Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

83. P.M. Two trips to Harbor, the first take Bertha along to town, who does shopping while Arthur & I to harbor. I make drawings of the grain boat at the Great Eastern elevators. A lot of activity while we were there, the place never seemed so exciting or worthwhile. An awkward barge being towed southward, has to go to one side to get out of the way of a large boat coming up thru the Michigan Street passage. A tremendous dignity about these high-prowed boats as they come silently & slowly along, guide by a fussy little tug. Another barge, gets in the way, and occasions some angry shouting, and much whistling & signaling. The deep gutteral blast of the large ship gives me a thrill – talking in a “tongue” foreign to me these whistlings have the mysterious air of some strange rite. From the north now appears, another large boat with a large crane of some sort mounted on it – it passes into the western channel. Soon all is straightened out with nothing more than a slight bump between the barge and the tug, and presently the channel is left clear for the barge & its tug, which maneuvers its charge into place along-side the great Eastern banks.

     Second ship alone; - go south along the turnpike for several miles, and on return stop and make a sketch of one of several Great Lake Conf.