236 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



ever, judge of tlic conditions in this respect in prehistoric times by the 

 present, for, as a result of clearing away tlie forest, many of our rivers in 

 tlie best settled districts no doubt fall now much below the level they 

 maintained when their valleys were wooded. This is not only confirmed 

 by analogy with other countries, but is illustrated by a comparison of the 

 levels of those rivers flowing to-day frum the wooded i)arts of the prov- 

 ince with those in the settled districts. The former will carry abundant 

 water, while the latter are nearly dry. There are difierences in this 

 respect, too, according as the rivers have lakes upon them, storing water, 

 or not. Of course, the degree to which a river held its water up in sum- 

 mer, was an important factor in determining its value as a route of travel. 

 It would be true also that the freshet season in spring, or occasional times 

 in summer and autumn, would allow streams to be navigated which at 

 oi'dinary times would be impassable, and probably there were portage 

 routes used at such times which could not be ordinarily reached. When 

 the water was low, too, the seacoasts could in some cases be made part of 

 such a route, as from the St. John to Petilcodiuc, or from near Bathurst 

 to the St. John, via the Eestigouche. 



No doubt, an Indian in selecting his route of travel to a given 

 point, whei-e more than one ottered, would average up, as a white man 

 would do, the advantages and drawbacks of each for that particular 

 season, taking account of the length of the routes, amount of falls and 

 portaging, the height of the water, etc., and his decision would be a result- 

 ant of all the conditions and would be different in different seasons. It 

 is not easy to understand why so many routes from the St. John to 

 Quebec were in use, unless some offered advantages at one time, others at 

 another. 



Between the heads of the principal rivers were portage paths. Some 

 of these are but a mile or two long — others longer. Some of these port- 

 ages are still in use and uninfluenced by civilization. A good type is 

 that between Nictor Lake and Nepisiguit Lake, which I have recently 

 seen. The path is but wide enough to allow a man and canoe to ])ass. 

 Where it is crossed by newly fallen trees the lirst passer either cuts them 

 out, steps over them, or goes round, as may be easiest, and his example 

 is followed by the next. In this way the exact line of the path is con- 

 stantly changing, though in the main its course is kept. No doubt some 

 of these paths are of great antiquity. Gesner states' that one of the most 

 used, that between Eel River Lake and North Lake, on the route from 

 the St. John to the Penobscot, had been used so long that the solid rocks 

 had been worn into furrows by the tread of moccasined feet ; and Kidder* 

 quotes this and comments upon it as probably tlie most ancient evidence 

 of mankind in New England. A somewhat similar statement is made by 



* New Brunswick, 89. 



* Revolutionary Operations, 80, 84. 



