Historic Diaries: James Doty, 1820
June 5, 1820: Presque Isle and Beyond
Editor's Note:
The lake being too choppy for heavily laden canoes, most of the party walked along shore to Presque Isle and then portaged across the peninsula. On the other side, however, the seas were still running too high to proceed, so the hunters went out and brought back a rabbit, a large turtle, and some pigeons – the first fresh food they'd tasted since leaving Detroit, apart from a single grouse. Schoolcraft pointed out that "it is not to be inferred, however, that the country is destitute of game, or the savages lack skill in hunting it, but the plentiful supply of provisions which they have derived from the home-stock of the expedition, takes away much of the usual incitements to hunting, while either the rapidity of our movements, or the momentary expectation of re-embarking, while detained by head winds, has prevented them from straying any considerable distance from camp."
Location: near modern Rogers City, Mich.
View Doty's handwritten manuscript of this page
View page in the 1895 printed edition
The wind continuing boisterous, at 8 A. M. we started on foot for Presque Isle distant 8 miles, course nearly N., while the canoe-men proceeded with the canoes. On the lower side of Presque Isle is a large bay, which apparently affords a good harbor [for] shipping. Across the Isle is a portage of 120 yards, which we availed ourselves of, the waves being so high as to render it impracticable to go around. We encamped until near evening when the wind subsiding we embarked steering nearly W.
The Indian name for Presque Isle is She-bah-tah-wahgog. The first bay west of the Isle is called O-chip-pe-wayuiah-ske-mo-tosh, or Chippeway bag — taking its name from a small bay in the center of the large one. The small one furnishes the Indians with fish, they say, when they can find them no where else. About 1 mile from the N. W point of the bay is Trout creek (Nah-ma-go-see-can-ning). In the autumn the Indians resort to this place to fish. It is not navigable. A short distance farther is Swan river, "Wahbe-se-kah-ing," which empties into a bay of the same name, and is Navigable one or two miles for boats and canoes. At 1/2 past 11 at night we encamped on a high sandy beach, 20 miles from Presque Isle.
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