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River St. Croix. St. John. Miramichi. Mars-Hill. City of St. John. Fredericton. St. Andrews

Having in the preceding chapters given a brief sketch of the settlement and face of the country, and noticed its climate, productions, &c. I shall now proceed to give a short description of the principal rivers, mountains, and towns, beginning with the

River Saint Croix

This river was made the boundary between the territories of His Britannic Majesty and the United States, by the treaty of 1783 which describes the bounds as follows, viz. "That angle, which is formed by a line drawn due north from the source of the St. Croix river to the Highlands, along the said Highlands which divide these rivers that empty themselves into the river St. Lawrence from those which fall into the Atlantic Ocean to the northwesternmost head of Connecticut river; thence down along the middle of that river to the 45th degree of north latitude, from thence by a line due west on said latitude until it strikes the river Iroquois, or Cataraquy," &c.

The boundaries thus described, have caused considerable difficulty between the two Governments, in discovering which is the height of land mentioned in the treaty; and in regard to the St. Croix, it is supposed that the British Commissioners were totally unacquainted with the river in question, and not aware that the lines proposed, if run according to the American construction of the treaty, would separate the British Provinces of New-Brunswick and Canada. It is also probable that it was not precisely known at that time what river was meant by the St. Croix, but that another river, more to the westward, might have been intended. This uncertainty about the rivers at that time might have arisen from the general name of St. Croix, which was given by Europeans to all the rivers falling into the Bay of Fundy, occasioned by the French on their first landing in the country, having erected crosses at different points, and named the places from that circumstance, the country of the Holy Cross. However it may have happened, difficulties ensued in ascertaining the precise Islands in the Bay of Passamaquoddy belonging to each power, and the Highlands meant by the treaty of 1783. This induced the Commissioners of the two Powers at the treaty of Ghent to provide against any misunderstanding on these points for the future, by the fourth and fifth articles of that treaty. The fifth article, bearing particularly on this point, states that "Whereas neither that point of the Highlands, lying due north from the source of the river St. Croix, designated in the former treaty of peace between the two powers, as the north-west angle of Nova-Scotia, nor the northwesternmost head of Connecticut river, have yet been ascertained: and whereas that part of the boundary line between the dominions of the two powers, which extends from the source of the river St. Croix, directly north to the above-mentioned north-west angle of Nova-Scotia, thence along the said Highlands which divide those rivers that empty themselves into the St. Lawrence, from those which fall into the Atlantic ocean to the north-westernmost head of Connecticut river, thence down along the middle of that river to the 45th degree of north latitude, thence by a line due west on said latitude, until it strikes the river Iroquois or Cataraquy, has not yet been surveyed, it is agreed that for these several purposes two Commissioners shall be appointed, sworn, and authorized, to act exactly in the manner directed with respect to those mentioned in the next preceding article, unless otherwise specified in the present article. The said Commissioners shall meet at St. Andrews, in the Province of New-Brunswick, and shall have power to adjourn to such other place or places as they shall think fit. The said Commissioners shall have power to ascertain and determine the points above-mentioned, in conformity with the provisions of the said treaty of peace of 1783, and shall cause the boundaries aforesaid, from the source of the river St. Croix to the river Iroquois or Cataraquy to be surveyed and marked according to the said provisions: the Commissioners shall make a map of the said boundary, and annex to it a declaration under their hands and seals, certifying it to be the true map of the said boundary, and particularizing the latitude and longitude of the north-west angle of Nova-Scotia, of the north-westernmost head of Connecticut river, and of such other points of the said boundary as they may deem proper. And both parties agree to consider such map and declaration as finally and conclusively fixing the said boundary. And in the event of the said Commissioners differing or both or either of them refusing, declining, or wilfully omitting to act, such reports, declarations, or statements shall be made by them, or either of them, and such reference to a friendly sovereign or state shall be made in all respects, as in the latter part of the fourth article is contained." – The fourth article here alluded to provides that "such sovereign or state shall decide ex-parte upon the said report alone, and His Britannic Majesty and the Government of the United States engage to consider the decision of such friendly sovereign or state to be final and conclusive on all matters to them referred." – Notwithstanding these precautions on the part of the Agents of the two Governments, the points alluded to are not yet ascertained or settled.

But to resume the description of the river. The St. Croix has two main branches, one inclines to the eastward, and communicates with a chain of lakes, some of which are of considerable extent, and lie near a branch of the Penobscot river. The other turns to the westward. From this branch there is a route by a succession of lakes and short portages to the waters that fall into the river St. John. The lands on the banks of this river are of good quality, and have been well timbered; most of the pine has been cut off, but there is still abundance of other timber, consisting of the harder woods, spruce, firs, &c. There are mills erected on different parts of this river, which furnish a great quantity of sawed lumber annually.

There are several falls in the river, which obstruct the navigation. There are, however, several fine settlements along its banks, and the adjoining country is first improving.

River Saint John

This noble river encircles a large portion of New-Brunswick, and may be considered as the principal drain of those numerous rivers and streams with which the Province is intersected. Winding in an irregular semi-circle, it traverses an extent of about five hundred miles, and falls into the Bay of Fundy nearly in the same parallel of latitude in which it takes its rise.

It may not be improper to observe, that most of the rivers and streams in this country were originally named by the Indians, who generally, by the names they give, wish to signify something peculiar to the thing named; consequently the Indian name of this river, which they call "Looshtook," signifies long river. – It rises from lakes near the head of Connecticut river, between the 45th and 46th degrees of north latitude, and stretches to the northward, beyond the 47th degree of north latitude, where it receives the waters of the Madawaska river, which rises near the St. Lawrence. It then inclines to the southward, and continues its course uninterrupted, receiving several large streams, till it arrives at the Grand Falls, in lat. 46° 54'. Here its channel is broken by a chain of rocks, which run across the river at this place, over which its waters are precipitated with resistless impetuosity. The river, just above the cataract, makes a short bend of nearly a right angle, forming a small bay a few rods above the precipice, in which there is an eddy, which makes it a safe landing place, although very near the main precipice, where canoes pass with the greatest safety. Immediately below this bay, the river suddenly contracts. A point of rocks project from the western shore and narrow the channel to the width of a few rods. The waters thus pent up sweep over the rugged bottom with great rapidity; just before they reach the main precipice they rush down a descent of some feet, and rebound in foam from a bed of rocks on the edge of the fall. They are then precipitated down perpendicular cliffs of about forty-five feet in height, into an abyss studded with rocks, which nearly choke the passage, leaving only a small opening in the centre, through which the water, after whirling for some time in the bason, rushes with tremendous impetuosity, sweeping through a broken rocky channel and a succession of falls for more than half a mile, being closely pent up with rocks, which in some places overhang the river so as to hide most part of it from the view of the observer. Trees and timber, which are carried down the falls, are sometimes whirled round in the bason below the precipice till they are ground to pieces; sometimes their ends are tapered to a point, and at other times broken or crushed in different places. Below the falls there is another small bay with a good depth of still water, very convenient for collecting timber, &c. after it has escaped through the falls. Here the canoes and boats from Fredericton and different parts of the river land, and if bound for Madawaska they are taken out of the water and carried or drawn, as well as their loads, across the isthmus to the small bay above the falls before mentioned, where they are again put in the water, and proceed without any farther interruption to the upper settlements and the Canada line. The distance of the portage, including the windings of the road up the hill is about 100 rods from water to water. Flat bottomed boats, from fifteen to twenty tons burthen, can come from St. John to this place, which is a distance of about two hundred and twenty-three miles. No larger craft than canoes have as yet been used above the falls. This has not arisen from any defect in the river, which above the falls is smooth and of sufficient depth for large vessels; but from the habits of the French settlers, who are partial to canoes, which they set through the rapids with poles at a great rate, and with which they shoot the cataracts and rapids with great address.