ernments of Great Britain and the United States.

The season was too late for any efficient work, as the line to be
explored was not reached before the 22d September. Not only were the
rivers at their lowest ebb, but ice was met in the progress of the
parties as early as the 12th September, and snow fell on the 21st and
22d 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 traveling of any description until
the streams are bound with solid ice and a crust formed on the snow of
sufficient firmness to make it passable on snowshoes. The only road is
that along the St. John River, and it would be almost impossible for a
party distant more than 10 or 12 miles from that stream to extricate
itself after the winter begins.

No duty could be well imagined more likely to be disagreeable than that
assigned to Professor Renwick. The only feasible modes of approach lay
for hundreds of miles through the acknowledged limits of the British
territory, and the line he was directed to explore was included within
the military post of that nation. It may be likened to the entry upon
the land of a neighbor for the purpose of inquiring into his title.
Under these circumstances of anticipated difficulty it becomes his duty,
as well as his pleasure, to acknowledge the uniform attention and
civilities he has experienced from all parties, whether in official
or in private stations. All possibility of interruption by the local
authorities was prevented by a proclamation of His Excellency Sir John
Harvey, K.C.B., lieutenant-governor of the Province of New Brunswick,
and the British warden, Colonel Maclauchlan, was personally instrumental
in promoting the comforts of the commissioner and his assistants.
Similar attentions were received from the officers of the garrison at
Fort Ingall, and the commandant of the citadel of Quebec, and from His
Excellency the Governor-General. Even the private persons whose property
might be affected by the acknowledgment of the American claim exhibited
a generous hospitality.

The party under the direction of Captain Talcott left the settlements on
Halls Stream on the 6th of September. The main branch of this was
followed to its source in a swamp, in which a branch of the St. Francis
also had its origin. From this point the party followed the ridge
dividing the Atlantic from the St. Lawrence water