At 3 o’clock p.m. on Saturday, September 8th, 1827, an event like no one had ever seen before took place in Niagara Falls, witnessed by thousands of spectators lining both shores. The Michigan, an old, condemned lake schooner, floated down the Niagara River towards the great cataract. It was dressed up like a pirate ship and carrying multiple human effigies, two bears, a buffalo, a dog, a raccoon, two foxes, a bunch of geese, and an eagle. Most did not survive the plunge.