Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-03-09

From Port Townsend it is a three
hours run, across the Straits of De
Fuca, to Victoria on Vaneouv,er's Isl
and; and here, at ones first step, he
realizes that he is on British soil. 1t is
strange that two peoples speaking the
same language, holding in the main the
same or similar beliefs, can have in their
daily living so utterly dissimIIar atmo-
spheres as do the Americans and the
English. This sharp contrast can no.
where bemore wildly seen than in going
from Washington Territory to Van
couver's Island. Victoria is town
which would well repay careful study.
Even in the most cursory chances at it,
one sees symptoms of reticent life, a.
flavor of mystery and leisure, back
grounds of traditionary dignity and
hereditary squalor, such as one might
go up and down the whole Pacific coast,
from San Diego to Portland, and not.
find. When Victoria is, as it is sure to
become, sooner or later, wide-known
summering place, no doubt its byways
and highways, its bygone ways and
days, will prove mines of treasure to
the Imagination of some dreaming sto-
ry-teller. The business part of the town,
if one may be pardoned such misno-
mer in speaking of its sleepy streets, is
rubbishy and Uttered. The buildings
are shabby, unadorned, with no pre-
tense of design or harmony, They re-
mind one of the inferior portions of sec
ond-class commercial towns in England.
and the men and women in the shops,
on door-steps, and in alley-ways look
as il they might have lust come from
Hull. But once outside this part of the
town, all is changed: delightful pictur-
esque lanes, great meadow spaces full
of oaks; knolls of messy powders; old
trees swathed in ivy, cottages buried in
roses and honey-suckle; comfortable
houses, with lawns and hedges, sun
dials and quaint weather-vanes; castle
like houses of stone, with lodges and
high walls and driveways; and, to COM
plete the picture, sauntering down the
lanes, or driving stately PAGES along the
perfect roads, nonchalant men and leis-
urely women, whose nonchalance and
leisure could not be outdone or out
stare d in Hyde Park.
At every turn is new view of the
sea, or sudden glimpse of some half
hid den inlet or bay. These bursts and
surprises of beautiful bits of water are
tn e greatest charm of the place. Driv-
in g westward from the town one has
tle superb Royal Roads harbor on the
] eft for miles; then, turning to the right
through woods that meet overhead, past
fields full of tossing fringes of brake,
and thickets of spirea twenty feet high
he comes suddenly on another land
locked, unsupported harbor,-the Es-
Al
hamlet. Skirting around this, and
bearing back toward the town again. by
n road farther inland, he finds that to
reach the town he must cross inlet after
inlet Wooded, dark, silent, amber
colored. they are very paradise for
lovers of rowing; or for lovers of WOO
ing either, we thought, as we came
again and again ON a tiny craft, in
which two sat with idle oars. AT other
Tunes, as we were CT Ossing some pictur-
esque stone bridge, \ pleasure barge,
with gay flags flying, and young men
and maidens singing. would shoot out
from under it, and isappear around a
leafy corner. FIR, om every higher
ground we could see the majestic wall
OF the Olympic range rising In the south.
The day viii come ! Then some painter
viii win fame for hi useH BY painting
this range as seen fro m Victoria; sol
I'd wall of torquoise lue, with its sky
line fretted and turre ted in silver snow,
rising abrupt and pc upentlicular out OF
4 dark green and pu rpie Sea- | do not
know any mountain rance so beautiful
or 50 grandly set Often its base is
wrapped in white ,ssss. which look IS
they We're cry staIiZad in ripples
and ridges, like a Seld of ice foes
Rising out of thes4 . The blue wall and
snowy submits gem lifted into the
skies: to have no re.uuection with earth
except by the ice ace belt.-4Aflantic.