Heward's Journal - Paddle days 21, 22, 23

Paddle Day 21

Wednesday Apl 28th 1790. Got from Mr Langlade Gum for 20/ & gave him an Order on G. Meldrum (?) Exchanged with him 2 bushels of unhull'd for hulled Corn & set off the wind North & by West under sail but before Mid Day the wind forced so as to oblige us to put into the River Barbu (Pigeon Lake) & with some Difficulty got in & got some Sprays of the Swells we there camped & unloaded to Gum the Cannots......The Wind increasing continued 'till Night.

Thursday Apl 29th 1790. The Wind blew all Night & continuing in the Morning we still remained camped. continued to blow all Day

Paddle Day 22

Friday Apl 30th 1790. after a very frosty night the Wind at South by East set off about 11 oClock a small Creek but not Water to enter into (outlet of Macatawa River and Lake Macatawa?) at 12 oClock came to river Mazame or Kualamazeau (Kalamzoo) which is on Nore West Side before coming to the Extremity of the point a fine river runn'g from the South East & a Trading House at the Entrance round this Point is stone and gravel & the Bay following it still continues high banks with Stone & Gravell to a small river stop'd up where we camped (Pier Cove Creek near Ganges?)

Paddle Day 23

Saturday May 1st 1790. Wind at South gum'd the Cannots & set off arrived about 10 oClock at River Noir (Black River) running from east but small at the Entrance (South Haven) from the Kekalemazeau or River Mazane (to) here high Banks & Gravell & Rocks dangerous in stormy weather Met 3 Cannots of Mr Burnitts* about half Way here for Michi (Michilimackinac) a light Breeze of Wind rose from the North which continued about 2 hours very light but we carried Sail 'till it died away Arrived at the River St Josephs late a fine River run'g from East South East a Strong current & nearly as large as the Grand River the Course from the River Noir about South West very high banks Camped. (I imagine they camped on the beach).

* William Burnette, a trader with a post up the St, Joseph.

My Note: The explorer LaSalle arrived at the mouth of the St. Joseph by canoe from Green Bay in the fall of 1679. He called it The River of the Miamis. He built a fort on top of the bluff in present day St Joe then went up the river to the site of present day South Bend, portaged into the headwaters of the Kankakee River and went down that river to where it joins thedes Plaines River to form the Illinois River. Then he went south to Peoria and built another fort. The next spring he returned north up the Illinois but had to abandon his canoes about at Joliet because of ice. Sloshed cross-country to the Lake and then walked ing up the beach to St Joe. When he found out from the men left at the fort that his ship Griffon was lost, he had a raft built to cross the river to where Benton Harbor is now. Then he (with four Frenchmen and an Indian) took off on foot up the Paw Paw River valley heading for Lake Erie.

Sunday May 2d 1790 a Strong head Wind from the West which obliged us to remained camped

Monday May 3d 1790 A Wet night & Strong head Wind from the West still detain'd us.