History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests / compiled from the official records of the county, the newspapers and data of personal interviews, under the editorial supervision of Thaddeus D. Seeley.

48

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY

while extending a range line in the western part of the state in I836
or I837.
"I will mention here that I finished the work of the two last named'
surveyors in the Saginaw woods and marshes.
"In the autumn of 1832 I left home for the purpose of subdividing
fifteen townships in the lead mine district in Wisconsin.
FRESH TRAILS OF THE BLACK HAWK WAR
"This is remembered as the cholera year, and also the one which
closed the Black Hawk war. A little cluster of whitewashed houses
at the mouth of the Chicago river marked the site of the present great
city. A little distance from this point we discovered fresh wagon tracks
diverging from the main road which had been made by General Scott's
little army in pursuit of Black Hawk and his warriors, which with the
aid of a pocket compass for general course, we mainly followed. Our
troops must have made about eleven miles a day in their march, as was
indicated by their camping grounds, where we found traces of their
fires, cast-off clothing and frequent new-made graves. Half a mile east
of Rock river we first discovered where Black Hawk and his warriors
had encamped three weeks previous, and took possession for one night
only. In addition to the tent-poles were six or eight brush heaps twelve
or fifteen feet in diameter, three or four feet high, the use of which
considering their mode of warfare, we could not comprehend.
"At sunrise we were by the river which was filled by new made, sharp,
cutting ice, and the depth of the water was midriff to the pony. The
poor animal had a hard time taking us all over. Erwin Tyler, the cook,
being the smallest man, was selected as ferryman, and crossed and recrossed, carrying one man behind him each trip. From this point the
character of the country changed from level to hilly, and reaching the
height of ground we could distinctly see, looking ahead, three Indian
trails, apparently six feet apart, indicating that the warriors marched
in single file. The second day after crossing the river, we came across
an Indian trader, rebuilding, the Indians having burned his house and
from him obtained a fresh supply of provisions. Arriving at Mineral
Point, met a son of General Dodge, from whom I engaged a good supply of smoked side pork, not needed for the troops, as the war had
closed. I engaged flour at fourteen dollars per barrel. During our
journey the weather had been warm and smoky, but the night of our
arrival a terrible snow storm occurred, continuing thirty-six hours, with
drifts fifteen to twenty feet high. This was discouraging, for in a prairie country the corners are made by raising mounds of earth two and
one-half feet high; in the top a stake is driven and inscribed with marking-iron, denoting town, range and section. The weather was bitter
cold and our labor severe, but with a spade and two-edged axe, we overcame all difficulties.
"The month of February was pleasant and the honey bees were out
flying in the air. One morning I discovered honey-comb near the foot
of a hollow tree, from which we took two camp kettles' of as beauti