Middletown transcript., 1872-09-28

dangerous they were, anu nov 40 the
steamer approached them. steam was shut
Of, and ,iller placed on the ruddcr man
ned by two stout mon. in order to steer
the boat quickly about as she rcclel and
whirled through them BY the force Of the
current alone. Faugh had you not been
apprised Of the passage you had never
known Of il; o few eddics and ripples Of
water looking like mill pond in a storm
was all that could be seen or felt, occa-
sionally the boat rceled quito over her
side. but this l attributed to tho enor-
nous crowd Of passengers rushing hither
and thithcr to sec the dangerous passes.
All the afternoon we were doing these
Rapids till at last about six o'clock CON-
motion on board augured that something
extra was looked for. Consulting our
guide book we lea rucd we were approach
ing the famous Ilachinc Rapids, said to
be the most dang crously navgable water
on this continent; it was so considered
inasmuch the citizens Of Montreal cut an
immense canal for boats to go through SO
as to avoid the rapids. We were told
also, that just above the rapids i. was ne
ccssary to stop At an old Indian village
on the shore, aud get an old Indian Pilot,
who alone could steer the boat through
this dangerous pass SO accordingly in
few minutes We discovered the old Indian
padding his canoe to the steamer, he soon
landed and assembled to the pilot house on
deck As We hnd been humbugged so
much, took il all very quietly until |
heard the suppressed cry Of danger and
| fear. Looking about soon found that
al the Bill Of Fare promised ~ was real
ly to be exhibited. pushed forward
among the throng Of people to see the
/ EhJhant not Intending To be surprised
/ il | only saw a iiic, but soon saw il
was to be an Ele plant, AMI ns the Yankee
said, who came all the way from Iare-
mont, i, was darncd big one too 1t
| was soon cvideilt we were in nasty,
ugly place; erea, boullcrs OF immense
rocks could be 4ccn in the clear water,
which was surrihg and boiling and rush
! ing in every direction like an internal
caullron; the boat tremblci, reclcd and
pitched like drunken man, now stan ling
apparently still, anon rushing like whirl-
pool. jcrked sud icnly up. pitch forward
rs If She was trying 70 stand on her head
a urcli backwar Is in similar manner. sud
denly keeling over rs il being capszed
another pitch forward aud we were over
the drylish spot \ single error in the
steering, and wd were instantly destroyed
no human or otl lcr creature or boat could
have lived in that dreadful whirlpool, il
once Mt its mercy A long drawn Sigh OF
relief was given as we got in safe waters,
and whilst we were passing over it. pin
could have been heard drop, 50 intense
was the silence Of fear aud dread 1t
took us half an hour to make the passage.
and the terror Of it may be imagined
when | say that it was over three miles
long. the boat hcing carried along by The
force of the current alone. We apprccia-
ted that old In iian Pilot, we did. 1t i.
said that for forty years he has piluted the
boats over this awful pass We steamed
along, passing under the famous Victoria
Bridge which crosses the st Lawrence
opposite Montreal which is here two and
half miles wide, the bridge being ,his
length. aud is the longcs, bridge in III,
world; great granite piers are built al
every hundred feet, nni large ships eat
pass under without touching it. |, is
covered bridgd for the sole use Of til,
Grand Trunk Hallway of Canada. As i
was how getting dark. VIC steamed int
the harbor Of Montreal, where we sooi
landed. and i'm nedately were bcsc, by tho
creates, Babel sound Of voices and cntrca
ties of hachmeh We ever listened ton,
fellow had US BY the arm. and another
leg, whilst our hat aud yalise disappeared
making lurcl to recover the latter ar,i
clcs We brought up into an omnibus. whel
We were whirlcd up to the St Jane
Hotel, Victoria Square, Montreal.
The difficulty Of obtaining room wa
great. as the throng Of visitors poured in
: but after Ion time one was assigned /
! me, and after tea retired to taste some q
,, Natures swt tc, rcs,orer, halny sleep
| am ut loss whether to afiiict III
| reader further. il indeed, hs or she ha
] had the patiel zee to read my description
, so far, but was so strongly impresse
with the beauty, cleanliness. aud above all
the substantial character Of this maguili
cent city Of Montreal. that cannot desis
from giving my Impressions OF 1t.
For the first time in my life, foun
$ myself in foreign city. For foreign cit
! it really is. aud so totally different froi
$ anything in America. tha, found myse
: constantly comparing everything wit
Q what | was accustomed to see aud knoy
: of American cities. In my own city Q
4 Philadelphia, for instance, the building
4 are put up Of such tlimsy materials, III
c walls being IN all instances where house
Q are for sale only one brick in thickness
while the front part is frequently orna
. msnted with brown stone or marble fac
b ings the window frames and doors fanci
y fully adorned giving tho beholdcr the i'm
o preston Of an elegant and substan,ii
n building Lat him but purchase II how
c ever. and thousand troubles and expcus
IS assail him from within and without, il il
Q deed. the house does not tumble down a
Al II