204 RIVER LIFE. 



we fortunately met two young men ascending the stream in a 

 canoe on an exploring expedition, we induced them to sell us 

 twenty biscuits, which, being two to a man, on short allowance, 

 we hoped to be able to reach Nickatow. On our way down we 

 met another crew, who supplied us with the necessary rations to 

 reach JNTickatow, where, on our arrival, we obtained all that was 

 necessary for the comfortable prosecution of our down-river jour- 

 ney.'" 



In addition to the natural resources of the Penobscot for lum- 

 ber, several townships of good timber land, formerly claimed by 

 the crown, but by treaty ceded to the United States, have be- 

 come available by diverting a portion of the head waters of the 

 St. John's E.iver into the channel of the former, on the west 

 branch. This was effected by cutting a canal from a lake on the 

 St. John's, called Zelos, to Webster Lake, on the Penobscot. 



Originally the canal was three hundred rods long by four wide, 

 and four feet deep ; but the strong current of water flowing 

 through, at the rate of one mile in twenty minutes, has changed 

 the regularity of the channel to a more natural and stream-like 

 appearance. 



By this hit of Yankee enterprise, the timber of eight townships, 

 otherwise and necessarily destined for the provincial market, may 

 be brought down the Penobscot, the aggregate amount of which is 

 estimated, by the best judges, at five hundred millions of feet. 



This has succeeded so well, that further surveys have been 

 made with a view to open other communications between the 

 waters in the same region, and, if the expectations of those in- 

 terested in this matter should be realized, it is said that the tim- 

 ber of some thirty townships more will come down the Penobscot 

 River.* 



The project of excavating the canal alluded to was suggested 



* Since the above was written, fourteen townships more have become 

 available. 



