432 Proceedings o? the 



Commission, who is a delegate to this convention. 

 There were two available steamers on the lake that 

 were very good, and one poor old house-boat. The 

 manager had chartered the steamers for our use; 

 imagine our surprise on arriving to learn that the 

 night before the boiler of the best steamer had been 

 scuttled and put out of use and at daybreak the other 

 steamer was seen scudding off down the lake. A 

 launch was sent flying after the steamer, and it was 

 finally hailed and the captain asked to explain where 

 he was going, and why he had broken faith with the 

 ladies. "Oh," he replied, "a lumberman down the 

 lake has engaged the steamer for a week." 



Fortunately, a boiler inspector reached the town that 

 morning, special providence you know, and resenting 

 such ungallant treatment of the ladies, declared if it 

 was possible the boat should be put in repair and be 

 ready for use the following morning. Blacksmiths, 

 plumbers and carpenters, all lent a hand, and by noon 

 the following day the party was able to go aboard. 



Our forestry friend from Pennsylvania was anxious 

 to see the character of the second growth on the 

 reserve, and seeing a bold bluff at that point, and with 

 Father Wright, chief of the Chippewas and missionary 

 at the agency for forty years, to act as guide, we made 

 a landing. 



Our astonishment can be imagined when we found 

 each one of those beautiful old virgin pines burned at 

 the root, just enough to bring it under the condemned 

 list. Unfamiliar with the vicious workings of the dead 

 and down law, we looked about to learn the cause of 

 the fire. Not a leaf, twig, or grass blade was scorched, 

 there was no sign of tramp or camper, but on examin- 

 ing the burning in the noblest tree of all the group we 

 discovered a small kerosene lamp almost melted down. 



