Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1883-10-06

vancouyerss Island.


far-famed climate of Vancouver's Is
land. Seen from the sea the whole
place presents q different character
from the raw towns along Puget Sound,
where shingles and shavings, paint and
mortar-beds surround nearly every
finished structure to tell of its newness.
The solid red-brick warehouse fronting
along the harbor and the unmistakable
signs of English solidity and stability
on every hand carried convincing proof
of the Briton's rule, without the Union
Jack flying from all the official flagstaffs
and buildings. There is little bother
with the custom-house inspections if
you wish to land any baggage at Vic
toria, but as duty falls alike on articles
imported from England or the United
States, the stranger can not grumble
more than the colonists themselves.
Whenever you hear any one descant
upon Victoria, the drives come in for
chief mention after the climate, and in
these two respects Victoria is entitled
to precedence over any small spot on
the continent. English rule had moth
mild and equable the year round, with
an average temperature of forty-two
degrees for the month of January and
siXty-three for the month of August,
and every citizen relates with royal
pride that the Princess Louise came
here to spend two days, and became so
delighted that she remained two months,
and then left with the regret that she
could not stay longer. English rule is
demonstrated, however, in the excellent
roads that extend in every direction
from the city, and the summer visitors,
who come here from different parts of
the Pacific coast, never find their long
est stay half long enough to include all
the attractive points within easy drive
from Victoria. Convict labor has been
employed in making the macadamized
highways, and convicts are constantly
at work now keeping them in perfect
condition. A favorite drive is that
leading from Victoria to the naval
station on Esquimault bay, which is
known commonly as 'Squimo. The
'Squimo road follows part way beside a
narrow and curving arm of the sea,
through which the tide rushes like the
swift current of river, and half of the
way it unrolls its length between hedges
of fern and underground and walls of
solid forest trees. Picturesque rocks,
tangles of wild rose and sweet-brier,
and forest hooks dappled with sunshine
here and there, make one continual
picture along the road, and the oc-
casional red jackets of the English
marines and soldiers illuminate the
landscape with brilliant touches of
color.
All Victoria breathes the atmosphere
of past and greater grandeur, and the
citizens feelingly revert to the time
when British Columbia was separate
colony to itself, and Victoria the seat
of the miniature court of the Governor
General and commander in chief of its
forces. Those were the good old days
to which no latter-day progress can APP
proach, and it is with no heartfelt Joy
that the people celebrate dominion
day." when British Columbia and the
two provinces of Canada were made
one. The recent visit of the Marquis of
Lorne and all the flattering things he
found time to say have gone far toward
restoring the political complacency of
these people, and it requires no in
sistance to make them believe that you
consider Victoria the most charming
spot in the country. English traits and
English customs are maintained as wei!
here as in the home island, and
charming friendliness exists between
this colony and the United States,
"Dominion day" falls on the I'd of July,
and the celebration of it hardly exceeds
the spirit with which the glorious Fourth
of their American cousins across the
line is observed, and the first week in
July is the gala season at Victoria.
With only twenty-three miles of salt
water separating them from American
shores there is one material difference
that no one fails to observe. In Vic
toria every one takes life easily, and
things move in slow and accustomed
groove, as if sanctioned by the customs
of centuries on this same spot. The
stores close every afternoon at six
o'clock, although at this season day
LIGHT lasts for three and four hours
later, and business men go home to
their comfortable roast beef and pud-
ding as il the fever and activity OF
American trade and competition were
far away and unheard of. Every sep
arate article that you wish to buy is
kept in q different kind of store than
in America, and between the chemist,
the slatoner, the haberdasheries and
the green groceries many of the per-
plexities of London shopping assail you
in Victoria. The climax comes, how
ever, when the young man at the post
Office window turns on you n look of
surprise and bids you go to the book
store to buy postage-stamps, forsooth!
Cor. 81. Louis Gtobe-DemOcrat.