AIT SABLE, THE HIGHLY INTERESTING 



$01 



in the current. In front of us the river 

 rushed along, a little, narrow, rapid stream 

 of absolutely clear water, and disappeared 

 a few rods away, around a bend. Occa- 

 sional logs and rocks could be seen, and at 

 the bend the current swept under a fallen 

 tree. That was the general character of the 

 river through much of the upper part. We 

 had written ahead to engage a second boat 

 and found it ready for us, a regular "river- 



that our best plan was to use the oars of the 

 canvas boat as paddles. The current carries 

 one along fast enough throughout the 

 greater part of the river. The trick is to 

 keep clear of rocks and snags. The river- 

 boat was sometimes rather unmanageable 

 in the sharp bends. Now and then it would 

 crash into some fallen tree, but always it 

 came through unharmed. Where the river 

 falls most rapidly there are often rocks near 



STOWING DUFFLE AFTER A STOP FOR PROVISIONS 



boat" as they call the type — long, narrow, 

 pointed at both ends, heavy and built with 

 a well in the middle for live-box, in which 

 are kept minnows for bait. It was said that 

 these boats are sometimes hard to secure, 

 unless engaged ahead. Another way to get 

 a boat is to buy boards from a mill on the 

 river bank, borrow a hammer and saw, and 

 knock together a scow. The mill is ready to 

 help with plans and dimensions. Two 

 young men that we met did this. It took 

 them about half a day to build their boat 

 and it cost them five dollars. 



At nine o'clock we put in and enjoyed our 

 first taste of the river. The water was swift 

 and the turns were sharp. But we had no 

 serious trouble with them, and neither ought 

 any one else with a reasonable knowledge of 

 boats. The natives use a long, heavy pole 

 exclusively in managing a river-boat. We 

 had one and cut another for the canvas 

 boat, but after varied experiments we found 



the surface of the swirling water, or jutting 

 through it, but though they are themselves 

 concealed they make enough commotion in 

 the current to enable one to see and avoid 

 them. It takes quick work sometimes, but 

 it can be done by any one with ordinary 

 strength in his arm and eyes in his head. 



At a point two-thirds of the way from 

 Grayling to the mouth of the river there is 

 four or five miles of white water, known as 

 the Au Sable Rapids. The writer left our 

 party some few miles above this point. The 

 others went through successfully in the 

 river-boat, though the rocks were thick and 

 the descent considerable. Beyond this place 

 the water was easy-going to the end of the 

 river. 



The canvas boat was by far the easier to 

 manage from start to finish. Of course, it 

 was necessary absolutely to avoid rocks, 

 logs or the sweepers — fallen trees lying in 

 the bends or across the current. However, 



