account for the great rapidity of the stream.  To illustrate this rapidity in an obvious manner, the birch canoes, which on the waters of the St. John are easily managed by one man, are never intrusted on those of the Metis to less than two.  Our departure from Metis in boats so deeply loaded, as was afterwards learned, was considered there as a desperate attempt, and although but one of them sustained injury, this is to be ascribed to the great skill of the boatmen; and to show the velocity of the stream in a still stronger light, it is to be recollected that, after deducting the loss of time on the Metis, nine days of incessant labor were spent in taking up the loaded boats, while the assistant commissary whom it became necessary to send to Metis left the stationary camp at 2 o’clock in the morning of the 28th July and reached the mouth of the river before sunset of the same day, after making two portages, one of 2,000 yards and the other of 2 miles.

8.  The first day of the operations of Messrs. H.B.  Renwick and Lally was attended with an accident which had an injurious effect.  The surveyor of Mr. Lally’s party, Mr. W.G.  Waller, fell from a tree laid as a bridge across a stream and lamed himself to such a degree as to be incapable either of proceeding with the party or of returning to the stationary camp.  It became necessary, therefore, to leave him, with a man to attend him, in the woods, and it was a week before he was sufficiently recovered to be able to walk.  Intelligence was immediately sent to the commissioner, by whom the assistant he had retained in camp to aid in astronomic observations was sent to take the place of the surveyor.  Two days were thus lost, and the intended astronomic observations were far less numerous than they might have been with the aid of a competent assistant.

The two parties, proceeding together, reached Katawamkedgwick Lake.  That under the direction of Mr. H.B.  Renwick immediately crossed it, while that of Mr. Lally proceeded along the eastern bank for the purpose of reaching the source of the stream.  This being attained, the party of Mr. L. pursued the height of land as nearly as possible and reached the exploring meridian line.  Crossing this, some progress was made to the eastward, when a failure of provisions compelled a return to camp.  The party of Mr. H.B.  Renwick, proceeding until the Rimouski was seen, turned to the south and finally reached the southeasterly source of that river, a point probably never before pressed by human foot, for it was found to consist in a series of beaver ponds, in which that animal was residing in communities and without any appearance of having been ever disturbed.  The low state of provisions in this instance also called the party back, but not before every anticipated result had been obtained.

9.  The party of Mr. H.B.  Renwick having returned first, immediate preparations were made for descending the stream.  Before they were completed 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.