Early explorers followed two main water routes through Hastings County to get from the Ottawa River to Georgian Bay. Both routes followed the Madawaska River from the Ottawa to a point south of Combermere. One route continued following the Madawaska northwest; the other followed the York through what is now Bancroft and Baptiste Lake. The waters of Baptiste Lake had not been raised to today’s level. 1. Madawaska Route: Lt. Catty, Royal Engineers, from Balsam Lake to Ottawa, 1818; David Thompson, Penetanguishene to the Ottawa River via the Muskoka and Madawaska rivers; D. McDonnell, Madawaska River and Opeongo Lake, 1847 2. York River Route: Lt. Walpole, Royal Engineers, from Lake Simcoe to the Ottawa River; Alexander Murray, geological survey, Penetanguishene to Ottawa River and return to Kawartha Lakes. Based on information from a Library and Archives Canada map, NMC-48651