JOURNEY IN NEW BRUNSWICK AND MAINE. 463 



between them. Still proceeding north-west, they navigated these lakes, 

 and then turning west, carried their canoes to the great lake " Baam- 

 chenunsgamook ;" thence north to Wallaghasquegantook Lake, then along 

 a small stream to the upper Umsaskiss Pond, when they reached the Al- 

 bagash River, which leads into the St Johns, in about latitude 47° 3'. 

 Many portions of that country had not been visited before even by the 

 Indians, who assured Mr Gillies of this fact. They continued their 

 travels down the St John's to the Grand Falls, where they met with a 

 portage of half a mile, and having reached Meduxmekeag Creek, a little 

 above Woodstock, the party walked to Houlton, having travelled twelve 

 hundred miles, and described almost an oval over the country by the time 

 they returned to Old Town, on the Penobscot. 



While anxiously looking for " lumber lands," they ascended the 

 eminences afround, then climbed the tallest trees, and by means of a good 

 telescope, inspected the pine woods in the distance. And such excellent 

 judges are these persons of the value of the timber which they thus ob- 

 serve, when it is situated at a convenient distance from water, that they 

 never afterwards forget the different spots at all worthy of their attention. 

 They had observed only a few birds and quadrupeds, the latter princi- 

 pally porcupines. The borders of the lakes and rivers afforded them 

 fruits of various sorts, and abundance of cranberries, while the uplands 

 yielded plenty of wild white onions, and a species of black plum. Some 

 of the party continued their journey in canoes down the St John's, as- 

 cended Eel River, and the lake of the same name, to Matanemheag 

 River, due southwest of the St John's, and after a few portages fell into 

 the Penobscot. 



I had made arrangements to accompany Mr Gillies on a journey of 

 this kind, when I judged it would be more interesting as well as useful 

 to me to visit the distant country of Labrador. 



The road which we followed from Old Town to Bangor was literally 

 covered with Penobscot Indians returning from market. On reaching 

 the latter beautiful town, we found very comfortable lodging in an ex- 

 cellent hotel ; and next day we proceeded by the mail to Boston. 



