Historic Diaries: James Doty, 1820
June 1, 1820: Port Hope to Port Austin
Editor's Note:
The expedition packed no fresh food but only dried biscuits, salt pork, and similar military-style provision. The hunters were expected to bring in fresh meat regularly, but few if any fresh vegetables are mentioned in the diary. Late in the summer they would reach a Minnesota fur trade post whose workers had raised potatoes and brought in a cow to produce milk; this was the first taste of either that Doty and his companions had in many weeks.
Location: near modern Port Austin, Mich.
View Doty's handwritten manuscript of this page
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Rose at 4, breakfasted and the wind having partially subsided, struck our tents & embarked. Crossed a bay 3 m to another point (Elm pt.), the wind increasing compelled [us] to land. I walked back into the country and after crossing a slight morass, found the land high and dry, generally timbered with beech, birch, maple, Elm, ash, Sycamore, basswood, hemlock, spruce & pine. About 3 miles above the point on which we encamped, came to a stream of running water, of a darkish colour, about 2 rods wide, called Elm Creek. The stone on its banks & bottom are chiefly a snuff coloured slate. It is from two to 4 ft. deep.
This morning [a] Canoe [was] sent out to black river for game and fish. Returned in the afternoon without either. Indians came in from hunting but obtained no game. Two bears were shot by them, but both escaped…
To this point the shore and points have been so rocky that it is with great difficulty they are approached. In passing the points [we] have been compelled to keep from 1 to 200 rods out in the Lake. In crossing from pt. to pt. large flat rocks are seen for the 2 last courses, at the bottom, generally 1/2 to 1 1/2 miles from shore. Two miles from pt. au B. [Point aux Barques] put in shore and encamped at the setting of the sun, at the bottom of the bay, a few rods above a small creek which empties in here, called Point au Barque creek. The rocks here are chiefly sandstone — very soft.
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