[ganong] 



HISTORIC SITES IN NEW BRUNSWICK 



251 



8. St. John- Mir amichi. 



A.— Gaspereau-Cains River. This was a route of considerable importance. 

 Its exact course as given me by a resident i is shown on the accompanying 

 map No. 9. Botli Gaspereau and Cains River, like others in the Carbonif- 

 erous area of New Brunswick, are easy of navigation because of their slight 

 fall and smoothness of current. The portage, six miles long, passes over a 

 nearly level country. The route is mentioned by Benjamin Marston (who 

 travelled over it) in his valuable IMS. Diary of 1785 •^; is marked imper- 

 fectly on Purdy's map of 1815, Bouchette of 1815, Bonnor of 1820, Bailhe 

 and Kendall of 1832, and elsewhere. This is 

 no doubt the portage between Salmon River 

 and Miramichi mentioned in the " Notitia of 

 New Brunswick," page 110. 



Possibly there was some route from 

 Cains River or Black Brook to Barnabys 

 River, for the name of a branch of the latter, 

 , Semiwagan, is in Micmac Say-moo-wak-nn- 

 uk, strongly suggestive oio-wok-un, " a port- 

 age." This is strongly confirmed by the 

 Franquelin-DeMeulles map of 1686, the origi- 

 nal of wliich in Paris ^ shows a continuous line 

 between what is apparently the Little Semi- 

 wagan and Black Brook. An apparent por- 

 tage route on this map in the angle between 

 the Renous, Main South-west and Little 

 South-west Miramichi, I am unable to locate. 

 B.— Nashwaak-South-west Miramichi. This 

 was a long but very important portage run- 

 ning from near Cross Creek to above Boies- 

 town. As mapped and described for me by a 

 resident,* it started about a mile north of 

 Nashwaak Bridge Post office, followed Cross 

 Creek to about Budagan Brook, thence 



followed the course of the present railroad to beyond the Clearwater, 

 whence it followed the course of the present highway road to within two 

 miles of Boiestown, whence it turned directly to the river, reaching it at 

 Portage Bank, two miles above Boiestown. This is no doubt the course of 

 the first Portage road, which in the main must have followed the Indian 

 trail ; though probably in high water the Indian route went up Cross Creek 

 as far as Budagan Brook, and thence possibly into the Taxis. The name 

 Budagan (on the Geological, not on Loggie's map) suggests a connection 

 with the Micmac ok-un, part of o-v:ok-un, a portage, which is strengthened 

 by its occurrence on another portage route, the Napudogan (8 C). 



This route is shown imperfectly on Purdy's map of 1814, on Bouchette, 

 1815, Bonnor, 1820, and on Baillie & Kendall of 1832, who give its length as 



1 Mr. I8aac Burpee, of Gaspereau. 



2 In possession of Bev.W. O. Raymond. 

 See earlier, page 239. 



* Mr. John Hayes, of Hayesville. 



Map No. 9. The Gaspereau- 

 Cains River Portage. 



