Professor Godwin Smith And His Wife Were Also Of The Party.
He Says (But I Am Sure He Is Prejudiced And That It Is Not True) That
The Canadian Government Is Just As Corrupt And That There Is As Much
Bribery As In The States.
Mr. G. Smith differs in opinion with every
one, for the Liberal side would not publish his letters in the papers,
and so he sent them to the Conservatives, and he says they are far more
impartial and just.
_Wednesday, 10th_. - We started here at one o'clock, first by
steamer on Lake Ontario. It was refreshing after being nearly melted at
Toronto, for there was a good breeze. The size of these inland seas
strike one much. We arrived at Niagara about four, and found Mr. Plumb,
John's quondam friend of eighteen years ago, waiting for us in
waggonette, and we drove at once to his pretty house, surrounded by
peach orchards and vines, an untidy but pretty garden. He asked after
Leonard and Mary. Then we had tea, presided over by his pretty daughter
of sixteen, and then the train by his orders stopped for us at his
garden door, and, as he informed me, the last time it did so, was for
the Prince of Wales! We arrived here, Clifton House, the Hotel, by a
picturesque railway journey, and are opposite the American Falls, and
the Horse Shoe Falls are on our right, nearly facing us. Like many other
people, I am rather ashamed to confess I am not as much impressed and
overwhelmed as I ought to be! Dick took a note from Mr. Plumb to his
nephew, Mr. Macklem, and he arranged to call for us at three. In the
morning we drove to the Rapids and Whirlpool, and went up and down all
sorts of queer places in _queerer_ elevators. The river looked
beautiful, a blue-green colour, and the whirlpool is mysteriously
curious, where poor Captain Webb disappeared! In the afternoon the
Macklems took us to the American side on the fine Suspension Bridge, and
then to Prospect Park, Goat Island, and different peeps and vistas of
the Falls and Rapids. I think the immense breadth and volume of water,
with the incessant rush and roar of the river, strike me more than the
actual Falls. We saw some rapids between the islands "Weird Sisters,"
and finally drove to Mr. Macklem's place, surrounded by rapid streams of
the Niagara and very pretty. There seems no end to this river, it has so
many turns and arms and rapids. We had tea (by this time I was nearly
dead), and three dear small boys appeared; one only two and half had a
violin, and he imitated a person playing on it, and made the sounds with
his voice in the most amusing clever way, and laughed so merrily when we
shouted applause. Mr. Macklem drove us home, and after dinner we played
whist in E - -'s nice bedroom. This morning I am not well! We have seen
the maids off with the luggage by early rail and boat for Toronto and
follow in afternoon.
_Friday, continuing_. - I was unable to see anything more of
Niagara; the others crossed the ferry. We left at twenty minutes to
five, and owing to the steamer being late on Lake Ontario we did not
reach the Macpherson's till half-past nine. They waited dinner, and we
rushed down, at least I did, just twelve minutes after my arrival, and
also dressed! A Mr. Pattison, a very agreeable-looking man, who seems an
authority on farming, and a Mr. and Mrs. Plumb (son of our Niagara
friend), who was once at T - - P - -, but I had entirely forgotten him.
Mr. Pattison spoke of the ignorant, idle, good-for-nothing young men
sent out here to make a living by their worried relations, sometimes
with scarcely a sixpence, in which case they starved but for the charity
of himself and others, or if with any money they fell into bad hands and
lost everything. So many are sent here that he has made a kind of home
for the destitute.
_Saturday Morning_. - Sir David M - - returned from Ottawa, and we
breakfasted together. We nearly missed the train at Toronto (not having
Miss M - - to keep us in order; I call her Queen Christina, she is so
masterful), but just managed to get ourselves and luggage in, and to see
George Bunburg, whom I had made several attempts to see before, and who
I hear is enterprising and likely to do well. We reached Owen Sound, and
got into the steamer all right about three o'clock. Nice farms nearly
all along the line.
_Sunday, 14th September_. - I slept pretty comfortably. We got into
a narrow passage between Lakes Superior and Huron, which was pretty and
curious, great numbers of islands and a very narrow path marked out for
steamers, which, as we met several, made the risk of collision seem very
imminent; they moved very slowly, and have established regular rules of
the road, but cannot travel by night, or if a fog comes on. St. Mary le
Soult is a pretty place, on one side American, where they have made a
lock to avoid the rapids from Lake Huron to Lake Superior. We waited
some time to get into the lock, and then found ourselves in the largest
lake in the world, five hundred miles long by three hundred and fifty
miles wide. Of course, it is like the sea, and while I am writing it is
rough enough to make it difficult. No land is in sight. I have had a
talk with an Archdeacon who lives near St. John's College, Winnipeg, and
is reading "Natural Law;" it is really getting very rough and I must
stop.
_Tuesday, 16th_. - I am writing in the train, and I am thankful to
be alive in it. We arrived at Port Arthur at eight o'clock yesterday,
15th, but could hear nothing of our private car, and when the train
arrived no car still to be seen.
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