The Sun.
London, England, 1841-03-18 00:00:00

a

the purpose ; but ten, of great toil and difficulty, were
spent before Lake Tuladi was reached. The remain-
der of the detachment, united by the return of the en-
gineers, descended the north branch of the Grande
Fourche to the junction of the south branch, ascended
the latter, and made the portage to Green River. In
this the boatmen were completely worn out, and the last
of their food exhausted, just at the moment that sup-
plies saint up the Green River to meet them, arrived
at their camp.
"No arrangement which could have been made
wouldthave sufficed to prevent the risk of famine which
was thus encountered by the second detachment. A
greater number of boats would have required more men,
and these would have eaten all they could have car-
ried. No other actual suffering but great fatigue and
anrety were encountered ; and it is now obvious that
had the rains, which were so abundant during the first
week of October, been snow (as they sordetirnes arc in
that climate), there would have been a risk of the de-
tecionent perishing.
" The third det tehment reached their station, on
Green Riser mountain on the 13th of September, and
continued there until the Pth• of October. A fell sal
of barometric observations was mede ; the latitude well
determined by nameroue altitedes, and the longitude
approximstely, ley some lunar observations.
Ttre fourth detachment, after depositing the eteret
intended for the return of the party in charge of the
British Commissary at Fort lugell, who pettely under
took the care of them, ascended the Tuladi, and, taking
its northern branch, reached Lake Abagusquash. Here
ore of the engineers wounded himself and was rendered
unfit for duty. The commissiry then ptocecded a jour- •
ney of five days towards the east, blazing a path, and
making signals to guide the second detachment. The
difference between the country as it actually exists, and
as reprete to en any maps, prevented the Commissioner
from meeting this party. It found the source of the cen-
tral or main branch of Tul nil to the north of that of the
Ablsutquash ; and, following the height of land, reached
the de:p and narrow valley of the Rimoueki, at the point
where, en the British maps, that stream is represented
as issuing from a ridge of mountains far norh of thelice
offered to the King of the Netherland as the bounds of
tho American el dm, The comnaiss try, therefore, found
it impossible to ascend the Reinoueki to its source ; and,
croesieg its v-flay, found himself again on a dividing
ridge, a here be soon struck a steeatn running to the
south-east. This, from a comparison of courses and dis,
tance,, is believed to be the sour or of the main branch
of the Gr,nd Fourche of Reitignuche ; and thus the so-
ccrrd and fourth detachments had reachel points within
a t ery short distance of each other. The greate-
bread, ii of the dividing ridge has thus been explored ;
but it will remain to trace the limits of the valley
of the R imeueki, which will form a dee? indenture
in the boundary line. This Fee having been explored;
a party was formed, after the assemblage of the several
divisions at Ternizectuat t, for the purpose of levelling
it with a baromrt r ; but the expedition was frustrated
by a heavy snow-atom!, which set in on the 12;11 of
(M.))-e-. This, the most important of the whole
northern line, thereforewemains for future investigation.
It can only be stated that strong grounds exist far the
belief t twa its summits ate not only higher than any point
which has been n easured, but than althotigh cut by
the Rimou,k;, it exceeds in average cl.rratian any pert
of the disputed territory.
" The levelling of the Tciniscounti portage app-arel
to Fe an object of great importance, not only on its own
account, but as furnishing a basis for future operations.
As soon :is a sufficiert force bad been assembled et
Lake Ternincouata, a party we:3, therefore, formed to
survey the portage with a theodolite. Orders were also
gives by the Commissioner that the first barometer
which shonlel be returned should be carried ever the
portage. It was believed that this double provision
would bare secured the examination of this peit,t be-
yond the chance of fa lore. A snow storm, boa ever
(the sante which irate:muted the ltst operas on referred
to), set in after the Icvtl had been run to the mountain
of Itiort ; and one of the labouring men, worn out by
his nreceding fatigues, fell sick. . The party being thus
rendered insufficient, the engineer in contained found
hionsdf con-ye:led to return. The contemplated owe-
. then with the barometer was also frusteated ; for, on
examination at Teroiscouata, it tvas found thet all were
until for further service. In order that the desired ()b-
-ona might• he acromplidied, a new expedition was de•
spetehed front New York on the 12th of November,
furnished four barometers. This party, by gre at
exertions, resiched Si. Andre, on the St. Lawrence, on '
the 18'h d ,y, and accemplished • the ohjeet of its mho-
sine. Tne operation was rendered possible at this in •
clement seasen, by its being confined to a beaten road,
and in the vicinity of human habitations.
" Tee country which has been the object of this oe-
connolswince is, as may readily be understood, of very
difficult access from the settled parts of the St-te of
Maine. it is also, at best, alms st impenetrable, except
by the watercourses. It furnishes no supplies, except
fish and small game, nor can these be obtained by a
surveying party, which cannot be strong enough to
allow for hunters and fishermen as a constituent part.
The third detachment alone derived any important be-
nefits from these sources. Toe hest mode of supplying
1. party moving on the eastern section, would be to
draw provisions and stores from the St. Lawrence. It
is,indeed, now obvious, although it is contrary to the be-
lief
of any of the persons professing to be acquainted
with the subject, that had the Commissioner proceeded
from New York, by the w,ay of Montreal and Quebec, •
be might have reached the district assigned to him a
fortnight earlier, and have accomplished twice as much
work as his party was able to perform.
w Although much remains to be done in this region,
stn extensive knowledge of a country hitherto unknown
and unexplored has been obtained ; and this not only
sheds much light upon the boundary question in its
present stew but will be of permanent service in case
of a further er perle examination, or a joint Cemmis•
sion being agreed upon between the Governments of
Great Britain and the United States,
" The season was two late for any efficient work, as
the line to be explored was not reached before the 22d of
Sept. Not only were the rivers at their lowest ebb, but
ice was met, in the progress of the parties, as
early as the 12th of September, and snow fell bn the
21st and 22d of September. The actual setting in of
winter, which sometimes occurs in the first week of
October, was therefore to be dreaded. From this time
the country becomes unfit for travelling of any deserip.
tion, unt.l the streams are bound with solid ice, and a
crust formed on the snow of sufficient firmness to
make it passable on snow shoes, The only road is that
along the St. John's river ; and it would he almost im-
possible for a party distant more than ten or twelve
miles from that stream, to extricate itself after the
winter begins.
"No duty could be well imagined more 1 kely to be
disagreeable than that assigned to Professor Renwick.
The only feasible mode of approach lay, for hundreds
of miles, through the acknowledged limits of the Bri
fish territory ; and the line he wee directed to explore
was included within the military posts of that nation.
It may be likened to the entry upon the land of a
neighbour for the purpose of inquiring into his title.
Under these circumstances of anticipated difficulty, it
becomes his duty as well as his pleasure to acknow-
ledge the uniform attention and civilities he experienced
from all
Patties, whether in official or private stations.
All
Possibility of interruption by the local authorities
was prevented by a proclamation of his E Sir
John xce ency
John Harvey, eenc.B
province of New Brun.sr.
and the British warden,
• Colonel MtLaughae, was personally ;
'ut.enant-Governor of the
the ersonally instrumental in
promoting the comforts of Commissioner and his
were
assistant. Similar attentions c the eeeived from the
officers of the garrison at Fortnd Ina CommandantExee,i
of the citadel of Quebec, alearn his
•Gevernor-Genoral of Quebec, and from his Ex7eciTentbey
e
the Governor-General. Even the private persons
whose property might be affected by the acknowledg-
ment of the American claim, exhibited a generous
hospitrlity.
6, The party, under the direction of Capt. Telcott,
left the settlements on Hall's stream on the Gth of
September. The mein branch of this source was fbl_
lowed to its source in a swamp, in which a branch of
the St. Francis els° had its origin. From this paint
the party folio .red the ridge dividing the Atlantic from
the St. Lawrence wntern unt:l it was supposed that
all the branches of Indian stream had been headed. 10.
this work the party was employed until the 14th of
September. It now arrived at a point where the Me-
.,490-way river should be found to the left, according to
..
Oihost authentic map of the country ; especially that
prepared by the New Hampshire Commissioner, ap-
pointed in 1836 to explore the boundary of that State,
and accompanying that report*. The party, accord-
ingly, bore well north to avoid being led from the
true ' height of the land' by the dividing ridge between
the Conneeticut and Androscoggin rivers. After cross-
ing several small streams, it came, on the altenthon rf
the 15th, to a rivulet about twelve feet wide, running
to the cast, which was supposed to be the main Mc-
galloway ; the 166 was spent in exploring it to its
source. The next day it was discovered that what had
been taken for the Megehoway was a tributary of
Salmon river, a large branch of the St. Fialeis ; and
corwequently, the party was considerably to the not th
of the boundary-.
" The supply of provisions did not allow the party to
retrace its steps to the point where it had divereed
cassia
it svgs nog
frcru the true dividing ridge. The ecuree was there-
fo-e changed, until it bore a littlesoiuttileil;f
butg,a
until the 22d that the party found
dividing ridge, and then upon the waters of the Me.
galloway.
" Tire party reached Arnold river, or Chaudiere,
above Lake Megantic, on the 24th of September. After
baying recruited, and taken a fresh supply of provisions
from. the depot established there, the party was divided
in two detachments. One returned westward, to find
the corner of the State of New Hampshire, as marked
by the Coraentecon in
boundary line. 1789 appointed to trace the
‘• It was ther..e. ascertained 'bar the corner
.the true dividing ridg, and not‘
i'ro'ln eight to ten uniee

A 3 on

• AISO, sc Rep. No. 170, HQ. Rep, 3d Session, 25th
Congress