352 OCEAN TO OCEAN ON HORSEBACK. 



after my arrival at Dowagiac, and I considered my- 

 self very fortunate^ as it was accompanied by the most 

 violent thunder and lightning that I had yet encount- 

 ered. Notwithstanding this disturbed condition of 

 the elements, I was greeted by a full house at Young 

 Men's Hall, where 1 was introduced by Dr. Thomas 

 Rix. 



I found a few familiar faces at Niles which I had 

 seen during my previous visit, and several new places 

 of interest about the town. Navigation on the St. 

 Joseph ends at this point, and the narrowed stream is 

 spanned by a railroad bridge; and the water-power in- 

 creased by a dam. There is a brisk business carried 

 on at the water's edge. 



The mills are well supplied with grain from out- 

 lying fields, and boats are continually plying back and 

 forth laden with lumber, grain, flour and fruit, which 

 are shipped from here in large quantities. In fact, for 

 its size — it claims I believe, a population of something 

 over 4,000 — Niles is full of energy and ambition. I 

 found myself on this second visit very much interested 

 in the place and pleased that circumstances had made 

 necessary a second halt. 



K<niiard House, 



Buchanan, Michigan, 



September Seventh. 



Resumed my journey at two o'clock in the after- 

 noon at a small way place between Niles and Bu- 

 chanan, where I rested at noon. The heavy rains of 

 the preceding days had left the roads in a most 



