Portage Paths: The Keys of the ContinentHulbert, Archer Butler
History
Portage Paths: The Keys of the Continent
Hulbert, Archer Butler
Portages -- North America
Among the most interesting maps of the Kennebec-Chaudière route may be
mentioned Montresor's map of 1761, "A Draught of a route from Quebec to
Fort Halifax," in the British Museum.[38] The route is there given as up
the "Yadatsou Chaudiere or Kettle River." When Wolf River was reached it
was ascended; then to "River Ahoudaounkese." Here was a portage of five
miles to within about that distance of Lake Oukeahoungauta; portage of
about one half mile to Loon Lake; thence into Moosehead Lake at the head
of the east branch of the Kennebec. A portage could be made into the
Penobscot; and at the southeastern extremity of Moosehead Lake are the
words "Portage to the Penobscot." The return route was up the Kennebec
to "The Great Carrying Place to River of Tewyongyadight or the Dead
River." This was Arnold's route, already referred to by Mr. Sullivan.
Ascending the Dead to "The Amaguntic Carrying Place" (a portage of about
four miles) the route is marked to "the River of Mekantique" and through
"The meadow of Mekantique;" thence through "Lake of Me' Kantique de St
Augustin" and into the Chaudière.
Perhaps the earliest map showing a road throughout the Kennebec and
Chaudière valleys is "A New Map of Nova Scotia & Cape Britain" (1755) in
the British Public Records Office.[39] The road bears the name "Kenebec
Road."
Among the Haldimand Papers in the British Museum[40] is a most
interesting "Journal from the last settlements on the Chaudiere to the
first Inhabitants on Kennebec River kept by Hugh Finley, from the 13th
of September that he left Quebec until the 30th that he arrived at
Falmouth in Casco Bay in the P[r]ovince of the Massachusets Bay--1773."
Finley had been appointed "Surveyor of Post roads on the Continent of
North America" and, in view of the tedious length and the common
retardments of the Lake Champlain route between Canada and New England,
determined to explore the Chaudière-Kennebec route. Four Indian guides
accompanied the surveyor, who were "to mark (as they should pass along
in their rough way) the Path by which a good road might be cut." The
last farm on the Chaudière was "52 Miles S. Easterly of Quebec." "The
reaches in this river are long between rapid and rapid, but navigable
for batteaus only." On the fifteenth the party had reached "Rapide du
Diable;" seven miles further was "La Famine" River where were two huts.
Four miles further they arrived at "des loups" River. This was the
common upward route of travel as the upper Chaudière route was
interrupted by ponds, swamps, etc. Concerning Indian maps Mr. Finley
makes an interesting statement: "It is impossible to guess distances
from an Indian draft, that people have no idea of proportion."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account