BULLETIN OF THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 
30 
there is no question whatever that the present highway road 
follows very closely if not exactly the “bias’d path” of the 
map of 1809; but there are three facts which tend to show 
that the portage path after following the present course of the 
highway for some distance, deviated to the eastward, approxi- 
mately as shown upon our larger map. First, as our 
large map shows, the present road makes a bow which 
lengthens markedly the direct distance between the Canaan 
and Petitcodiac, and every foot of distance counted heavily 
on the laborious portages. Second, the present road both 
north and south of Butternut Ridge runs over some great 
hills, which, as I understand the topography of this region 
from observations made in driving across this country in 
August, 1913, are at least partially avoided by a more easterly 
course. Third, and most important, it probably ran through 
an old French site, which, as Dr. Thorne first told me. 
occurs about a mile and a half east of Havelock Corner on 
the farm of Mr. Howard D. Hicks. Mr. Hicks himself has 
been so kind as to write me as follows concerning this site. 
“I would say that Dr. Thorne has informed you correctly. 
In answer to your first question as to the objects found, my 
father in cultivating the first time the field to which you 
have referred, found a case knife and some sickles and some 
other relics of which I have no recollection, that we supposed 
were relics of the French or Indians. This field on our farm 
is often spoken of as the French Field, and at the time my 
father came here seemed to be a perfect garden with an 
abundant supply of gooseberry bushes. Just a short distance 
from this clearing was a log cabin, all this indicating a camp- 
ing ground of some sort belonging either to the French or 
Indians. It was on an old road or trail leading from Petit- 
codiac and I think on to Canaan. It was a very rough road 
through the woods, winding around trees and over swamps 
and knolls all the way.” Now there seems to be no reason 
why such an early clearing should have been made, in this 
wilderness, a mile and a half away from the old route of 
travel, but on the other hand very good reason why it should 
have been made as a half way station on the main trail 
which was long, some twelve to fourteen miles. Mr. Hicks* 
mention of the road to Petitcodiac, with his emphasis on 
its winding character, points directly to its identity as the 
Indian portage. Accordingly I believe the portage path passed 
through Mr. Hicks’ place, thus taking the more direct route 
indicated by our map. As to why the road to Butternut 
Ridge, after following the Indian path for some distance, 
