It Was Very
Exciting, And The Scenery Magnificent, Vistas Of Snowy Mountains Opening
Continually As We Turned The Corners, Covered
With brilliant yellow and
red and purple foliage; and when we came to the foot of Mount Stephen
(called after
Mr. George Stephen, of Montreal), Mr. Ross said, "we ought
to call one mountain Rayleigh." I exclaimed, "Oh, yes! There is a
beautiful snow one which has been in sight all the way coming down, let
that be Raleigh." And so it was agreed, and E - - and I sketched
it. - Afterward Mr. Ross, said, "Rayleigh has quite a family after him,"
a curious succession of gradually decreasing tops, and we agreed that
they should be _his five brothers_. At one place we went down to a
bridge, very high over a river, and I thought, "it would be unpleasant
if the engine runs away here," but curiously enough I was not at all
nervous, for I felt so much care was taken, and it was a glorious day,
and the scenery lifted one's soul above the small things of life
_here_, and made one think of Him who created all these wonders,
and yet became our human friend and sympathizer, and now lives to give
us bye and bye even "greater things than these!" At last we got to the
_Flats_ all safe, and then John and Dick walked to the end of the
"construction," about five miles. If one was prepared to ride and rough
it exceedingly, one could reach the Pacific in ten days, but ladies
could not undergo the hardships, and we would not be left alone. Mr.
Ross informed us that we must return soon to Kicking Horse Lake and
Laggan, as there would be no train later. However, we said that John was
extremely anxious to see the working of the line at the end, and it
would be a great pity for him not to have the time, and "_could_ we
stay the night?" He replied, "certainly." Hedley and E - - walked on at a
great pace after the other two, beyond my powers, and I sauntered on
quietly alone, only meeting a few men, belonging to the railway in most
cases and working on the line, which is the only _road_ which one
can walk on comfortably here, and I got three miles, but then a horrid
bridge stopped me, as I hate walking on planks far apart over a height
without a helping hand. I have been all along struck with the far
superior accent and good English of the working men in America (Canada
especially); they have often very good features, too, and wear a
well-shaped moustache, and meet one with a smile. They treat one as
equals, but they are not at all rude, and are always willing to help. I
spoke to some in my solitary walk, and only that they were hard at work
hammering in nails, &c., I should have liked to "tell them a story."
They all returned from end of "construction" on a truck train, Dick and
E - - on an open car, and Hedley and John in the cab of the engine.
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