The actual setting in of winter, which sometimes occurs
in the first week of October, was therefore to be dreaded. From this
time the country becomes unfit for traveling of any description until
the streams are bound with solid ice and a crust formed on the snow of
sufficient firmness to make it passable on snowshoes. The only road is
that along the St. John River, and it would be almost impossible for a
party distant more than 10 or 12 miles from that stream to extricate
itself after the winter begins.
No duty could be well imagined more likely to be disagreeable than that
assigned to Professor Renwick. The only feasible modes of approach lay
for hundreds of miles through the acknowledged limits of the British
territory, and the line he was directed to explore was included within
the military post of that nation. It may be likened to the entry upon
the land of a neighbor for the purpose of inquiring into his title.
Under these circumstances of anticipated difficulty it becomes his duty,
as well as his pleasure, to acknowledge the uniform attention and
civilities he has experienced from all parties, whether in official
or in private stations.
Pages:
880
881
882
883
884
885
886
887
888
889
890
891
892
893
894
895
896
897
898
899
900
901
902
903
904