142 
and the Lewis House, G. W. Lewis, pro- 
prietor, accommodate a large number of 
guests, and there is no difficulty in ob- 
taining board in private families. 
Stevens’ Point, one hundred and sixty- 
five miles from Milwaukee, is the junc- 
tion with the Portage Branch, twelve 
hours’ ride from Chicago. From here 
the route first goes northwest and then 
due north, through the vast forests of 
Central and Northern Wisconsin, one 
hundred and eighty-six miles to Ashland, 
and passes through thick forests of hard 
wood and pine, broken only by the clear- 
ings for settlements which have been 
made within the past few years. Here 
the traveler gets a glimpse of the “forest 
primeval” as he journeys on his way 
north. Immense pines rear their heads 
high toward heaven, sturdy oaks spread 
their limbs far out in every direction, 
while the foliage of the maple, hickory, 
ash, and birch add variety and make a 
picture of natural beauty unsurpassed 
and seldom equalled. In some places 
the monster trees, thrown down, piled 
one on the other, their branches twisted, 
snarled, and intertwined, give evidence 
that a more than usually severe wind has 
visited that portion of the forest. Again 
you pass a solitary pine, towering far 
above the surrounding trees, its black- 
ened trunk giving evidence that fire has 
caused its death, standing like a sentinel 
keeping guard over its smalier compan- 
ions. In the forests between Stevens’ 
and Ashland Point those who are fond of 
camping out, and who enjoy a life in the 
woods, can realize their heart’s desire. 
The many lakes, rivers, and streams af- 
ford ample opportunities for canoeing and 
fishing, and the woods are full of game 
and deer in season. 
Colby, fifty-one miles from Stevens’ 
Point, is a small village containing eight 
THE SPORTSMAN’S AND TOURIST’S GUIDE. 
or ten stores, and several hotels and pri- 
vate boarding-houses. Trains going 
north stop here for dinner. A friend 
visiting this place recently says: “On 
making inquiries of parties in town, I was 
told that deer shooting was excellent, 
and, as the train approached the depot, 
I saw a man driving an ox-team, who 
had a large buck in the wagon.” Ano- 
ther says: ‘“‘The deer are plenty, and 
every train brings several per express. 
Colby is the best point.” All the lakes 
and rivers in the northern part of the 
State (a glance at the map will show 
anyone that they are far from scarce) 
teem with fish, and most of them can be 
easily reached by this line. 
Dorchester, fifty-seven miles from 
Stevens’ Point, is a small but flourishing 
town. Shooting is good in the vicinity. 
Medford is sixty-seven miles from 
Stevens’ Point. This is a thriving little 
town on the Black River. The country 
in the vicinity is not very thickly settled. 
The shooting here is not. of much ac- 
count, but splendid fishing for muska- 
longe, bass, &¢., can be had in the lakes 
about six miles west. 
Three stations beyond’ Medford, at 
Westboro’, is the place, or one of them, 
for deer-hunters to get off. Thirteen 
miles west of the town is a village called 
the Yellow River country, which is a 
paradise for deer hunters. The deer 
leave the upper country about the Ist of 
September, and come down on the Yel- 
low River, where they stay in the hard- 
wood country until Spring, when they 
return. Parties wishing to visit this sec- 
tion may be able to make arrangements 
to stay in the logging camp, if they pre- 
fer that to camping out. There is a good 
road to the camp from the station, and 
men and traps can be carried there with 
ateam. The Yellow and Jump rivers, 
