ruction 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 determi