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Journal links

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Quotes from 19th century travelers

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Below are links to the entire journals of known travelers of 6-Pause portage. For excerpts from the journals that focus on 6 pause portage travel, click on the Quotes from 19th century travelers link. Journals will be listed chronologically and will have a brief annotation.

Victor Malhiot (1805-06) was a French Fur Trader employed by the Northwest Fur Company. His year long journal is arguably the most comprehensive description of the traditional fur trade in northern Wisconsin and the upper peninsula of Michigan. Malhiot was a ruthless trader, complainer, racist and suffered while traveling along 6-Pause portage. His quotes regarding the difficulties of 6-Pause are the most eloquent and powerful.

James Duane Doty (1820) was a government agent representing the territorial interests of the United States of America. His reference to 6-Pause is brief but noteworthy.

Sherman Hall (1832) was a missionary for the American Board of Foreign Missionaries and kept a detailed journal on his travels to Lac Du Flambeau. Hall's journals contain many insights into the conduct of native and nonnative cultures. His religious bias is glaring but balances nicely with many good observations. While traversing 6-Pause Portage, Hall was caught by darkness and spent a cold and uncomfortable night encamped along the portage trail. He has extensive observations of the trail and of the overall difficulties of travel in the northwoods in the early 19th century.

Thomas Jefferson Cram (1842) was a government agent in charge of surveying the modern border between Wisconsin and the upper peninsula of Michigan. Cram was overwhelmed by his task and, after striking the East Branch of the Montreal River, traveled southeast to Trout Lake via 6-Pause Portage in an effort to triangulate his survey between Lac Vieux Desert and the East Branch of the Montreal. Cram makes no real mention of the portage trail due to his fatigue and extensive notes on the border.

A. B. Gray (1846) was a geologist who was surveying the area south of the copper and iron ranges along Lake Superior to determine if any mineral wealth could be found in the interior lake region. His scientific and cultural observations are excellent. Gray traveled up the Manitowish River to the Trout Lake band of the Ojibwe adding some fine insight relative to the Turtle Band of the Ojibwe and 6-Pause Portage.

J. G. Norwood (1847) was a geologist who also surveyed the interior region for mineral wealth and was attached to the Owen Expedition. Norwood kept an extensive journal of his travels with the greatest detail. His map is outstanding and was drawn by an Ojibwe whom included the names of many lakes and portages written in native language. Norwood kept great journals of all his travels and was the most scientific in his record of 6-Pause Portage. Norwood's work is the most comprehensive regarding the Turtle Portage, the Flambeau Trail and Turtle Band of the Ojibwe.