#4, 
=. 
Obituary. 151 
_ township lines on the public lands of that state, and had employed a 
number of distinguished surveyors, with their assistants, in performing 
the difficult and laborious task of the linear surveys, while he explored, 
so far as his other duties would allow, the geological features of the 
country over which the survey extended. 
He had just been engaged in the important duty of conveying 
supplies by appointment to his surveying parties, and was returning 
to Eagle River, when the sad accident befel him which it becomes my 
painful duty to relate. On the 18th of October, with a party of four 
trusty French voyageurs, in a beautiful sail-boat which had been pre- 
sented to him by his friends, he was on his way from the portage on the 
north side of Keweenaw Point to Eagle River, and had just passed a 
point of land, and was running along the shore to the mouth of the riv- 
er, when a sudden northeast gale sprang up, accompanied by a heavy 
fall of snow, and a tremendous cross sea, driving on to a steep and 
rocky lee shore, obstructed his progress and jeopardized the lives of 
all who were in the boat. To land on that coast was impossible, for 
the sea ran as high as his boat’s masts, and dashed upon the inhospita- 
ble rocks with great fury. The coast at that place consists of conglom- 
erate ledges, dipping boldly into the lake at an angle of nearly 49°, and 
from ten to twenty feet high. Every exertion was made to keep the 
boat from being swamped by the sea, which blew directly over its sides. 
Once when the boat was half full of water, the men bailed it out, and 
then handed Dr. Hoveuron his life preserver, entreating him to put it 
on; but he laid it down at his feet, and said that “‘ there was no dan- 
ger.” This was evidently for the purpose of encouraging his boatmen. 
The next moment the boat was filled and overturned. This took 
place at 8 p. m., three miles from Eagle River, and not more than twen- 
ty rods from the shore. 
One of the men who had secured a hold on the rudder of the over- 
turned boat, saw a hand rise out of the water, and seizing upon it drew 
up Dr. Houcuton, who after getting hold of the rudder also, pulled off 
his gloves and said to the man who offered him assistance, ‘‘ Save your- 
self—I can get ashore easily.”* Soon after a heavy sea struck the boat 
under her bows, and completely ended her over, and it is supposed that _ : 
Dr. H. must have been stunned by the blow, for he sank immediately, = 
and was not seen again. Two of his men were drowned withhim,and _ 
two succeeded in reaching the shore, but were much bruised against : 
the rocks, the sea often carrying them back into the Jake after they had 
gained the shore, and dashing them on the rocks again with violence. 
At last they succeeded in laying hold of some bushes which grew in the 
* Dr. Hoveuton was a good swimmer. 
