While dwelling upon the importance of the commercial life of the Inland Seas, I wish also to emphasise the fact that I have kept always in mind another large class of people who are keenly interested in my subject, though not from a commercial standpoint. The present volume is designed to interest this latter class by portraying another side of Lake life--the human side, the romance and the tragedy that have played their thrilling parts upon these waters; the wonders of their progress; the story of their ships, their men, their wars, for of all the pages in the history of the North American continent none are more thrilling, or more filled with the romantic and the picturesque, than those which tell the story of our fresh-water seas. In conclusion, I wish to say that I owe a great debt of gratitude to the scores of Lake “owners,” ship-builders, and captains who have aided me, in every way possible, in the preparation of this volume, and without whose personal co-operation the writing of it would have been impossible. J. O. C. DETROIT, MICHIGAN, 1909. Contents PAGE PART I THE SHIPS, THEIR OWNERS, THEIR SAILORS, AND THEIR CARGOES I--THE BUILDING OF THE SHIPS 3 II--WHAT THE SHIPS CARRY--ORE 25 III--WHAT THE SHIPS CARRY--OTHER CARGOES 46 IV--PASSENGER TRAFFIC AND SUMMER LIFE 68 V--THE ROMANCE AND TRAGEDY OF THE INLAND SEAS 89 VI--BUFFALO AND DULUTH: THE ALPHA AND OMEGA OF THE LAKES 113 VII--A TRIP ON A GREAT LAKES FREIGHTER 137 PART II ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF THE LAKES I--ORIGIN AND EARLY HISTORY 159 II--THE LAKES CHANGE MASTERS 175 III--THE WAR OF 1812 AND AFTER 194 INDEX 223 Illustrations _Page_ _The Fountain of the Great Lakes_ _Frontispiece_ _Lorado Taft, Sculptor._ _The First Step in the Making of a Ship--Laying the “Keel Blocks”_ 4 _Second Step--Laying the Keel, or Bottom of the Ship, on the “Keel Blocks”_ 6 _The Growing Ship_ 8 _Vessel Almost Ready for Launching_ 10 _A Monster of Steel and Iron Ready to be Launched_ 12 _Weight 9,500,000 lbs._ _The Launching_ 14