82 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST, [^pri^; 



dians, with their canoes, we reached the sources of that liver on 

 the 5th of July. This stream, or a portion of it, having ah*eady been 

 the subject of a formar exploration, I shall endeavor to make my 

 observations on its character as brief as possible. 



The proper outlet of the Tobique River is not apparent at its 

 mouth, the land being low, and the stream much hidden by over- 

 grown alluvial islands. To the geolooist the true embouchure 

 is the remarkable spot called the " Narrows," situated but a short 

 distance above the Indian village. These narrows constitute one 

 of the most curious and beautiful scenes to be found in the Prov- 

 ince. The rocks which here cross the bed of the river, and 

 which are well exposed in the perpendicular cliffs 150 feet high 

 on both sides of the stream, are composed of slates and schists, 

 filled with seams of quartz and limestone, and pursue a course 

 about N. 34"^ E. The channel is very tortuous, and in most parts 

 daep, having an average width of about 150 feet. The navi- 

 gation of the stream is at all times difficult, requiring the utmost 

 skill of the Indians, but during periods of freshet, becomes per- 

 fectly impassable. It is probable that a fall once existed at this 

 place, and that the present gorge, which is about a mile in length, 

 has been left by the gradual wearing away of the strata, until the 

 course of the river becomes comparatively unimpeded. 



Between the Narrows and the Ked Rapids, which are about 11 

 miles distant from the mouth of the river, the land is of moderate 

 elevation, occasionally becoming bold and picturesque. Some five 

 miles above the Narrows, the stream passes near the base of high 

 and precipitous cliffs of ferruginous rock, overhung with cedar, 

 while the opposite shore is low and covered with a mixture of hard 

 and soft woods. Occasionally terraced banks are evident, but 

 they are much less numerous, and less remarkable than those on 

 the river St. John. In no case did I observe mo.e than one at 

 the same spot, and they, as a rule, were of but little elevation. 

 Four miles above the Narrows, a small stream, called the Pokiok, 

 joins the main river, entering on the west bank by a fall through 

 rock apparently dipping about sixty degrees to the northwest. 

 Through all this district the land appears fertile, and the vegeta- 

 tion luxuriant. Among the trees noticed were elms and moun- 

 tain ash of enormous size, cedar, spruce, fir, birch, thorn, and pop- 

 lar. Of herbaceous plants I noticed the following: TlireUa, cor- 

 di/oUa, TrllUum trectam^ small, yellow lady's slipper; Ci/prlpedi- 



