Historic Diaries: James Doty, 1820
June 25, 1820: Portaging across Keweenaw Peninsula
Editor's Note:
Cutting across the peninsula saved many miles of dangerous canoeing. "In coasting around this point it is estimated to be ninety miles," Schoolcraft noted, "but canoes shorten the journeys by ascending the Portage river, which nearly insulates the point from the main shore, and make a portage of less than a mile into the lake west of the Point. To the east of this point there is a large bay twelve miles wide by twenty in length, called Keweena bay, which it is necessary to cross in order to reach the Portage river."
To lighten the load and speed the work, every passenger carried something: " Each of the gentlemen of the party was to carry his own personal baggage across the portage. This was an awkward business for most of us. The distance was but two thousand yards, but little over a mile, across elevated open grounds. I strapped my trunk to my shoulders, and walked myself out of breath in getting clear of the brushy part of the way, till reaching the end of the first pause, or resting-place. Here I met the Governor [Cass], who facetiously said, 'You see I am carrying two pieces,' alluding to his canoe slippers, which he held in his hands. A 'piece,' in the trade, is the back-load of the engages."
Location: modern Oskar, Mich.
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The three canoes crossed the bay early this morning, and by 8 o'clock we were ready to ascend the river. This river runs nearly a south course through a marsh bounded on each side by high land. In winding its course along it frequently makes right angles. In a few places the current is strong, but generally it is weak. Six miles brought us to the lake [Portage Lake]. Its waters are rather darker than those of the river. This lake is 12 miles long and from an half to six miles broad. For the first 4 miles it is about 3 m. wide. It then enlarges to the right forming a bay near 6 miles deep. Passing the bay which is 2 miles wide, the lake becomes very narrow & is not more than the half of a mile over. It continues nearly this width until it lessens to a river again [at modern Houghton, Mich.] From this to its source is 6 miles. 3 of this the river was 200 yds. over, but entering its source, the canoe completely filled up the stream. From this it became difficult. It was obstructed by logs, brush, grass and beaver dams, over all of which the canoe was lifted by the men.
This stream rises in a marsh, through which there was no channel but that made by forcing the canoe along through the mud and rushes. At the head of this, the canoes were discharged and them and the baggage carried over the portage by hand. I took my baggage weighing about 100 lbs., swung it on my back and marched across with great ease (in no instance was I in the mire over my knees.) This portage cannot be a mile over, though it is generally reckoned 1 1/2 & sometimes 2. One third of the distance the land is very wet & marshy — the residue is high and dry. Timber, hemlock, pine, spruce & birch.
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