ssioner and the remaining engineers
were detained at Metis by the necessary astronomic observations. These
being completed, the instruments, camp equipage, and a portion of the
stores were embarked, and the main body proceeded up the river about
noon on the 15th July.

4. The river was found to be still swollen by the melting of the snows
on the highlands near its source, and, being at all times rapid, the
progress of the party was attended both with difficulty and danger. One
of the birch canoes, although managed by a skillful voyageur, was twice
upset, and one of the heavily loaded bateaux filled with water in a
rapid. The result of the first accident was unimportant, except as
respected the personal comfort of one of the party, who lost his
clothing when it could not be replaced; the second accident caused the
loss of some valuable stores. A guide had been procured in the person of
a Canadian who was said to have acted in the same capacity to Captain
Broughton, who had descended the river by order of the commissioners
of Great Britain in 1840. So long as the services of the guide were
unimportant he was found intelligent and acquainted with the country,
but on passing beyond the region usually visited by lumbering parties
he manifested a very scanty knowledge. It had been the intention of the
commissioner to ascend to Lake Metis and thence proceed to the height of
land by an old portage said to have existed from that lake to the one
at the head of the Grande Fourche of the Restigouche, which had been
explored by the commissioner in 1840. Lake Metis was chosen because all
former accounts, and particularly those of the surveyors of the joint
commission under the fifth article of the treaty of Ghent, represented
this as the body of water seen to the northwest of the termination
of the exploring meridian line. The guide appeared to confirm this
impression, and held out inducements that led to the belief that he was
acquainted with the portage in question. The nearer, however, it was
approached the less seemed to be his confidence. When there appeared
to be some reason to doubt his competency or his will, a place in the
river was reached where it divided into two branches of nearly equal
magnitude. On inquiry from the guide it was ascertained that the
easternmost of these was the main Metis, the other the Mistigougeche
(Riviere au Foin). Although the latter appeared to be the most direct
course to the boundary, it was sti