Reminiscences of the survey and cutting out of the Boundary line between Canada and the United States from the spring of 1843 to the close of operations in the field, in the fall of 1845

 

By Frederick N. Boxer

 

[Originally published by the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec in Transactions, Original Series, Vol. 4, No. 4 (1855)]

 

[Read before the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, 17th October, 1855, and published in the Journal of the Society.]

 

As no account has yet been published of the very interesting survey of the Boundary Line between Canada and the United States, which took place between the years 1842 and 1845, except that by Lieut. Col. Robinson, R.E., published in the "Corps' Papers," which is principally confuted to matter purely of a scientific nature; I have been induced to put hastily together, to read for you this evening, a few reminiscences of my own observations of what took place during the period of my employ in the Commission, regretting, at the same time, my inability to obtain Col. Robinson's Report, that I might have embodied with these recollections some of the valuable information therein contained.

 

The important question of the actual division line that should form the boundary between Canada and the States, for a long period of years was a matter of dispute, and even at one time seriously threatened the peace of the two Powers: therefore, as a preface to these observations, I will endeavour to afford a brief account of the tract of disputed territory which formed for so many years a subject of controversy.

 

The actual boundary in dispute was the line between the English and French possessions whilst Canada belonged to the Crown of France.

 

When the treaty of 1763 gave to Great Britain possession of all the territory on this side of the Mississippi, it was then found necessary to establish new division lines of the conquered countries,—which was done by proclamation in the same year, as follows:

 

"The Government of Quebec is bounded upon the Labrador Coast by the River St. John; and from thence by a line drawn from the head of that river to the south end of Lake Nipissing; from thence the said line, crossing the River St. Lawrence and the Lake Champlain in forty-five degrees north latitude, passes along the highlands which divide the rivers that empty themselves into the St. Lawrence from those which fall into the sea, and also along the north coast of the Baie des Chaleurs, and the coast of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, to Cape Rosier; and from thence, crossing the mouth of the River St. Lawrence by the west end of the Island of Anticosti, terminates at the aforesaid River St. John."

 

The treaty of peace between Great Britain and her old Colonies (now the United States) was concluded in Paris in 1783. By this treaty Great Britain recognized. the independence of these States severed from her by revolutionary war. But to recognize the old colonists as a new and separate nation, was a very different thing to surrendering to them any portion of that territory which formed our new possessions in America, the people of which had, during that unfortunate revolutionary war, remained faithful to England. Nor had the old colonists (now recognized as an independent power) any claim upon the territory which we had acquired from France, as theirs was a war of principle and rights, not of conquest.

 

The most restricted claim of Great Britain was from the mouth of the River St. Croix; but doubts having arisen in 1794 as to what river was truly intended under the name of the River St. Croix, two Commissioners were appointed, Thomas Barclay, Esq., on the part of England, and David Howell, Esq., on the part of the United States, to carry into effect the fifth clause of the treaty made in that year; and Egbert Benson, Esq., a Judge of the Supreme Court of New York, was appointed an umpire by mutual agreement. The umpire determined that the River Schoodic was the true St. Croix.

 

But unfortunately a new difficulty soon presented itself, for, on ascending this river about 25 miles, two streams were met with, one from the west, running through the Schoodic Lakes, the other taking its source in Grand Lake. The American Commissioner contended that the latter branch of the St. Croix was that branch at whose head waters the point of departure was to be taken, whilst the Commissioner of Great Britain urged that the point of departure should be the westernmost branch of the St. Croix. After the expiration of two years, the umpire rejected the American claim.

 

This point once decided, it would seem that the functions of the two Commissioners had ceased, and all that remained to be performed was to place the Boundary Stone, indicating the point of departure of the head water of the westernmost branch of the Schoodic River. This was not done.

 

But it appears certain that the point of departure was fixed at the highest waters of the northernmost source of the Schoodic River, and not the westernmost, and this fatal error gave rise to all the difficulties which for nearly half a century afterwards embarrassed the settlement this most important question. The loss of territory would have been incurred by this mislocation of point of departure would have been very great, embracing nearly one million and a-half of acres.

 

If the point of departure had been properly marked at the time that the umpire gave his decision on this point, the next question of discussion would have been settlement of the line.

 

The article of treaty of 1783 provided as follows:- "That all disputes which might arise in future, on the subject of the boundaries of the United States, may be prevented, it is agreed and declared, that the following are and shall be their boundaries, viz: from the northwest angle of Nova Scotia, to wit: that angle which is formed by a line drawn due north from the source of the St. Croix River to the highlands; along the highlands, which divide those rivers that empty themselves into the St. Lawrence from those which fall the Atlantic Ocean, to the northwest head of the Connecticut River; thence down along the middle of 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 Cataraqui."

 

All these difficulties were finally adjusted in 1842 under the Ashburton Treaty, by which a compromise was made of the territory in dispute. In the same year, two Commissioners were appointed to run the boundary according to the provisions of this final treaty. The Ashburton Treaty stipulated that the boundary should be a line drawn from the northernmost source of the River Croix, and running due north until it reached the River St. John; thence up that river to the mouth of the River St. Francis; and continuing along the middle of the stream until it reaches the outlet of Lake Pohenagamuk. in latitude 47° 27' 33", longitude 69° 13' 18". From this point the boundary takes a south-westerly direction in a straight line for 64 miles, until it strikes the north-west branch of the River St. John, near the outlet of Lake Ishagelnashagook in latitude 46° 34' 36", longitude 69° 52' 56", from thence in a straight line for 19 miles, until it strikes the south-west branch of the St. John in latitude 46° 25' 12", longitude 70° 03' 36". The boundary then is the middle of this branch of the river up to its source in the highlands which divide the waters running into the sea from those flowing into the St. Lawrence. This dividing ridge then forms the boundary for a distance of upwards of 150 miles, until it reaches the source of the head waters of the westernmost branch of the Connecticut, viz: "Hall's Stream," and then follows down this brook to the forty-fifth parallel of north-latitude; from thence this parallel forms the dividing line until it strikes the St. Lawrence at St. Regis. The whole line of boundary from St. Croix to St. Regis is over 700 miles in length.

 

The Commissioners appointed to superintend the survey and cutting out of the line were, Lieut. Col. J. B. Bucknall Estcourt (the late Adjutant General to H. M. Forces in the Crimea,) acting for Her Britannic Majesty, and Albert Smith, Esq., acting on behalf of the United States Government.

 

Lieut. Col. Estcourt was accompanied to this country by Capt. Broughton, R. E., Capt. Robinson, R. E., (the present Commissioner of Boundary for New Brunswick and Canada,) Lieut. Pipon, R. E., Mr. Featherstonhaugh, CE., and Mr. John Scott, the Secretary to the Commission. Mr. Wilkinson, of the Crown Land Department in New Brunswick, was also attached to Colonel Estcourt's staff.

 

Besides these officers, several non-commissioned officers and privates of the Royal Sappers and Miners were sent out from England, to assist in running the lines; they rendered very material service in making the survey.

 

As my service in the Commission did not commence until after the first year's operations in the field, I am unable to afford information of the first portion of this survey.

 

I joined the Commission in March, 1843, at the time when Capt. Robinson and Lieut. Pipon were running what was generally called the sixty-four mile line. This section of the boundary, which is a perfectly straight line, is run between the before mentioned points upon the north-west branch of the river St. John, and on the River St. Francis. These points having been precisely ascertained from astronomical observations taken by the Engineers Officers above alluded to, the mode of connecting the two points was thus proceeded with.

 

The distance to be run between them was 64 miles, but the country at the north-eastern end of the line was intersected by several lofty spurs put out by the high range of hills which separate the waters of the St. John from those of the St. Lawrence; in consequence, no signal could be observed from either end to guide the direction of the line to be run between these two points. It was therefore arranged that the line should be started simultaneously from each end (the angle of departure having been previously calculated for,) with the expectation that the cutting parties would meet about midway.

 

Capt. Robinson took up his station on a fixed point on the line upon Sugar-Loaf Hill; from this station he had a view of the country in a north-eastern direction for upwards of 30 miles, and also had a back view for 6 miles of the astronomical station upon the north-west branch of

the River St. John; at this point he erected his transit, which it was unnecessary afterwards to remove, as it commanded a view of all the hills in front for many miles. Lieut. Pepon was not equally fortunate, for, on account of the short distances between the elevated ridges at his end of the line, it became necessary frequently to change the position of his instrument.

 

A set of preconcerted signals was agreed upon, to be made with rockets and blue lights. Mr. Scott (the present Lieut. Governor of Labuan, a gentleman of great energy and scientific attainments,) undertook to run the line through with a theodolite by day, and he was to be put in line at night by Capt. Robinson from his transit station. The manner in which this was done was simple but effectual. Signals by flashes of gunpowder were made every night at the hour of nine. Mr. Scott having previously made a clearance, and erected a platform stage on the line crossing the summit of the nearest hill, showed a large torch, formed from the bark of the white birch, which could be seen at a much greater distance than either rockets or blue lights. On the signal being perceived by Capt. Robinson, he flashed three charges of powder in succession at the interval of one minute, which was the signal, Are you ready? Three flashes in return was an affirmative, two a negative. These preliminaries arranged, the torch light remaining in the centre of the line run during the day with the theolodite, the signals then were; one flash, too much to the right; two flashes, too far to the left; three flashes, nearly right; four, in line; which, if understood, was answered by four flashes in return.—By this arrangement the day's work was checked, and errors corrected.

 

After Mr. Scott had run his line about forty miles, much anxiety was felt with regard to Lieut. Pipon's party, of whom no intelligence had been received or sign seen; but to the delight of all, next morning, on the ridge of the opposite hill, and apparently in a direct line, the trees were seen to fall, and Lieut. Pipon's men appeared from the crest of the hill, now sufficiently cleared to show an opening in the forest.

 

The two lines had been beautifully run, the distance between them being but 300 feet, or 219 feet had they met midway. This error having been rectified, the line was corrected by the returning parties, and afterwards cut out 30 feet wide.

 

When it is considered that there are no two observers but will differ in a few feet in fixing the exact latitude of any particular spot of ground, and when it is known that a few seconds of error in the angle of departure to strike a certain latitude 64 miles off would make a very material difference in that distance, it will be at once seen with what carefulness and accuracy this delicate work was performed by the Engineer Officers before alluded to.

 

Approaching the completion of this work, the season became far advanced towards spring; the thaw had suddenly set in, and the greatest exertion was necessary to complete the running of the line before the breaking up of several of the large tributaries of the St. John, which it crosses.

 

The day after my arrival at Colonel Estcourt's camp, I was dispatched with a party to Mr. Scott's assistance, with provisions. The party consisted of Canadians, just engaged, and unaccustomed to hardships; so that before four miles of the journey had been accomplished one-third of them returned to the camp, and were discharged. They were all heavily laden; the road was embarrassed with fallen trees, and the mountain streams had forced the ice, and were descending in foaming torrents. Our destination was but 12 miles off, to reach a relief party on the banks of Black River; and some idea may be formed of the difficulty of the route, as it took nearly four days to perform this short journey, for the snow was still deep, and too wet and soft for snow-shoes. On arriving at Black River, a stream about the size of the Jacques Cartier, we found it broken up, and the ice rapidly descending. The relief party had arrived at the opposite side, and the question was, how to get the provisions across which were so urgently wanted by the surveying party ahead. No raft or canoe could have lived an instant amongst such rapids, filled with broken masses of ice. Proceeding for half a mile up the river, I observed a sharp angle in it just at the head of a rapid, in the middle of which was a large rock; on the opposite shore was growing a magnificent pine tree partly overhanging the stream. With some difficulty I prevailed upon the men on the other side to cut down the tree, which fell with a fearful crash, and then floated heavily down, and fortunately jammed across the large rock at the head of the rapid. No time was to be lost, it might remain there for a day, or part in an instant. The tree, although a very large pine, did not reach across the river; there was still a distance of about forty feet on each side to reach the top and butt; the connection was easily performed on the other side, as the water was not so rapid, but it became a difficult matter to bridge from the shore on which I was standing to the top of the tree, as the water was deep and strong, and the bank high: several trees were cut down for that purpose, but although they reached the top of the pine, the rapidity for the stream carried them instantly away. Having a sufficiency of rope I ordered the branches to be lopped off a lofty spruce, to the top of which the rope was tied, and carried up the stream; the butt was also firmly secured, so that the tree when felled, having no branches to offer resistence to the water, was easily secured by the rope from the top; but none of the party would venture to cross on this single spar, until I had first of all lashed it firmly to the pine: a few light spars were then passed over, which completed the communication. Jean Busier, one of the party on the opposite side now crossed over, and I was glad to find that he was one of Sir George Simpson's old voyageurs. As the tree was curved, the river flowed over its centre to the depth of at least two feet, yet no less than twenty heavy loads did this intrepid Canadian carry over himself. The provisions now across, a rope was passed round barked trees on each side in order to afford a means of communication should the bridge be carried away: scarcely had this been effected, when a mass of ice the whole breadth of the stream came down, the ropes broke like threads and the bridge disappeared. This was my first taste of bush life.

 

On the completion of the cutting out of this line, the other portion, a straight line also, between the northwest and south branches of the River St. John, was run much in a similar manner, and the cutting out of these two lines completed the operations in the field on this portion of the boundary for 1843.

 

In the meantime, large surveying parties, under Capt. Broughton, R. E., and Mr. Featherstonhaugh, had been dispatched to the height of land, to ascertain the position of the dividing ridge between the head waters of the south branch of the River St. John, and Hall's Stream, one of the head waters of the Connecticut. This ridge was to form the boundary.

The following was the method adopted:

 

Certain summits on the dividing ridge having been correctly ascertained; guide lines, cut out six feet wide, were run in the direction of the supposed boundary. The line of boundary could often be correctly traced from views obtained from the cleared summits of some of the lofty mountains on the line. These guide lines, by cutting the sources of streams flowing either into the St. Lawrence or into the sea, at once showed on which.side of them the actual boundary lay. Wherever a stream was intersected by this line, its course was traversed up and chained, and the angles taken with a prismatic compass. On reaching the source of the stream the traverse was continued on over the height of land, until waters were struck running in the opposite direction; and on the highest point of land between these streams was placed a summit post, and numbered. If no stream was cut by the guide line within the distance of a mile, an offset was sent off, crossing the dividing ridge, until it struck a stream running the other side, and on the highest land between was fixed the summit. Thus, along this highland range, was the actual height of land determined.

 

The highest points of the dividing ridge having been ascertained, and marked with summit posts within half a mile of each other on an average, the dividing line between them was easily traced. This was usually performed by sending a man in advance until he struck the offiset line leading to the summit. On arriving there he blew a horn, which in calm weather could be heard at the distance of a mile. The height of land was then traced by an officer of the party in the direction of the sound, and the trees along it well blazed. Sending a man ahead to blow a horn at the next summit post was a very necessary precaution, as many of the spurs put out from this dividing chain of hills were more lofty, and bore more the appearance of the actual crest separating the waters of the two countries, than the true dividing ridge.

 

On reaching the head waters of the most westernmost branch of the Connecticut, "Hall's Stream," this brook forms the boundary until it reaches the 45th parallel of north latitude, a point which had been previously ascertained by Major Graham, of the American Topographical Engineers. Here he had constructed e temporary observatory, furnished with very superior instruments.

 

The parallel of 45° is then the boundary. It crosses the River Champlain at Rouses' Point, and strikes the St. Lawrence at St. Regis.

 

In running the line along this parallel, which runs principally through a settled country, the labor became comparatively light when compared with the first portions of the survey. The angles of deflection having been ascertained, they were simply connected by straight lines.

 

The boundary having been determined and cut out, iron boundary posts or monuments were afterwards placed along it, marking the most prominent points. On the straight sections of the boundary an iron monument was placed at distances of a mile apart, and one on each side of every river crossed by the line. Where rivers formed the boundary, monuments were placed on each bank, just above the confluence of any other stream, so as to indicate the true river. On the height of land, monuments were placed upon the summit of every hill, and on the highest points in the valleys; also, at any intervening distances where the dividing ridge appeared doubtful. The parallel of 45° was marked by monuments placed at every mile, and a monument placed anglewise to indicate the angles of deflection on the line. Monuments were also fixed upon the road sides.

 

At all the principal points upon the boundary, viz: — St. Croix, the commencement and termination of the north line, the north-eastern and southwestern ends of the 64 mile line, at the point where the 19 mile line strikes the south branch of the River St. John, at each end of the height of land, and also at each end of the parallel of 45° and at all important positions between these places, large iron monuments 8 feet high, were placed.

 

These monument were of cast iron, and hollow, and made something in the form of an obelisk; they had a flange 3 inches wide at the base; and were all obtained by contract from the United States. The small ones were cast in one piece about 6 feet long, and weighed 194 lbs. each. The large monuments were cast in three pieces, and weighed, when put together, about 300 lbs. Inscribed upon their sides were the date of the treaty, and the names of the Commissioners under whom the line was run.

 

The mode of placing these monuments was by sinking them three feet into the ground, and firmly securing them in position. In swampy ground, a tamarac post was driven deep into the swamp, the monument was then let down upon the post. In very rocky places, where it became necessary to put a post, holes were drilled through the flange at its base, and it was then secured to the rock by fox wedges.

 

The distributing of these iron boundary posts along the line was perhaps one of the most arduous duties throughout the whole survey. The remote distance of many portions of the boundary from any road, or even water communication, rendered it necessary for them to be drawn many miles upon toboggins over the snow in winter; and the placing of them along the rocky and almost inaccessible mountain ridges was very ably performed by Mr. Morin, of Maskinongé, a person who had been strongly recommended to Col. Estcourt by that celebrated traveller, Sir George Simpson.

 

To give some idea of the difficulties encountered in distributing these monuments, I mention the following as forming one of the many instances of similar hardships and difficulties that had to be overcome: I was directed by the British Commissioner, in the month of February, to proceed to St. Thomas, there to engage horses and sleigh, and proceed to Lake Ishagelnashagook by a bush road running 45 miles south of the place, and from thence to endeavour to convey a number of these iron monuments up the River St. John to its extreme source. The first portion of the boundary over which I had to pass had not been travelled over during the winter, and the snow lay there five feet deep, through which, with horses, in sleighs, the monuments had to be drawn. To break a passage through the snow was absolutely necessary: to effect this, the drivers had first of all to proceed in advance on snow shoes, two of the sleighs had then to be abandoned, and the unincumbered horses sent through the snow. Sometimes these unfortunate animals would entirely disappear in some hollow where the snow lay deep, and had fairly to be dug out. The time required to break through this road occupied nearly four days, so that we were unable to advance at a greater rate than six miles a day. It enabled us, however, to get the remainder of the monuments through to the river without further difficulty. Still, upwards of 64 miles further had to be accomplished up the stream; fortunately the wind had drifted the snow off the frozen river, so that very little difficulty was met with in ascending it, until we reached the narrows, at the rapids, near the height of land: here frequent portages had to be made to avoid the rapids, and on ascending higher up, the stream grew smaller, until the alders met on each side.    These had to be cleared away with the axe.

 

The owners of the horses had contracted to furnish their own forage, but in spite of remonstrances, they could not be prevailed upon to take sufficient: they little knew the journey they had undertaken to perform. On arriving at the source of the river their forage was nearly expended, and they had yet 131 miles to return through the forest ere their homes could be reached at St. Thomas. The snow was falling fast, so that every hour of delay was hazardous. Of provisions for the men there was no scarcity; an effort, therefore, was necessary to save the horses. We arrived at our destination at 12 o'clock, noon: allowing no time to rest, but just sufficient for the animals to feed; I pushed them on with their empty sleighs over the now beaten track; all that day did they travel and the next night, then, through the darkness, I was obliged to lead the way, accompanied by my servant, to point out the dangerous air-holes in the river, in one of which I nearly lost my life. Towards 3 o'clock, A. M., the wearied party halted, and declared their intention to proceed no further. The snow had fallen during the night and had been' succeeded by a cold freezing wind, which swept down the lonely valley of the river, and the men, chilled and tired, now determined to look only to themselves, commenced to make a fire, and abandoned their horses to their fate. The depot containing provisions was but five miles off, and once there, shelter and food could be obtained for both man and beast. It must have been 10 below zero, so that in a very short time their horses, dripping with perspiration, must inevitably have been frozen to death. Finding remonstrances in vain, I tried the effect of fear, and feigned to leave them to their fate; hardly was I out of sight round a turn in the river, when their shouts reached my ear, and I was soon overtaken by their poor jaded horses pushed to the utmost of their speed by their frightened masters. We arrived at the depot without further difficulty, where we found plenty of biscuits, upon which, when broken, the animals fed greedily.

 

The party arrived safe at St. Thomas, and instantly commenced a suit against me for damages; but as they had doubly earned their money, Col. Estcourt allowed them, upon my recommendation, twice the amount of their contract.

 

At one time, as many as five hundred men were employed by the British Commissioner alone, in cutting out and surveying the line, and carrying and boating provisions. Some of these men were engaged on the surveys of the innumerable little streams which flow from the water sheds of the highland range; others were assisting the Engineer Officers in making contours of the boundary line; large parties were employed in chopping out the line 30 feet wide, and clearing out a road six feet in breadth through its centre; and large bodies of men were required constantly to be engaged in keeping up the supply of provisions at the various depots.

 

The choppers were all divided into gangs of ten, and over each gang was placed a working foreman, who received higher wages than the rest; he was made responsible for the conduct of those under him. The average wages per man was £3 10s. a month, and food. To every gang of men was allotted a lean-to tent and cooking utensils: as these tents were open in front, generally two gangs camped opposite to each other with a fire between them; and in winter, each man in his turn had his night watch, to see to the keeping up of the fires. They generally relieved each other every two hours, and from this arrangement much comfort was derived. Few sights at night in the bush are more remarkably interesting than a number of tents pitched upon the banks of a river and viewed from its opposite shore.

 

The supplying of provisions to a large body of men formed one of the most expensive items in the whole survey. They had to be conveyed up the River St. John in canoes and pirogues, and from thence up such tributaries as crossed the line on which depots had to be constructed to receive them. In many places provisions had to be carried in pack loads for 45 miles through a heavy and mountainous country, so that one-half was consumed by the carrying parties in going and returning. The allowance of provisions to the men upon this arduous duty was very liberal. At first they were allowed certain rations, but it was not found to answer, as men when undergoing great muscular exertion will consume double the quantity of food usually allowed to soldiers of the line. The usual provisions were pork, flour, biscuit, peas, rice, sugar, tea and vinegar. The latter as an antidote to scurvy, although I am not aware of any case appearing amongst the men. Cases of snow-blindness often occurred, which soon gave way to change of air and diet. The men thus affected saw perfectly well during the day time, but had, towards evening, to be led back to camp, where they recovered their sight before the light of the fire. As a proof of the healthiness of bush life, I may mention, that although some of the men received severe and dangerous axe wounds, many got frozen, and all were exposed to severe hardships, no case of death happened in the forest out of the 400 and 500 men who for three years were there annually employed.

 

With regard to the value of a large portion of the disputed territory, little can be said in its favor for agricultural purposes; and very little good soil is to be found in any extent upon either side of the boundary between Lake Pohenagamuck and Hall's Stream. The mountain ranges, however, are well worth the researches of the geologist, particularly in the neighbourhood of Arnold's Mountain, which lies to the south-west of Lake Megantic.

The lumber in this disputed portion of country must have been considered very valuable to the Americans, as I have since learnt that the whole was soon disposed of to companies and to private individuals, who now carry on there an extensive manufacturing business.

 

It might have been expected that a numerous body of men continually crossing over an extensive range of forest hitherto untraversed by the foot of man—save along the river sides and lakes, where annually the Indian at stated periods hunts and fishes—would have seen many wild animals, Such, however, was not the case; the tenants of these wild forests are not so numerous as generally supposed. During nearly three years sojourn in the very heart of the bush, and travelling often whole days alone, I have no marvellous story to relate. A bear and a few moose deer were all the animals I ever met with. Such as do exist in Lower Canada, seldom attack a man, unless in self-defence, or in defence of their offspring. Some few adventures, however, did occur:

 

One cold morning in the month of March, Mr. Scott was in the act of tying on his snow shoes in front of his tent, before which was burning a strong maple fire; on looking up, he saw, within a few feet of where he stood, a fierce loup-cervier. Hardly had he time to think how to act, when the beast was perceived by his little terrier, who boldly attacked it; the loup-cervier, coward-like, fled, but the softness of the snow and the sudden attack of the dog impeded its movements, and it was soon dispatched by the blow of an axe thrown at him with deadly precision by one of the choppers. The beast was almost skin and bone, very old, and covered with vermin; hunger alone had driven it to seek for food in an enemy's camp.

 

On another occasion, a species of wild cat was perceived by a corporal of sappers, and his party; it was, when seen, in the act of crossing the line. As the snow was soft the animal immediately treed, and was followed by the dauntless corporal, who, however, nigh paid dearly for his temerity. The corporal was almost as great an adept in climbing as the animal he was in pursuit of. He followed it closely to within about a dozen feet of the top of the tall spruce; the party standing some feet from the foot of the tree had a good view of the movements of both the attacked and the attacker: the latter was often obliged to take his eyes off the animal in order to secure his footing, and the cat could be observed lashing its tail and preparing for a deadly spring upon the now apparently devoted corporal. Hardly was he warned of his danger when the infuriated beast sprung full at his neck; but the drop was too perpendicular for effect; with a short stick he struck if sufficiently hard to clear him from its clutch, and it came tumbling down in a succession of summersets, at least from 100 feet into the deep snow, and was soon dispatched.

 

A very exciting scene I once witnessed: it was an attack upon a large bull moose, which was surrounded by a party of about 70 men. They were changing camp that morning, when the foremost of the party espied on the open line a large bull in company with five female deer. The man immediately returned and informed his companions of what he had seen, and steps were soon taken to surround the herd. It is a common practice, and performed by a large party of men extending themselves in a circle around the object of their attack, and gradually decreasing its circumference so as to prevent almost the possibility of escape without running the gauntlet. It was soon perceived that the most timid of the herd had fled upon the first alarm, but the gallant male had nobly disdained to retreat, and seemed quite prepared to do battle with his foes. He had left the open line, and was about 100 yards in the bush when he perceived one of the party, towards whom he boldly advanced with a menacing air; but perceiving in every direction enemies around, he stopped short, seemed bewildered, and trotted wildly about, seeking for an opening to escape; but every moment of hesitation limited this chance; the circle of his attackers became smaller and smaller; all at once he stopped, and boldly awaited the attack of his .foes. There was one man amongst the party, a French Canadian, whose intellect was considered rather unsound: this fellow was ever seeking for an opporturity to perform some act that would gain him éclat with his comrades. He was a powerfully built young man, and remarkably active; here then was an opportunity he had long sought for, and a general cry was raised for him to commence the attack: he was no coward, and at once stepped forward to do battle, single-handed, with the powerful animal before him. Choosing a position between two trees, through which he knew the moose could not pass, he stealthily approached his rear, but the wary animal perceived the danger; wheeling suddenly round with a terrific roar he rushed upon him: well was it then for Clutier that his position was so well chosen or he would have been trampled to death in an instant, for the moose in endeavoring to reach him through the two trees got his large horns entangled, and before he could extricate himself, his attacker flew around and ham-strung him with a single blow of his axe; with a second blow he almost severed the other leg from the body, and the noble deer sank upon his haunches and meekly met his fate.

 

I shall not soon forget the effect of this scene upon Clutier; for that day and part of the next he was perfectly mad. So soon as the moose fell he drew his knife across its throat, and catching the flowing blood in his hands he actually drank it hot and reeking as it ebbed from the expiring animal. The moose was an immense beast and weighed over 1200 lbs.; his flesh, although coarse and rank in flavor, turned out very acceptable to men who had been subsisting for months upon salt provisions. The horns weighed 56 lbs., and were the finest I had ever seen, they were sent by me as a present to Capt. Broughton. The interior of the forests, however, of Lower Canada, afford but little game for the sportsman. The partridges and hares are found in greatest quantities on the outskirts of the bush. The beaver, martin, muskrat, &c, can only be obtained by trapping.

 

The lakes and rivers every where in this section of country abound with trout of the finest description;—the fish on the Canada side are the best. In Lake Megantic trouts are caught weighing from 26 to 30 pounds. Many varieties of fish exist in these waters.

 

In the fall of 1845, the whole line having been cut out and surveyed, the two Commissioners proceeded to Washington, where the plans of the boundary were made and signed. The length of the entire boundary from St. Croix to St. Regis is over 700 miles; and of this about 240 miles is formed by water, the remainder is a cut out line 30 feet in width, and although the young forest is rapidly filling up the gap, yet the stumps of the old trees will for at least half a century, show the remains of the parent stock and mark the line, by that time: if Canada increases in population as it has done of late, the greater portion of the country on either side will ha/e become settled and populous districts. Some idea may be formed of the extent of the work performed in this duty from the following calculation, viz: that no less than 3,400 superficial acres were cleared in cutting out the line, and 1,000,000 trees, large and small, felled by the axe. The length of bush lines cut out by both Governments in traversing up the streams and making the survey is over 10,000 miles, and the cost of surveying and cutting out this boundary, to the English Government alone, exceeded £80,000 sterling.

 

In the performance of this duty the greatest unanimity existed between the English and American Commissioner, as well as between the officers and men of both parties. The Americans performed a distinct survey, ran their own trial lines, and verified all the work performed by us. Certain portions of the line were alotted to be cut out by them, and the expense of the iron boundary posts was borne equally by each country. In every other case, I believe, each Government paid its own expenses.

 

Ten years have now passed away since the completion of this survey, and I can safely say that all of those engaged thereon but regretted the termination of the Commission, on account of the social enjoyment produced by being associated in labors with gentlemen whose aim and study was to be kind and friendly to each other, and to render the duties to be performed agreeable and pleasant.

 

On the return of Capt. Robinson to England he was made a Brevet Major; a promotion well merited for the important services he rendered, and which was the more complimentary, inasmuch that, contrary to the general rule of the army; a precedent was made in his favor,

brevet rank being only given to junior officers for distinguished services on the field of battle.

 

Lieut. Pipon, who was greatly esteemed by all who knew him, was appointed to take charge of the survey for the Halifax road: in endeavoring to save the life of a fellow creature in the waters of the Madawaska, he lost his own.

 

Mr. Scott, the Secretary to the Commission; for the arduous and various services performed by him, was, on his return home, appointed Surveyor General of the Island of Labuan, and has since been promoted to the Lieut. Governorship of the place, a position which he still retains.

And may I not here pay a slight tribute of respect to the memory of the British Commissioner under whom we served, that noble-hearted officer, the late Major General Estcourt?

 

There are many in this city, perhaps some in this room, to whom he was well and intimately known. High and honorable in his feelings, kind and affable to all, of strict religious principles; he was esteemed and loved by all who knew him. No man ever made a more conscientious discharge of his duties than this officer. He particularly distinguished himself in the Euphrates Expedition, and owed the prominent positions he held in after life entirely to his own exertions. He lies entombed amidst the graves of heroes.

 

There have been those who have endeavored to blast the fair fame of many a gallant officer in the Crimea. Had they known the difficulties they had to encounter, had they known how the hands of those officers were tied up, and how their demands and representations had been unheeded, very different would have been their feelings. Of those of whom it was attempted to impute blame, General Estcourt was amongst the number; but the calumnies have recoiled upon the calumniators; and when the din of war is hushed, and the blessings of peace again flow through the nations of the earth, history will do justice to the memory of those brave and indefatigable officers, they—who were in fact the pioneers—who had to cut their way through a Gordian knot of red tape routine and useless forms, arid who cleared a path for others to pass through, and reap the glory.