Winnipeg, Canada, Sep 14/98, Wednesday, where I arrived this morning at 7:50 after being on the rail since Sunday at 1 p.m.
I wrote you a note & enclosed it with my journal up to date on arrival at Vancouver. We got in to the wharf at Vancouver at 9 a.m. Saturday morning after a very slow passage from Victoria, pilot all the way. So foggy had it been for 7 days that not a single vessel had left. The steamer for Tacoma had gone out twice & returned, so we counted ourselves luck[y] even with 2 days behind. We regretted the fog (& smoke from burning bush) as both obscured our view of the mountain scenery between Vancouver Island and the main land.[1]
Just before we got the pilot at Victoria, we passed close to 3 very big sailing ships laying at anchor in Royal Roads, & each tinkling the fog bell as signal. We heard the fog horn off Tatoosh Island, Cape Flattery, at 11 a.m., & this gave our Captain a bearing for Victoria. Then we heard Race Rocks fog signal & this was only a few knots from Victoria, & glad were we all, I can assure you, when we heard the pilot responding to our 4 blasts for pilot. He was coming off & in a row boat, & had his fog signalling apparatus with him, & before we could see him we heard his 4 blasts replying. Then we saw a speck coming near to us & all shouted, “There’s the pilot”, & we rejoiced when he stepped up the rope ladder let over the side for him to climb up. He ran from the rail to the bridge & on to take charge at once, & wasn’t Capt. Hemming glad to get relief.
[6:70]
We soon got in & the rest I have already recorded on page 10. Well, I got ashore at Vancouver, had my baggage examined by customs, 3 packages, the rest I had checked on under bond direct to New York, there to await my arrival & the customs see it on board the Liverpool steamer.[2] All I considered dutiable I put in these packages & what I left out for use on my tour here were exempt. They are very particular & exacting. However, I had no trouble at all, & I told the officer I had nothing dutiable, so he only opened one package (& passed me) “for form’s sake”, as he said. I then went to the Hotel Vancouver, CPR[3] Coy’s hotel, & a grand house it is.[4] Most of our passengers went there. Now, as I told you in a note, which I wrote in post office just before closing my letter, that when booking my room at the office counter, who should come by but young Vick.[5] By chance I just saw him at my elbow, & when I spoke, had you just seen his face. It beamed with joy at meeting me & both so far away, he going Westward & I Eastward. We talked of much concerning home &c. &c., & retailed something of what each had experienced & so on, & then we both set out together to find Mr. Nesbit, 1207 Horner St., & soon we found them. Miss Nesbit, the dressmaker one, answered the door, & she soon fell to & invited us in. Meantime, the brother had gone down to the wharf to see if he could find me, as they had heard the “Miowera” sounding her way in. So we waited his return, which wasn’t long.
Mean time, [6:71] I got such a bundle of letters, 16, some had enclosures & big packages of newspapers, the sight of which rejoiced my heart & made young Vick stare & remark with wonderment. I only opened 2 there as Miss Nesbit was very conversational & soon Mr. Nesbit turned up. He had ascertained at the steamer that I had left for Hotel Vancouver, & called there & found I had registered, & he judged I had gone on to Horner St. Soon we came away as I had the bank to go to before 12 & the post before 12:30, Mr. Nesbit accompanying me. Mr. Vick had arranged to go by the local steamer sailing for Victoria at 1 p.m., so we parted, arranging to see each other before that hour, & we met & spent awhile together again. He left to join the “Islander”. After Mr. Nesbit & I had lunched, we went down to the wharf as we had ascertained the Victoria boat was not in yet. The fog had delayed her by 6 hours & we got down to see her arrive at 2:30, & again saw Mr. Vick & stayed viewing the “Islander” for awhile. She has the most beautiful interior fittings you could imagine, really a picture gallery, & gilded saloon. She was to leave at 4 & everything was bustle, discharging & loading by side ports like gateways, barrow men running in & out like bees. The steamer Mr. Vick picks up at Victoria on the Monday would be the Empress of China, one of the 3 white steamers.[6] You see the print of these on our station wall above or near book stall, & they are exactly represented, but to see them is a magnificent sight. She lay just abreast of the “Islander” & astern of the “Miowera”. I did [6:72] admire her. I have seen the 3 of them during my 3 visits to Hong Kong. She was to leave Vancouver on the Monday & Vick’s baggage was aboard her & his berth reserved. They only stay a very short while at Victoria & he had seen enough of Vancouver.
Well, I had much pleasure in meeting him, I assure you, & desire Willie to tell his father how well he looked, & very cheerful, & had so far enjoyed himself. I got him to write a few lines & post home then & there, to tell his people we had met. Had he stayed till Monday, I would have got through some “Mails” & given him, but as he couldn’t, I did not open the papers till on my rail journey. He has a great treat in store & he is to make me his first visitor after he gets to WH. After this, I went to Horner St. with Mr. Nesbit & had tea, spent a very happy few hours. The mother was very entertaining & delighted to have a chat about the Old Country. I saw the photo group, Mary, Mrs. Bolus, Miss Cobb &c. She knows the rest & I saw other photos of people & views very familiar to me. Mr. Nesbit & I then came into the town & viewed the Saturday night sights about town, & a busy place it is, quite up to date. Some good streets, fine buildings, electric trams & a capital service, good cars & streets lighted by electricity, roads very dry & awfully dusty, some out of the way streets, & Horner St. is one, the road is simply powder dust. The paths are wood boards on all streets except the principal business street. It is a comparative young town yet, & there is every indication of a great future for Vancouver. Streets all run on the square & some of the new streets, like Horner St., are miles long, not by any means populated yet.[7] Most of the sites are bush in its [6:73] primeval state. Some very beautiful vegetation & seemingly anything will grow, the climate is so very congenial.
Mr. Nesbit, during our rounds, introduced me to many of his friends, all seemingly well doing people, & they were extremely courteous & pleased to meet one from the Old Country. Several were from the North of England, Tynesiders, Alnwick, Sunderland &c. &c., & here let me say, there are some of all nations in Vancouver.[8] Mr. Nesbit is now a blacksmith, has an anvil in the CP Ry. shops. These are not 4 minutes’ walk from his house (which is his own & stands on a fair piece of ground, & a well appointed interior, piano & harmonium, & all seem doing well. I saw both sisters.) He is very happy in his work & doing well, but for some Saturdays, 5 or 6, they have not worked, & he is glad of it, as the work is hard, 10 hours per day, & it has been a hot summer. The youngest sister, the dressmaker, & the last to emigrate, does not like the heat, & she is now quite exhausted, wishing for the cool season. Well, Saturday night came to a close. He set me to the hotel & stayed awhile with me arranging to come down for me on the Sunday morning at 9:30. I promised the sisters & brother I would take up my Kodak & photo them.
On Sunday morning, Mr. N. was down by 9:30. I had not quite done breakfast, waiters there, & I have found same in cars, & here to[o], don’t hurry themselves. However, I soon was ready & we set out for Horner St. But I am [6:74] here a little before my story. After Mr. Nesbit parted for the night at hotel, I returned to my very nice room & began the reading of my batch of letters, which turned out to be most gratifying & delightful. Yours were a treat, indeed a feast, & Mary’s like a newspaper, Willie & Andrew too. I was overjoyed with theirs & let me here say how proud Mr. Nesbit had been to receive such a splendid letter from Willie. He gave it me to read & it touched my heart, I assure you. Bless the good son!!
Well, I finished at 5 to 12. Never before in my experience had I so much domestic correspondence to read at one time: 6 from Albion, & every one delightful reading, 5 from home with Mr. Sinclair’s & Sarah’s enclosed, 1 from James, 1 from Rachel, 1 from Sarah, & 1 from Matt Fo[r]ster. I could not make notes as I read & left them over to reread & note while crossing the prairies yesterday (Tuesday the 13th) & I will advert[9] to them in due course. The papers I had to put into my holdall & read at leisure.
Now then, to Sunday morning again, I took my Kodak & had a snap but unfortunately the sun was obscured & I doubt the success. They were very delighted, however, & I hope, for their sakes, a picture will be produced. Also, I gave Mary’s message to Mr. Nesbit. He remembers her perfectly. He is still a great church worker here, Baptists, & they seem a Godly household. We had arranged for [6:75] church going on the Saturday night & I to leave on the Monday, but after reading all letters, Willie requesting that I need not hurry home & you saying all was A1, & Matthew expressing himself so strongly about my visiting him while so near, I then & there came to the conclusion to cancel my berth which I had engaged through the CPR in the morning via the Teutonic on 28th September & defer it for possibly a fortnight. I went & saw the agent, & he said when I got to Winnipeg, if I still wished to cancel, I could do there. So today I did so & left it open, & I will risk a fortnight later & wait for the “Majestic”. Well, consequent on this new idea, there was no chance of getting to church as my train left at 1 p.m. & the churches don’t go in till 11 & comes out at 12:15 or so, & no time left to get to station, & it’s a big business at these stations w[h]ere 6, 7, & 8 day journeys in one train are undertaken, & the checking of baggage &c. You can’t take much into these sleeping cars, so have to put into 1 pkge what’s required for the journey & it’s going to bed properly. I spent a whole forenoon with them chatting &c., & the mother is a rare crack & has a fine memory, just such another as mother (Blacks of the Forge & Black of Chiswick were her full cousins). Margaret Trotter was her maiden name, & born at Allerdean,[10] I think, near Ford (Mr. Lawson‘s birth place also).
[6:76]
The time soon slipped away. They prepared lunch & we sat down, after which Mr. Nesbit & I set off. I bad them adieu after a really enjoyable visit, thanks to Mr. Bolus, of whose praises they never tired of singing, & so glad he is doing well, was the expression of the Nesbit family. I soon was at the station. The hotel bus & a van attends the trains, & Mr. Nesbit rendered me help at the station, looking after what I required for the journey, as all was to select. I got my berth, this was secured the previous day, & a most comfortable lower berth I had. Well, 1 o’clock came & the train started, so we parted with good wishes. He was extremely kind & knew not where to end.
Many of my fellow “Miowera” passengers travelled by the same train. One is here with me & going same route to Niagara, some stopped at Glacier, & some at Banff. I had intended breaking at both & only spend 8 hours here, but after the correspondence, I decided to hurry on here as I knew this was the most entertaining place to break journey, much to see, & the point from which the special lake boat train starts 4:30 p.m., Tuesdays, Thursdays, & Sat’days.[11] It was a very fine day to travel, not too warm, & as we got away it cleared. About Vancouver, it was very hazy, & away a bit it was smoky from burning forests & bush, & from a great fire on the previous night, 12 miles off Vancouver, where Westminster was totally consumed[12], great excitement in Vancouver on the Sunday morning, on the news becoming circulated.[13] You would read [6:77] the account, I have no doubt, & maybe wonder if I was near. We passed the junction soon after leaving Vancouver, but did not see any thing of the fire, but many people travel[l]ed to view the ashes & I was told that almost every conveyance in Vancouver had been engaged & off early morning to the scene.[14] I have a paper which I got that morning & will post it with this.
Well, the very pretty scenery we passed through, while it was daylight, was grand & rich. The Frazer River,[15] we glided along its banks for many miles, saw fishing going on, & Chinamen washing the sand for gold, & many rafts of trees & little hamlets here & there, & great enormous trees stretching high into the air (Vancouver for big trees. Mr. Nesbit, on the Saturday afternoon took me to Stanley Park, a national park full of very enormous trees, great in girth & height. One an old tree, we went inside, quite a large room. I’ve got a picture of it & you’ll be surprised at it).[16] The autumn tints were very pretty too, & I saw corn in sheaf & hay in rick[17] for the first time on my tour (plenty since this way). We reached Mission Junction at 3 p.m., stop 10 minutes, & we all got out & walked the while.[18] It was a big train of 10 cars, & they are cars American style, enter at ends & walk the whole length of the 10 cars as you wish. Here an observation car was attached, a huge skeleton carriage, open at the sides. We were entering the grand scenery & now we saw burning bush & forest trees, smoke & fire, smoke flowing out of some of the tree tops like a chimney.[19] Then the pretty pine clad mountains [6:78] came into view & at Yale some wonderful scenery & native life. I saw how they cross the river by means of a seat suspended from a rope, more fisheries, & some more Chinamen gold seeking. Any quantity of Chinamen about here & Japs too in Vancouver, but John is the gold seeker[20]. Great mountains also came into view as we travelled [sic] on, & soon we reached North Bend (have you a CP time table, yellow? If so, look up page 31 & read upwards from Vancouver, & you will follow me on to where I am tonight, Winnipeg, Page 29). At North Bend, we dined, 6:30 – 20 minutes, 75 cs. Or 3/-. Good dinner. CPR Hotel, a lovely place amongst the great mountains.
After dinner, I read some of the papers, sleeping car well lighted with 12 powerful kerosine [sic] lamps & at 9 we wanted to retire, so car attendant soon made it into a bed room, & we were all soon under the sheets & blanket, curtained in, & I had a fair night’s rest. Monday morning I awoke early & drew up my blind, a real fine morning, perfect & very desirable as this is the day of days, crossing the Rockies. Breakfast car had been attached at some place during the night, I had been sound evidently, & breakfast was called ¼ to 7. Now we were in the midst of lovely views, mountains, water, trees, & here we passed under several snow sheds. Revelstoke next, 7:30, a.m., hotel on a hill. Now an observation car was attached here. The last one had been taken off when the breakfast car was put on, as they don’t trail surplus cars at night, & dining[21] [6:79] & observation cars are kept at particular stations, & used as the scenery warrants (I’ll describe these cars by & bye [sic]). Still a fine sunny morning, atmosphere as clear as possible to be. I counted myself lucky to get such a day on such an eventful occasion, & the air was so sweet to breath[e], I did relish it. Charred forests were to be seen all along the line till we passed out of them. Fire from engine sets all ablaze in dry season, hence the devastation in timber. The scrub shoots up again soon, & when dry, is easily fired again & so on annually. Now we come to snow-capped mountains & roaring canyons where the water power is utilized for electricity. Grand water falls here & there, & now we are all informed the train will stop 5 minutes to view the great Albert Canyon. Out we get, rushing to an erected platform, railed, & a great sight is to be seen looking down into a great gorge where the mighty river is rushing & crushing through between immense rock bound sides. Oh, it is grand to see it, lots of Kodaks were out but no use, too deep to get a shot, however, I snapped the crowd looking on & this just as the conductor shouted out, “all aboard”.
Next we came to Glacier Pass, called out by attendant, & then a rush into observation car, fine sight, very, & here we entered Glacier, where the pretty hotel is, & we stop 20 minutes for refreshment. Here is the great Sir Donald Glacier, very majestic he stands covered with snow & towering into space. My neck was now feeling sore with maneuvering to see these towering wonders of creation,[22] [6:80] & there was no resisting, too fascinating to miss. As to describing these scenes, I don’t possess the power of description worthy a little of the justice such like warrants & deserves, however, I’ll do my best, you may be sure, & I’ve got a store photo’d on my mind, which I maybe can draw upon during our fireside talks on the cosy winter nights at No. 7.
Mr. Burgis was anxious while I was at Glacier to see Miss Morrison, the manageress, & convey to her Mr. & Mrs. Burgis’s compliments.[23] This I did & had a pleasant chat with her, being also very genial & courteous, & quite pleased to be remembered. The harmonium, which Mr. Burgis mentions in his diary, was standing near by, & I told her I had heard of that instrument before I left home, & she was amused.
It was very hot at Glacier, & snow & ice so apparently near.[24] We left at 11:15 & saw, only a few yards further, some grand mountain water falls running off the Glacier mountains. I tried a snap shot but could not focus any thing near the height. Never could the eye have a grander view & a day more suitable to view such world wonders, [6:81] so clear & so light. Snow sheds, after leaving Glacier, were numerous & long. We went outside of these, but during winter the train runs inside.[25] Previously we had gone inside some but they were comparatively short ones. The railway is very winding all the journey running for miles along side the very edge of rivers & roaring canyons, frequently blood curdling & sensational, & very often the train describes quite a half circle & in surprising small compass.[26] There’s a wonderful piece of engineering near Glacier, called the Loop, where the train winds round & round 3 terraces, marvellous sight & experience is this, every person viewing this portion as the train glided its course on this particular journey, & this amongst the great Glacier Mountains, first looking up & then looking down great depths, & water flowing & roaring amongst the quietude of such wonderment. It was awe inspiring & beyond imagination. At Beaver, we drew up alongside a passenger train going west, & all excitement, exchangin[g] glances for recognition.[27] Next we come to Donald, where we set our watches 1 hour forward.[28] Next the Kicking Horse Canyon between Golden & Glenogle, & this is a [6:82] another [sic] magnificent sight, a roaring, surging river of rapids & cataracts, & the hills sending down torrents of water variable in their volume, very grand, very grand. The train winds around the very edge of this roaring river & canyons. We look straight down into the water & a very little land slip would land the train into its midst, lots of places it does seem dangerous, aye, very dangerous, but the very excitement dispels all fear, & you are eager for more of it, sorry when you get away from it.
Every body is greedy to view & the observation car is much frequented, but these cars have their draw backs, & the eyes of all suffer from the grit the puffing monsters emit from their great, wide-mouthed chimneys, tons of this black grit is laying for miles along the railroad on either side, especially on inclines where the engine roars & puffs, so you would think it was real tired, often 2 engines & once 3 on the train & they were all tired before that section was covered. We now came amongst mountains, huge, rocky, bare absolutely of any soil for hundreds of feet from the top, well named Rockies, & they are pure rocks, snow or ice laying on some, I suppose perpetual. Oh, what a depth the snow or ice looked, 60 or more feet.[29] [6:83] I am sure I am under estimating it as one or two hundred feet on these high altitudes of 4,500 & 5,296 feet does not appear much. Really they have to be seen to be realized. No birds or game of any description is to be seen about here, & I’ve been disappointed at the absence of any all the journey. Many of the minor mountains are tree clad to the summit, & some all the face is wooded, & fine timber it looks. The tressel [sic] bridges, one heard so much about the dangers they predicted, are a veritable reality & wonderful to behold, exciting to pass over, & fearful to look downwards, but nevertheless, grandly grand. Sweeping torrents flow beneath from the mountains. All these bridges are chiefly wood. A few have steel girders but the staging is wood & on the level are projecting platforms, many, & on each a barrel filled with water in case of them firing.
Now we near Field, & Mount Stephen, 5,296, towers above us, & a monster he is. No letters at Field. I had been looking for a treat & when the manageress said “none”, I was a trifle disappointed. I left Simcoe address should any arrive soon. Field is on an[30] [6:84] altitude of 4,050 feet. A delightful place, very fine atmosphere, & here we dined at 5:35. Now from Field we rise a sudden & great height, 116 feet to a mile, & 3 engines on, & we soon reach the summit of the Rockies, Hector, being 5,790 feet altitude, & here one of the 3 engines leave us & soon the second likewise, & we are then on the decline.[31] After leaving Field, the finest sight of all was now to be seen: huge mountains of rock towering like great castles in the air, & ice & snow clad, & the night being so clear & fine, every object could be seen to effect, & I richly enjoyed it all. Now about 6:30, oh, what wonderland is here. A very beautiful lake was here opened to view, a lake in the clouds & the most lovely reflections of these towering giants, snow clad, reflecting their shadows in the lake, formed such a picture as defies the imagination. Then the great Kicking Horse River comes in view & a fine sight it is.[32] Oh, the volume of water on this great tract. What a sight it is in itself, & just here is an erection of tree arch & on it, formed by tree branches, are the letters reading, “The Great Divide”, [6:85] & it was here we were left with one engine. Pilot & Copper Mounts are the names of the mountains I so much admired after leaving Field. Near Laggan station was a board, & on it, “Donald & Vancouver 548 miles, Pacific Divide”. Banff next at 8:20 (dark). Here several of our Miowera fellow passengers got off to stay over & 5 had left us at Glacier. I got to my bed at 9, thankful for a rest as it was one of the hardest days I had experienced for long, & my neck was so sore with so much looking upwards, & my eyes sore with the grit that every now & again showered around our car, & it swept in upon us all & the faster we went, this on a decline, the more we got. The train often went up hill & down dale, & on the downward course was where they made up lost time. The observation car was finally dispensed with at Canmore soon after 9 p.m.
Tuesday morning, September 13th, was a very fine morning & when I awoke we were on the Great Prairies, & at Maple Creek saw the first real Indians. Breakfast at 8:30 on the car which had been attached early in the morning & continued with us till dinner was served at night. At Gull Lake[33] [6:86] we passed an experimental farm run by the Dominion government, fine steadings,[34] & a model, no doubt. Lots of grand cattle & some rare horses. Engine had a drink here & we, mean time, got out to stretch our legs. It was a real fine morning with delicious air to breath. Prairie dogs were now numerous, amusing little animals, little larger than a good sized squirrel, & they sit up on their hind quarters when alarmed & look very amusing. These were seen very frequently all along the journey on these vast prairies. At Swift Current, where we stopped for 10 minutes, there were several Indians with horns fashioned into hat & clothes pegs, various designs, & other things which they had prepared for sale. I didn’t admire anything but the horns, & these were too bulky to carry home. I found my neck very stiff & sore today from the exertion of yesterday’s viewing, however, there was no upward gazing today, but one level stretch of plains as far as the horizon around, not one tree, occasionally small lakes, no game & very few birds, here & there small settlements, but very little cultivation. I may say here that the sleeping & dining cars too are all named & known by their names. I travel[l]ed in Quebec & the dining car on today is Buckingham, & we have another sleeping car (all the way) called Minneapolis, another Tokio &c. A red kind of grass is very often met with &, when in great patches, looks very pretty. These prairies must be fine to cross in spring when all is green, only it will be very cold then & summer too hot. I have fortunately hit the best travelling time. It becomes very monotonous so long a journey, the same scenery for so many hours, very uninteresting after such a glorious sight the previous day,[35] [6:87] tho’ I must say, I enjoyed it after the excitement.
At Ernfold, we had a stop of about 20 minutes waiting for the West bound train to pass (single line all the way with loops here & there, & at only some stopping places where there is only a hut for a station & nothing else to be seen nigh at hand). We all got out & had a walk on the prairies, & was amused the prairie dogs. They burrow, & holes are everywhere. I picked up 2 bits of bone, bleached with laying there, & some herb. I’ve brought a root & will try it at home. Frequently by a railway siding we passed great piles of bleached cattle bones. I took 2 snaps here: one of our train waiting, & got the coming in engine 654 end on as she drew up towards us. Now we see a lake at Chaplin, “Old Wives’ Lake”, & it’s refreshing to see water now & again. At intervals of distance are huge erections for water where the engines get supply. This is pumped up to a circular wood hooped cistern. A man lives at these points to see to the water, & the engines often need supply, & some places each car is supplied for lavatory purposes, & from the same source, the engine draws on & stops as each car gets opposite the spout. Each train carries many attendants, conductors, brakeman, waterman &c. &c. The car attendants are all blacks & go the whole journey. Then each dining car has its cooks, boys, waiters, & superintendent. Each meal is 75 cs. or 3/-. Moose Jaw next at 3:30, quite a little town of 1,400, in the heart of the prairies. We stopped here 20 minutes & they are building a fine station here, brick & stone facings, the only building of the kind we’ve seen on journey. All others were wood, even Vancouver, & there too all residences are wood & all detached.[36]
[6:88]
Much luggage was platformed here. Some got out & many got in. Just outside this station, I saw for the first time squaws & the Indians squatting on the grass. Plenty cattle about here on the ranches & lots of water, & land seems good. We are coming into farming land now, & more frequently see little farm settlements. There’s a junction at Moose Jaw for St. Paul’s and Minneapolis, & a passenger train was standing there for that journey, hence the lot of luggage exchanged & the change of passengers to & fro. Now there are always a few Indians on these platforms just hovering, & women with their papooses.
Regina was the next place of note, & a very important & imposing place it was, & is the capital of the province of Assiniboine. Squaws were to be seen near the town, & here I saw the largest herd of horses & 3 mounted men herding them. Here also we saw oats in stook, & some farmers were leading, hay in cock too we saw in some spots, second crop, I suppose, & now we come near greater farming as huge grain elevators (wood) are to be seen adjoining stations. These are receptacles for the farmers’ grain. After threshing, buyers contract & each bears the name of firm in big letters on the face of the building. No hedges anywhere so far & little fencing.
We passed Qu’appelle & Indian Head whilst dining, both fair sized hamlets. Now darkness came on & in some respects not sorry as one gets tired gazing intently for 12 hours, so after dinner, reading goes on [6:89] & at intervals throughout the day by way of a rest, & after dinner I got all the Vancouver letters reread & notes taken of each, & got through some papers (& by the way, let me say here, Albion‘s letters: I was delighted with the dear lad’s news & enjoyed all very much. Sorry he had been suffering with a sore finger. It must have been bad to have been laid off work. I am delighted they got away from Calcutta & if going to New York, he said they were to sail under “sealed orders”, but I will make every enquiry at New York & may even delay there if any prospect of their early arrival, & should we chance to meet, I will fetch him home with me. His apprenticeship will be about up, Oct. 17.).
It was getting dark at Wolseley, 7:40, but clear starlight, Pole Star & Bear, very, very bright. We saw that Wolseley was a large place as we passed. In fact, we stopped a while & got out. I turned in at 9. Time was to be altered & another hour skipped before morning, & so it was.[37]
Wednesday Sep 14. I turned out at Reaburn about 6:30, dressed & ready to leave at Winnipeg at 7:50. Of course, you can easily see that much viewing was lost consequent on night travelling, & unavoidable. Mid-summer only will be the time to see most, but really one sees enough & the mind gets weary & surfeited, & the body tired & sore with continuous motioning here & there, getting up & moving out, & in the cars, & off & so on. [6:90] as we neared Winnipeg, we saw that high civilisation was near at hand, & very home-like to view, but for the vastness & wood steadings & absence of hedges, but there was the agriculture in all stages: threshing & reaping machines to be seen, leading & stacks too, & lots of cattle, cows (dairy) & sheep.[38] I was glad when we arrived at Winnipeg. It was a nice break & I had not got a line of my journal written since leaving Victoria, & I would almost have stopped on that account. I just made notes in my pocket writing book as events cropped up, & lots did crop up, as you may gather from all the foregoing matter. Much of it, I dare say, uninteresting, but it’s my style. I got two or three little opportunities yesterday (this is Thursday morning) & began writing, & last night I was at it from about 8 till ¼ to 12 continuous, & up at 6:30 & at it this morning. I can’t afford to let it get the better of me. What a relief when committed to paper. You did ask if it was a task. Well, I’ll not say much on that. Certainly it must have given you & others pleasure, therefore I shall ever feel rewarded, & it would have been a lasting regret had I journeyed so far & long & not recorded (in my poor humble illiterate fashion) my experiences. Many, many times have I been complimented during my travels on my perseverance & constancy with my journal, & even called the “enthusiast”. So many began but rarely, very exceptionally, was it kept up. Mr. Vick was not keeping [6:91] any journal & I told him he wou[l]d ever regret it, but tho’ I say it “as oughtent”, it really does require great perseverance & often sacrifice to keep sticking at it. Many an hour I’ve sat up & risen early to keep abreast of events, like our newspaper reading at home, as you too well know, if we miss today’s, it is practically lost as tomorrow’s comes in & all spare time is occupied with that currency.
Well, I got to my hotel, “The Leland”,[39] & very comfortable it is, had breakfast, went back to the CPR station & got all arrangements made for next stage, cancelled the “Teutonic”, berth for 28th &c. &c. I leave today, Thursday, at 4:30 for Fort William & due at Toronto Sunday, 1 p.m. I wrote Sarah & Matt too, & told them my intentions. I next made my way to Mr. Leask’s friend, to whom I had a kind letter of introduction. He is a manager in the Hudson’s Bay stores. Soon found him in his office & received me very warmly, & delighted I had called. After a crack, he took me through the whole establishment & I certainly did get a surprise: an enormous store & they keep everything – universal providers, but retail in this universality. Their big stocks are for distribution to their own stores, which are every where over their possessions, & their managers come in twice yearly & choose, & at intervals write as they require, & this is the position Mr. Clark occupies. Every [6:92] requisition must pass through his hands. This Winnipeg is the center & principal depot (he knows Egerton Young[40] personally). I saw they had a fine place, retail, at Vancouver, & I went in. Mr. Nesbit & I viewed it, so have they one at Victoria. I didn’t see it, but Mr. Clark told me so. Piles of home manufactures, C&B, Lazenby, Maconochie, Moirs &c., then clothing & ready mades tailoring, dressmaking, drapery, blankets, & furs in great & beautiful variety, skins of all the dominion animals, birds &c. &c. &c. &c. I left about 12, came to hotel & wrote a little more, after lunch wrote again, & for a rest took an electric car & rode 4 ½ miles to Elm Park, a pretty natural park through much bush. Saw the junction of Red River & the Assiniboine, crossed both (the junction is not 10 minutes from the Hudson Bay stores) & on my return via a different way, Broadway, where the government buildings, Lieutenant Governor’s residence & barracks are, and residential for city people. A very charming locality & prettily laid out. I also passed when going to Elm Park (via River Avenue) a most beautiful little public garden park, the Assiniboine Park. Mr. Clark arranged to come down to hotel at 5:15 & take me over the City Hall just opposite this hotel, 50 yards, & also through his club, the Manitoba, & all very interesting, & kind he was. He is president of the Historical Society this year & took me into their [6:93] chambers & got me to sign my name in their visitors’ book. We parted at 6:30. He has visitors at home & had arranged to be back at 7. He leaves after breakfast & does not return till after business.
I went to hotel, had dinner, then to write, but went out for 15 minutes, about 9, just for a rest. Winnipeg is a marvellous city. So young & yet so vigorous & important, & destined to become a great city soon. It’s the focusing center for an enormous mil[e]age, & great grain & cattle center, fine streets, very, & beautiful buildings. I’ve bought an album published recently. Most of the path ways are wooden like Vancouver & Victoria, but they are in places putting down flags exactly like those laid in upper Grange Road, cement concrete style, & they are now Macadamising & also ashphalting [sic] some streets. They are go ahead, the place looks it, & Mr. Clark prospects great things of Winnipeg. Now I’ve got up to date. It’s ½ past 8 a.m. & when I tell you I am tired, believe me, yet I feel very thankful & satisfied.
It has occurred to me now, & for Mr. Leask‘s special information, Mr. Clark knows nothing whatever of Mrs. Folett, & as there are many Orcadians[41] in the store’s employ, he asked many of them, but no information was forth coming. Even their land agent, Mr. Anderson, did not know. Therefore, I am sorry I shall have to leave Winnipeg without having seen or even heard something of them.
[6:94]
[1] Inserted on facing page: “Vancouver. Wood houses. Fog. Burning Bush.”
[2] Inserted on facing page: “Baggage under bond”.
[3] Canadian Pacific Railway
[4] Inserted on facing page: “CPR Hotel”.
[5] Inserted on facing page: “Vick”.
[6] Inserted on facing page: “Loading the Islander. Empress of China.”
[7] Inserted on facing page: “Vancouver descriptive”.
[8] Inserted on facing page: “Vancouver north country folk”.
[9] to turn the mind or attention
[10] Unidentified.
[11] Inserted on facing page: “Lake boat trains”.
[12] Great fire of New Westminster, British Columbia, first capital and oldest city in Western Canada.
[13] Inserted on facing page: “Fire at Westminster”.
[14] Inserted on facing page: “Westminster fire”.
[15] Inserted on facing page: “Frazer River”.
[16] Inserted on facing page: “Stanley Park. Corn in sheaf & hayrick”.
[17] Hay stacks
[18] Inserted on facing page: “Mission Junction. Observation car.”
[19] Inserted on facing page: “Burning bush. Pine clad mountains.”
[20] “John Chinaman,” slang for Chinese. One famous song about Chinese gold diggers, John Chinaman’s Appeal, was published in The Gold Diggers Song Book (1856) by Mart Taylor and described the poor treatment of the Chinese by white Americans.
[21] Inserted on facing page: “Yale. Scenery & native life.
River crossing by means of a suspended rope.
Chinamen & Japs gold searching.
North Bend 20 minutes. CPR Hotel.
Night to bed cars lighted.
2nd day. Crossing Rockies. Breakfast car had been attached at some place during the night.
Views. Passing under snow sheds.
Revelstoke. Observation car again attached, last one taken off during night.”
[22] Inserted on facing page: “Ob. Cars.
Forests. The Great Bend.
No. 1, viewing the Great Albert Canyon.
2, Glacier Mount.
3, The Great Loop.
4, 5, Glacier Hotel, natural fountain & CPR train.
6, Train attendants & section of train from hotel verandah.
At Ernfold on Prairies:
7, Our train waiting to pass the West bound train.
8, Engine of West bound train as it approaches, engine No. 654.
Bones & herbs picked up while waiting.
Glacier pass.
Sir Donald Glacier.”
[23] Inserted on facing page: “Miss Morrison message”.
[24] Inserted on facing page: “Hot & snow on glacier”.
[25] Inserted on facing page: “Snow sheds”.
[26] Inserted on facing page: “Railway winding”.
[27] Inserted on facing page: “At Beaver”.
[28] Inserted on facing page: “Donald & set watches 1 hour forward. Kicking Horse Canyon.”
[29] Inserted on facing page: “Dangerous. Excitement.
Anthracite coal. 2 monster engines, wide-mouthed funnels. Grit in eyes.
3 engines.
Well named Rockies.”
[30] Inserted on facing page: “Height.
Tressel [sic] bridges, wood, some iron girders. Water barrels along the side of rails on projecting platform.
Books describing the scenery supplied on board cars.
Field & Mount Stephen, 5,296. Altitude 4,050 feet above sea level.”
[31] Inserted on facing page: “Rise with 3 engines & soon at summit of Rockies, Hector, being 5,790.”
[32] Inserted on facing page: “Shadows in the lake.
Kicking Horse River.
The Great Divide.”
[33] Inserted on facing page: “Now only one engine.
Copper Mount name of the mountain.
Laggan station on a board.
Donald & Vancouver 548 miles.
Pacific divide.
Banff at night & dark at 8:20. Hardest day I experienced viewing & neck sore.”
[34] Chiefly Scottish : the service buildings or area of a farm
[35] Inserted on facing page: “Experiment farm run by Dominion govt.
Prairie dogs.
At Swift Current, several Indians with horns fashioned into hat & clothes pegs.
A relief to the neck.
Not one tree, small lakes.
Dining cars: Quebec & Buckingham.
Conductors, all darkies, & a sleeping car named Minneapolis & another Tokio.”
[36] Inserted on facing page: “Ernford. Stop for West bound train to pass. Single line all the way with loops to pass.
Piles of bleached bones.
Lake at Chaplain.
Water for cars & lavatories.
Men all darkies.
Moose jaw, a little town in the heart of the prairies.
Building brick station at.”
[37] Inserted on facing page: “Wednesday night, another hour forward.
Reaburn.
Winnipeg next at 7:50 a.m.”
[38] Inserted on facing page: “Stacks of wheat. Reaping & threshing machines. At Winnipeg.”
[39] Inserted on facing page: “Leland Hotel a[t] Winnipeg”.
[40] Rev. Egerton Ryerson Young (1840-1909). The first missionary to the Indians around Lake Winnipeg.
[41] People from the Orkney Islands, Scotland