o any more on the
ground for the furtherance of the objects of his appointment, returned
to New York, taking with him the earlier records of the field operations
for the purpose of organizing the office work.

20. Under the direction of Mr. H.B. Renwick, a party led by Mr. Lally
set off from Mount Biort on the 7th October, and, proceeding westward
along the portage road to the ridge of Mount Paradis, turned to the
south along the dividing ridge. This being pursued led them back to the
portage at a point about 21-1/2 miles from the river Du Loup on the
10th. The dividing ridge was now found for some distance to coincide
nearly with the portage road and to pass over the summit of the Grande
Fourche Mountain, a fact which had not before been suspected. The source
of the Grande Fourche of Trois Pistoles having been headed, the party
reached a station which the commissary had now established at the river
St. Francis on the 13th October. Departing from this, the basin of the
St. Francis to the north of the portage road was explored, and the
survey finished on the 17th October.

Operating from the St. Lawrence as a base, and within reach of a
cultivated country, whence numerous roads are cut to the height of
land, it would have been possible to have kept the field for perhaps a
fortnight longer. The plans and estimates of the division had been made
with this view, and it was anticipated that the height of land might
have been surveyed 30 miles to the south of the Temiscouata portage.
Although this would have been practicable, it would have been a service
of hardship. The necessity for this was obviated by the progress of the
parties of A. Talcott, esq., which completed their surveys up to the
portage on the same day that the surveys of this division were finished.

22. The circumstances under which the latter part of the survey was
performed from the time of leaving the river Du Loup, on the 3d
September, were far less favorable than had been experienced on the
Metis and its branches. The continual drought had at the beginning of
this part of the duty affected the streams and springs in such a way
as to render navigation difficult and water for drinking scarce on the
heights of land to which the survey was necessarily directed. On the
eastern side of Lake Temiscouata a large fire had extended itself into
the woods. On the Temiscouata portage the persons in charge of that road
had set fire to the brush and wood cut in opening