The wind continued to lash the fierce billows during the day until
evening; so we decided to remain in Tawas City until the dawn of the next
morning.

Guided by the pale light of another aurora, we resumed our voyage, finding
the surface of Lake Huron still in uproar.

During this forenoon, we had occasion to witness a prospect quite novel to
us. Glancing to our left, on Michigan's sylvan shore, we saw the bickering
flames of a ravaging forest fire; dyeing all the surrounding air and
landscape crimson, while dense clouds of smoke hung over the burning land
like a pall upon which the sun-rays were reflected with weird effect. It
was, indeed, an unusual sight, exhibiting strange beauty and splendor.

In a short time we experienced the disagreeable consequences of this
conflagration in the woodlands, caused by the extreme dryness prevailing
in these regions for several weeks. For, as we reached _Alpena_ in
Michigan, at about noonday, we found the atmosphere completely saturated
with smoke, and intermixed with particles of burnt material.

The reader can easily imagine that this impure air had a very unpleasant
effect upon our eyes, irritating them so as to materially interfere with
our comfort. This was the reason why we did not duly appreciate the
attractions of Alpena, a town with about 12,500 inhabitants, regularly
laid out with nice, broad streets, containing many handsome buildings and
large stores.

We had an ardent desire to bid farewell to the city as quick as possible;
wherefore our captain received the order from Mr. James to guide the yacht
forward on her course, even before the dawning of the next day, if such an