Mr. Lally also came in, and both were assembled at Metis on
the 14th, whence the commissioner set out instantly for the river Du
Loup, which had been chosen as the base of further operations.

The circumstances of the operations up the Metis and Metis and
Mistigougeche had been upon the whole favorable. With the exception of
a single thundershower, no rain had been experienced; the country was
still sufficiently moist to insure a supply of water even upon the
ridges. The sun was observed daily for time and latitude, and the nights
admitted of observations of the pole star for latitude at almost every
camp. At the stationary camp, however, the mists rising from the lake
obscured the horizon and rendered the eclipses of Jupiter's satellites
invisible; nor was it possible to observe the only occultation of a star
which calculation rendered probable during the period in question. Much,
however, had been accomplished. A river little known had been carefully
surveyed some miles beyond its junction with a branch unheard of by
geographers. This branch had been explored, its course and length
determined; a path nearly coinciding with the boundary line for an
extent of 86 miles had been measured and leveled, and regions before
unseen visited. One accident of a serious character had occurred, and
one of the laboring men, although an _homme du nord_, seasoned in the
service of the Hudsons Bay Company, had been rendered unfit by fatigue
for further duty in the service; but with these exceptions the health
and strength of the party were unimpaired. All augured well for a speedy
and successful completion of the task in a manner as perfect as had been
anticipated.

10. Instructions had been transmitted to the commissary, as soon as it
was found that a portage to Katawamkedgwick and thence to Rimouski was
impracticable, to have a vessel ready at Metis to transport the stores
to the river Du Loup. One was in consequence chartered, but, being
neaped in the harbor of Rimouski, did not reach Metis till the 19th
August. When loaded, her sailing was delayed by an unfavorable wind, and
its continuance prevented her from reaching the river Du Loup before the
29th August. An entire week of very favorable weather was thus lost for
field operations, and it was not even possible to employ it to advantage
in observations, as all the chronometers but one and the larger
instruments, in order to expose them as little as possible to change of
rate or