240 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



bouring provinces, but il is in ilsdf vi-ry easy t«) travel. Tbrongli most of its 

 t'oui-se the water is lu-viT too low for good canoe navigation, and it has few 

 rapids and but a single great fall. 



The .<t. John rises in Maine and its head waters interlock with those of 

 the Penobscot, and with the Eteheniin flowing into the St. Lawrence near 

 Quebec. A good description of its entire course is given in Bailey's " St. 

 John River." Its upiK-r course is easy of navigation, consisting of long 

 deadwaters broken by short stretches of rapids. From Seven Islands to the 

 Allagash it is more rapid and its bed more rocky, and it passes several bad 

 rapids. Below the Allagash to Etlinundston it is swift and with some 

 rapids, but none which are dangerous, nor difficult to surmount. From' 

 l"-dmundston to Grand Falls the current is gentle, and there are many quiet 

 stretches. At Grand Falls it drops in all one Inmdred and fifty feet. The 

 old portage is across the neck on the west side ; its course is now mostly 

 obliterated by the buildings of the vilhige, but its exact original course is 

 shown on the original survey plan of the town of Colebrooke (former name 

 of the village). The Grand Falls portage, now often spoken of, is simply the 

 road from Aroostook to the Falls. From the Falls to Tobique the river is 

 very swift, and broken by some rapids requiring careful navigation ; and 

 from Tobique to Woodstock its course is everywhere swift, but witliout 

 rapids of any account. From Woodstock to Springhill, above Fredericton, 

 the current is mostly swift, and there is one bad rapid, the ^Ie(hictic Falls, 

 but there are many quiet reaches and some deadwater. From Springhill to 

 the mouth the tide flows. On the lower part of the river are a few local 

 portages. An old plan marks a portage across the neck at Gagetown, where 

 the canal now is. Another places one between the Upper Keyhole on 

 Grand Lake, and Maquapit Lake, a distance of somewhat less than two 

 miles. Anotlier, of much importance in shortening distance on the lower 

 river, was a much travelled path from Portagi- (now Kingston) Creek near 

 tiie mouth of the Belieisle across to Kennebecasis, and a road was early 

 made through here and u.sed in the last century in travelling with teams 

 on the ice from St. John to Fredericton. The Portage is marked on the 

 ^Morris map of 17()ô, and others, and the road is on K. Campbell's of 1788. 

 At the mouth of the river are the Falls, pa.ssable for canoes but for a few 

 minutes on each tide at slack water, and to avoid these there was a portage 

 path across the narnnvest part of the neck from :Marble Cove to nearly oppo- 

 site Navy Island. This portage is shown, though crudely, on Champlain's 

 map of the harbour of 1004, and in detail tm liruce's line map of the harbour 

 of 1701, which shows also a jKirtage from Mill Cove on the Harbour across to 

 tin- Marsh Cn-ek by the route now followed by the Intercolonial Railway, and 

 another acro.ss Green Head, where the canal now is. On Wilkinson's map 

 Drury Cove on the Kennebecasis is marked " Portage," which no doubt 

 marks a nmch used portage to the Marsh Creek, and a route thence to 

 Courtenay Bay. 



2. St. John — Passamaquoddy. 



A.— Along the Sea-coast. P.y tliis natural and easy route the Indians still 

 travel in summer in their birch canoes. Though the coast is bold, harbours 

 are very frequent, ami hence danger from storms slight. At Point Lepreau 

 the eddies are dangerous, and to avoid them then" was used a path from 



