46 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



the water at flood the Indians were able to deUver messages from the 

 Governor at Quebec to the commander at the mouth of the St. John 

 in five days, a distance of 430 miles. That this was quite possible 

 is shown by the fact that not many years ago the Messrs. Straton, of 

 Fredericton, paddled in a bark canoe from the Grand Falls to Freder- 

 icton, 133 miles, in 14 hours and 46 minutes, the river being then at 

 freshet height. 



Among the early voyageurs who have left interesting accounts 

 of their journey over this route we may mention Joseph Nicholas 

 Gauthier, of Port Lajoie (Charlottetown, P.E.I.), who made the 

 journey from Shediac to Quebec in the winter of 1756. From Medoc- 

 tec he proceeded to the Grand Falls, partly on the ice and partly on 

 land, hindered in his progress by the fact that the river had overflowed 

 its banks and in places was not frozen. This distance of eighty miles 

 took eleven days on account of the wretched state of travel. At the 

 Grand Falls he found a French post furnished with provisions for 

 travellers. Gauthier says that here they made a portage of half a 

 league and resumed their journey above the falls. The distance of 

 36 miles to Little Falls occupied the next three days. He then 

 ascended the river "Madouesca" on the ice ten leagues to a lake bear- 

 ing the name of the river, but now called Lake Témiscouata. He jour- 

 neyed four leagues on the lake and went ashore at the grand portage 

 on the west side of the lake, where there was another French post 

 established for the refreshment of travellers. From thence he 

 proceeded via Rivière du Cap to l'Original, which empties into the 

 St. Lawrence. This journey, which can now be made, from Charlotte- 

 town to Quebec, with all the ease and luxury of modern travelling, 

 in less than 24 hours, occupied le Captaine Gauthier a month, and 

 was extremely arduous and even perilous. 



The story of the old post-route to Quebec in the English regime 

 introduces some very interesting characters, but must be reserved for 

 a supplementary paper. 



