[U] I can now recall a petition that was circulated at the garrison about this period, for “building a brigg over Michigan City.” By altering the orthography, it was found to mean, not the stupendous undertaking it would seem to imply, but simply “building a bridge over at Michigan City.” An accommodation much needed by travellers at that day.
There was no house on the southern bank of the river, between the fort and “The Point,” as the forks of the river were then called. The land was a low wet prairie, scarcely affording good walking in the dryest summer weather, while at other seasons it was absolutely impassable. A muddy streamlet, or as it is called in this country, a slew,[V] after winding around from about the present site of the Tremont House, fell into the river at the foot of State street.[W]
[V] The proper orthography of this word is undoubtedly slough, as it invariably indicates something like that which Christian fell into in flying from the City of Destruction. I spell it, however, as it is pronounced.
[W] A gentleman who visited Chicago at that day, thus speaks of it: “I passed over the ground from the fort to the point, on horseback. I was up to my stirrups in water the whole distance. I would not have given sixpence an acre for the whole of it.”
At a point, on the south side, stood a house just completed by Mark Beaubien, sen.[[64]] It was a pretentious white two-story building, with bright blue wooden shutters, the admiration of all the little circle at Wolf Point. Here a canoe ferry was kept to transport people across the south branch of the river.
Facing down the river from the west was, first a small tavern kept by Mr. Wentworth, familiarly known as "Old Geese," not from any want of shrewdness on his part, but in compliment to one of his own cant expressions. Near him were two or three log-cabins occupied by Robinson, the Pottowattamie chief, and some of his wife’s connexions. Billy Caldwell, the Sau-ga-nash, too, resided here occasionally, with his wife, who was a daughter of Nee-scot-nee-meg, one of the most famous chiefs of the nation. A little remote from these residences was a small square log building, originally designed for a school-house, but occasionally used as a place of worship whenever any itinerant minister presented himself.
The family of Clybourn had, previous to this time, established themselves near their present residence on the North Branch—they called their place New Virginia. Four miles up the South Branch was an old building which was at that time an object of great interest as having been the theatre of some stirring events during the troubles of 1812.[X] It was denominated Lee’s Place, or Hardscrabble. Here lived, at this time, a settler named Heacock.
[X] See Narrative of the Massacre, [p. 155].
Owing to the badness of the roads a greater part of the year, the usual mode of communication between the fort and “The Point” was by a boat rowed up the river, or by a canoe paddled by some skilful hand. By the latter means, too, an intercourse was kept up between the residents of the fort and the Agency House.
There were, at this time, two companies of soldiers in the garrison, but of the officers one. Lieutenant Furman, had died the autumn previous, and several of the others were away on furlough. In the absence of Major Fowle and Capt. Scott, the command devolved on Lieut. Hunter. Besides him, there were Lieuts. Engle and Foster—the latter unmarried. Dr. Finley, the post surgeon, was also absent, and his place was supplied by Dr. Harmon, a gentleman from Vermont.