[g.vnong] 



ADDITIONS TO MONOGRAPHS r, 



99 



255B. 



another route by way of the Tracadie River into Bass River or Tea- 

 gues Brook. Such a route would be indicated by topographical proba- 

 bilities as at least used in travel from Tracadie to Nepisiguit, though 

 I have not been able to find any direct tradition or other such evi- 

 dence for it aside from the unsupported statement in Slafter's Cham- 

 plain that such a route existed. As I have found by a trip of my own 

 on the Tracadie, and as described, with a map, In Bulletin (Vol V, 

 433) of the Natural History Society of N. B., this trout-famous river 

 is readily navigable for canoes, with only a few short shallow reaches, 

 completely to the extreme head, even the uppermost waters of the 

 main stream being formed of meadowy deadwaters very easy for 

 canoe travel; and it was no doubt more easy of navigation before 

 the days of lumbering, as earlier noted. These deadwaters swing 

 much nearer to Bass River (within tv\o or 

 three miles at most) than our printed maps 

 show, and hence an easy route is afforded to 

 Bass River, which however is said to be diffi- 

 cult for canoe navigation at low water. But I 

 have also found in my own visit, that the 

 waters of the Little Noi'th Branch have this 

 same meadowy character, and to a point 

 which, as I have been informed by a lumber 

 man who knows the region intimately, reaches 

 within about a mile and a half of Taegues 

 Lake, whence it is only some six miles to the 

 salt water. The little North Branch with 

 Teagues Brook would thus form a shorter 

 route than that by Bass River, and as well, 

 avoiding a two-mile shallow reach above 

 Little North Branch, it would form a much 

 easier route. Very likely, it was thus used, 

 though such a route now seems locally un- 

 known. 



Portage River-Gordon Brook. Important as 

 til is route was, it nevertheless appears not to 

 be shown upon any existent map. Its general 

 location, however, would seem to be indicated 

 by the toposrraphy of the accompanying map 

 (Map No. 13) a copy from the Timber line 



map in the Crown Land Office. All the lower part of Portage River, 

 as I have seen, is a very meadowy quiet stream mostly very easy 

 of canoe navigation, and I have been told that Gordon Brook has 

 much of the same character. The only direct mention of the route 

 I find on any map is on the plan of the Gordon Grant, (shown on 

 the map) of 1822, on which the brook flowing through this grant 

 (which embraces extensive meadows) is named " Indian Portage 

 Brook to N. W. Branch Miramichi, " while on the brook above this 

 grant is marked " Brook to N. W. Miramichi, " showing that the 

 portage started above the grant. Probably it crossed from the 

 southerly bend of Gordon Brook to the angle of the N. W. Branch 

 of Portage River. 



The course of the trail from Nepisiguit to the Northwest Miramichi 

 by Emerys Gulch, said by guides to have been used by the Indians, 



Map No. 13. From a 

 Modern Plan ; x J,. 



