History of Saginaw county, Michigan; together with ... portraits ... and biographies ... History of Michigan ...

HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.

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in other realms, and there remains none to relate our adventures.
Forgive the egotism, and let me say to you what I think I have to
none else. On our way home, the question of life and death was
forcibly presented for our consideration without time for reflection.
It rained heavily while we were at Saginaw, and when Frost and I
got ready to return we were ferried over the river at Green Point
by Jewett. We moved rapidly to the usual crossing on Cass river,
but the increased velocity and volume of water plainly told us we
could not cross there in safety. It was raining hard, and we put
away for the upper crossing a mile or more up the river. When
we reached that point we found the river much narrower, and the
north bank quite elevated. There were a- few deserted Indian
cabins on the north bank, some of thein made of logs split into
halves or slabs. We hastily unsaddled our horses, and drove
them into the river; they swam easily to the opposite shore, went
out of the river, and went to feeding. We hastily pulled down a
cabin, took the timbers to the edge of the water, and there formed
a raft. We fastened the timbers together as well as we could with
our bridles and surcingles, laid timber and bark on top for a floor
or platform, put our saddles, portmanteaus, and blankets on, and
having two of the poles we could find at any of the cabins, we
shoved our frail raft into the surging waters, and both leaned
aboard. The first push we made carried us into water so deep we
could not reach bottom with our poles, and down stream we
went with the rapidity of a race horse. Our poles were so
slender that they served us but little assistance as oars. We applied ourselves with all the energy we possessed, and so shaped
the course of our raft that it came so near the south shore in passing one of the bends of the river, that I caught hold of the tops of some
willows standing on the bank. By holding fast, our raft swung
around, and brought Frost so near that he got a firm hold of the
bushes, and thus we got to shore all safe and not the least frightened. Our horses were soon caught, and our bridles and saddles
thrown on, our blankets and trappings secured, and we upon full
gallop for Flint river, which we reached a little after sun-down.
" Our business at Saginaw was to locate the seat of justice for
that county. When we got there we found Judge Dexter and Engineer and Surveyor Risder platting the city of Saginaw. Dexter
approached the Commissioners with his skeleton map in hand; one
ofthe lots he designated as the ' court-house lot.' He very abruptly
informed them that if they located the site for the seat of justice on
the lot he had designated he would donate it to the county, and he
would give to each of the Commissioners a lot, perhaps two. Our
other associate was satisfied with Dexter's proposition, and from
that moment until we left, I think he looked at nothing but the
lots Dexter proposed to give him. I felt inclined to treat Dexter
with contempt, and for awhile Frost agreed with me and we looked
at other places.
There was then an uninhabited forest where East Saginaw now
stands, and it was said that the whole country, after getting back