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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. i errata id to It te pel u re, 9on A n 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 / r f y f r / BY TRACK AND TRAIL 1 ^ r\ HY THAt K AND TRAIL. (.S.« int.jf 173.) BY TRACK AND TRAIL A JOURNEY THEOUGH CANADA. ^ 7 -a ^ n ^ 7? "- r 1/ EDWARD ROPER, F.R.G.S. WITH NUMEROUS ORIGINAL SKETCHES BY THE AUTHOR. . t • • • • • • • • . . . • ■ ; • : , , ••• \ LONDON : W. H. ALLEN & CO., LIMITED, AND AT CALCUTTA 1891. 7 /")0P^-J1^ LONDON : FEINTED BY W. H. ALLEN AND CO., LIMITED, 13 WATERLOO PLACE. 8.W. «, ..' • • • •• • *.* • • • . . • •- ••• • •*• Z m *« • • • i ' •• • • • • • * • • • • • . • . • .• ,_. • - • •• f CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. OUTWARD BOUNU. PAOE Tlio Parmedan and her Passengers. — Fine Weather at Soa.— About the Decks. — Captain Joiios's Gallantries. — Captain Jones's Dignity. — Astro- nomy Lessons. — Variet-Vs of Life. — Fafher Terry. — A Negro " Jubilee " Troupe. — A quadroon lioauty. — Mr. Selby. — Plana and Prospects. — In- troductions. — The Sclby Family. — The Belles of the Ship. — Emigrant Typos. — Eating and Drinking. — In the Smoking-room. — Yarns and Songs. — Flirtation by Moonlight. — A Change of Scenery. — Foggy Wea- thei". — Icebergs. — The Bears of Anticosti. — A Concert on Board. — A Love-lorn Swain. — Mr. Charles Donald, — Up the St. Lawrence. — In Port. I CHAPTER II. QUEBEC AND MONTREAL. Getting Ashore.— First Troubles.— The Baggage Difficulty.— A Friend in Need. — A Quebec "'Bus." — The St. Martin's Hotel. — Our Reception. — The "gentlemanly" Clerk. — Sky Parlours. — Amply i)rovided with every necessary. — Remonstrances. — An '"elegant" Dinner a la Pari- sienne.— Famished Travellers. — My Toilet Glass. — Paternal Cares. — A Detrimental.— Conversation thereon.— The Colonel's Dessert-spoon. — Seeing Quebec. — More Omnibus Experience. — Off to Montreal, and glad to go. — " Canadian Minstrels."- Better Quarters.— Disgraceful Road- ways. — An enlightened Irish Boot -black. — Strange Arguments for Home Rule.— Montreal and its People.— The young Couple in Disgrace.— A " Colonial Sleeper." — Master Charlie packed off . . . . CHAPTER III. ON TO MANITOBA. Canadian Contractions.—" All on board going West ! " -Our Sleeping-Car.— First Night Experiences.— The Ottawa Valley.— The Diuing-Car and its Resources.— " They 're English Girls!"— How we Fared.— A Halt by the Way. — Lake Nipissing.— A very new Hotel.— Backwoods Economy. — Primitive Manners.— Settlers at Home. — Astonishing the Natives.— 16 ?i CONTENTS. PAOE (Ii'i-Ih' Opiiijonfl. — On tho Trnck ii)fain.~" Whi-io nro wo nowP" — The olil Toto lloiul. — Uurnt PoroMtg. — Alf." — " Call that a Mountain ! " — Peni- tentiary and Convicts. — The Last Herd of Uuffalo in Canada. — I'oo|)lo and Shoi)s in WinnipcK-— St. Boniface, and the lloman ("atholin Cathe- dral. — I leave the Solbys and go on West ..... 12 CHAPTER V. '« ACROSS THE WHEAT COUNTRY. Old Shipmates. — An Immigrant Family. — " Innocents Abroad." — Portage- la-Prairie. — The " Beautiful P'ains." — A Settler from Devon. — "Wouldn't I like to go Homo again!" — Farmers' Prospects. — A New and Go-ahead Proirie Town. — I roach Broadview. — How they welcome Travellers in Canada. — The Dining Hall. — Poor Prospects of Supper. — " It 's Real Mean ! " — The Servant Difficulty. — Interviewing " the Ladies." — Elegance and Hauteur. — Pleading for Food. — Softening the " Prairie Flower." — Pie I — On Charlie's Trail. — Hough Accommodation. — Looking for Meadows's Farm. — A queer Inhabitant. — Found at Last. — Bluffs, Sloughs, Shacks, and Dug-outs. — Meadows's Home. — My Friend's Experiences of the X.W.T. — Cattle versuK Wheat. — A Drive in an Ox-cart.— Tho Town of Broadview. — The Liquor Proliibition Law. — New Acquaintances. — Bruce. — Wild Beasts anil Birilb.- Some Skunk Stories. — Insects and Flowers ...... 64 CHAPTER VI. LIFE m THE NOR -WEST. Meadows's Moighbours. — A Sunday Visitor. — Friend Brown's Loquacity. — Canadian Habits. — Miserable System of keeping Cattle. — Shiftless Ways. — A Prairie Walk. — Fire-guards. — Hardy and Donald "At Home." — The House. — Charlie's Cookery. — Prospects. — A Chat about the Love Affair. — Despondency. — Cattle versus Wheat. — Bad Seasons. — Nothing like Cows. — I enjoy my Life. — Want of Society. — Apathy of tho Settlers. — A Drive on a " Backboard." — Jovial Bruce. — His comfortable Home. — Why the Neighbours called him a " Crank." — The English Style and tho COiSTEM'S. ▼ti \UK 2N ('iiiiudiaii Sfyli' — u ('otnpnrison — Nor'-NVeit Form.— Tho llemilt of Five YoarH* Work.— Loilv !' »iry-niaidi.— What (Jirls can do in the N.W.T.— Tho I'rico of u maile lariii. — Uruco'M UnunhttTH. — Kffect of th«« Cliiimte on Health . , . . . • t • . 77 12 CHAPTEK VII. ENOLI8H TOUKISTH AND NUK'-WBST 8RTTLEK8. " Cotton Snow." — Gurdening. — More about the Cliniato. — UroukinK I'nurio. — Nor'«WeBt Fonn. — A Visit from Yellowouif. — Indian l'rincen»en. — I induce the Seibys to como to Broadview. — IIow about Accommodation Y — DifHcultiea. -The Manu^er of the Dinini; Hall. — Important CouHulta- tion witli " the Ladies." — Preparations and I'lanH. — Arrival of tho Solbys. — In8))eotion of Meadowa's I'laco. — General Consternation. — Visit to Hardy and Donald. — " Do you always live like this 'f " — Lovoniuking, Advisint^, Hpeoulating.— Weighing Pros and Cons. — Laying i'lans.— My Expectations totally defeated. — The Selbya in Broadview.—" Why are the Settlera so Wretched?" — Another Visit to Bruce. — A Family Council. — Packing up. — Good-bye ! — Onward ! . . . . S»4 CHAPTER VIII. ACU08S AS8INIBOIA. Brace's Farewell to ua. — Some Fellow-paasengora. — Mr. Selby's Explanatioua. — Trouble about our young Lovers. — Life on the Cars. — Comforts of the "Sloe,.3r." — Indian Head. — Tho culebratud Bell Farm, mid what I learat about It.— The gruat " Drink Question." — Kegina. — (»ur sleeploss Porter. — A Conversation, — T(mi Belby'a Ideas. — "So that's why Maud objects ! " — Buffalo Bones. — How Englishmen are motaniorphoMAOE CHAPTER X. OVEB THE EOCKIES. Field Hotel. — A welcome Breakfast. — Views in Kicking Horse Vnlley. — Burninpf Forests. — The old " Tote Road." — A burning Tree across the Bridge. — Cannnck's Philosophy and my Lament. — Golden. — First View of the Selkirks. — Arrival at Donald. — Aspects of the Town. — Phases of Humanity. — Vegetation. — A Visitor to the Cars. — Views of an English Lady concerning Life in the Rockies. — P^xpenses. — Horrible state of Things socially. — Invitations to speculate. — Whistling Billy's Gold Mine. —A Conversation. — I argno the Point. — And speak my Mind on the Gold-mining Question. — Onward again. — Ascending the Selkirks.— Gran- deur of the Scenery. — In Rogers's Pass. — ilore Vexation. — " By the Company's Orders." — Glacier House. — A Ifaven of Refuge at last . 137 CHAPTER XI. IN THE SELKIRKS. Our tii"st Morning at Glacier House. — Breakfast. — The Station-master. — What News ? — The glorious Scenery around. — At length the Wires " speak." — Walking on the Track. — We interview the Section Men. — A Gentleman Navvy. — His Experiences. — An Anecdote. — How a Cana- dian Farm-labourer turned out to be a Nobleman. — Descent into the lUecillewaet Caiion. — Some Canadian Fellow-passengers. — Their insa- tiable Appetites and Inhospitality. — Albert Canon. — Revelstoke. — A miserable Scene. — We are " Dined " by the Company. — Ascent of the Gold Range. — Eagle Puss. — An actual Pioneer tells us the true Story. — Engineering Difficulties in the Early Days. — Feats of Molmn and Moberly. — Lake Scenery in Columbia Valley. — Chinese Labourers. — Kamloops. — A Reef-raising District ... . 150 CHAPTER XII. DOWN THE PACIFIC SLOPE, Father Terry turns up. — A Little Jlystilieation. — Morning on the Thompson River. — Father Terry forgets his Breviary. — His Description of Kam- loops, and Opinions thereon. — What we saw from the Train. — The " City" of Lytton. — The Eraser Canons and the Cascade Mountains. — Feats of Engineering. — Changefulness of the Scenery. — Sisco Bridge. — Luxuriance of the Vegetation. — The Yale and Carriboo Trail. — What Bi'itish Columbia was in " the Earlj- Days." — Present Decay of once Flourishing Settlements. — Habitations and their Inhabitants. — My Opinion of the Chinese. — Breakfast at North Bend. — More Delightful Scenery. — An Indian Cemetery. — The Ti-utch Suspension Bridge. — An Indian Fisherman. — Our two Fair Ladies. — Maggie's Love and Maud's Objections. — Boston Bar. — Yale. — A Perishing City. — Hope. — Port Moody and Disappointment. — The Sea ! The Sea ! — Glorious Views. — Vancouvev City reached ....... 165 i!5 <^ CONTENTS. IX CHAPTER XIII. A YEAR-OLD CITY. tOK '' i PAGE 37 Vancouver City.— On the Platform of the Dcp6t.— The Advantage of having Pretty Girls in a Travelling Party.— The Le Grand House.— The Manager makes Difficulties. — Tb'; Lady Proprietress.— The Food Difficulty as usual.- A Friend in Need.— View from our Windows.— The Felled Forest. — Enormous Trees. — Douglas Pines. — China-town, and what we saw from it. — A Dinner Party. — The German "Nobleman" who waited. — Boots, and how to black Them.— I " let out " at the Manager. — And speak my mind. — He offers to Trade, and I sell Him my Coat. — The Philosophy of Weather-grumbling.— Rapidity of House-building.— The C.P.R. Hotel.- The Houses and Stores.— The Site of Vancouver.— Road- ways and Streets. — Churches and Public Buildings.— The Wonderful Enterprise exhibited. — Lots and Investments again. — Arrival of the Abi/ssinia from China and J, pan. — Excitement in tVio Town. — The Pilot's "News." — The Captain Interviewed ..... 181 CHAPTER XIV. SOME ASPECTS OF VANCOUVER CITY. Ciiuiidian Hotel-life. — Contrast with English Manners. — Curiosities of the Service. — Peculiarities of the Table Equipage. — The Bill of Fare. — Old English Settlers. — Business Planners and Customs. — We are " Men- tioned in the Papers." — Letters from Broadview. — Division of Opinions. — Mr. Selby's Troubles. — Maggie's Message to Young Donald. — Now Acquaintances. — The Morland Girls. — Englishmen " at Homo." — View of the Mountains. — We Start on a Picnic. — Moodyville. — Saw-mills. — By Trail through the V/oods. — " The most glorious walk we ever had I " — What the Le Grand House provided for our Luncheon. — Wo leave it for the Beasts of Prey. — The Indian Village. — Attempts at Conversation. — "Yon King George?" — Friendly Red-skins. — We try to Hire a Boat. — Difficulties. — " Kloshe Canim." — An Interpreter at Last.— Trouble Dissipated. — We embark in a Cnnoe. — "Kla-how-ya !"—" Wait till you see Victoria." — L^cal Jealousies. — A Temporary Separation. — I prepare for an Excursion ........ 196 CHAPTER XV. UP BURRARD INLET. Bread Missing. — Our Craft. — Its Passengers. — Kntranco of the North Arm. — Voyage up. — Landing in the Wilds. — A Walk in the Woods. — I ilis- cover a Kentish Neighbour. — The Surveyors' Camp. — Comfortable Quarters. — Glorious Surroundings. — British Columbian Fiords. — The Admiral, and other Chunis.^A rainy Morning. — -A Fishing Excursion proposed. — A Row and a Clamber. — Indian Discouragement. — Plenty of Fish, but no Sport. — An Artist's Paradise. — Flora anil Fauna. — The Surveyors' Experience. — " Mnck-a-Mnck." — A Row up the Arm. — A Chat about Trees. — Naming Mount Elophanta. — Mj' first Sight of a wild " Big-horn." — Terrible Grandeur of the Scenci-y. — Charlie's Sup- pers. — Extensive Tea-drinking. — "Now, Boys, wu '11 go." — A risky Voyage. — Back to Vancouver City . .... Ml CONTENTS. CHAPTER XVI. VANCOUVKR ISLAND. To Victoria in the Yosemitc. — The Siwash Rock. — Indian Sepulture. — The Straits of Georgia. — Arrival at Victcia. — English Habits prevail. — A Chat with Maggie in the Morning. — 1 , her Terry's last Breakfast with us.— His View of Irish Politics.— Farewell !— Beacon Hill.— Splendour of the View.— The Angels' Stairs.- The City of Victoria.— Its English Character and Homeliness.— The Shops and Institutions.— Hotels. — The Streets and the People. — Ladies' Dress. — Ferns and Roses. — A Row up Victoria Arm. — The Gorge. — An Exploration of Indian Kitchen Middens. — A most enchanting Picnic. — Master Tom's Ideas. — A trifling Diffi- culty.— The Tido in the Gorge.— Beaten. — Rescued. — An Indian Lady.— A Chinook Belle. — The social Status of educated Chinooks in British Columbia. — A Reminiscence of Mine. — An Indian Judge. — I mistake an Indian Lady for an Englishwoman. — High Qualities of the Race PAQR 228 CHAPTER XVII. THE GARDEN OF THE DOMINION. The Road to Esquimalt. — The Navy Yard. — Description of It. — The View. — The Ships. — Carey's Castle. — Looking across the Straits. — English People and English Habits. — Chinese Servants. — A Yankee Lady. — A^ictoria the civilizing Centre of the Paciflo Coast. — Gonzales Rocks and McNeil's Bay. — Wild Flowers. — Farming. — Fruit-growing. — Land, Settling, Cli- mate. — Some Remarks on Vancouver Island. — Nanaimo. — The Coal- mines.— Gold. — Fish and Fisheries. — The Oolachan. — Trout-Hshing. — Big Game. — The Chinese in Victoria. — My Opinion of them. — A Defence of the Race. — Comparison with White Labourers. — Wages and Prices. — Manners. — Work ifcsKs Beer. — Drink in Canada. — The Selbys' Plans. — A Decision at length arrived at. — Poor Maud ! . . 246 CHAPTER XVIII. ABOUT THE CHINOOKS. Diffusion of Indian Blood auaong the Bx-itish Columbians. — The Indians Themselves. — Their tribal Divisions. — The Hydahs. — General Loyalty. — Mode of Life. — Houses and Boats. — Totems. — Features of an Indian Village. — Personal Adornments. — Carvings in Wood, Stone, and Silver. — Possible Japuneso Origin. — A Yankee Tourist. — A little argumentative Discourse with Him. — Trees and Cowe. — How I floored my Man over Jersey Cattle. — And Crockery. — Last Days in Victoria. — Business done in the City. — Prospects. — But the Hotels ! -The villainous Management of Canadian and American Hotels. — My Appeal to all concerned. — Im- provements in the C.P.R. Establishments. — Salt Spring Island. — Views there. — On Board the Yoscinite. — Uninviting Aspect of Vancouver City after Victoria. — Tom Selby's Arrangements. — A new Proposal. — English Bay, —A Pic-nic ........ 259 CONTENTS. xi CHAPTER XIX. REMINISCENCES. PAGE e A. h ir h e P i. . 228 PAGE All Explorer's Tale. — The Howe Sound Copper-inine. — Landing at Scechelt. — A deserted Village. — Finding a concealed Canoe. — Paddling up Salmon Arm. — Going up to the Mine. — A rough Ascent to the Snow-Hue. — Camping in a Storm. — Finding the Mine. — Descending. — " The Dark Timber."— How to get Home.— Peterson's Plan.— A bold Venture.— The Sardines. — Effect of them on Peterson. — In the Rapids. — A Mistake. — Peterson's Dream. — Running the Rapids. — Camping on Texada. — Sails up. — Making for Nanaimo. — Crossing the Gulf in a little Boat. — Why the Gold-reefs ai-e not easily found. — The Great Fire in Vancouver City in 188G. — A Resident's Account of It. — Sunday Afternoon. — Rush of the Fire from the bui-ning Bush. — Flight of the Inhabitants. — Quick Spread of the Conflagration. — Rush for the Water.— The lioher'. Vans- muir. — Roughs Loot the ruined City. — Loss of Life. — Incidents of the Fire. — Monday Moniing. — Rebuilding begun. — A Tale of British Pluck and Energy. — A Visit to the Chinese Quarter .... 276 CHAPTER XX. 246 ; 259 NEW WESTMINSTER. Advantages of Vancouver City. — Harbourage. — The C.P.R. — Pacilie Routes. — Native Produce. — its People and Past Histoiy. — Immense Energy Dis- played. — What it has Become. — Its Certain Future. — Leaving with Regret. — Finding the Baggage-master. — His Nonchalance. — Politeness Disdained. — I try Rudeness. — And with Success. — How to get your Baggage Checked in Canada. — Port Moody, — Through the Glorious Woods. — Arrival at Now Westminster. — The Colonial Hotel. — A Decent Waiter and a Good Dinner. — About the City. — Its Institutions and Business.— -Chai'ming Homes. — Indians Fishing. — Beautiful Scenery. — I sit Sketching by the Roadside. — The Passers-by. — Festivity in Pi'o- spect .......... 291 CHAPTER XXI. MOSQUITO TIME. "Fruit Social." — Surprise at our going Home again. — A i)leasant Time. — What wo thought of ^ 3w Westminster. — On to Port ilammoiul. — Hos- pitable Hosts. — "Leather Jacket." — A Camping Expedition. — On the Fraser. — Salmon Fishing. — Up the Pitt and across Flooded Jleadows. — Discomfort of the Hotel.— A Night of Terror.— •' The Miskitties."— A wonderful Boating Etcursiou. — Floods. — Waiting for tjie " Boom." — Tom tempted. — Leather Jacket's Hunting Lodge. — No Fear of Thieves or Tramps. — A charmingly situated Hermitage. — Our Surroundings. — Sketching under Difficulties. — Battle with Mosquitoes. — I am Beaten. — " A Smudge." — Supper. — Sleeping in the Smoke. — Pitt Lake. — An En- chanted Scene. — ^lore Moscpiito-fighting. — Back to Port Hammond. — Mosquito-nets wanted. — Tom's Decision. — "I won't live Here among the Mosquitoes." — Purchase of Bruce's Place. — Starting for North Bend , 301 xu CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXII. ON THE FKASER. PAGE At Mission. — Agassiz, on Hnrrison Lake. — No Accommodation for Ladies at Yale.— I'lirtiug with Tom at North Bend.— DiHiculty in getting a Lodging there. — Mrs. Kerry of the C.I'.K. Boarding House. — The Evening Pro- menade. — Pomposity of DUicinls.— Sending a Telegram. — Tom's and Maggie'ti Pros])ects. — Mr. Sclby and I talk and plan. — A Lucky Chance of hiring Good Servants for the Young Settlers. — An Indian Fishing Camp. — Methods of taking Salmon. — Profusion of Fish. — Indian Luxu- ries. — Indian Manners and Customs.— Conversing with them in Chinook Jargon. — Their Industry. — Flowers. — The Gateway of tlio Canons. — Indians returning from Town. — Talc of a Lion. — Departure from Yale. — On the Cars again. — Conductor Newman. — A Sicamous Man's E.vperience of "them Miskittios."' — Kovclstoke.— American Fellow-travellers "en- thuse." — Four Days in Wonderland.— The Advantages of Long Boots — And of Long Hair in " Mosijuito Time" .... .317 CHAPTER XXIII. BIG-HORN SHOOTING. Visiting the Glacier. — View from it. — Dismal Grandeur. — A fresh Bear's Track. — "Hurry up, Girls !" — Glacier House a Tourist Centre. — Mount "Chops." — A Swedish Ganger. — News of Big-horns. — An Expedition Proposed. — Alpenstocks. — Wo start. — The Trail goes " Blind." — Fol- lowing up a Mountain Stream. — The Snow-line reached. — A Scene of Droail and Mystery. — Waiting and Watching. — Big-horns in Sight. — My first Sh(jt kills. — Another Down. — The Booty. — Camping on the Moun- tain. — Going Home in the Morning. — Onward. — The Bridge over Stony Creek. — l^ueer Quarters at Golden.— Up the Columbia in the Duchess!. — Getting into the Lake. — An Immigrant Family. — Sioux Indians. — Policy of the Provincial Governments. — Country round Columbia Lake. — Gentlemen Navvies. — A Delightful S[)0t to Settle in. — Again at Field . 332 CHAPTER XXIV. ONOE MORE IN THE ROCKIES. Letters from Broadview. — Miss Lloyd again. — Comments. — Views from Field. — Boars on Tree-tops and '• Lobsters " on a Mountain. — A Walk up the Track.— Talk with an Irish "Protestant Boy." — Reports of a Bich Lode. — Interviewing the Owners. — White Eye and Blue-Eyed Bob. — Trying to Deal.—" Look here, Mister, I 'ni on the Drink."— No Deal.— Titled Guests at Field Hotel. — How they were Treated. — Leaving Field. — How to "do" the Kockies most Enjoyably. — Banff. — Brett's Sana- torium. — An Impossible Breakfast. — Rich Colour of the Scenery. — The Canadian National Rocky ^lountain Park. — The Hot Springs. — Ana- lysis. — Junction of the Bow and Spriiy. — The Show-place of the Rockies. — Ennui of the Visitors. — The ^losquitoes keep us Alive — Even at Church. — The (iroat Di-awback of the Country. — Why don't they use the Commonest Precautions ? — A Friend from Kent turns u]) 347 CONTENTS. xin PAGE CHAPTER XXV. maud's love-story. Our now Friend Puzzled. — A \Vnlt/.in, thoy hoix* ho. The ahii) ht-avi's j;ontly as alio idoii^hs hor way ihu' West ; there is just enough ujotiou to make it necessary for that brij^ht Euglish girl to tdinjjf ti^jhtly to the youn)^ fellow who is convoying hor up and down the ample deck. I had a talk with her this morning. She has never been to sea before. She is L;oin<^ to some [»laco in Manitoi)a to visit her brother for two yc-ars, and I told her that she would not conn; back then, I thoUf,'ht ; for, if she likod it, »/k; could easily arrange to stay. And her companion ? Well, ho says he is going out to " tako up land." Asked what he is going to do with it, '' Oh ! farm it, of course," he replies. What has ho boon? In an office in London, but he is siek of such work. Ho is a fine numly-looking young fellow of ci;;hteen to twenty. He means well, and his hopes run high. He tells me he purposes coming home every few years, and doesn't think he will be at all lonely out there. We shall see by and by; for I am going to find out, just to satisfy myself and a few others, wha*- happens to such young men and maidens in the "land of promise." After these come two others, a mother and her daughter, surely English ; and they both look bright and hopeful. What are they going for? "To see my son, who is farming in Canada," the mother tells me sabsecpiently. " Whereabouts?" I inquire. "Oh ! in Mus- Icolca." And when I say I know Muskoka, and speak in praise of its picturesqueness, she is delighted. Just as though a man could live on the picturesque in Canada ! After them Captain Jones conies gaily along, a lady on each arm, laughing, talking, and shouting with glee. For our gallant Captain is splendid company, an excellent story-teller. Sea-sick ladies forget their woes when he holds out a gold-laced arm, and they never refuse to take it. He rushes them round the deck for ten minutes, and then picks up another and another pair. And so, by and by, it is all smiles and jollity where Captain J>mes has been. Yes, a most popular man is our Captain, and he knows it, revels in it. How many times he has crossed I forget, but for thirty years ho has been going backwards and forwards. " Monotonous ? Not a bit of it," he says. " Most of the passengers are nice ; many are capital people. There is always something new and fresh on board." I OVTiVAIil) no UN J). 8 rjiit. now \w '\H f rafting two ladit's iirouiiil. Ho siuldtMily drops tbt'in into ii soat, ruHlu's »ii> on to the l)ri^i', Nays a word or two to the ofHccr, and \n down u^'ain, j)ii;k8 up another lady, and coni- nionces very dccjoroiisly marching hor voimd. Who is she? Ask tho Captain, and ho '11 say — " Sho ? Oh ! that 's Lord Lovell's dau^httT." Yon 800, if he said 8iini>ly Minn Tiovoll, wo should not l)o so impressed with his ^'randeur. Last Sunday at (yluireh, when the saloon was full of w»>rshipper8, and two (der<,'ymon were ready to conduct tho sorvipo in full eanoni- cals, the last arrival was our resplendent Oajitai i, glittering in blue and gold, epaulets, cocked hat, and a real sword l»y his side. A way had to ho made to a spot near the niizon-niast for him to perform his devotions, in earnestness I verily believe, but in tho dignified style of n (ioiumander, not only of the famed Pantu'tiian, but of the K.N.R. (lt(.yal Naval Reserve). Captain Jones is great on astronomy. From his pulpit, tho bridge, he holds forth to a crowd of admiring passengers below him. '' Do you see thiit star ? Well now, tluit is Sirius. It is twtdve billions, seven hundred and sixty thousand, five hundred and forty millions, eight hundred and three thousand, nine hundred and thirty-/(w< miles from this earth ! ' "Oh! never mind the tivo miles, Captain dear," siiys a voice from under the brihysique, and in complexion too, she is really a most striking person, and all the young white fellows seem to be of that opinion. One rushes for her chair, and one produces a rug, and another offers his arm to the charming quadroon ; so I follow, to see what comes of it. I find that, iu the most sheltered place abaft the house, out of all wind, in the full sun, whose rays are tempered to the complexions of the group by sundry parasols and sunshades, is a bevy of "Bredren"; black OUT WARD HOUND. moKtly, viM'y lilnck some luv, a few "yoUow pooplo," but all aur* roiimlctl aiul waittul on l»y tlu' _>'iuiiv,' wbito nu'ii. Our cnj^a^iii),' t'ru'iulH art- a *' Jultilco troupt,'" ^'oiiij; honic, and ai'«> tlir niiiHt int(>i-f8tiii^ to look at, tliu niout uoJHy, aupear3 to l)e a vory genial, open-hearted man, full of information, a great reader, has much love for nature and for natural history and country pursuits generally, talks of being a fair shot, enjoys a walk and a talk, and is a very pleasant companion. Most of the young fellows ou board seem to like him as well as the elders do, which means much. Ho tells me his wife died some years ago; since then his daughtei* Maud has been housekeeper. Maggie, the younger girl, has loft school only two or three years. Both of them are just as good examples of English girls as could be found. Maud, the elder, is about twenty-four, tall and fair, with clear grey, truthful eyes. You cannot call her beautiful, and yet her ex- pression of good nature and good sense makes hers a pleasant face to look upon. Her easy walk and cari'iage, the pose of her head, the action of her hands, and, beyond all, her voice, mark her as the young gentlewoman. Maggie is the beauty, so her father and sister think. I 'm sure, too, judging by the attention she receives, and the heads that turn as she passes, most people agree with them. I know I do. 1 don't pretend to be able to describe her. If you can fancy Millais' " Little Red Riding Hood " grown up, I think you have her portrait. She is shorter than her sister, and of a merrier disposition. Her pretty mouth is generally curved in smiles, and hor eyes respond to every touch of oddity or comicality which passes before them. She also has the clear and bell-like voice which marks her sister. No slang does either permit herself, and yet they are both first-rate and amusing talkers. When these two charming girls joined us, they were not alone. Two or three of the young men accompanied them, and the talk became general. Then the son, Tom Selby, came up, and when I have said a few words about him, the family portraits will be complete. Tom is, I know, just twenty-one, a tall, good-looking, blue-eyed fellow. He wears close-cut curly brown hair, and a short moustache. He is very quiet-mannered, and is not ashamed to walk arm-in-arm with his father, as I had often seen him do, nor to trot his sisters round, with evident enjoyment, too ; rather a rare trait in many young Englishmen of to-day, I grieve to see. I have a notion '^ om IMII ii 8 BY TRACK AND TRAIL. is rather troubled with want of decision of character, but it is hardly fair to judge him yet. As we journey on, I shall perhaps think differently. Just now he strikes me as being like a certain pro- minent politician, possessed of "an open mind." I'm sure he has great capabilities, and already I like him well. After a little, Tom and I walk to the end of our promenade, and looking aft over the steerage we see there every space covered with human beings, who are mostly " resting," On a hatchway, fenced round with rope like a prize-ring, are twenty or thirty young girls attired alike in blue dresses and scarlet woollen hoods, with a lady in charge of them. Very pretty and very proper they all look. They are orphans, or "rescued" waifs, and are being taken out to be " settled." Near them is a mixed group with an accordion, sing- ing and beating time ; " Salvation Army " people, I hear. Here and there a few men are playing cards, and groups of parents and chil- dren, parties of young and old, are everywhere. From the East End of London, I should say, most of them are, and as many of them are continually eating, it is very amusing to watch them. I suppose the majority have never had so good a time before, plenty of food, plenty of fresh air, and, for all the steady ones at any rate, the best of prospects ahead. I was upon deck this morning about six, when to hear the racket in that part of the ship was very funny. One fellow was shouting " Water-creases ! " another " Fish alive, oh ! " and many other of the various street cries so familiar at home were to be heard. One was repeating in the solemn, hoarse tones of the gutter huckster, " Ownly a penny — ownly a penny ; a cock and a hen in a box," «&c., &c. Cer- tainly he was not a new hand at that performance. At the other end of our promenade, we overlook the intermediate and second-class passengers. Here, barring the room to move about, is the same sort of thing going on as among us saloon people — sing- ing, flirting, spooning. But now a bell rings, a very welcome sound. It is first bell for dinner, and we are glad, for we are always hungry, and our seven meals a day are always well attended. " Seven meals ! " you exclaim. Well, yes : for at 7 a.m. coffee and tea is to be had, biscuits, and bread and butter too, and oome make as hearty a breakfast then as plenty do ashore. Then, at 8.30, the regular breakfast is served, and a good one it is. Every- thing, from fruit and porridge up to the most elaborate breakfast dishes. At 1 p.m. we have luncheon, usually two kinds of soup, and a great variety of cold dishes, and at 4 there is afternoon tea and i OUTWARD BOUND. 9 •j I cakes for all who wish it. At 6 there is dinner, and after that tea again ; and up to 10 you can order what you please, and it is just astonishing the quantity of poached eggs, sardines on toast, Welsh rarebits, hot lemonade, &c., those poor stewards have to worry with until 11 p.m., when lights are put out in the saloon. Biit the bell rings for dinner, and we are not ashamed to hasten down and take our seats ; and then, for nearly ai hour, there is a rattle and a clatter, and a very lively time for all, the stewards especially. What do we have for dinner, you perhaps ask. Everything that is good, and generally a magnificent appetite, for, you understand, we are having a splendid passage. It is not always thus, alas ! After dinner, more walking and smoking, and talking and flirting, and, of course, a good deal of spooning ; for anyway the night is cool and rugs are very comfortable, and one good big one is plenty for two, you know. And then I pay a visit to the smoking-room, where are gathered a company of men who generally pass their timy talking. A few play whist, but there is nothing, on the Allan steamers, at any rate, worthy to be called gambling. It is surprising what an interesting lot of people one meets in the smoking-room. Assembled this evening are some fourteen or fifteen men at least, a dozen of whom are old travellers. Here is one who has been for thirty years in Victoria, Vancouver's Island, a most interesting and intelligent man, and he tells us much that is new about the place we hope ere long to see. By his side is one who has been in the Hudson Bay Company's service, and who is returning now from the first six months' leave, after having been for twenty- one years at one of the Company's factories in the far north. During that time he had rarely seen a white man, only once a year, at any rate. He tells me of his life up there, and speaks of his wife and children, and I say — " Tour wife must find it very dull." And he replies, " Oh, she has her children, and she has got used to it." But when he leaves his seat to get a light, my neighbour whispers, " Squaw ! " I say, " What do you mean ? " And he replies, ** Why, his wife is a squaw — an Indian. Don't you understand ? " "Oh, I see! " I remark in astonishment. Yet he seems a man of breeding, is well read and quite civilized. 9» 10 BY TRACK AND TRAIL. if Farther on sits a fine young Scotcliman, " a rancher" in Alberta. He, too, tells me much about that part. He has two sisters on board, who are going to s^jend a year or so with him in his distant home. They will be welcomed there, for white girls are scarce in the far iVortli-West. Then there is the Colonel, a rare good sort; he is simply going on a triji for change of air and scene. His duties lie in a> part of the United Kingdom where the work is most trying, and he thinks a three months' tour in Canada will bo a rest. A very quiet man, he smokes vast quantities of tobacco, never speaks on politics ; but when, as is rarely the case in the smoke-room, " Home Rule " is mentioned, only to be scoffed at as a i^iece of folly which no one who knows the world believes in for a moment, and, as is sometimes the case, a witty or a wise remai'k is made aneut it, then you will see the colonel's eyes sparkle, and may feel quite assured as to what his views are. Another man is going to Japan. He has been often backwards and forwards by various routes, and now is trying this one ; and he says that if the accommodation is anything like what the advertisements promise, this way through Canada will be a favourite one to the Far East. Here is an Englishman who was in Canada some twenty years ago. He speaks of things out there in a way that makes Canadians laugh, he having no idea how they have gone ahead there since the National Policy has been the order of the day. Then one of the party who is declared to be a good singer is urged to tune up. His friends warn us to desist, though admitting he can do it well. Therefore, of course, we urge him all the more, until at last he starts this very doleful ditty — One blew-bottell sat on a milestone, Tew blew-bottells sat on a milestone. Three, &c. One blew-bottell flew off the milestone. Tew blew-bottells flow off the milestone — and so on ad lib. This exasperating song he keeps going in sjjite of everything, threats included, till we are all driven out of the room on deck. All the time Mr. Selby has been with us, drinking in informa- tion. He tells me, by and by, that it seems very hard to judge, from what he hears, which is the best part of Canada to live in, what is the best business to engage in, and what will be best, gene- rally speaking, for him to do. I tell him nothing could be wiser than just what he is doing, going to look about for himself, and so form 1 OUTWARD BOUND. 11 his own judgment. Tlieu, when hitei* on we are taking a last look round on deck, we still hear many a gay exclamation and happy laugh, for all the cosy corners are still occupied, and all the '>ung people appear to be enjoying the glorious moonlight. I take a short walk with one of my young lady acquaintances. " Well, how do you like it ? " I inquire. " Oh, it 's splendid ! Why, I have always dreaded the sea, and I find it most delightful. The only drawback is, it will be so soon over. We are more than half-way across already, and to-morrow the Captain says we shall be near the Banks, and the laud should be iu sight next day. I wish it could last a month." " Well," said I, " let us hope you will be able to say the same to-morrow night. It is very enjoyable now, I don't deny ; but wait. We have a good way to go yet, you know." " What do you mean ? Is there any danger ? " " Danger ! Oh, no ; but if all be well, you and I will have a walk to-morrow night, and I hope it may be as fine as it is now." And then to bed, " rocked in the cradle of the deep." I awoke about six next morning. It was very quiet, and one could but just detect the motion of the screw, so easilv does the Parmesian travel. But for the rushing of the water past her side, it would have been very hard to tell we were moving. xVud so, as I lay half awake, I heard for the first time that voyage a most un- earthly roar on deck. The fog-horn — alas ! I knew it well. In another minute again it bellowed forth, and the engines stopped. Then the electric bells began to sound for the stewards, and the fact was made known below that there was dense fog all round us. Being an old stager, I knew I ^ould do no better than remain where I was, and trust for safety. However, I know several men went on deck, but they soon gladly came below again. All that day we were enveloped iu a dense wet fog. The routine of the ship went on as usual, while every minute the dread fog-horn yelled. There was no pleasure in being on deck, and nothing to be done but to wander from saloon to music-room, from there to smoke-room, and back again. At night it was the same. But when I awoke next morning the fog-horn was still. I went on deck, and found there was a partial clearance. We were on the " Flemish Caj)," and going ahead full speed. Shortly after, we passed close to a fishing schooner at anchor. She had a number of small boats down, and the men in them were catching halibut in fine style ; and then we saw some ice. It cleared up more and more, and by the time breakfast was over, and all had gathered once again on deck, 12 BY TRACK AND TRAIL. hoping for a bright day, wo were surrounded by fifty or sixty bergs. Till noon it was a brilliant enough sight ; but then the fog shut down on us once more, the fog-horn howled again, and the engines were stopped dead. It was a dry fog this time, however, and a few feet up it was still a brilliant day ; for we could see the sun shining brightly on our mast-heads. Father Terry, walking disconsolately up and down the deck, remarked to me he hoped at any rate it would be clear when we passed Anticosti, for, said he — "A friend of moine, passing there lately, saw two bears come down for a dhrink, and I would like to see that same meself." "Oh, then, bears drink sea-water in Anticosti, do they?" "Faith, then, I don't know," he said, "but that's what me friend tould me." "Travellers see strange sights indeed," said I. This night a concert had been got up, and, in spite of outside troubles, it was a great success. We had some very good music from the Jubilee singers. The mail agent recited " There was a sound of revelry by night," with a fine old brogue. Miss Selby gave us one or two beautiful songs, and so did pretty Maggie. But our "Blew Bottell" friend came out in grand style, and fairly brought down the house. I heard it was an original composition he sung ; anyway, I had not heard it before. To the tune of " In the Gloaming," he sang, with a very charming voice, the words — On the steamer, (3 my darling, when the fog-liorn screams and blows, And the steward's j^entlo footstep softly comes and softly goes, Whe he passengers are groaning in the midst of pain and woe, Will you think of me and love me, as you did not long ago ? In the cabin, my dai'ling, think not bitterly of me, Tho' I rushed away and left you, in the middle of your tea : 1 was seized with sudden longing just to gaze upon the sea, It was best to leave you thus, dear, best for you and best for me. When he finished, the applause was so enthusiastic that it brought in the Captain from the bridge, who, in oil-skins and sou' -wester, gave us a few hearty words, and then skipped upon deck again. Result, some d610 for the Liverpool Sailors' Orphanage. Next noon we found we had made but a very few miles, and my fair friend of an evening or two before said to me — " I wish we were there." The next day it was no better, and the grumbling about that ship's decks was amazing. One would have thought it was tho Parinesian's fault, or at any rate the Allans', or the Captain's. All deck-walking I- [i OUTWARD BOUND. 13 amonejst the youncfor people had ceased, and there was no cosy dry corner to be lound, iur the dry foq; had turned to a wet and very cold one. The fun and tlio flirtations had to bo confined to the saloon, or to the music-room, and did not appear to answer. The smokinpf-room was always full, and whenever the fog-horn was longer than usual in howling, someone went outside to take a look, and so hour after hour wore on. Don't su])poso, however, that evei'vone is miserable, that all our passengers are in a hurry to get ashore ; not a bit of it. I was walk- ing this morning with a youth who confided to me that he could go on sailing thus for ever. I may as well explain here, that I was tolerably sure this young man was so confiding to me because he saw that I was very much ia Mr. Selby's society, and that I appeared to be on very friendly terms with his daughters. It was already "Maud" and "Maggie" between us. For, amongst other queer coincidences which have happened to me time and again, one of the queerest was that, a couple of days ago, Mr. Selby discovered that I was related to him ; a long way off, no doubt, but still, as he chose to recognize it, i did not object to accepting the position, for I foresaw that, with such a genial, pleasant family, I might look for much pleasant intercourse on our journey aci'oss to the Pacific. This young fellow with whom I was talking is named Charles Donald, and, from the first day on board, it was quite clear he had been mightily struck with Maggie Selby. Every day since, and every evening too, he has been her close attendaiit. Wet or dry, fog or fair, there is Master Charlie on the look-out, hanging about the saloon stairway if she is below, or watching a chance to get beside her if she is already on deck. A very good-looking fellow is this Charlie. Maggie does not ajjpear at all indisposed to accej^t his attentions, and there is no wonder that he should incline to a pretty girl like her. He, however, is really in downright earnest, one can but see tJiat. Maggie, I think, treats it as a joke merciy. As a consequence of all this, he has shown me more than once that he would like to talk to me in a confidential way, and now this ro- mantic touch about " sailing thus for ever " breaks the ice, and I let him talk. It all comes to this ; he is head over ears in love, &c. &c. Well, I show myself to be very sympathetic, though I hope I talk sensibly to him, for I don't believe it is a bit of use going dead against young people when they think they are in love. Of course I reason with him, and I talk of ways and means, and, before long, find him admitting the absurdity of his thinking of such a thing. I 14 BY TRACK AND TEAIL. Fo", mark you, this young man is going out to join one Jack Hardy, who, ho tells me, has got a quartei'-section of land soniewhero near Broadview, on the Prairies, where he is living by himself. He, Charlie Donald, is taking out a couple of hundred pounds to join his friend and to buy stock, and those two are going to live toge- ther there and farm. This is all the prospect he has in life, not a bad one for him alone, doubtless. But to ask a girl like Maggie Selby to join him at it ! " Oh, yes," he says, " of course it in absurd," aud I perfectly agree with him. He remarks next that he has often heard of men making quite a splendid home in America in a very short time, and that sort of thing. To which I can only demur, with — " Wait, my boy, wait ; you don't know what you are talking about. I think I (Jo. I pioi)Ose staying some days in or near Broadview before long, and I'll como and see you; then you can tell me what you think about it all." No doubt this good fellow sees the sense of what I say, but he talks to me about it whenever he has the chance. I like him im- mensely ; yet I hope he does not think that I am likely to help him urge his suit, or that I am foolish enough to persuade Maggie or any other girl to listen to him, for the present. However, the next day, at noon, the fog suddenly rolled away, and we had it clear and bright riglit up to the end of the voyage. We had some hours in field ice off Gaspe, a weird enough experience. We saw Anticosti, but Father Terry was not in luck with bears. We saw white whales and right whales in the Gulf of St. Lawren^ e, and, generally, we had a very good and enjoyable trip up the rivi r. Then, on a l)eautiful morning, the eleventh day from Liverpool, we arrived, and were made fast alongside the wharf at Point Levis, opposite Quebec. It is just astonishing how frienuly we had got in eleven days, how anxious we all we;e to help each other, how sorry to part. 1 don't mean merely our own party, myself and the Selbys, and Charlie Donald — it would have been natural enough for us — but people to whom one had hardly spoken during the passage were now on quite friendly, almost loving, terms with us and everybody else, and partings were quite touching. And I, who have made this passage often before, and am quite at home in Canada, find myself greatly in request. 15 CHAPTER II. qui:bi:c and Montreal. Getting Ashore.- -First Tronblos. — Tlio Bagsfaj^-c Difficulty. — .\ Friouil in Noocl. —A Quebec " 'Bus."— The St. Martin's Hotul.— Our Rocoption. — The "gentlemanly*' Clerk. — Sky Parlours. — Amply provided with eic(|/ nccea- sary. — Kcmonstrances. — An "elegant" Dinner d, la Parhienne. — Faiui.shed Traveller.'*. — My Toik-t Glass. — Paternal Cares. — A Dotrimi utul. — Conversa- tion thereon. — The Colonel's Dessert-spoon. — Seeing Quebec. — More Omnibus Experience. — Off to Montreal, and glad to go. — ' Canadian Jlinstrols." — Better Quarters. — Disgraceful Roadways. — An enlightened [rish i}oot-l)lack. Strange Arguments lor Homo Rule. — ilontreal and its Peoi)le. — The young Couple in Disgrace. — A " Colonial Sleei)or." — Master Charlie packed off. Of all the l)acl inanagement it has ever been my lot to witness, I think what I saw thiit clay at Point Levis and Quelieu heats all. It appeared that the Grand Trunk Railway, the 6. T. R., starts from Point Levis, whilst the Canadian Pacific Railway, the C. P. R., does so from Quebec across the river. So the troubh; was to divide the lugpfage (which now became " baggage ") properly, and, after that was done, there came the Customs to pass, and that vms a teaser to many. It is true, all packages were addressed by order, and we had been furnished with conspicuous labels to put on them, stating by which route we were going. Yet it seemed as if none of those handling the goods could read ; for they paid no attention at all to either labels or addresses. Most of these men were French Cana- dians, or Irish, and a horrid mess they had made of things ten minutes after the hatches wex'e off and the donkey engine had begun hoisting from the hold. Miss — Liver])ool, I will call her, for she hailed from there, came to me in great trouble. She had " heaps " of baggage. Men from the shore and men on the ship were hauling and shoving things about, speaking to her an unknown tongue. Some of her goods ■were being loaded into a tender on one side, and other articles were being dumped on the wharf on the other. No one appeared to be in I 16 HY TRACK AND TliAIT.. much authority, and she could not niako anyone attend to hi-r. I did my best to hclj) her, hut with small success. By and hy she told nie she had a letter of introduction to a man there, who, whe had been assured, could help her ^'reatly out of just such :i fix as this. She showed me the letter. It was addressed to a jH^rson named Moran, but then it was impossible for her to leave the spot to find him. Just at that moment a very strange thiuj^- happened, for, as I read the name ]\Iorau in the letter, I heard some of the labourers shouting it out, and he who seemed to respond appeared to be in some kind of authority. He was certainly a ntugh-looking cus- tomer enough ; but old experience has taught me not to think too much of appearances in Canada, and in other lands as well. So, when I told her I dared say that might be the man, she was afraid to speak to him. But I, hoping to do her a good turn, got near, and asked him if he know this lady's friend. He said he did, and then I made him come and speak to her. He came, he read his letter, shook hands with her and with me, and in five minutes all her troubles ceased. Said he at parting, " And when you get across to the C. P. K. just mention my name to M;. Morrison, and he will put you through." Then I and my friends crossed in the ferry to Quebec, where all • as in equal confusion. Heaps upon heaps of baggage ; crowds of emigrants jierched all over it ; a string of hundreds waiting to get up to the ticket office to have their coui)ons stamped ; a broiling hot day; people talking and arguing; babies crying; English, Scotch,^ Irish, German, and French jabbering at once ; and tlie only man in uniform present a policeman, who kept shouting out, "I tell yez to be (piite, an it '11 all come right." No doubt to strangei's it was a terrible time. All the confusion could have been easily avoided by a very little system, and at the expense of a few uniform caps, or badges, to show the people who were connected with the railway. We were naturally anxious to escape from the wretched turmoil too, but where was our baggage? Amongst the packages piled around we had a hard time to discover it, and when found what were we to do with it ? Tired, hungry, hot, and dusty, we were on the point of leaving it to its fate, for as it was all addressed we knew it would be safe, when it occurred to me to ask for Morrison. I found him, and this is what occurred — *' What's the trouble ? " he asked, and I told him. " That all ! Come on. Wbere are you going V Here, I'll check it for you. Customs House officer! Oh, well — do you wajit to see himr"' i QVEliEC AMt MONTREAL. M '• Ct-rtaiuly not ; bvit we thought " " Oh, wo don't mind thowi' fellows hero. Hero are your cliecks. Off you go! S()-h)iig ! Ghid tj have hcou ol' use to you." Thus, in about ten minutes, with a shake gf the hand, I was oiY with my friends, and ilutt troubh' was past. Don't tell mo that letters of introduction are uselesH. Why, Miss Liverpool's letter saved us all iiours of worry. Then wo got into the Hotel 'bus, which was waiting — and oh, that 'bus! It was not my lirst experience of such i\ vehicle, nor my first drive along an American road, but my friends had not tried either before. Such a rattle and jerk with which we started ; such ruts and gullies which we were galloped through ; such logs and rubbish we were hurried over; such springs and seats, such dirt and dust, and heat and snow! We were quickly into the city though, a quaint old- world place enough; and then, in a few minutes more, we drew up at the St. Martin's Hotel. Before we got there though, a man stepped from the road on to the back of the 'bus, and i»ut his hand in at the back of the window, and said — " Fares, fifty cents." Said I, " My fine fellow, who are you ? " To which he politely replied — *• It don't make no odds who I am ; pay your fare — fifty cents ! " I asked the people at the hotel afterwards if this was all right. They told mo that it was, and that the man was " Bill." A queer country ! My friends wore finding it to be so already. " But, gintlemen," said the " giutlemau " who drove the 'bus, '* won't you walk right into the Kotuuda and register? I guess there ain't no time to lose." With much trepidation we entered. We had heard so much of this hotel, all the way from Liverpool, that we were agreeably sur- prised to find it was not so " awfully " grand after all. In fact, the Rotunda was just an ordinary, circular room, paved with marble, and of no great size. Then we " registered." The clerk condescended to turn the book round to us, but he spoke not. The Colonel wrote his name and address in it first, then I did, then Mr. Selby and his fan:'ly, then Father Terry ; about a dozen of us altogether. When we had done — " From Eurrop ? " said the clerk. " From England — yes," we replied. "From Eurrop V " he repeated interrogatively ; so we admitted the offence. Then calmly and very slowly, and with much examination 2 18 UY TUACK ANV TUAIL. of a chart which huii^,' lu'hiiul \\\\\\, he |»ut ti^'uros to cacli of onr nain<>H. VVIu'ii this was done, ho Htruck a hell, ami, hxikiiig np to the (••'iliti^, waited in di^'iiifit'il roposc till a man caino. lit; turned tliL' buuk ti» thin pfTMnn, pointed j,'racet'nliy to the; row of tif^'ures, then picked up a newHpiip<;r and a half-conHninod ei^'ar, which he lit. Finally, he turned his liack to ub, sat down, and roHuniod hin ori^'inal occupation of Hniokin<,' and reading the newa. Father Terry said, " Be Japers ! " Tlie Colonel — well, his moustache iairly curlod up with scorn, and he said — "My fine boy, if I had yo in Skibhereen, but I'd show ye ! " However, he said this snltn voce, mind you, for we had an idea this dandy clerk had not 8prun<,' far from County Cork. Such was our welcome to Canada ! " My friends," said I, " I 'm almost a Canadian, lot me welcome you. Quebec is not the whole of Canada, neither is the St. Martin's the only hotel in it. But it will do for one nifjht." And thiit sleek clerk did not move a hair, but calmly smoked on and read the news. " Porter, show us to our rooms ! " we said in dud^'eon. Then the porter took us up, up, up, and the hi<^her we went the more " wrathy " we got, esi)ecially the Colonel. On the topmost floor of all, the porter unlocked some rooms. I went into but one, it was mine ; and it was enough. There was a window, but not a blind ; there was a floor but not a carpet ; there was a wooden chair, there was a bed, also a jug and a basin, and that was all, absolutely all ! Well, then' was some pretty "tall " i. .„uage used on the top floor of that hotel during the next few minutes, and then the porter spoke. " Well, I guess them's all the rooms we 've got vacant. You'll get no others." Then he left, but I think most of us were down to the V Tice quicker than he was, and we surrounded that clerk with a clamour which made him pay attention, but that was all we got from him. We told him we imtst have this and that. He promised everything. I said — " I want a blind m my window." " Oh, a curtain you mane," said he. " Call it what you please; I want a window covering. Also I want a looking-glass ; I want water, towels, soap ; I want a tumbler, and a lot of things ; and we all want better rooms." But this latter none of us got. We had to put up with the QUElilJC AND MONTH i: A L. 19 I arrani,'t'uionts luiulo, and at 3.50 doU. or 14a. por day. How tho Solby KU'ls fared I never distinctly know ; but they had aoiiui dark experiences I reckon. Dinner was ready, and wo ]>artook. It consisted [iriiieiitally of some very "line and larj,'e" swallow-tail coats antl pants and bijf limp wliito neckties to match. There was also a beautiful bill of fare — I be^^ i)ardon — Menu, The courses came in slowly and de- parted (luickly. The dishes were bo j,'randly named we were half afraid to venture, but we chose tliosc; wo thought we were familiar with, and failed to recognize them. We got enough to eat, however, of some kind ; to this day, we don't know what. Father Terry remarked, "Sure I expected that the Gresham, in Dublin, woidd be nothing to this," and he was right, though in an opposite sense. This St. Martin's Hotel, you must understand, is supposed to be conducted on the European plan ; that is, they mean the Parisian plan. We were much struck with the stylishness of the waiters, and of the whole affair generally ; so much so, that wo made up our minds to advise one or two Parisian hotel-keepers we know (in Paris) to adopt the St. Martin's stylo forthwith. Then we went out in the cool of the evening, and sat awhile ou Dufferin Terrace. " Faith," said Father Terry, " this bates St. Martin's Hotel." It was indeed a grand scene that stretched before us. We were high up over the river. At our feet lay old Quebec, with its quaint buildings, its wharves and cui'ious craft lying by them. Across the river was Point Levis, and up and down, to right and left of us, was no doubt tho most picturesque view in America. But what a pity it is they do not sweep Dufferin Terrace up sometimes ! Then we went to the Depot (the Railway Station), thinking we might meet again some of our Parmesian friends, and we did. Some of them were still struggling with their baggag(;. There was a special train to start for the West some time that night, and they were all to go with it. But they were hungry, and, it being past meal-time at the hotels, they could get nothing to eat. We met two of our newly-married pairs, and woebegone they were, for they were hungry now. So some of us volunteered to go about the town with them, hoping that, for love or money, food could be procured. But the best we could do was cakes and lemonade, at a sort of German confectionery, and then we left them. We met some of the lady passengers, too, and they wanted to join us at St. Martin's Hotel. We were not sorry to have to tell them there was no room, which 2 * 20 BY TRACK AND TRAIL. \M ; I it resulted in their going to a real French Canadiiiu House, where, for half our char<^-es, they had quaint but comfortable entertainment. When I got buck to my room that night, I found soaj), water, and a towol, but nt'ither blind, looking-glass, nor drinking-glass. Where- upon 1 marched down to the office in the " Rotunda," and inter- viewed the "gintlemanly clerk" once more. He got angry this time, and said the looking-glass in the " wash-room " was good enough for me. I h-iJ one of my own, luckily. "But I want a drinking-glass," said I, "and I 'm bound to have one. "Arrah, what for?" said he. " That 's none of your business," said I, " but have one I will." Then ho gave in, and said he 'd send one up to nie. By and by, a boy came up to my room, walked in and examined all the things I had taken from my bag, looked carefully at my wash- stand and its arrangements, and then said-r- " And yez want a glass ?" Then he retired, and shortly came back with an ordinary tumbler, a goblet on a foot, and a lager-beer mug. He held these out to me, ard remarked — " Will ye chuse the wan ye want? " I went to bed that night tired enough. Fortunately there was a bolt upon my door, so I felt safe from intrusion. I believe if they could have got in they would have had a crowd of the natives (Irish) to see the " Quare man, who couldn't schlape widout a drinking-glass, bedad ! " But before I went to bed, Mr. Selby and I, smoking a i)ipe together, had something like the following conversation. " I say, what is that young Donald doing here ? He said that he was going on as quickly as he could to his place out West ; doesn't his train go on to-night ? What is he stopping here for, at heavy cost, too ? " " Oh," said I, " be tells me he is in no such great hurry as all that. He would like to travel with us as far as he can." " He certainly is a very prepossessing young man," continued Mr. Selby. " The girls like him, and so does Tom ; but really, he seems to me to be a little too attentive to Maggie. What think you ? " To which I could only say that it would be over in a very few days, and that I could hardly blame him for getting as much pleasure as he could from the society of such girls as the Misses Selby, and that I didn't believe any harm would come of it, and so on. Before we parted, however, Mr. Selby got me to promise that I \ QUEBEC AND MONTREAL. •21 would find out as much as I could about Donald's [losition and antecedents, adding — " One can't be rude to him ; and yet, if he is goin*jf to stay with us till we arrive at Winnipeg, for eight or ten days more I suppose, one would like to know some little more about him than we do." In the morning there was a terrible to-do on oiu* floor. I peeped out and saw the Colonel in his pyjamas, prancing up and down the passage, blessing in no niggardly spirit two of the hotel boys, who, pale and trembling, stood ready to retreat when he gave them a chance. The Colonel's pyjamas were in colour startling — broad bars of brilliant orange, purple, and white. I doubt if those youths had ever seen such a dress. His long moustache, unkempt, was cui'liug fiercely up. His eyes sht)t fire, as he muttered maledictions and horrible threats. Each boy held out a spoon — a gravy-spoon one, a tea-spoon the other — while the Colonel stami)ed and groaned and swore. " It 's a DESSERT spoon I want, by all that 's great ! Don't you know what a dessert spoon is ? How many more journeys are you going to make up and down the stairs of this beggarly establishment, just to provide me with a spoon, a syoon, a dessert spoon, you idiots ? Down you go again, and if I don't get what I want in three minutes, I'll have your blood ! " They were glad enough to go out d the raging Colonel's presence. And in a minute they returned, br'nging with tliena large handfuls of spoons of all sorts and sizes. So the Colonel selected what he wanted and was appeased. Yet I could hear him growling to himself for half an hour afterwards, like a bear with a sore head. When we all met at breakfast, he explained that he had felt a touch of the gout coming on, and had been put to considerable trouble to obtain a dessert spoon to take some medicine in. *' By Jove," he said, " I don't think these people know what a dessert sjwon is;" and I had to agree with him that most probably they didn't. A large party of us sallied out later on to see Quebec, and ^ve had a merry time. Charlie Donald was radiant, and I can't say with truth that Miss Maggie looked s^ bit displeased at his company. The Colonel Avas rather grumpy. Maud said he was " Peter grievous." Break-Neck Stairs he looked at with disgust. Little Champlain Street too ; and as for Mountain Hill, he raged to have to climb up there. However, we actually got him up into the citadel, and there he sat down ou one of the bastions and was content. The rest of us saw Wolfe's and Montcalm's monuments, and Montgomery's too, I 22 BY TRACK AND TRAIL, \\ believe. At any r.att', we saw all the show places, and then we returned for lunch. The Colonel wouldn't stir out again after that meal was over, and the last we saw of him he was growling audibly at the beasth' climate, and the country, aud at Canada generally. Mr. Selby said to me, " I 'm quite sure I should not like to live here." Et was over ninety in the shade ; yet in every narrow alley and shady "orher there were heaps of snow. Nothing green was visible, no tree in leaf, aud yet it was about the middle of May ! No doubt at all Quebec is a most picturesque city, but we were not sorry to leave it. So we paid our bills and thanked the cour- teous clerk for the great attention he had failed to pay us, which seemed to astonish him a good deal, and then we left in the same rickety old 'bus we came in. That is to say, we got into it — and waited. " Now then, driver, why don't you start? " No reply. " Say, driver, the train leaves in five minutes. Get on, will you?" Still not a sign. Mr. Selby tried giving him a touch of English politeness, and then Tom tried. They might have been speaking to a wooden man. Then I, the only old Canadian resident present, said I would give him a few words in a style which would wake him up, and I did. I let him knoAv that all his passengers were not " Greenhorns " (new comers), as he supposed. Then said he — " Och, why didn't ye say yo lived in Canady ? Sure then I 'd attind to yez at oust. We have hapes of the granest peoile come across from bey ant, and I niver spakes to thim more nor I cn^i hllp. Don't I know when the kyars goes out, sure, as well as any man, and I'll get yez there in time ; but 'tis the Governor we 're waiting for. We can't lave widout the Governor, d'ye moind ? " '« What Governor? " I asked. "Why, who but the Governor of Canady, av coorse?" " le tiuit so ? " " lo it a lie ye think I 'm telling yez ? But here he comes ; hurry up, we 're ofP," and into the 'bus got Lord Alexander Russell, Commander of the Forces in Canada. That was quite near enough for Paddy on .he box. On the way " Bill " put his hand into the 'bus and demanded his fifty cents each again. I \ 4 # QUEBEC AND MONTREAL. 23 What a blessing the cliecking system is ou the railways in America. We had no anxiety about our belongings. Just tue two or three brass labels in our purses, and our goods were safe until we claimed them in Winnipeg ; nothing to look after but what they call there " personal baggage," i.e., what one can carry. There are no porters there, as in England. The St. Lawrence was in flood, I cannot say very much in favour of the scenery bv'tween Quebec and Montreal; certainly there were bits here and there which were fine, but as we saw it that day it was not enchanting. The train stopped during the evening beside a swamp, and I called attention to a peculiar noise, a continuous hum-m-m, varied with sounds which seemed to shape themselves into " More-rum, more- rum, more-rum," oft repeated, whilst at intervals broke in a sharp and squeaky voice " You-wou't-get-it, you-won't-get-it." My com- panions were much puzzled, and more so when I told them it was the far-famed Canadian minstrels; that is, the frogs. All through Canada in spring, near water, that noise never ceases at night. Farther on, the train standing near some thick woods, we heard distinctly the noise of " Whip-poor-Will." And then we got to Montreal. The St. Lawrence Hall is a good hotel, really. No doubt there are some customs which differ from ours. As in all American hotels, it seems too much as if one were being dealt with by machinery. Usually tl' ; clerks are entirely devoid of politeness and urbanity, as Mark Twain so frequently complains of in his works. But the clerk here is, or was, a capital fellow. He always had a decent word to say to one, and was anxious to help to '.'lake things pleasant, espe- cially when he knew we were from England. The rooms are com- fortably furnished ; there is an elevator, and the meals are good. At breakfast next morning, on the bill of fare, we found " New York soles," which we incredulously ordered. They were fish, no doubt. Said I to our attendant — " What is this ? " He pointed to the bill of fare and smiled. I said, " What part of the Old Country do you come from ? " " From Dover," said he. Then again I asked, " What fish is this ? " And then he answered, " Dabs! " After that he became our friend, and bore us buckwheat cakes^ and Johnny cakes, and scrambled eggs, milk toast, and many favourite Canadian niceties, which I was glad to enjoy once more 24 liY TRACK AND TRAIL. myself, and to see my frieuds taste too. He served us well, for I had said to him — " I, too, have come from Kent, and not two weeks ago." Thei'e are some very fine buildings in Montreal, both public and private. I like the private streets, the shady trees, and the pretty houses. But oh ! the roads, the horrid, rutty, dirty, muddy, dusty roads, unswept for months surely. Do they ever sweep them, I wonder ? To a person straight out from England it looks almost absurd to notice ladies, really as elegantly dressed as you will see them anywhere at home, picking their way amongst it all. The Selby girls wre very much amused at it; their father seemed annoyed. We drove n the Mountain, and round it, and through the ceme- teries, and froiu the "look-out" saw Victoria Bridge, and, from that side of the Mountain which looks away from the city, we were much struck with the English aspect of the landscape. I said it looked like the Weald of Kent, as seen from Sutton Valence. Another time we went to the " Windsor Hotel," and gazed with awe at the sumptuous dining-hall. " Remark the beautiful painted ceiling," said our Car^dian guide, which we did, and admitted it was "fine." Then we walked in Dominion Square, saw where the Ice Palace is built, and admired the Place d'Armes, and the Champ de Mars, and Nelson's monument ; and we visited some really elegant shops, and altogether we very successfully tired ourselves out. Another day we visited the Church of Notre Dame, which is the largest edifice of the kind in America, they say, except one in Mexico. It is like most Roman Catholic churches, much decorated. Of course, we went up the tower and had a good view. We were sur- prised to find that Father Terry did not at all fi-aternize with any of the hundreds of priests we saw about the streets. As for nuns, there seemed no end to them. Our friend remarked — "There's a sight too many of them; they '11 ate each other up." A bootblack hailed me on a street corner with the usual " Shine, Sir, shine! Tin cints (5id.)." I said, " I'll shine." Then, in an alcove in the wall, behold a sort of bench of stone some thi-ee feet high ; on that a wooden chair, well stuffed. On this throne I sat in comfort whilst my friend polished me off, he standing nearly upright. But when he touched my boots he looked at me and smiled. " Sure, them 's ould couuthry built." I said, " They are." " An' have ye bin there lately ? " 4 QUEBEC AND MONTREAL. 25 V| " Only late last night did I arrivo in Montreal." " And did yo see ould Ireland lately ? " " Yes, a few weeks ago." " And how 's the poor ould sod ? " " Well enough," said I ; " as charming still as ever." " An' how's the boys? " queried he. " Boys — what boys ? " " Och, sure, you know the boys who is going to set things right in Oirland." " Oh ! those boys. Thei/ 're all well ; they are having a fine time, thanks to the money you and your sisters are continually sending them from here." " I 'm mighty proud to hear it. Ah, the poor ould sod ! " he soliloquized. " Sure, it 's a bad day she *s having now, bad cess to the Shpaniards ! " " Spaniards ! What do you mean ? What have they been doing ? " "Och, sure, d'ye moind, 'tis the Philistians I mane." " Well, they have no more to do with it than the others." '' But 'tis hard times there is there now, anyhow," he continued, as he brushed away. "Aye, you 're right enough there," said I. " Ah, be the powers, 'tis O'Brien and Parnell and the likes o' thim will save her yit. 'Tis a free countrie ould Ireland will be directly ; they've amost got enough money now, they say, to finish her off, and then the Philistians may look out." Subsequent conversations with this very intelligent bootblack convinced me that he really understood that some nation, whom he called Philistines or Spaniards indiscriminately, are the tyrants who cause all the trouble and dis- tress in Ireland. He seemed to have no dislike to the British Government. " Sure," said he, " isn't it British Government here ? " He blamed it, however, for not clearing the country of these "tyians." Pai'nell, he seemed to think, was a sort of governor of Ireland, who needed money to help the head government to do its duty, and he considered every friend of Ireland should subscribe every cent he could sjjare to this good cause. From more than one Hibernian servant-girl in Canada I heard explanations of the state of the case showing at least as great ignorance as this. Montreal is using the electric light very generally. It did not strike us as being very successful ; the lamps are hung too low, and they are dazzling. We were struck with the peculiar contrast there is between the 26 BY TRACK AND TRAIL. i i I ancient and the modern in this city. We would come to a group of houses md pcoi^le, old French, of the beginning of last century, and a few minutes after would be amongst people and their residences as advanced in all modern refinements, in appearance — in reality, too — as the san.. classes are in Paris, New York, or London. Many thousands of people in Montreal do not speak one word of English. There are more there who do not speak one word of French. The two races go on side by side without much intercourse, either in business or socially. This sharp distinction interests whilst it surprises a stranger. Many of the modern business streets are fine. Some of the build- ings are magnificent, but we taought the great number of hanging signs and advertising arrangements spoilt them much. There was a tawdry, an untidy look almost every wliere. A very few hours of street peregrinations satisfied us, so we took suburban walks. Wherever we went, Master Charles Donald was with us. I more than once advised him to go and leave us, and at last he said he would start for the West the following day. Mr. Selby was very much pleased when I told him of this decision. Maggie joked a good deal about it that day, but I fancied, and I am sure Charlie did, that she put on a great deal of this apparent lightheartedness. We took a long walk together the day that Charlie was to leave Montreal, up to Mount Royal, w4i':»re we were told we should find plenty of Ti'illiums. It was really too early in the year to enjoy woodland walks ; the roads and jnitlis were mud. But we ga- thered a quantity of these lovely Canada lilies (Trillium (jrandifloncm, "Trail"). They are the earliest of Canadian flowers. What we found that day were white. In Ontario, I have met with them pink, and occasionally purple. On the way back to the city, Charlie and Maggie wandered off by themselves, and did not appear at the hotel till long after the rest of us. Mr. Selby was annoyed, and took the young man on cue side and talked to him, I expect rather seriously. Maggie, too, was in disgrace ; but it was not in human nature to be long angry with them. We all went to the depot to see him off that evening, about nine. Naturally, as we were soon to travel in a similar train, along the same road, we were much interested, in the carriages especially. TRILLIUalS. I QUEBEC AND MONTREAL. 27 Charlie was going in the " colonist sleeiDer " ; a new arrangement to me, but a very good one. 'S.cond-class fare entitles a passenger to use this car. There is an arrangement to turn the seats into sleeping couches, whilst from above is lowered another sleeping shelf. The idea is based on the ordinary first-class sleeping-car, but in this case there is no upholstoiy or bedding. A few blankets, how- ever, make these beds comfortalile enough for the hardy colonist, in posse or in esse. There is a lavatory, and drinking water in a cistern. Passengers can eat in the dining-car with the first-class passengers, and, in a word, there is ample provision for ^'teir comfort and neces- sities. Of the first-class " sleopiug-car," I shall have more to say w^hen we are on the road to the West ourselves. We were all very sorry to part with this young fellow, who had endeared himself to us during the fortnight we had been together by many little traits of character. No doubt Maggie felt the parting more keenly than we did, but she kept up bravely. At last he got off, hanging on to the last platform of the cars till they were out of sight. For a day or two after this Miss Maggie was very full of fun and good spirits, and Mr. Selby and her sister wei'o quite certain there was nothing serious in this episode. Still, I thought I knew differently, while Tom told me he was sure there was more in it than met the eye. He talked to me, indeed, as if he qui^e iioped Charlie Donald would press his suit. For this lad Tom had quite made up his mind that life in the North-West Territory was his ideal. Already he talked of vast fields of grain, of herds of cattle, of days of sport amongst the moose and bear which scoured the plains, and his father £>"metimes seemed to agree with him. But I kept saying — " We 'd better bide a wee." Business of some importance kept mo in Montreal, and the Selbys were good enough to say, as they were in no hurry really, they would wait for me ; but at last the evening came for us, too, to move on. We had procured sleeping-car tickets to Winnipeg at the R. R. office in the hotel, which cost us 8 dols. each = 36s., and entitled us to the use of the car, as a sitting-room by day and a "well- appointed sleeping-room at night." See advertisements. 28 BY TRACK AND TRAIL. CHAPTER III. ON TO MANITOBA. It »■ *i 11 low Motel. — iJiickwood.s ht'onoiny. — -iTiiriitivo ^laiinora. Settlors (it Homo. — Astonisliing tho NativoH. — Oirls' Opinions. — On the Track nj^ain. — " Whore uro wo now 'f" — Tii(> old 'l\)to-roaackages of goods for foreign market marked like this — The jE. D. Smith Man. Co. Oshawa Out. Can. New, who but the really initiated could k' ow that meant "The ..ffineas David Smith Manufacturing Com any, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada"? They always write England, Eng. Province of Ontario is Ont. Province of Quebec is P. Q. Manitoba is Man. Some of these contractions are time-saving and excusable, but many of them are certainly not so. But the letters C.P.R. sufficiently describe the line of railway we ON TO MANITOBA. 29 ar»' UDW to tnivel so fur on, iuul N.VV.T. is a suitable curtailniout of North-West Territory, that «,'r('at stretcli of country lying hetweon Manitoba and the summit of the Rocky Mountains, so I shall uso them :n the future to save priuters' ink. Returning to our proeeetlings. We were on the platform of the depot, the Montreal Terminus of the C.P.R. Quite a gathering of Canadian friends were there to see us off, and say " Good-bye " ; and sharp at 8.20 p.m., the conductor of our train cried, " All on board going West," and we were off. They are most particular to have all trains on the C.P.R. punc- tual, or, as they call it, " on time," at starting and arriving at the termini. I say but little now about the time they keej) at interme- diate stations. And so we were off at last, commencing our long, long journey West. We went at once into the " sleeper," by which name is under- stood the sleeping-car, and also the passengers who travel in it. For examjile, at a stopping-place, when out of the train, a person on the platform might .sk, "Are you a 'sleeper'?" meaning, "Are you a passenger in the sleeping-car? " Nothing can be more luxurious than the sleeping-cars on the C.P.R. For the first few miles we were fully occupied in examining thoroughly and admiring greatly the many appliances for comfort, as well as the great taste displayed in the decoration of this carriage. There was but one j^assenger besides our party of five, and, as he appeared to be a very meek, retiring individual, we practically had it to ourselves. The coloured attendant, or porter, was polite — very different to former experiences of mine on American railroads. This car was lined with beautifully carved mahogany, and was ui^holstered with rich green plush. There was much plate-glass about, mirrors, and brass-work. The floor was richly carpeted, and the seats were formtd like sofas. The windows were double and very large, and the height of the car seemed considerable compared with English railway carriages. At each end was a dressing-room and a lavatory, and at the rear a bath-room, though that is almost use- less, being too small by far. Last of all, there was a cosy smoking- room and lounge. Electric bells were attached to every seat, alsa in the smoke-room, communicating with our attendant. A continual supply of water for drinking and for washing purposes, with fresh towels as often as we wished, were obtainable. Indeed, nothing seemed forgotten to render travelling as little tedious as possible. It would have been much better, however, if the motion had been easier. This car shook and heaved and rolled and pitched like a ship 80 BY TRACK AND TRAIL. in a heavy sea. It was iinjiOHsiblo to Htaiid without holding oii to somethiii},'. I wonder wo woro not " soa-sick." This continued for somo hours, but gradually the motion became easier, or else wo got accustoiULHl to it. It was dark very .shortly after we left Montreal, and then the car was well lit with many hanging lamps; but as wo were tired, and uothiu^ was to bo seen outside, wo soon had our beds made up. There being so few of us, we all had lower berths — a great advan- tage, 'i ho making of the beds was great fun for the Selby girls, who took much interest in all the clever arrangements, praising the provision made for our comfort, and declaring that the bedding was first-rate. So, when all was done, the curtains hung, and everything complete, we men left tho ladies and went to the smoke-room to indulge in a quiet pipe, after which wo also " went to bed." And I think, considering it was tho first experience of the kind my com- panions had ever had, and a long while since I had travelled so, that we all enjoyed a very fair night's rest. I could see nothing of Ottawa, which we passed about midnight, from my window. I merely detected electric and gas lights, and signs of a big town. When I awoke at daylight, I found wo were travelling rapidly and smoothly along what I knew to be the Ottawa valley. I lay ther- for an hour or two watching the landscape we rushed through ; and rough enough it was — some timber cutting, a few saw mills, and the C.P.E. stations being the only signs that we were in an inhabited land at all. By and by we rose, our beds were neatly folded out of sight, and the car assumed its e"ery-day aspect again. We soon all gathered on the rear platform to enjoy the novel scene — which it was to my companions, though not new to me. One could not call it beautiful, or even picturesque, scenery. It was just mile after mile of rough, rocky land covered with shabby, scraggy trees, old rotting logs, and bushes. Here and thex'e were stagnant patches of water, swamps, and bogs. Sometimes we ran beside the river, flowing swiftly, with rocky hills upon the farther side — tho Lauren- tian Hills, in fact — but nothing wonderful at all to see. About 8 o'clock we reached Mattawa, where it was rockier still, with big boulders strewn about — a wilderness, indeed. Here they put us on a " dining-car ; " shortly after which a white-coated waiter came through, announcing " Breakfast is ready in the dining-car," and we were not long before we were seated therein. Of course the Selbys, the girls especially, were delighted with all the novelties they were experiencing. The sleeping arrangements took their fancy immensely, and now the " dining-car " received its X. ON TO MANITOJiA. 31 meed of praise. Both the \(\v\h looked charming' thiH morning,', and I must say I felt j^jratified at beinj,' ideiitilu'd with their inirty, for, when a number of Canadians came in frtun the first-class, car to breakfast, Ma;^-;.^ie's charming face and manner and Miuid's pocu- liiirly refined style wore, I could see, attracting' much attention. I heard a whisper, more than once, " They 're English." There were some Canadian ladies amongst the breakfasters, and charming they ■were too. However, there was something irresistible about these English girls which could not be denied. I 'm sure Mr. Selby felt proud of them that morning, if ho never did before. This our first meal on a railway train merits some description. So, as it is the same experience we shall meet with daily during our journey across Canada, or so they say, I may as well describe it now. The "diner" itself is just as handsome in its way as the " sleeper." On either side a passage, nicely carpeted, is a row of tables ; some seat two, some four. At one end is a kitchen, which must be very perfect in its arrangements, for they appear to be able to do any kind of cooking in it, from baking fancy bread and cakes and roasting moat to all the niceties that one could find "ashore." They talk of a train in America, and in Canada too, as they woulo. of a ship. It is " All aboard ! " where in England it would be " Take your seats! " and, consequently, " Get on board," " Come on board," &c. They say " Ship some freight "; for the goods, you see, become "freight" here. It is a " freight train " which is loaded with goods. One speaks of "ahead" and "astern" of the train; so why not " ashore," to keep up the metaphor ? The table furniture of the dining-car is quite complete, the service excellent, and decidedly better than in Uxost hotels in that country. The waiters are polite, there is no hurry, the cooking is excellent, and the charge is uniformly 75 cents (88.) ; considering everything, a most reasonable charge. The bill of fare does not vary greatly, except with the season and locality. For example, here in Ontario, the white fish (very deli- cious) and lake trout take the place of salmon farther west on the the Pacific slope. The fruits here are only oranges and apples now, but as we draw near the end of our journey we shall probably find bananas, apricots, and peaches. We had already adopted the general Canadian custom of beginning breakfast with fruit. Most people take also porridge and milk, usually spoken of there as " oatmeal," but we English did not seem to relish it. After that came lamb chops (which it is not Canadian "■•MaMMpmaM I 1^ 82 l\\ Tli'ACK AMt TliAllu uti(|Ui'ttt' to cull ttiuttou), fried rhicktii (you mUHf iiol hhv Joirl), \»'v{- Btnik, veal cutli'tH, hiiin, which last is fur from good In (juiiudii, mid what tbcy call Kii^IIhIi l^rcakfiist Imcoii, which is Hcldoin ho ^dod an what we are accuHtomcd to in Kii|^land. KkK*^> "' ccuirsc, in every htyle, various kiuds of hread, rolls, Joliiiiiy cakcH, lnudi-wheat cukes, and l»uns, with coffee, chocohite, and " Kn^'lish l)reakfaHt tea." It is evident, therefore, that we had a very fair choice of viands, and I believe that wo were well pleased with our tirst " siinart; " meal on wheels. That the Hidhys might l)e aide to form an idea of what a settler's life life 18 iu the backwoods of Canada, where there is some l)eauty iu the scem'ry and some variety in the life and emi»loynient, instead of the terrible monotony of it in the deep woods away froui lakes and rivers, it Avas suggested in Montreal that wo should " stay over " a day or two, at some place at or near Lake Nipissing. So, by the advice of the conductor, we alighted about ten o'clock that morning at a stoj>ping-place near North Bay. He shouted out to a man in the distance, "These people want to stay awhile. Look out for them." It was a bright sunny day when we found ourselves standing beside the track, our bags and bundles with us, and this man looking on. We told liim we wanted an hotel, and he said the nearest was two miles away, down on the shore of the hike. This was not very promising, Init as there is only one train a day each way on the C.P.K., we were forced to find some quarters for one night, at least. So we left our impedimenta at a shanty near, and took what the man called the rutul to the place, which proved to be just a rough pathway winding amongst the stumps and logs, through which ruts showed that thei'e was a vehicle of some kind in the neighbourhood. Our way lay through rather heavily timbered country, nearly all hardwood, and it really did appear as if, when it was cleared, some- thing might be grown there. We very soon reached the shore of the lake, a pleasing sight. The beach was very like a sea beach, the water clear and calm, reflecting several islands which seemed to float iu the hazy distance. Thei'e was a brightness and freshness on the shore, along which we strolled some distance, until at length we discovered what proved to be the " hotel." I think we rather astonished the proprietor by asking him for quarters. He told us they were not prejiared for boarders yet ; it was too early in the season. But it ended iu our being taken in. This house had been built but one year, and, to our notions, it. ON TO MANlTOJiA. 33 wiiH liiinlly to lio callocl Imilt thfii, bcin^' aboul us hH^'Iii an,'ilo an art'air as could ho put togcthor. Wo woro puzzU-il uh to how they could kt'i'p thomaolvoH from h'fi>ziu^' during the long cold wiiitor. Thoro wa8 not a vosligo of taMtu iu the dcHign of tlic |>laco; it was just a box, divided off into tloorH and rooms iu the t!ln'a[M'8t, flim- Hiest way posHiblo. There was not a particle of metal aliout it, except the nailu that hold the boards together A veraiuliih ran along that side fronting on the lake, roofed, like the house, with shingles. These, bo it understood, are roughly split si'ctions of |>ine or cedar logs, and are about the size and thickness of slates. The furniture was very scanty, plain wooden factory ehaira, rocking (jhairs, tables, and a wooden-seated couch or two. One of these, even, was on rockers. The window-blinds, or sluules, were of stiff grey paper, and had to bo rolled up by hand from below and pinned. The pins constantly broke out, and so then; was a per- forated pattern down the centre of each blind. The windows could bo kept open only by propping them with a stick or log of wood, and if that was not avi liable, a boot, your hairbrush, or anything at hand. The floors were uncarpeted, and tiio place was warmed by iron stoves, the i)ipes of which meandered cheerfully about the house, the ends protruding apj-arently at their own sweet will where they fancied to, some through tlie roof, some through the wall, and one through a window-i)ane. There was little attempt iit ornamentation inside, an advertising sheet or two with gaudy pictures, a few paper flowers in vases on brackets, a looking-glass or two of the commonest, the stuffed head of a deer, aixd an American clock. But, of course, there were numbers of elaborate antimacassars, spread wherever they could be i>nt. This was the sitting-room I have been describing, the " dining hall" was simply bare of everything but table and chairs, and a shelf to put hats on. Outside, no attempt at all had been made even to clean things up. Chips, ends of logs, broken shingles, all sorts of (I'bria remaining from the building of the house, which cmild have been cleared up in two hours with a rake or broom. But no ; there it was, just a dwelling-place planted amongst stumps and logs and rubbish. There was a log barn near, and a shelter for some horses. A bit of land, intended for cultivation, was surrounded with a rough snake fence ; but stumps and logs and fallen trees, uproots and old dead weeds, were all its crops so far. The people living here were a man, his wife, two or three big daughters and a son. We found, that in a few weeks they expected to have the house as full of people as it could hold, with many more 84 BY TRACK AND TRAIL. camped near. At present thoy did not pretend to entertain guests, but as we wei'e circumstanced thoy kindly took us in and did their best for us. They were Canadians, from lower Canada, who "ran" this place, and did a little " fanning " besides. That is, 1 suppose, they grew a tew potatoes and oats, to provide something towards the keep of the "summer boarders," and I quite expect they would soon be doing very well. It was a very good example of a pioneer Canadian summer hotel. A few yeai'S hence, I daresay, a fine build- ing will take the place of the present ramshackle a~'ur, and it will be heard of as a fashionable summer resort. To the Selbys this seemed, I have no doubt, a very primitive and unpromising affair, but I told them I expected we should have to put up in far worse quarters before we sigbted the Pacific, and as the weather was tine we were not badly oir. They sent the boy with the " Expi'ess waggon " to fetch our left luggage, whilst we were cruising round examining things. We dined at noon, we supjx'd at six, and about 8 p.m. we heard that the landlord and his '' folks " reckoned t(; go to bed. Between dinner and supper we did a great deal of exploring. Finding they had a very decent boat, we rowed out into the lake and along the shore, and thus got a more compreheusive view of our sur oundings. Lake Nipissing has only been visited by summer tourists quite lately. Until the C.P.R. came through it was practically unknown, excejit to hunters and lumber men. This lake is something more than fifty miles long, and fifteen to twenty hroal. At i>re3eut there are two or three settlements around it, for th-'y aver some of the best farming land in Ontario is upon its shores. Already, at North Bay, there is a town of 1,500 or 2,000 people, with good stores and hotels, and churches ; yet it cannot be much more than two years since the first house was built. Where we were staying was a still newer settlement, of course. A mile or so from our hotel, upon the banks of the lake, we saw a shanty quite newly erected, with a bit of land chopped and fenced around it, all among the stumps. Here lived a young man and his wife, who had only been settled there about a month. They were from the south of England, of the labouring class at home, and a very decent pair. We were amused and pleased to see the way they had tried to beautify the inside of their little home. Pictures from the Illustrated Nfivs were the principal decorative items, but there were also photographs and knick-nacks from the old homo beyond the sea ; and the contents of the two big boxes, which they used as tables, were sj)read about and gave an air of comfort to even that I I ON TO MANITOBA. 35 poor spot. They were not merely hopeful, they were delighted with their prospects, for though admitting they felt it terribly lontly sometimes, yet, as the man said, " We shall have neighbours before long, no doubt, and every stroke of work I do is for myself and missis ; so, please God, we '11 do well." We tried to find out if anyone of a superior station in life had settled in the neighbourhood, or anyone who had come there with means, or who was proposing any large undertaking in the farming line, but could not hear of anyone many degrees superior to these people. A few storekeepers, the people who " run " summer hotels, and the C.P.R. emploiji's, were the " swells " of those parts, whilst a lawyer, a doctor, and the clergy of North Bay village, were the heads of all society. A settler's FinST HOME. M.'-. Selby and Tom prowled about, and the girls and I did some sketching and botanizing. That evening, before we went to bed, we had some fun on the verandah. I expect those people will not easily forget us, for the two girls sang, we told some stories, performed some simple tricks, and generally went on as if we had sop-ie children to amuse. On account of these proceedings, we found our- selves looked upon as wonders ; and I often think they took us for a variety entertainment troupe upon our travels. The whole family was gathered there with us, saying but little, though with their astonished eyes and ears open wide. They stayed up till nine, a wonderful occurrence so early in the season, so they said. Breakfast at 6 a.m. ! — to which none of us descended. About 3 ♦ i i; BY TRACK AND TRAIL. t ;i ! eight they gave us food, however. All meals were exactly the same — ham and eggs, potatoes, bread and butter, fried wheaten cakes and molasses, dried apple sauce and pie. The coffee was a most mys- terious concoction ; tea a little better. There was, however, any quan- tity of first-rate milk and butter. The charges were 1 dol. (4s.) per day, each person. I asked Maggie Selby if this sort of life didn't make her hanker after a settler's life. She said it didn't, much. " And yet I quite expect," said I, " that life in the N.W T. is not so comfortable as it is here; for, at any ra';e, in these pu.ts they have abundance of good wood and water, they are nearer market, the winter is not so long and cold, there is much more variety in the scenery, and, gene- rally, I fancy it is better here than where your bi'other wants to go and live." Said Maggie, "Do you think, then, that where Charlie Donald has gone to settle it is rough like this ? " To which I could only reply — " I do think so, but we must wait and see." We met the train at 10 a.m. that day, and were whirled off farther west, not sorry we had stopped. It was one more experience. Mr. Selby told me he could not settle in the bush. What would he say to the real backwoods, which this could hardly be called ? Not far west from North Bay we came to broken, rocky land again, and then to miles on miles of flatter and most monotonous country, burnt timber, gaunt dead pine-trees, swamps, muskegs, a few clear ponds and streams, and on our left some peeps of Lake Nipissing. They told us that there is plenty of very good fishing about there — trout and black bass in plenty ; and no doubt fur-bearing animals are abundant, too. We passed Onaping, where there is a very pretty water-fall, and Pogamasing, Metagama, Biscotasiug, and several other Indian-named stations, but all so little remarkable, so very much alike, it is useless to describe them. Just as we left Biscotasing station, Mr. Selby, who was standing out ( the ])latform of the car, lost his hat. It was one 1'3 valued. He was for stopping the train by pulling the cord which passes through from end to end of the train, overhead, and is attached to the engine-bell. As he was about to do so, a man who was lounging at the station caught the hat, chased the train, overtook it in a hun- dred yards or so, and handed it up to him. We had no chance to do more than wave hir thanks. Trains do not travel very quickly — • when they first start, at any rate — in Canada. t ON TO MANITOBA. 37 The conductor fell asleep in the smoke-room. When he awoke, someone asked him where we were then. He looked out of the window, went out to the platform, and laughingly i-eplied he really did not know ; he thought at " Woman River," but he went through the train to ask the engineer (the driver), who of course would know, and then told us we were very near Nemagoseuda. I think this proves there must be a good deal of sameness about that country. Until the C.P.R. came through, this, too, was a practically unin- habited land. The stations we stopped at, from time to time, were mere wood and water depots ; a shanty or two of logs or boards to shelter the workmen on the line was generally all that was to be seen there, and whenever we entered into conversation with the in- habitants it appeared they had but two ideas — timber and mines. Beside the railroad track hereabouts, we often noticed the old "Tote-road," which we hear cost nearly as much to build as the railroad itself. It was a necessary work, though, to bring in men, machinery, and stores, for constructing the line. Now it was disap- pearing, its value past. We had more passengers in the " sleeper " now. Some ladies and children had joined us at North Bay, coming from Toronto, and were en route to join their husbands, two hundred miles back from " Medicine Hat," a long way west. On the whole, I 'm sure we spent a very pleasant day. Here and there the road was very rough ; but the meals were good, the car most comfortable, and there was always something to see outside. We passed most of our time in the saloon at the end of the car, a great part of it, too, on camp stools on the platform. The Canadian ladies, I suppose, considered it *• not proper " for them to do this, for they rarely stirred from their seats inside. Maud and Maggie Selby, however, were with us all the time ; and perfectly right, too. It was very hot and dusty, but our coloured porter kept us well sup- plied with clean water and towels, and whenever we came inside brushed us down ; so we took no great harm. For a long time we had been passing miles and miles of dead burnt pine-trees, sticking up gaunt and bare from ground covered with grey granite boulders, interspersed with low scraggy bushes, and everywhere over everything lay a jumble of broken and burnt timber of every conceivable form and size. At intervals were groups of ruined shanties, sod-roofed, bark-roofed, covered anyhow. There were dug-outs too, broken used-up barrels, old boots, old bottles, rotting clothes and rags ; here a dirty blanket waving from a bush, tliere the remains of a dead horse, there what looked like a dead pig -i 88 BY TRACK AND TRAIL. — everything under heaven of a dismal aspect. These were the remains of camping-places of the '• construction hands." Not a bird, not a flower, was visible ; but it was early spring. I daresay in summer things would look a little better. That night the frogs croaked round us in millions. In the morn- ing, we found we were travelling close beside the north shore of Lake Superior. A great change had come over the scene ; everything was on a much grander scale — boulders of immense size, with largo trees growing on them; hills of no inconsiderable magnitude, com- posed apparently of these boulders piled one on the other ; big cedars and pines amongst them ; more colour, too, the boulders being often tinted with bright red and orange. Big mossy knolls were often seen, and patches of soft grey knee-high lichen, pools of clear water, run- ning stream's, sometimes respectable water-falls, and overhead a clear blue sky, while to our left, far down below, and visible at intervals, lay the beautiful lake. Now we passed islands, timber covered, rocky ; then we came to quite imposing headlands, red and grey, dipping sheer down into the lake. Sometimes we passed great fields of ice, stranded in the bays ; then more islands, headlands, and more ice, for miles on miles. The ice had a very beautiful efEect. On the upper side it was snow, no doubt, which shone brilliantly in the sun ; but under water it was a striking turquoise blue. The water was so transparent we could see the many-coloured rocks which form the bottom of the v>' ON TO MANITOBA. 89 1? lake; and that, with the ice, the overhanging trees, the brilliant granite bluffs, all reflected on the surface, with the wav^s breaking on the beach, gave us no little delight. About sixteen o'clock we arrived at Port Arthur. It is prettily situated at the head of the lake. Called " Prince Arthur's landing " when first settled, about 18(17, it is now a town of something like 4,000 inhabitants ; and since the opcixing of the C.P.R. has assumed considerable importance, for here is the connecting point between the railroal system of the North-West and the inland water route of Canada. There are extensive wharves and docks, some enormous grain elevators, one of 400,000 bushels capacity, warehouses, and stations. Doubtless there is some very pretty scenery in the neighbour- hood, but it is all in a state of nature, which, in Canada, means that everything is "rough." Thunder Bay, with its islands ai.d capes, must be a most enchanting locality for yachting and pic-nics ; but when we arrived the weather had turned cold and foggy, so we saw little of it. We made but a short stay, and then moved on west. Fort William, the next station to Port Arthur, is ji st 1,000 miles west of Montreal. It is the oldest trading-post on Lake Superior, and is upon the Kaministiquia River. The railroad people are making it one of their most famous points. They have already built there what is, perhaps, the largest grain elevator in the world, which has 1,350,000 bushels capacity. Mount Mackay towers behind the town, being the nearest aj^proach to a real mountain any of us had yet seen in Canada. The land about is verv ffood, we hear. But soon we left all this behind us and entered a rough, wild country again, where the timber is of im]jortance. Railway ties, or sleepers, and immense quantities of cord-wood (firing) are here cut, and mineral wealth also abounds. At Savanne, they told us, there is a profitable gold mine. The rivers hereabouts are certainly most romantic ; and there is every inducement for fishermen and canoeists to visit the part. I was assured that there is plenty of deer and big game in the woods, and that, in the season, ducks and geese throng the lakes. Through this kind of country we travelled most of the ensuing night, passing Rat Portage about four. This town contains, I believe, 1,000 inhabitants, and is situated on the r.orth end of " Lake of the the Woods," one of the most beautiful lakes in the North- West, which, though similar to all the smaller Canadian lakes, has peculiar beauties of its own. The wild fruits of the country are exceedingly jjlentiful here in the fall, cranberries being sent away in quantities. The Lake of the Woods is already a famous play place for Winni- 40 BY TRACK AND TRAIL. :fBft i peg folk. At Rat Portage all camping requisites are to be obtained, and from there the start is usually made. The lake is full of islands. There are thousands of them, principally at the northern end. It is seventy miles long, and about the same width. Coney Island is a famous camping-place. The very best of canoeing and fishing is to be had, and no more delightful locality for the young people of Winnipeg and Port Arthur to spend their holidays in can be desired. As usual, gold and silver are said to be very common in this part, ludeed, if one is to believe all one hears, the precious metals are to be found all over the Dominion except on the prairies. There must be a grain of truth in this ; yet, surely, if one mine out of a hundred were paying well, Canada's wealth would be untold, and there ought to be an end made of that talk about the poverty of the country which prevails, and that a traveller hears so m.uch of. In the east, particularly, they grumble more than any people I have ever heard. During the early morning we gathered again on the platform at the rear, stopping there until the cold winds drove us in. We passed Keewatin, Deception, Kalmar, Ingolf — all rocks and forest as before. We hoped when we left Lake Superior to have done with the monotonous procession of gigantic, half-burnt hop-poles which seemed to have been th dismal feature of the 1,300 miles we had come ; but here they were, in gaunt array — surely one of the most tiring sights imaginable. The land was, however, much flatter than we had yet had it, and we saw here and there indications of prairie, whilst the cord-wood and railway ties stacked along the track side proved that the country thereabouts is far from valueless. We entered the far-famed pro- vince of Manitoba at Cross Lake. Fourteen hundred and two miles west of Montreal we arrived at Selkirk, the station nearest to the oldest colony in this part of British America, which was established on the banks of the Red River in 1812, we were told. It appears to have been very slow iu growth until the C.P.R. was talked of. From that time it has, with the rest of the province, progressed rapidly in importance. The change in the scenery was now very great. At first it seemed- a great improvement too, there being more green visible, more evi- dences of humanity ; here and there a trail, now a sort of house, some fenced land, a distant view of what might be a church, «onie- times a herd of cattle ; and here we saw our first " cowboy " scouring the plain. Indeed, there was always something of interest in sight now to see and to be surprised at. After crossing the Red River, we approached Winnipeg. The > I i ON TO MANITOBA. 41 country hero is so flat one is disappointed ; yet it was very clear we were nearing some place of very much o-reator importance than we had seen since >ve left Montreal. About ten we arrived at the Winnipeg station. Though the middle of May, it was a bitterly colcl morning, with a strong wind blowing. We heard they had had it scorching hot until a day or two before. One could well believe it, for everything was parched up, and the dust was terrible. Winnipeg is 1,423 miles west of Moutr3al and 430 miles from Port Arthur. , 42 BY TRACK AND TRAIL. 1 '. !' It CHAPTER IV. THE CITY OB WINNIPEG. Our Arrival. — First Impressions. — Geiiiul Welcomes. — We ai'e Invited to Invest. — " Lots."—" The Hoom."— Local Politics -Tlio Manitoba Club.— The :\Iount Family, their Story and Difticulties. — English Settloi's in Mnnitoba. — IJisap- liointment. — The Buarding-house in Winnipej^. — " This will not do for us," — Tom's Anticipations. — My Sage Advice. — An E.xcursion to Stony Mountain. — Our " rig." — " Call thai a Mountain ! " — Penitentiary and Convicts. — The Last Herd of Bnffalo in Canada. — Peojile and Shops in Winnipeg. — St. Honi- face, and tl'e Roman Catholic Cathedral. — I leave the Selbys and go on West. The friends who promised to meet us at Winnipeg station did not turn up there, so we five were rather at a loss when we landed on that spacious platform that Sunday morning. We found a room where we could leave our luggage, as in a cloak-room at home (ten cents each article, though), and then we sallied forth to make disco- veries, getting a very good idea of the city before we found our friends. When at last we met them, we went to the hotel where it had been arranged that we should stay. Though then exceedingly cold, we heard that only a few days before it had been 93° in the shade. There is very great sameness about new Amei-ican and Canadian towns. The most remarkable feature in Winnipeg is its Main Street, which is about 140 feet Avide, and extends for two miles, having on either side fair wooden side-walks. The buildings vary greatly ; some are good, of brick and stone, notably the Post Office, City Hall, and Hudson's Bay Stores, but most are merely wooden structures of all sorts and sizes. The road is bljck-paved. that is, cedar-logs, cut transversely about a foot long, are placed on end close together, with gravel rammed between them. This makes a a capital carriage way, and, strangely, is not here affected by the intense frost as the same kind of paving is in the milder east. There THE CITY OF WINNIPEG. 48 is a tram lino, a street railway, on the crown of this road. The horse-cars pay well, since few Canadians will walk anywhere when they can bo carried for five cents (3d.). Our advent created some little excitement. Wo had I'oally very few acquaintances when we got there that morning; by night, wo felt we had many friends. It is not often that two such girls as Maud and Maggie Selby arrive there in one day, and the young Englishmen we were introduced to were delit'htfully ready to plan all lands of pleasures. "Rigs"w^ere offered — that is, horses and carriages; teas innu- merable wore planned ; the good folks about St. John's at one, and of Fort Rouge at the other, end of the city, were pi'ofuse in proffered kindness ; so we all, the young folks especially, looked forward to no end of a good time. Mr. Selby — and I, too, for that matter — at first seemed rather dis- appointed. So much is always being said in Gauaela about Winnipeg, that one is apt to expect too much. It is only after staying there awhile that one begins to realize what a wonderful place it is, and to understand why those who live there pevinanoiatly, and have seen it grow in thirteen years to what we see, are never tired of expatiating on its manifold beauties and wonders. Mr. Selby and I had come to spy out the land, and we got very much perplexed diiring the first few days there. One man would tell us " everything is lovely " ; another, that the country, and Winnipeg especially, is " played out." One man would take us into his oflice, open grand schemes, propose big investments, aud offer imfnense profits for very trifling outlays. Another would drive us out across the prairies, to see what he described beforehand as most lovely spots, "just like bits of England," where money was to be made hand over hand. When we got there, it would prove to be just like every other place, lonely, new, and un-English in the extreme. Then another would show us a house in the city, and strongly advise us to double our money in a few weeks. They *' went for us " in such a way that Mr. Selby became so perplexed and bothered as to declare he hated the place. But we found one good friend there, a young lawyer, who, when he saw what troubled us so much, soon put things right. He gave it out that we had not come to invest in anything, and it was truly surprising how quickly we had peace. Till then, by far the greater number of people we had met had talked *' lots " and " investments." Indeed, they seemed to have them on the brain. Evidently this is a relic of the " boom " which was in Winnipeg not very long ago, when, surely, people went 44 BY TRACK AND T If AIL. marl for a time, if all we hear be inw. Tlir.t time is passed, and, whether it roaliy did ^'ood to Winuipog or not, I am unable to say. Opinions differ on the point. Where the timber business, "the lumber trade" of Canada is carried out, where the streams and lakes provide the means of flout- ing tiie logs cut back in the " timber limits " to the saw mills, groups of housLS, villages, have sprung up besidf; those stream:?, by narrows, chuted, and saults. All the winter, and late on into the spring, the male inhabitants are almost all away from homo, first cutting out the logs, tlicn, when the ice breaks up, floating them down tho streams till they can be formed into " tows " and " booms," that is ti) say, big ctdlections of floating logs sunoundei by ii fence of long thin timbers and chains to keep them together. These booms are then towed or hauled down past the villages, out into the big lakes, and so to tho saw mills. What more natural, then, than that the villagers shall look for- ward with anxiety to the time when the sons and fathers shall arrice, when the houses will be full of mirth and plenty, the stores v;ill do a roaring trade, and, alas ! th" taverns and saloons as well. So, as might be expected, there is great excitement when the long wished for boom comes along, and when it may be said that there is a boom in the village. 'I'his, then, is the origin of the expression now so general every- where. When from any cause an jxcitement arises in a town, gene- rally when business is advancing " with leaps and bounds," it is said the town is " booming," or the " boom is in the town." And as this results usually in much trade in " real estate," it seems to me when that takes i>lace it is, ^ar excellence, " a boom." I don't believe such excitements are always desirable ; the after effects are often severely felt. When we were in Winnipeg, the excitement was the " disallow- ance " trouble, it is a long story, quite uninteresting to an out- sider; but all Winnipeggers were full of it, some for, and some against it. No doubt those who made the most noise, who talked rebellion, armed resistance and other terrible things, meant, in some way, money for their own pockets, although their cry was always for the good 01 their beloved city. In the Manitoba Club one day, a person was making a great to-do. " Unless the Government would allow this railway to be built, the country was ruined, Winnipeg a failure, and he himself had no more patience, and intended to clear out ' right away.' " Some people looked as if the loss of this valuable citizen would be a great blow THE CITY OF WfNNlPEO. 46 to Wiunipt'j,', and others auulod. My ^ouujj lawyer frioiul toKl lue this — "Three years ago that man came hero without a cent; ho han made 8,000 or 10,000 clols. since, and now, hocauso Ihero is an end to hia ^'amo for a while, he threatens all those terrors. Let him go ; he is boiind to, as soon as he sees he can make no more. He cares noth'ui,' for the prosperity of this city, and we could do with still fewer of such fellows." A deal of truth in this, no doubt. Mr. Selby and I had been made niember.s of the Manitoba Club. A very complete and comfortable one it ih, indeed ; and we had reason to conf^jratulate ourselves on our good fortune in becominj^ t'utitled to use it. After the first day at the hotel, we made our homo at a private boarding-house. The occasion of this is wortli recountin<^, as it shows a phase of life far from unusual in a new country. Amongst the two or three people the Selbys know in Canada before they arrived, there was a lady who loft England about four years ago, and was now living in this city. They soon found ln-r address, and Mr. Selby went to see her. On his return to the hotel, he told us he should like us to go and stay at her house, and as we were not really very comfortable, we willingly went. Subsequently I found out her history. She was the widow of an English clergyman, who died four years ago, leaving her with two sons and two daughters, and a few hundreds of pounds. She was not young; both daughters were grownup; her sons were on the verge of manhood. She bravely made up her mind to begin life again, for their sakes, in a new country. Manitol^a was then " booming." The sound of it reached even to the quiet English village where Mrs. Mount and her children lived. Her idea was the same as that with which nine hundred out of every thousand who emigrate start, namely, to " take up land." They were unfitted in every way for such a life, but no one was able to persuade them of the fact; and so they got to "Winnipeg, Only staying there a few days, they hurried on a few miles farther west, and not very close to the " track " (the railroad) carried out what they had come to do, and chose their land, paying for it right out. Then they had built a pretty but most useless sort of house, and a very expensive one too, also purchasing machinery, cattle, good furniture (for which, depend upon it, they did not pay the lowest pri i^s), and they laid in a ijood stock of provisions. 1l is quite impossible for people who have not had some expe- 4(j JiY TRACK AND TRAIL. vii-ncu tlit'iiiHclvt'H to fully undui'btnucl what tbiH t'aiiiily suffered. Highly ediKiiiteil, never used to work of any kind, absolutely ij,'norant of how to do the simph'st thin^; properly, they were couipletoly lost; and, as soon us the excitement of the settling, the building, and the buying was over, began to realize, [ think, that they had made a great mistake. The tirst winter passed with some degree of comfort, for they had plenty of food and firing. In the spring they ouyht to have put in crops, but they knew nothing about it, whilst their money was vanishing rapidly and they could not afford to hire help. More- over, these people were rather "proud," or so the neighbours called them. Perhaps it was not really so; but they could not bring them- selves to be " hail, fellow, well met " with every person round them, as is the custom there. Their bouse was not like others, open day and night to all who chose to enter, with food and bed, without so- much as asking. Henoe they did not make friends, but rather enemies instead. Thus the first summer passed, and so little had' been grown that tliey had barely enough to keep them through the next winter. Then the cattle strayed, or got hurt. The cows went dry, thmugh iguor.iut attention, or want of any ; and when spring arrived they were in a miserable plight. Worse than all, the eldest son soon got disgusted. He wandered into Winnipeg more often than he had need to, got into loose company, drank too much strong liquor — the curse of this and every other land — and quickly went entirely to the bud, till now his mother did not know really where he was, or if he were living or dead. I heard from people who knew them at that time that the younger son used to wander about the farm (?), doing a little bit here and there, without system or sense ; that none of them would take advice from the people they knew, taking more trouble to make the few flower-beds pretty around the house than to cultivate the land and crop it. The girls and their mother used to take it turn about to read Shakespeare or Browning and, some said, Greek plays to the other two, who were doing the scrubbing and the cooking. Gradually their cattle were sold, their machinery too, and the third autumn found the one son left invalided. He had lost lieart, and no wonder. Without prospects, with no ability to persevere in such a life, he simply "caved in," as they say there. After that there was no one to work the land, which up to then had given them such a bai'e subsistence. At last they found a chance of letting it " on shares," and, bringing in their furniture, had taken a house in Winnipeg a few mouths before, which they had started as a boarding-house. THE CITY OF WINNIPEG. 47 1 11 Poor Mrs. Mount horself liii-l l>ravuly Htruj^j^lcJ tliroii^h tho four years. Hit dau^,'ht(5rs, fiuo yirls too, had dout3 thoir bust to keep thing's going. The invalid son was tho drag on thtMn, althtiugb, no doul)t, tin.' tddor sou's t'ato added tho 8har[>ust sting of all. When wo went to Mrs. Mount's house she had hut two or three permanent hoarders, and we knew that she was not making both enJy meet. Mother and daughters were doing all tho work between them. So when Mr. Selhy found out that our stay there would l)0 a help to them, we gladly fell in to tho arrangement. It is very probable that those people will soon bo better off, and will ultimately do very well. As Mrs. Mount said, " It is a eapital country to struggle in." No matter what you do that is honourable, you will not lose caste. Already I could see signs of dawning better fortune. Their church [xioplo were interested in them. There were rumours of openings for the son, if ho g'^t back his health. Que daughter hoped to got some suitrjjje situation, and so to bring in dollars; and I have no fear but that, in time to come, they will attain to some degree of comfort at least, and if the elder sou could but b(> found and rescued, they may even reach to happiness. But few know all their trials, of the present and the past. There are numerous such incidents in Canada ; but there is always there a possibility of recovery, and a hope for better things. We had not been a week in Winnipeg before Mr. Selby and Maud were quite convinced that nothing would be gained by exchaitging life in England, on a much reduced scale even from their old st, ';», to one in a new Canadian city. No doubt the young ones enjoyed themselves, but they were sensible and knew that that could not last. Maggie was full of the life on the prairie — we heard so much of it — and she and her brother were most anxious to persuade their father to hurry on west, to settle there. Maud, on the contrary, saw nothing bright so far in Canada, nothing, as she ti'uly said, that could compare with life people with even small means can enjoy at home. About this time our first letter came from Charlie Donald, addressed to me. He said very little about his doings, or the country, or his prospects, but he was anxious to know when I was going to Broadview and would see him. His message to Maggie was short and manly ; but reading between the linos, it was easy to tell where his heart was. To Maud and Mr. Selby he sent quite loving messages though. For a few days after that Maggie was very quiet and subdued, her thoughts being with Master Charlie it was clear. I used to talk to K n \ ' 48 BY TRACK AND TRAIL. her those days a great deal. She tried so much to see brightness in the life that young man had before him, and to make herself believe that she would like it too. I also used to have long confabulations with her brother Tom. There was not a bit of romance about him ; his views were business-like and sensible. But to both of them I used to say — " Wait ; you don't yet really know what the life is. Few of these people here to whom you talk have any notion how you will be im- pressed. Tour ideas of comfort and civilization are so different from theirs. You know you are not without means ; you are not obliged to put itp with any opening that may occur, to take the first offer that may turn up. Tom can return to Blankshire any day, and take a post which will give him an ample income for the future." " Oh, ah ! " interpolated Tom. " Catch me sitting on a high stool in an office all day — for that 's what you mean. No ; I '11 not do that." "And," I continued, "think how you would feel if your father was, without more ado, to give up all at home and settle some such way as the Mounts did ; and suppose in a few months, or even years, you should all dislike it, you would then surely make a failure of it, much as they did. How would you feel then ? No ; be persuaded by me. I have seen too much of this sort of thing in Canada, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. You are exceptionally fortunate, have the means of really examining for yourselves before deciding ; therefore I beg of you don't do so until we have seen what the Nor'-West life is, and have seen British Columbia too. I really do not know what it will prove to be out there ; but having lived in wild countries before, I do most strongly advise you to put off awhile all thoughts of settling this, perhaps the most important question in all your lives, until you know much more than you do now." Then, after such a preachment, I would have a talk with Mr. Selby, who seemed to be quite of Maud's opinion, and I had no difficilty with him, except to beg him not to say positively yet that Tom should not settle in the great North- West, and that Maggie should not keep his house there for him. We wrote most friendly and encouraging letters to Charlie, and I told him I purposed soon to be his way. The " cold spell " had passed and we were now having very nice weather, bright, sparkling sunshine and fresh, cool breezes. The prairie was getting greener, and the few trees and busho . at Port Eouge and St. John's were showing signs of leaf. Certainly, if the \ THE CITY OF WINNIPEG. 49 weathei* was frequently lik > thi°, Lianitoba would be a very enjoyable climate. One morning in weather such as this we arranged to take a trip to Stony Mountaiu, some twelve miles away, to see the herd of buffalo which the governor of the Penitentiary is preserving thereabouts, the prospect of seeing a " mountain " being an additional induce- ment. And we were going alone, and to manage in our own way as best we could. The first move was to obtain a " rig," that is, a carriage and horses. Going to the '* Livery and Board Stables," I found a man, apparently an ostler, in charge, and said — " I want a rig ; one to carry five." Keturning no answer to me, he shouted to a man in the interior of the stables — " Oh ! Boss ! there 's a fellow here who wants a rig. Which one shall I give him ? " The boss came. "Yes. How long?" I told him. A pair of horses Avere brought out, harnessed very lightly, as we should consider at home, then put into a vehicle, a double buggy. Some dusters (that is, light hoUand sheets, to protect from the dust) and rugs were thrown in, ray name was asked, and I then was off. Our carriage merits a short description. It was exceedingly wide betw^een the wheels, which were about one height, back and front ; consequently, thex*e is no fear of locking them, as with our vehicles. One had to take i^lenty of room and make a lan/e circle to turn round, and to beware of sharp corners. The wheels were very light and spider-webby, but experience soon teaches one that such are very reliable and strong. The body hung low, the seats were very com- fortable, and the whole affair was eminently suitable to the country and the work to be done. The horses were yoked very widely apart ; the pole or "tongue " hung very low. In this rig, then, we started. Large numbers of cattle were grazing near the city, the railway line being protected by wire fencing. The land is arable and good ; but they tell us that the owners hold it " on spec," at so high a figure, that farmers cannot buy it. These lands are level and tree- less, except along the river courses, which have been washed down deep, usually with steep banks. Knowing the general direction, we drove along the tri.il, which was not I'lipleasant, generally soft and springy turf ; and we soon left all vestige of the town behiud, and ahead of us, all round us, was just 4 60 BY TRACK AND TRAIL. El '' I < 1 I vastness, flatness. It was too early in the year for flowers, and the grass was only starting into growth. We met a few " teams " — pairs of horses in the light-looking waggons of the country — laden with various produce for the city, and sometimes " a yoke " (fi pair) of oxen doing the same duty, and one or two ox-carts — merely one ox harnessed to a light rough dray. We drove merrily along for what we took to be about eight miles, and then began to look out for " a mountain." I had my suspicions, which were confirmed when the next man we met told us the ridge a few miles ahead was " Stony Mountain." He was quite serious, and would have thought us very rude if we had laughed. That, how- ever, we did, when we had left him far behind. " Call that a mountain ? How absurd ! " we said. But you see, in that flat land, any rising ground is called a hill, and what we should call a knoll, or very light eminence, they dig- nify with the appellation of " mountain." We found, when we had driven close and on to this one, it was certainly not more than fifty feet above the level of the plain. On the summit of this " mountain " is the Penitentiary, conspi- cuous to all the country round, a warning to all evil-doers, white and red, for in it are confined some two hundred convicts, many of whom are Indians. It seemed to us a very insecure sort of building for such a purpose, there appearing to be no wall roumi it, and hardly even a fence. The convicts were about outside at various occupations — gardening, brickmaking, and so forth — though, as we supposed, under guard. Inside, there was not very much to see. An old Indian, a chief they called him, though he was in convict garb, of course, seemed happy, as keeper of some bears they had in a pen. This man had been concerned in the late " Kiel's rebellion." I believe it was here the celebrated chief, Poundmaker, was shut up for some time before his death. These were the first live Indians we had seen " upon their native heath," so to speak. They struck us as being, on the whole, as good- looking and as clean as the other convicts, and, mind you, that is not saying too much in their favour. On Stony Mountain are the celebrated quarries, from which the building-stone is got that they use in Winnipeg. White bricks are made there also. But it is not for such material matters we came to Stony Mountain. We went there to behold the country around principally, and when we saw it, we concluded that loneliness and monotony are really the chief features of the landscape. 4 • » THE CITY OF WINNIPEG. 51 Another thing, and, indeed, the principal th^ng, we came to see, was the herd of buffalo. So, upon the mountain's " topmost peak " (fifty feet up), we stood and gazed around. A warder became our guardian, and said " he 'd find them buffaloes right away." So he did, eventually, pointing out to us, three or four miles off, a group of black specks, which he declared were the animals, assuring us we could drive to within two hundred or three hundred yards of them with safety, and without alarming them. Taking their bearings from the elevation we were on, we drove off. The trail proved good, no obstacles occurring in the way, and in a very short time, we came up with the herd. Our horses snorted a little, while the buffaloes stared at us, much as tame cattle would, the young ones trotting towards us ; and really it was a most commonplace meeting we had that day with " the last of the buf- falo." For, it seems that this is really the last herd in Canada, and it is very doubtful if there is a single straggler extant outside of it. There are about sixty in the herd; and although, no doubt, it is a most interesting sight, yet they looked so exactly like their fellows in " the Zoo " at home, and in the pictures of them one sees the world over, and they were so very ime, that I don't believe we half did our diity, and appreciated them as we otherwise might have done. We got to within some two hundred yards of them, and then they lifted up their shaggy, fierce-looking heads, and gazed in wonder at us, till the girls got *' scared," and we had to drive away. When we got back to Winnipeg, a man remarked to us, " I guess you didn't see much worth looking at ; there 's a good deal more scenery wanted in this country, ain't there ? " Well, there is. Even a Winnipegger must admit as much. It is but a small place, after all, this city I am telling about. Of course it would not do for me to mention names, since, some day, I may have to go there again, and so I must be careful. I might offend some by too scant praise, and others might think that I piled it on " too thick." However, this I will say, I found a very large proportion of good, kind people there, jjeople who have lived in, or who have visited other lands, and who know what 's what. There were others we met, good kind folks too, who yet were quite indignant, or appeared to be so, if we did not declare right off that this ten-year-old city was far ahead of any other place we had ever seen in the New World or the Old. There are some wonderfully good shops in the place. The Hudson Bay Stores, for example, are very like the Civil Service Stores in 4* :h. ! 52 BY TRACK AND TRAIL. London ; but not in prices, remember. I cannot say much for the hotels. The churches are really wonderfully fine, and represent numerous denominations. The Salvation Army is there in full force, and has most commanding head-quarters. I don't kuow how old St. John's Church is, which is in effect the Anglican Cathedral, but it resembles an old English village church more than anything else. They will be building a grand new cathe- dral soon, no doubt, but this quaint little church will still be useful, and I hope will long be allowed to stand. The Roman Catholics have a very complete organization at Winni- peg. Across the river, at Boniface's, stands their cathedral, with its tin-covered spire, their archbishop's modest house close to it, their college, and the Grey Nun's school and convent. In the graveyard of St. Boniface there rests the body of Kiel, the unhappy half-breed who headed the last two rebellious outbreaks of malcontents and misdoers. The Roman Catholic Cathedral has a very fine peal of bells. In the original church, which \7as burned down in 1859, the bells were shattered into fi'agments. Tliese remains being collected, were re- turneu to London, where they had originally come from, and there the bells were recast and sent out again via the Mississippi, being brought up overland by ox-teams from St. Paul's to Winnipeg. Not many years ago, dogs were here the usual locomotive agents employed during winter for the transit of men and goods. Now things are altogether changed. The only dog-train we saw was one owned by a half-breed laundryman, who, to advertise himself, col- lected soiled linen in a small waggon drawn by six pairs of dogs. It T s arranged that, as I had to pay a visit to BroadvieW; I she go on ahead, the Selbys staying on at Winnipeg, to come i) r me by and by, when all should go west together from therf . '. was to take messages to Charlie Donald, and had orders to tell tnem all about him and his doings when I wrote. Maggie was more anxious than the rest, oxie could easily see, to transmit without actual words her concealed interest in him. Mr. Selby talked seriously to me about this love affair, for by this time even he had come to the conclusion that it was something more serious than a passing flirta- tion. I promised him I would do all in my power to persuade Charlie not to go to extremes. However, Mr. Selby observed, when ending his consultation with me — " If, in time to come, it becomes certain that those two are really and unalterably attached to each other, then something will have to ■A I I- THE CITY OF WINNIPEG. 58 I be done. We shall have to find some opening for him at home, I suppose. We htve seen nothing yet to induce us to live here, and I cannot bring myself to contemplate with pleasure the idea of any of my children being separated from me." That Maud thought much as her father did was very evident. Her dislike to the country, and to her sister's predilection for poor Charles Donald was, though discreetly veiled, very manifest to me. So, about the end of May, I packed my bag and started one morn- ing for the cars, all our friends coming to see me off. Naturally enough, I felt sorry to part from so many good friends, but soon I hoped some of us would meet again, and would travel on west together, as it had been proposed, and indeed arranged, that we should do. K i 54i BY 'IRACK AND TRAIL. CHAPTER V. ACROSS THE WHEAT COUNTRY. Old Shipmates. — An Immigrant Family. — " Innocents Abroad." — Portage-la- Prairie.— The " Beautiful Plains."— A Settler from Devon.—" Wouldn't I like to go Home again!" — Farmers' Prospects. — A New and Go-ahead Prairie Town. — I reach Broadview. — How they welcome Travellers in Canada. — The Dining Hall. — Poor Prospects of Supper. — "It's Real Mean!" — The Servant Difficulty. — Interviewing " the Ladies." — Elegance and Hauteur. — Pleading for Food. — Softening the "Prairie Flower." — Pie! — On Charlie's Ti'ail. — Rough Accommodation. — Looking for Meadows's Farm. — A queer Inhabitant. — Found at Last. — Bluffs, Sleughs, Shacks, and Dug-outs. — Meadows's Home. — My Friend's Experiences of the N.W.T. — Cattle rt')-.sHS Wheat. — A Drive in an Ox-cart.— The Town of Broadview. — The Liquor Prohibition Law. — New Acquaintances. — Bruce. — Wild Beasts and Birds. — Some Skunk Stories. — Insects and Flowers. The train was certainly two hours late, and was impatiently awaited by a crowd of people on the platfo"'n at the depot. It was a large crowd, too — for Winnipeg, and one had scarcely room enough to move about freely. Quite a number of " Parmesians " turned uj) in the throng, and there was a constant repetition of greetings, the general refrain lieiug — " Hello ! you here ? " « Well, what do you really think of it ? " A few of these old shipmates intended to remain in Winnipeg, more of them were going farther west, and of these some meant, as I did, to go right through to the Pacific and return at once. I took my seat in a first-class carriage this time, for I had not to pass a night on this journey, and at kngth we got off. The carriage was comfortable enough, but not so grand as the " sleeper." There was more company in it, however, though one had to go into the " colo- nists' sleeping-car " when one wanted to smoke. The appointments of the car I was in — or " coach," as the new style is — were good, ACROSS THE WHEAT COUNTRY. 66 «'icept that the backs of the seats were too low to be as comfortable as one might have wished. Finding the people in this coach not particularly interesting, I moved into the " colonial sleeper," where there seemed better pro- mise of sociability. Here my eyes were at once attracted to an Indian, who sat silently smoking, yet evidently taking pleasure in his surroundings. I suppose he was a swell in his way, judging from his get-up. He wo.e ordinary English clothes, but in addition he sported a pair of gorgeous new mocassins and a resplendent scarlet blanket, with earrings and finger-rings of great magnificence. There were several families in the car unmistakably fresh from the old country. As I passed one of them, a man touched his hat to me. Evidence enough, that simple act of courtesy, of the new-comer. I wondered how long it would take him to discard his old manners and adopt the new — that is, the absence of any. Not long, I guess. This man proved to be one of our " Parjuesians," though I did not remember having seen him on board. " Well, and where are you going to ? " I inquired. " To Rogina," he replied dismally'; adding, " How long before we get there ? " As we had but just left Winnipeg, this seemed rather a stuind question to ask. I said — " The train isn't due there till 23.45, you know, that is a quarter to twelve midnight. Besides, we are two hours behind time, and I suppose there '11 be small chance of making that up." I thought the poor man would have shed tears when I had explained this to him. He went over to his wife, and consul ..>d with her and with a big daughter — a more sorrowful and hopeless-looking trio it would be difficult to imagine. Strangers in a strange land they were indeed ' I joined in their conversation, and soon had all their little story. They were from Bedfordshire, and belonged to the farm-labourer clans They had had some work in Montreal, and had earned enough to pay their fares west. They were going now to join a brother who was settled some miles back from Regina, they did not know exactly where. Moreover, they Lad sent him no definite intimation of the time of their coming. Worst of all, they had spent every farthing of the little stock of money they had brought with them from Montreal, and were hungry then. The last trouble was soon got over, for I had provisions with me, and procured them some coffee from the dining-car. I suppose someone had been chaffing these poor innocents, and cramming them with Heaven knows what all, for I discovered that 56 BY TRACK AND TRAIL. they were dreadfully alarmed at the fancied prospect of being left by themselves on the lonely prairie in the middle of the night, with- out food or refuge or assistance. I did ray best to relieve their anxieties on this score, and our conversation soon attracted others of the passengers. Before long everyone in the car was interested in them ; they were cheered uj), well fed, and I believe they would find quarters at Regina until the brother could be discovered. Indeed, I overheard one a I an^' >,; o.rering engagements to the man. There seemed to be ahiU/Si. a ■>mpetition as to who should get him. And it turned out, cur- u.sly i.': ')Ugh, that everybody in the car, except the Indian swell, hailed irom Ou:. ^.ngland. So I felt that what farther help I could have given to these poor folks was no longer required. All this time we had been rushing along, at a very fair rate, across the dead level of the prairie. Near Winnipeg there seemed to be little cultivation ; but herds of cattle were dotted about the plain. We were seldom out of sight of a — habitation ; I prefer not to say house. The first place of note we stopped at was Portage-la-Prairie, a town of stirring and prosperous appearance. It was a clear bright day, the sky was blue, and the distance still more blue ; near at hand, the grassy plam shone brilliantly in the sunlight ; there was a brisk breeze blowing, and there seemed to be a corresponding liveliness and " go " among the people. I suppose this prairie town would cover about a square mile altogether, but many of the houses stood widely apart. Among them were some very nice, well-built, comfortable- looking houses, and there were churches, hotels, stores, windmills ; and facing the track stood warehouses, elevators, and factories — prosperity was evident everywhere. Hei'e, too, the Manitoba and North- Western Railway intersects the C.P.R. Beyond this point we passed through various small stations and some villages. Chief among these were Sydney and Melbourne. (Why will they go on imposing names already attached to other towns upon these new places ?) Carberry, next, seemed a thriving place, and there was a great deal of cultivation around it ; but it was flat, dreadfully flat. Out on the platform of the car, where I had gone for a smoke after dinner in the dining-car, I dropped into conversation with a fellow-passenger. " You're just out, I expect," he said, to which I assented. " Well, Sir, and what do you think of our country ? " " It's a great country, a great country," I replied, endeavouring to assume an air of giving a wholly original answer to a question I had never heard before, or was likely to be asked again. ACROSS THE WHEAT COUNTRY. 57 • r! all. Here you can • off now after four " I 'm glad you think so," ho went on. " Wo call this part * the beautiful plains.' I 'ui from the old country myself, and have only been out here four years. Whereabouts do you come from ? " "From Kent," I told him. " Ah, well, I come from Devonsheer. I guess that 's not far off you." " Why no, reckoning distances as you do here. But now tell me. How do you like the life ? What are you doing ? Farming? " " Oh, yes," he responded heartily. " I came out here with my wife and six children, and had two or three hundred pounds when I arrived. Now I 've got a quarter section, all paid for and in crop. I 've got a lot of cattle, too, and I 'm doing wel^ I like it. This is the best wheat country in the world, you know, " Wouldn't go home again, I suppose ? " "To-morrow, if I could." " What ! I thought you said you liked it J ' " Ah, but there 's no place like England, aftei get on better, no mistake about that. I 'n tt" years' work than I should have been in a lifetime at home. Still, I 'd rather live in England, of course, and so would the wife. The women have to suffer most out here, especially at first. However, if we get a good harvest this year, I reckon we shall make things more comfortable. Where are you going? Intending to settle P " "Oh, no. I 'm only making a trip across the countr" back." " What ! going right home again after you 've been ti jgh ? " " Yee." " Well, you are a lucky man ! Wouldn't my missus like to have a talk with you. Shall you be going down our way after you get home ? " " Hardly likely, I think." " But if you should, anyhow, just go and see my old father and mother, and tell 'em you 've seen me." So I took down names and addresses, and if ever I find myself iv " Devonsheer " I shall certainly give the old people a call. This man gave me a great deal of information about Manitoba, which I believe was entirely trustworthy. His accounts were very interesting, and seemed to show clearly that wheat-growing is a p.jfitable industry here. Southern Manitoba, he said, was ahead of any place he had ever seen as a wheat-growing country. He wished that English farmers could really see for themselves what is being done there. He said that in winter it was generally very bright, clear weather, and that the cold rarely troubled them. From the middle of June ,tv vAtefl r 58 BY TRACK AND TRAIL. to the end of September, nothing could be bri^^hter and more lively than it was throughout the province. He was phased that I intended niiiklug a longer stay here on my way back. Harvest-time was short, but was an extremely busy and anxious period, as it is else- where. '• If we don't have drought," he observed with regard to it, ** or frost, or grasshoppers, we generally come out O.K." He left the train at Brandon, and anyone would huve thought we were old friends, so impressive were our farewells. This Brandon is really a very important place ; and it is no wonder that the inhabitants of it, and all the country thereabouts, conrider it so. In 1881, ^he very first building of any kind was erected. Seven years have elopsed since then, and the town has now over four thousand inhabitants. It possesses churches and chapels of various denominations, more than a hundred stores, seven grain elevators, with a capacity of above sixty thousand bushels ; three banks, several implement factories, eight liotels, high and common schools, and there are three branch railways under construction. It is lighted by electricity, has a very well organized fire department, twelve or fifteen miles of graded and gravelled roads, has a mayor and corpo- ration, and is the largest grain market for producers in Canada. Such a place illustrates well how they go ahead in the great North- West of Canada ; and, bear in mind, the large majority of these Brandon folk are our own people. They are not Americans, whom we in England are accustomed to suppose the smartest and cleverest people in the world. No ! Four-fifths of the settlers in Western Canada are British-born, belonging to the farm-labourer or artizan class. But out yonder they have a chance to show what they can do ; there is room for them out there. It was a little west of Carbery that the plain began to assume a different asj^ect. Scattered spruce firs gave some pretty effects, though they soon ceased ; but there was a more park-like semblance generally. Clumps of trees came into sight frequently, and we passed through some of these that were a mile or two in extent. The ground was no longer level, but rolling and undulating. And as we swiftly travelled on over this swelling prairie, the motion of the cars was very much like that of a ship at sea. Here and there were jionds. reflecting the blue sky in their still depths, and all around the sere yellow grass of the prairie intensified the colouring of the scene. We passed through Verden, Elkhorn, Moosomin, still in the same kind of country. Settlement and signs of habitation gradually disaj^peared, until at last it seemed as if we had left them all behind ACROSS THE WHEAT COUNTRY. 59 * 1 us. Wapolla and Whitewood proved to be mere wayside stations, and I began to ')o fearful lest I should 6nd my destination, Rroad- vi'jw, no better when I got there. And I had reason to be anxious and uneasy about it, for it was past twenty-one o'clock (nine at night), and I was tired and hungry. At last we came to Broadview, and here I and my baggage were safely landed. I was much relieved to find that it was an inhabited place. I saw a large white brick house adjoining the platform, with various stores and dwellings beyond. But, to my dismay, I could st'o no signs of Meadows, who I had hoped would have met me. So I began making inquiries, and found that I had created quite a sensation. " Where have you come from ? " " Wheiv are you goiug to ? " " Have you come here to settle? " Such were the questions with which I was plied on all sides. Evidently the arrival of a stranger at Broadview was not an every- day occurrence, however many might jxiss it in the train. When I explained that I had come to visit Meadows, plenty of people assured me they knew him, and offered advice as to how I should find his place. But it was useless to think of looking for it that night, so I inquired if I could get quarters. Certainly, at the Dining Hall, I was told at once by everybody. Presently the manager of this establishment appeared, and of him I asked — '• Can you give me a bed ? " "Oh, yes." " And some supi>er ? " "Supper! Why, don't you know what the time is? Supper's been over hours." " Well, call it what you like ; but something to eat I must have." " Guess you 'II get nothing to eat in this town till morning." "What! And that a dining-hall! Is there no hotel here? Is there no place whex'e one can get food ? " " I reckon not at this time of night. You should have come earliei'." " It was not my fault that the train was late. Surely such cases must occur often enough. Have you got no food ? " " Oh, lots ; but not at this time of night. No, Sir. This is not the old country ; you can't have things as you like here." " So it seems; but surely you are not such an uncivilized set as to allow a stranger to go hungry to bed in this grand country ? Can't mm I I 00 HY TUACK AND TUAIL. you ^'ivo mo anything at all to eat? I'm toj faiuishoJ to bo par- ticular." "No, Sir," >,'rimly replied tho manager of tho C.P.it. Diniuj; Hall. '' 1 can give you nothing whatever to-night." This Htrn>e«l a very extraordinary arrau^'omeut, and to nic a de- cidedly unpleasant one. I stormed and raged about a l>it ; but that only made them all laugh. I was really faint with hunger, for I had not supped on board the train, exitecting to do so on my arrival in port. The manager looked a decent fellow enough, and I thought he 8i)oke with something of a Yorkshire accent, so I said — '' Come now, I believe you are an Englishman yourself i* " " Oh, yes, I am," ho replied, with a laugh ; " I 'm English enough." " Well, then, what would you have thought of this sort of thing, if it had happened to you at home, eh r* " " Why, I expect I should have thought it real mean." " Ah ! And why isn't it so here i^ " He shrugged his shoulders, and came up close to me — "Look here, I suppose it ain't your fault you don't know the ways of this country. Fact is, I 'm sorry to treat you like this ; but I can't help myself. It 's the servants. They 're our 'aiasters and mistresses here, and I simply dare not ask one of them to serve you. But you take my advice ; go right up into the hall, make up to one of the young ladies, and see if you can't manage to coax her into giving you something." So I presently found my way into the large room in the white brick building dignified by the title of Dining Hall. Numerous tables stood about, spread with knives and forks, cruets, «&c., and at one of them I took my seat. Up at the farther end of the room a group of girls were gathered round the stove, gossipping. These were the " young ladies." I suppose, in England, one would have called them the serv — but, no; I dare not write it, even at this distance. They were all dressed in the most stylish and ultra- fashionable manner, their hair arranged to correspond with the mag- nificence of their attire. My ! weren't they just dazzling swells. After a little, my intrusion was noticed by these superior creatures, and one of them at length deigned to rise languidly, and came sweeping and rustling grandly down to me. With cold dignity, she demanded what I required. Wlien I mildly returned that I was in extreme want of some supper, she looked positively horror-stricken, while her elegant companions at the other end of the room looked at one another and at me, as much as to say, " What next, indeed ! " f ACROSS nil': wiikat covsmv. «;i " You wiint siippor ! " oxclaimoil tho oiij^a),'iu^ diimscl licforo mo, with worlds of (liHiliiin in lu-r voukj. '* Don't vou know it is piist twenty-ono o'clock? Siii»i»('r was ovor hours iVf,'')." •'I know all that," I HiiiJ inipationtly ; "bii;, my i^'ood ^,'irl, T want food of Hoino Hoi't — any sort. I 'ni hun<,'ry." "Food! at this timo of ni'„'ht!" and slio dnnv Inn'scif m|. haughtily, rcganliuj^' u\t' as if I wt-n' crazy. I [tiTci'lved I had madi- a mistako in my modo of addn^ssin^ this iliicht-ss. That ")j;ii' I girl" was a Had hlundc'r in tact. 1 saw I must resort to diploiuat'y, or elso coutinuo to starve. So, thou^di inwardly fuming, I comiit'lled )|iiih(iiiiii«ili«iiii)*qi|f ii(|iiiiii:' 'i«- ^iii'nitifJlifiH;*',:) '. iv:"' m*^f. i 1 J I ' IN THE DINING HALI-. myself to plead. There was no help for it. Putting on the most d^iocted and humble air I could muater, I said — I beg your pardon, Miss " — observe my artfulness — " but the train was late, and I have eaten nothing since the morning. I am a stran|_ 'r, just out from England, or I should have known better than to cause you such inconvenience." She softened considerably at this, and condescended to t.ye me a little more graciously. " Oh, you are a stranger. Well, you see, we mak* it a rule not to serve meals except at the proi)er times." Thinking I was yaining ground, I ventured a little farther. y. I 62 BY TRACK AND TRAIL. " Yes, but there is no rule without an exception to it, you know ; and circumstances alter cases, I 'm sure you will admit." What woman was ever px'oof aj^ainst proverb or axiom ? My prairie princess shook her head, but there was a faint smile on her face — a very pretty one it was, too — as she murmured perfunctorily — " That may be ; but we can't alter our regulations to suit every- body. It would never do." I began to think she was yielding, and threw as much persuasion as I could into my voice and manner. " But I am not everybody. Surely your good nature will allow you to oblige a famishing man, just for once ? " " No, no : it 'b really out of the question." But her manner indicated hesitation. I threw all my forces into a final effort. Assuming an exaggerated appearance of faintness, and speaking in a small voice, I said — *' I know I 'm very much in fault, but, my dear young lady, I 'm sure your kind heart must plead for me. Look at me; I 'm really ill for want of food. Can you not just manage to oblige me so far as to give me a morsel of food ? My friend, who stayed here a night a short time ago, told me I should find one of the ladies here most kind" " Then you have friends about here ? Who are they ? " " Meadows is the name of one, but it was a young man called Donald I was referring to." " Charlie Donald ! My ! why didn't you say before that you knew him?" " Well, it never struck me, you see. So you do remember my shipmate, it appears ? " " Why, certainly. Of course, then, since you 're to be a friend, I suppose I must get you some supper." And she hurried off, while the i*est of the resplendent sisterhood stared at me and at her as if something very extraordinary had occurred. All this fuss and nonsense ab^^ut getting a mouthful of chance victuals, in an establishment the only raison d'etre of which was to supply the wants of travellers ! But this ie a fair sample of the way in which equality and freedom come to be construed in the North- West Territory, and in like places elsewhere, i'or my part, I prefer the " bloated despotisms " of Europe — when I am hungry, at any rate. Presently my fascinating friend reappeared, and set down l»efore me a plate of " pie" and a cup of half-cold coffee, remarking — ACBOSS THE WHEAT COUNTRY. 63 " There, it 's not everybody I 'd do as much for •, but as you 're a friend of a friend of mine I don't mind making an exception, for once in a way." " For this great favour accept a thousand thanks, fair lady," I ejaculated, throwing what I intended to be a look of rapturous gratitude upon her. And then I attacked the viands as only a hungry man can do. But, reader, have you any idea of what the American or Canadian pie is lik( lie. at mine ; If you have not, I '11 tell you. Take two slabs of heavy, sodden dough ; between them spread a thin layer of fruit, or what not ; place the whole on a plate, and half bake it. The result is " pie," according to Transatlantic notions. It was with visions of indigestion and nightmare before me that I went to work but I ate it — T had to. And I filled up interstices with crackers and butter, which my last remark had produced from the comj^laisance of my elegant attendant. And then I was mulcted in the sum of fifty cents for this unsatisfactory repast. Expensive, rather ! After I had made some progress with my meal, my fair attendant drew near as if she w'lhed to talk to me. For this I was not sorry, as I was naturally curious to ascertain how she had managed, in so short a time, to get to know Charlie Donald apparently so well. " Have you seen Donald lately ? " I asked her. " He was in here two days ago. Does he come from the same place as you do in the old country ? " " No ; I only met him on shipboard, coming across. A nice young fellow, isn't he ? But I suppose you have many young Englishmen of that sort about here ? " *' Oh, there are plenty of young Englishmen, but I don't remember one like him altogether. I guess most of those we see hereabouts are not much account, whatever they might have been at home ; pretty rough, you know, and we don't take much stock in them." " Well, I don't believe Charlie Donald will deteriorate, for I have a very high opinion of him. How does he get on, do you know ? " " I can't say. He 's hardly been longenough around to know yet. I think he must be pretty dull, for he 's just batching it with a man named Hardy some miles out. Do you know him as well r* " " No. What sort of a man is he ? " "Eight enough, I imagine, but a different kind to the other. He 's a good deal older, and seldom comes in here. There isn't much r,r' 64, BY TRACK AND TRAIL. I society here, yet there are two or three people about glad enough to see a strange face around occasionally. It 's a terribly rough and ' lonesome country, so it is a groat pleasure to meet a decent young fellow sometimes. I came from Ontario, whore things are very dif- ferent. Did you stay in Toronto or Hamilton at all ? " *' Not this time. But I know them pretty well. This is not my first visit to Canada by many. I have many friends in those two cities." " Do you know Stratford ? I come from there." •' Why, yes ; 1 lived there many years ago." And then this young lady mentioned several names, some of which I knew. So 1)y and by we got quite friendly, and the other girls could see no farther reason for looking on mo as a kind of wild animal. And I congratulated myself that I had already made at least one friend in Broadview. After that I got niv baggage in, and saw it safely bestowed. Then I found out and took possession of the bed-room assigned to me. The less said about it the better. I came prepared to " rough it," but my experience here was un- necessarily wretched, and there was no rhyme or reason for it. In this grandly named " Canadian Pacific Railway Dining Hall" one would have expected decent comfort, at least. Instead of that it was all wretched and miserable in the extreme — not an encouraging com- mencement to my sojourn in the famous No. th- West Territory, About 5 a.m. I was aroused by the shrieking and groaning cf a freight-train. The jtleasant odour of cooking assailed my nostrils, and, as I was still hungry, I thought it expedient to get up and pro- spect a little after the source of the smell. Descending into the room of pretentious designation, I found it already pretty full of people. I was served with breakfast by the same girl who attended to me the night before, but now it was with pleasure she did it. Yet it was a tasteless and tepid meal, such as one gets in most N. W.T. eating-houses. This one professed to be under the management of the C.P.K., but Avas no better than the independent ones. *' Shall you see Charlie Donald soon ? " she asked me when there was an opportunity. " Have you come to stop with him? " "Yes, [ shall see him soon, no doubt; but I have come to stay with Lii old friend of mine named Meadows. I believe he lives about four miles away. xVre you acquainted with him? " "I know him, liut not where hi- lives. I guess Mr. York, the manaj^or, can lell you. But. I say, when you see Mr. Donald, tell him you saw me, and that I did what I could for you here." >t i ACROSS THE WHEAT COUNTRY. 65 " Ob, certainly ; but you must let mo know how I 'm to uame you to him." " Say it was Lena Lloyd, for that 's my name." So I said good-bye to this " prairie-flower," and after breakfast I began more inquiries about Meadows, but it was not until I had encountered an intelligent Scotch store-keeper that I got comprehen- sible directions as to how I should find his place. I started off under the exhilaratiag influences of a fine bright sky and a fresh breeze, and made my way along the trail shown me. After crossing the track and finding a cross-trail as dirorited, I trudged on into the open prairie, leaving all signs of humanity behind me. The trail was a mere path wo.-n by pedestrians, with the occasional marks of waggon-wheels beside it, and wound about to avoid bogs and bushes. ASKING THE WAY, The prairie, now I was on it, appeared less ugly and monotonous than I had expected. The ground was covered with vegetation, but not thickly or luxuriantly, and there was very little giuss and none of the turf one associates with it in England. I saw but one flower in bloom, a pale blueish anemone, not very striking. Here and there were a few small trees, which gave the scene a home-like aspect. But the general prospect was grey and melancholy, and I could scarcely believe I was actually wending my way across the prairies of the Great North-West. When I had juado some two miles I came upon a new feature. What looked like a heap of manure rose up before me, and beside it was a big square packing-case. A trail led up to these objects, and I approached to investigate them. Coming nearer I saw a stove-pipe projecting from the top of the packing-case, and then a door in the ■Mtm** tf'f 66 BY TRACK AND TRAIL. .1 r! side of it. I should say the concern was some ten by eight feet square. I knocked at the door, and presently a man appeared. I was quite taken aback, for I thought it was an Indian. He was blacker tha.. one, and appeared to be encased in leather garments. These turned out to be of canvas, however, merely browned by smoke and saturated with dirt and grease. Evidently strangers were an unaccustomed sight about there. This grimy individual stood and stared at me as if he had never seen a fellow-creature before. " Can you put me in the way to Meadows's place ? " I asLed. " To Meadows's place, is it ? Ah, sure thin, I can," he replied, in a strong Irish accent; and he gave me directions how to find a trail which would lead me there. Then lie shut the door quickly, as though glad to be alone again. I went forward, round patches of trees and bushes, but not a sign of life visible for another mile or two. After that I came to a spot where seven or eight trails met, and which I ought to take now was more than my inexperience could tell me. In ;;he middle of the cross- ings a stick had been planted upright, supported by black sods thrown up around it. I had read somewhere that Indians were accustomed to make signs of such a sort, and I thought pos- sibly Meadows had put this up as an indication for me. But, after long puzzling over it, I had to give up the attempt to make anything of it. I learned sub- seqviently it was one of the landmarks on the old Fort Ellice trail, the highway of these parts before the railway track was laid ; for these trails are the only kind of road existing as yet in the N.W.T. I concluded to take the trail which, as far as I could judge, was a continuation of the one I had been following, and along which I pro- ceeded perhaps another mile or two. Then I bethought me that Meadows had been in Australia as I had, and so I went up a bit of risir.-^ ground and exercised my lungs with a " Coo-ee ! " such as we useu to signal with in the Australian bush. It was no use ; but I w alked on, and trird it again and again. At last came a most wel- come Uiswer, an '_ then a man came running towards mo, and Meadows and 1 once more clasped hands together. I was close to his place, having luckily kept on the right trail. (|!^ \r'.i«i^'' A PPaIKIE sign-post. •V and V ACROSS THE WHEAT COUNTRY. 67 As we walked on to the house, I was obliged to admit that the situa- tion was not devoid of charm. The view was extensive and really pretty. Hereabouts the prairie was by no moans flat, but broken by shallow dells and gullies, with gentle rising ground between. The scone had. a park-like aspect, being diversified by plentiful patches of copse and grove, " bluffs," as they call them; while in the bottoms were numerous " sleughs," sedgy pools and ponds of various sizes. Meadows's " shack," the local name for a shanty or any habitation of the rough-and-ready sort, proved to be of the kind more particu- larly known as a " dug-out." I will attempt to describe how it was constructed, and the illustrations will shoAV what it looked like as I saw it. First of all, a suitable hillock was selected, and a trench cut straight into it. This trench or passage would be some four feet wide, and, starting on the level of the bottom of the hillock, pierced inwards for some thirty feet, till its sides were five or six feet high. Here a larger excavation was made, some fifteen feet square, to form the interior chamber of the house. Both chamber and passage were next roofed in with poles as rafters ; on these was laid three feet of prairie hay, and on the top of that four feet of thick sods. There was a door to the passage and another o 'he room, and there were actually two real glass windows, these ii.'ijs being all that had cost Meadows and his sou anything beyond their pecsonal labour. Inside, the earthen floor had been stamped and worn into such uneveuness, that it was not easy to find a spot flat enough for one's seat, and navigation at night was hazardous. An iron cooking-stove occupied the centre of the room, its pipe being carried up through the roof. At one end was a row of three wide bunks, and there were plenty of shelves all round. There was a big rough table, and the rest of the furniture consisted of three cranky, curious articles, known as " nor'-west chairs," with an assortment of old boxes, cases, and kegs. This dismal hovel, made entirely by themselves, was the home of two men who had formerly lived in affluence in England. They said it was warm and dry in winter, however, and cool in summer, ;ind appeared quite satisfied with it as their only abode. The agricultural depression in England had ruined these folks some years ago. They came out here, and here they are likely to remain. They say they like it, and see bright prospects ahead. I hope it is so ; for to enumerate all they have to do and to suffer now, is beyond my powers of description. I only know that settlers in a new country, commencing without capital, deserve all, and more, than the success they eventually achieve — if they do achieve it. Meadows is a man of about fifty ; his sou is twenty -one. Thev 5 * 68 BY TRACK AND TRAIL. arrived here in the spring of 1884, and each selected liis quarter- section (160 acres) of land. There was plenty to choose from — hun- dreds of square miles, in fact. I should mention here, that any British subject, who i« over eighteen years of age, may select and enter ujton a homestead section, quarter of a square mile as surveyed and numbered, on payment of a fee of Ion dollars for registration. When he has resided three years on this homestead, and has broken at least thirty acres of prairie, he is entitled to receive a free grant of the section, which then becomes absolutely his own property. This ystem prevails in Manitoba, and in the four new provinces of the N.W.T., namely, Assiniboia, where I now was, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Athabasca. 1 speak with regard to the Government agricul- tural blocks ; those assigned to the C.P.R. and the Hudson Bay Company are disposed of on different terms. During the first summer on their land, Meadows and his son lived in a tent. They constructed their " diig-out," ready for the winter, broke up some prairie, and put in a few potatoes and oats. When winter came, they had to learn how to cut and carry firewood. They finished the inside of their habitation, and also cut firewood for sale in the village. They did not suffer much from the cold, though the frost Avas often 40° or 50° below zero, but were put to all sorts of shifts, and were quite alone, not even having a dog or cat for company. The w atuer in winter is generally calm, which accounts for people's aldlity to stand the intense cold. If a blow comes on, however — a " blizzard " they call it — you must take shelter at once, wherever you are, or you v;ill be frozen to death in a minute. There is no damp at all ; it is perfectly dry ; and cleaned wbeat is not harmed if left out under the snow. Dwellings are usually roofed with sods, or with one layer of tarred paper. People wear no boots in winter, but two pairs of woollen stoekinjys and mocassins. On coming in, they can shake the snow off as easily as if it were dry sand. When spring came, my friends got a yoke of oxen of their own. The frost goes six or seven feet into the ground ; but as soon as the surface was thawed, they began to plough, and put in some twenty acres of grain and potatoes. They dug out a capital stable for their oxen, and added a pig and some fowls to their live stock. But the summer was short ; winter came x^^uin before harvest was ready, and the grain crop was a failure. There was no wheat to sell ; oats and barley just enough to feed the chickens ; but potatoes sufficient to keep thena alive through the winter. Not a cheerful prospect ; but thev were b"»UEfd to sticK to it. \ ' ACltOSS THE WHEAT COUNTRY. 69 The second spring they got abo\it forty aoros under crop, and worked hard, iioping for Honie return this time. Unfortunately, it was a scorching hot summer, the sleughs were dried up, and there was rot a drop of rain. Harvest again brought them nothing more than a bare subsistence for the winter. They had passed through that 8