There was tramping of feet and scraping of shovels. I was sure we had
run aground. Brother soon told us we were safe at Presque Isle dock. Oh
how glad we felt! Brother said hurry and dress so you can get out on
deck and look at our boat. She is a sight to look at. We were soon on
the dock looking at our boat covered with snow and ice. One could never
have imagined it was a boat that lay there. It was like a big ice berg.
Her spar was so covered with ice it looked like a great tree. Our boat
was a side wheel steamer with a walking beam. Capt. Newberry was owner
and master. He said to his mates, "Boys, when this old steamer of ours
can weather such a gale she can go through anything." People came
running down to the dock to see the steamer as the news spread. We laid
there two days and nights to clear the snow and ice off and make some
repairs so she could go to Buffalo to lay up for the winter. Brother
Lewis said he could not tell how many barrels of salt were used on that
trip to keep the boat from sinking with ice. Our ears were tired hearing
the shovels scraping the snow and ice for the rest of the trip.