Historic Diaries: James Doty, 1820
June 2, 1820: Across Saginaw Bay
Editor's Note:
Saginaw Bay could be treacherous for small vessels as, with a north wind, large waves rolled in from the main body of Lake Huron (see map linked below). Having crossed safely, Doty notes streams that would become primary sites for logging in the decades that followed. They encamped this night where the mill towns of Oscoda and Au Sable would later spring up and send millions of feet of pine lumber to eastern cities.
Location: modern Au Sable, Mich.
View Doty's handwritten manuscript of this page
View page in the 1895 printed edition
Embarked at 5. …From point au Chene we steered across the Bay, making first to Mackinac Island of the Bay, distance 15 miles, course N. N. W… There being little wind we had a fortunate time in crossing the Bay — the swells were very light. But [it] is seldom canoes can cross here... Leaving the Island we made "Petite point au Gray," course N. W., distance 9 miles. Above this point is seen "Grand point au Sable on the west of the bay," 3 miles distant… From Grand point au Sable we steered N. E. to point A-shet-a-moi-yaun, nine miles. Above this point and in a direction nearly N. E. the river of the same name empties. This river is about six miles long, navigable for boats & canoes, and takes its rise in a lake about 20 miles in circumference. The point makes out around the mouth of river in the form of a half circle. If the water is deep enough (which I had not an opportunity to examine) it is well situated for a safe and commodious harbor. It is said, however, the water is shallow.
Passing around this point we entered Red sand bay — Ind. name Me-sqau-ung-gung — which is about 2 miles deep. At the foot of this bay the Indians find a red clay which they use in painting their faces and canoes. It is near the color of Spanish brown. The next point we headed to was Cranberry point (Indian name Mish-ke-ge-me-ne-cong-ing) course N. E. from pt. to pt. & distance 12 miles. From this to river au Sable point our course was N. distance 4 miles. We landed in the River au Sable above the point a little before sunset and encamped in the sand among swarms of black flies and musquetoes.
Found a few Indians here of whom the Gov. obtained a Sturgeon. This relished very well with me,
having ate nothing from 5 in the morn, until 9 at night. There were six Indian lodges on the river, one Chipawy chief & his family. A Mr. Chevalier, a Frenchman from Michilimackinac, was here trading with the Indians. His establishment was higher up the river. This is a fine stream, its waters are deep. One mile up its bottom is pebble, but at its mouth bars obstruct the entrance so that boats can with difficulty pass. The lands on its banks do not appear to be good, being an entire bed of sand. The timber at its mouth is pine, spruce, cedar and tammerack & white birch. The sand cherry grows here, and a bush bearing a berry similar to the Juniper.
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