Michigan historical collections. [Vol. 17]

HIS TRIP TO MICHIGAN IN 1836.

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almost impassable. From Mullineaux to Queenston constituted the second
day's journey (February 12) and supposed to be about twenty-five
miles. The crossing of the Niagara was successfully accomplished, and
emigrants and teams put up the first night on British soil; it being
the first night that either of the emigrants had ever slept outside of
the protecting regis of the American Eagle. But cold and fatigue
rendered their slumbers calm and peaceful.
On the third day, being February 13, their course led down
Niagara river in a northerly direction, facing a bitter wind, fresh from
Lake Ontario: Levi, whose health had always been extremely delicate,
was nearly overpowered by the cold. His lungs were seriously affected,
and it was thought it would be necessary to return him to his old
home. That night they put up at Hamilton, a small village almost
the then size of Pontiac.
"On the 4th day, February 14, struck out to the west through the
interior of Canada, passing through some good farm settlements. Along
the Grand river passed some valuable bodies of pine timber. The route
led through Brantford and St. Catharine's, where we crossed the Welland
canal. Both Brantford and St. Cathlarine's were then quite small towns.
Passed through a hamlet called Westminster. Came through twelve
miles Indian woods. The last stop we made east of the Indian woods,
it was late in the afternoon and was thawing, and we were anxious to
push forward. Bated teams and took lunch before entering the long
woods. This day fell in with a Canadian emigrant named John Stiles,
who was, like us, traveling with an ox team, and whose place of destination was also Lapeer county. He was from near Toronto, and his
father's family had preceded him, with horses and sleigh. The night
was bright starlight, and grew intensely cold. When we supposed we
were about half way through the woods, we called a halt, and gave hay
to our oxen, and took a lunch, and as we waited to rest our teams and
give them time to eat, we traveled and beat the snow with our boots
to keep from freezing. Renewing our journey through the frozen
woods, we pushed forward to the banks of the river Thames. At this
time, while it was yet dead of night, we entered a clearing. Here the
monotony of our journey was interrupted by an unexpected serenade,
it being the barking, yelping and howling of several hundred Indian
dogs from the opposite side of the river. At this time, while it was yet
dead of night, we had reached Moravian Town, the scene of the Tecumseh battle grounds. A little below Moravian Town we came to a tavern, where we turned in and took a morning nap, and at the 'same time
rested, bated, and refreshed our teams. This brought us to the morn