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.

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY

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northwest to the point designated. The axeman, two chainmen and
cook, headed by myself, each with a blanket and two weeks' provisions,
pocket compass in hand, course northeast, set off through the marsh,
readily finding the corner left in my first trip. We commenced work,
continuing two weeks, our provisions much reduced, and not hearing
from the pack-men, I decided we would go in pursuit. Taking an east
course, we intersected Black river, followed down stream, boarded a
shingle shanty, and were informed by the men that the men and horses
had crossed the river and gone west. Turning back in our course we
followed their tracks, and in due time met together. When running
west I dispatched our new pack-man, directing him to go southwest
by the pocket compass and, when eight miles, look sharply for an east
and west line I had surveyed, follow it until he found what I had described on paper (handing it to him) and he would find provisions in a
basswood trough covered with a like made trough, secured by heavy
logs for safety.
"Finding the provisions he made a full pack from the deposit and
set off to meet the surveying party. But his return was long delayed.
Fortunately the other packer, Steinbrook, was returning from my other
deposit-Burch's mill-and met the lost and bewildered man, when
the two returned to camp the following day. Of course he had a long
story to tell of his adventures and sufferings during his two weeks'
solitude in the wilderness. For six or eight weeks the land in the
vicinity of the heads of Cass and Black rivers (the English of the
Indian name is 'Big Marsh') was under water from knee to waist
deep, and we were obliged to dispense with our horses while extending range and township lines, while each man carried on his back his
own blanket and provisions.
"Our progress, of course, was slow, making two and one-half to
three miles per day. We were frequently obliged to lay down poles
and pile on them hemlock boughs to keep out of the water while we
slept. I remember we built one camp-fire on the earth-covered roots
of an overthrown hemlock, after driving center-poles to scaffold up
to the fire. The difficulty of transporting provisions caused us to be
on short allowance, and I well remember, at one time, when our hunger had not been satisfied for days, and while establishing a corner on
the bank of Lake Huron, a couple of the boys killed a coon when starting for camp, and not being able to reach it before night, we roasted
one quarter of the coon for supper, and lay down blanketless for our
night's repose. The remainder of the Jittle animal, with the last pint
of flour at camp, was quickly disposed Qf on our arrival.
"In April, finding I was accomplishing so little after two months'
hard work, I decided to return home and await a more favorable season. When making returns of the work performed I was offered twelve
townships subdividing, with privilege of selecting my own location. This
I accepted, and early in the autumn started on my third trip. When
recommencing my work on Lake Huron another surveyor was landing
his provisions, preparatory to commencing subdividing where I had
already surveyed the township lines, and another party was said to be
on his way for like purposes. It seemed as though the government