The narrator and a companion undertake a long canoe-and-portage voyage through the northern Maine wilderness, chronicling river and lake travel, repeated portages, and improvised camps. The account blends practical guidance on outfitting, shoeing canoes, and work on traps and dams with descriptive scenes of forests, lakes, beaver activity, and nocturnal moose-calling. Episodes trace dwindling provisions, storms, and narrow escapes from starvation, followed by arrival at Aroostook settlements and resupply. The narrative is accompanied by photographs, sketches, and a route map that clarify the itinerary and daily labors.