At Five She Came In - "Get Up,
Miss, We're At Guananoque; You've Only Five Minutes To Dress." I Did Dress
In five minutes, and, leaving my watch, with some very valuable lockets,
under my pillow, hastened across a narrow plank,
Half blinded by snow,
into the clean, light, handsome steamer New Era. I did not allow myself
to fall asleep in the very comfortable state-room which was provided for
me by the friend with whom I was travelling, but hurried upstairs with the
first grey of the chilly wintry dawn of the morning of the 18th of
October. The saloon-windows were dimmed with snow, so I went out on deck
and braved the driving wind and snow on that inhospitable morning, for we
were in the Lake of the Thousand Islands. Travellers have written and
spoken so much of the beauty of this celebrated piece of water, that I
expected to be disappointed; but, au contraire, I am almost inclined to
write a rhapsody myself.
For three hours we were sailing among these beautiful irregularly-formed
islands. There are 1692 of them, and they vary in size from mere rocks to
several acres in extent. Some of them are perfect paradises of beauty.
They form a complete labyrinth, through which the pilot finds his way,
guided by numerous beacons. Sometimes it appeared as if there were no
egress, and as if we were running straight upon a rock, and the water is
everywhere so deep, that from the deck of the steamer people can pull the
leaves from the trees.
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