Marsh hay at this time became a valuable commodity, bringing $40 per ton, and Mr. Secord spent the summer season in cutting the hay and the winters trapping, with assistance of his boys and hired help, earning sometimes $600 per year from the hay, besides quite a snug sum from trapping.
A gun and dog where his constant companions, and with them he seemed to have no further desires. A very successful method of killing deer was by floating down the river on a rough raft, from which he shot with his gun, and by means of which he has killed as many as seven of those gentle and fleet inhabitants of the forest in on night.
During his second winter in the woods, while 15 miles from homes, he accidentally shot himself in an ankle, and was carried home on litter. A doctor was brought from Midland, but he was not able to extract the ball, which was never taken out.
One of the much looked for and pleasant events was the yearly trip of the family to Midland, which was made in a large white canoe, and took for the down trip a long day. Upon their entrance at Midland the ladies of the family, being good singers, made the town ring with their musical voices.
The family were left at Midland, while Mr. and Mrs. Secord went to Saginaw to dispose of furs and lay in supplies, trading chiefly with the firm of R. Boyd & Co. The return trip took from three to four days and all hands had to paddle both ways, but the children worked harder going down than back, as they were more anxious to reach their destination.