uently could
not be reached by the line along the height of land from the northwest
angle of Nova Scotia.

The other commissioner (Major Graham) did not receive his appointment
until 16th August to fill the place left vacant by the nonacceptance of
Professor Cleaveland, and to him was assigned the survey and examination
of the due north line, commencing at the source of the river St. Croix
and extending to the highlands which divide the waters that flow into
the river St. Lawrence from those which flow into the Atlantic Ocean.

Immediately after receiving his appointment he took the necessary
steps for organizing his party, and in addition to two officers of the
Corps of Topographical Engineers, assigned to him by the commandant of
the Corps for this service, he called to his aid two civil engineers
possessing the requisite qualifications for the duties to be performed.
So soon as the requisite instruments could be procured and put in proper
order he left New York for Portland, Me., where he arrived on the
5th of September, expecting there to join his colleagues of the
commission. They had, however, proceeded to the points designated for
the commencement of their respective duties, the season being too far
advanced to justify their incurring any further delay.

At Portland a short conference was had with Mr. Stubbs, the agent of the
State Department, who furnished the necessary means for procuring an
outfit for the party in provisions, camp equipage, etc.

The party then proceeded to Bangor, where it was occupied until the
12th in procuring the necessary supplies of provisions, camp equipage,
transportation, etc., to enable it to take the field; and a few
astronomical observations were made here for the purpose of testing the
rates of the chronometers which were to be used upon this service, as
well as of obtaining additional data for computing the longitude of this
place, which, together with the latitude, had been determined by the
commissioner by a very near approximation in the summer of 1838, while
occupied upon the military reconnoissances of the northeastern frontier.

On the 12th the party left Bangor for Houlton, where it arrived on the
evening of the 13th. A depot of provisions was established here for
supplying the line of their future operations, and the services of the
requisite number of men as axmen, chain bearers, instrument carriers,
etc., were engaged.

Pending these preparations and the time nec