[31] It would be interesting to know the exact location of the "portage" referred to above. Was it the rocky neck between Marble Cove at Indiantown and the Straight Shore? Or was it the comparatively slight obstruction at Drury's Cove that prevents the river finding an outlet by way of the Marsh Creek into Courtenay Bay? See on this head Dr. George F. Matthew's interesting paper on "The Outlets of the St. John River:" Nat. Hist. Society bulletin No. xii., p. 42. A bill was once introduced into the House of Assembly for the purpose of enabling the promoters to remove, by blasting, the rocks that obstruct the mouth of the river and thus allow the waters to flow more freely. It was claimed that many benefits would follow, chiefly that the lumbermen would be able to get their logs and deals to market more expeditiously and at less cost, and that the farmers, of Maugerville, Grand Falls and Sheffield would be saved the serious inconveniences occasioned by the annual freshet. However, popular sentiment was strongly opposed to the project. People speedily realized that not only would the beauty of the river be destroyed but that navigation would be rendered precarious and uncertain. The project, in fact, would have changed our noble St. John into a tidal river, unsightly mud flats alternating with rushing currents of turbid waters, while so far as protection of the low-lying lands goes the remedy would in all probability have proved worse than the disease, for instead of an annual inundation there would have been an inundation at every high tide. Moreover the harbor at St. John would have been ruined. There can be no secure harbor at the mouth of a great tidal river where swirling tides pour in and out twice in the course of every twenty-four hours. Cadillac mentions the convenient route to Quebec via the River St. John. The Indians had used it from time immemorial and the French followed their example, as at a later period did the English. The missionaries Le Loutre and de L'Isle-Dieu in the statement prepared by them in 1753, already mentioned, say:-- "It is very easy to maintain communication with Quebec, winter and summer alike, by the River St. John, and the route is especially convenient for detachments of troops needed either for attack or defence. This is the route to be taken and followed:-- "From Quebec to the River du Loup. From the River du Loup by a portage of 18 leagues to Lake Temiscouata. From Lake Temiscouata to Madaoechka [Madawaska.] From Madaoechka to Grand Falls. From Grand Falls to Medoctek. From Medoctek to Ecouba [Aukpaque], post of the Indians of the Jesuit missionary, Father Germain. From Ecouba to Jemsec. From Jemsec, leaving the River St. John and traversing Dagidemoech [Washa demoak] lake ascending by the river of the same name, thence by a portage of 6 leagues to the River Petkoudiak.