour to sun down, ther on you will find a growth of strait and thrifty tame- he would take a stroll as far as a tamerack swale and racks; not, however, half the height of the surrounding try for a shot. I agreed, provided he would go no furcedars-Nature, as if in sport, has placed these in a com-ther, as it was drawing towards night. plete and regular circle, within which is a similar mossy carpet, to that described above. Continue a little further, and you come to a noble cedar; it is now prostrate and was amongst the pride of the grove. In its fall it has thrown part of its roots erect, whilst the remainder still seek the nurture of the kindly soil in which it grew. Around these old fantastic roots the wild vine has woven its tender arms, and others springing up in rich luxuriance around, have formed deep natural bowers under the ample trunk, and about the roots of the fullen || monarch; and these sweet spots are the chosen abode of the wolf and wild cat. In these secluded glades, all is still and solemn at the hour of noon. The flood of light from the unclouded sun, falls on the leafy forest, but sheds its beams in the interior as through a silken gauze of softest green. The rays are not dazzling, all is one soft, rich and mellow lustre of unparalleled and most pe It was about an hour after his departure that I heard the sharp crack of a rifle in the direction where he proposed to go. I knew the rifle to be his from the sound. Every keen sportsman who is accustomed to the use of the rifle, quickly distinguishes the peculiar sound of the rifles in his company: in fact, in my expedition to Toledo some time afterwards when I headed a band of Rangers of the Walverine infantry, to repel the threatened invasion of our rights of soil by our sister State of Ohio, I could distinguish very readily who discharged his rifle without permission. It had now grown dark, with a slight fall of rain; the wind would occasionally gather force and come sweeping along over the plains; not in the deep roar of a gale through a leafy forest, but in low wailings almost like plaintiff-so much so that you would be apt to start on the instant and look around-it seemed so human. In high and free from limbs as well as too smooth to climb, and in the plain there were none but small timber, and occasionally a large Sycamore on the edge of the swale. In the midst of his difficulties he espied a fallen tree, similar to what I have already described, and sufficiently || hollow to admit his body; on making this discovery, he struck a light and commenced surrounding this place of refuge with all the small wood and brush he could pro times, he said, a wolf would come from out the thicket, glare on him awhile-with glassy eyes and grinning teeth, and then retreat to its companions who where snarling, growling and fighting in the swale. Thus was he obliged to hold out till morning, when the sounds of contention died away, and he mustered courage to visit the scene of conflict-he there beheld the damp, soft ground trampled for the space of seven or eight rods in circumference in a complete bed of mud, and nothing remaining of the deer but the horns and hoof, with here and there a tuft of its hair. Our messenger to the settlements returned late in the afternoon, and holding a council, it was concluded that we should return, and I was more inclined to do so as my strength, I was fearful, would not hold out against the fatigues of a prolonged stay. However, before we returned, we felled a bee tree, which we had discovered a few days before, and secured about fifty weight of pure wild honey. deed it was now full time for my companion to return and my nerves grew rather irritable. I had prepared our supper of fresh fish, venison, etc., and awaited impatiently for his arrival-nine o'clock came, and with it an encreased fall of drizzling rain and low sighing gales, when in the midst of the darkness, silence and gloom of the night, arose at a distance the long low howl of the wolf. Nearer it came-anon it broke into short yells, then loud and more fearful it swelled into prolong-cure, and kept up a fire throughout the night—many ed howlings, as if legions of fiends were holding their unearthly orgies. The sound took the course where I had heard the report of my friend's rifle which was as I afterwards understood, better than a mile to the leftbut sounds are heard far on these levels. There they seemed to stop, and from thence arose yells and barks and howls, awful enough to curdle the blood of the stoutest hearted. I now thought it high time to look out, for my own safety, for I knew that these animals never attack singly, but invariably in droves of a dozen or so. I lighted an additional number of fires along my fallen tree and heaped on plenty of fuel-fire is a certain terror to the wolf-as it is to all wild animals. I then looked to the state of my arms, but imagine my consternation when I discovered that my companion had taken, not only his ammunition, but by mistake, mine also, with him. This was a bad business, but there was no help for it. I had an axe and a hatchet-I laid them in readiness in case of an attack, having also an eye to the shelter of the branches of the trees near by, in case of emergency. However, they came not near my fortification, and weary with watching for many hours, and my ears dinned with the yells of these mighty fiends, together with the wild screams of the loons in the lake by way of chorus, I at length closed my eyes in slumber through pure fatigue; and though morning found me safe from attack, I shall not soon forget the heart thrilling sensations I then experienced,—the sound of the deep and melancholy howl of the wolf-the low sighs of the gale and wild screams of the loon on that long dismal night. Our neighbors, the Indians, chief and train had left on their journey the latter part of the day preceeding, or I should have gladly sought their company. I had made up my mind that the days of my friend were numbered, when I heard the wolves at the place where he discharged his rifle, and I was equally surprised and rejoiced to see him about noon walking slowly towards our camp. Game he had none, and the poor fellow was both tired and hungry. He had had no rest the past night and felt in constant fear of his life from an attack of the wolves. He told me that when he discharged his rifle he had wounded a deer which bounded slowly towards the swale. He followed the track for about six rods when he lost sight of it, and as night was then closing in, fear of the wolves prevented his prosecuting his research further; indeed he had hardly cleared the wood when he heard the yell of those savage animals, and in his haste dropped his compass among the long grass and was unable without its assistance to find his way to the shantee, more especially as he had come out of the swale by a different course. The tameracks were too I will reserve for another month the relation of my adventures on the St. Clair River, during my sojourn at Fort Gratiot Settlement. Original. RUTH'S REPLY TO NAOMI. I. "NAY, mother, cease to urge me→ H. A. L. I still would linger by thy side, II. "Where'er at night thou lodgest, There will I make my bed, My idols I resign, And join me to thy worship Thy Saviour shall be mine. III. "And, mother, where thou diest, So will I cleave in death: And enter Heaven with thee!" |