John And E - - Lansdownes And
Many Others Went To Quebec.
Owing to showers of rain the festivities
there were rather a failure.
Miss Angus drove H - - and me to Mount
Royal, where we had a splendid view; Dick walked up. We then went to the
market, and saw there all sorts of new vegetables, fruits, and fish. The
melons here are delicious, and we have had buckwheat cakes, and rice
cakes, and sweet potatoes, and blueberries. The living here is very
good, and nothing can be more comfortable than we are; but the flies are
sometimes an annoyance, and the darkness of the rooms - which are kept
dark to prevent their getting in. Saturday afternoon Dick, H - - and I
went to see La Chine by rail to the steamer, and then down the rapids,
which were less dangerous looking than we expected. A violent
thunder-storm came on, and in the middle of it we got into the whirlpool
of the rapids, and then a fiery red sun broke out among a mass of dense
black clouds; a great fire appeared also near the banks of the river,
and all this combined, produced very striking effects. We met on the
steamer Mr. George Darwin and his Bride - a charming looking American
girl - he looks already much better and happier.
_Sunday_. - Miss A - -, H - -, and I went to the cathedral, a full
simple service and good sermon from Mr. Champion. In the afternoon I
went with Dick to a musical service at St. James' Church - such a sermon!
from a man who nearly wriggled himself out of the pulpit; he came from
Norwood, I heard. _Monday_. - We went in the afternoon to a party at
Mrs. Redpath's; her son, "now gone to his home above," she said, had
known one of mine at Cambridge. It is a pretty place, on a hill near
this, and a good many people there; it got very damp after sunset. We
none of us went to an evening party going on at Mrs. Gault's, being too
tired. Mr. C - - called early and went with me to sections; John joined
me, and we saw and heard Captains Ray and Greely of Arctic fame. They
say he (Greely) and his living companions saved themselves from
starvation by eating their dead ones - a dreadful alternative, but I
don't think they were to blame; it didn't agree with him, for he looks
horribly ill, poor man! In the afternoon we all went to see the Indian
game of La Crosse played between twelve Montrealists and twelve Indians.
It is pretty and exciting, something between lawn tennis and football - I
could have watched it for hours! we were all comfortably seated in
places of honour on a covered stand, which partly accounts for my
enjoyment. After this we went to tea with Mr. and Mrs. G. Stephens, and
there with John and E - - we finally settled with Mr. Stephens to go by
Canadian Pacific Railway to the north-west; Mr. Stephens offered us a
private car, provisioned, &c.; we take _his_ to Toronto, and stay
there with Sir David and Lady Macpherson.
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