he boats when loaded, although
the Penobscot men boldly and successfully carried theirs up when empty,
in which feat they were imitated by the voyageurs, who had at first
deemed it impossible. The loads of the boats were carried over a
portage, and in this operation the chronometers were found to deviate
from each other, showing a manifest change of rate in some or all of
them. This may be ascribed to a change in the mode of transportation,
but was more than could be reasonably anticipated, considering the
shortness of the portage (2,000 yards) and the great care that was taken
in conveying them. At some distance above the falls a lake of moderate
size was reached, embosomed in hills and embarrassed at its upper end
with grass. From the last feature it was ascertained that both lake and
river take their epithet of Grassy (Riviere an Foin, and, in Indian,
of Mistigougeche, or Grassy Lake). At this lake the party of the
commissioner was in advance of the loaded boats. A halt was therefore
made and a party sent out to explore to the westward. This party reached
an eminence whence a lake was seen, which the guide stated to be the
head of a branch of the Rimouski, far distant, as he averred, from any
waters of the Restigouche. Subsequent examination has shown that this
party had actually reached the height of land and that the survey of the
boundary might have been advantageously commenced from this point.

On leaving the lake the river was found to have a gentle current for a
few miles. It was then interrupted by a bed of timber, after passing
which it became as rapid as ever. In a short time, however, a noble
sheet of water was reached, surrounded by lofty hills, and of great
depth. At the upper end of this a place was chosen for a stationary
camp, and preparations were made for proceeding to the land survey.
While these were going forward with as much dispatch as possible, Mr.
Lally, one of the first assistants, was detached to reconnoiter the
inlet of the lake. During his absence observations were taken and the
rates of the chronometers worked up. Of the four instruments with which
the expedition was furnished, two had varied from the other two on
the portage. All were of good reputation, and no means existed of
determining on which pair reliance could be placed. From the rates
of two of them it appeared that the camp was situated 12 miles to the
northwest of the tree chosen by the American surveyors in 1818 as
marking t