The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1898-06-11
IN THE QUEENS DOMAIN.
A Pen Picture OF Scenes I'm and
Around Victoria, Ii. C..
Victoria, b. c., Nav %, 1898

Victoria, B. c., May %, 1893.
To the Editor of The SENTINEL
We came to this very delightful
city week ago yesterday, and hav,
put in very full week, going to tn,
beautiful places which abound il
and about Victoria. The town is OF
the island of Vancouver, The islant
is indented by little bays, larg,
bays, long narrow sounds or straits
that almost cut the island in twain
so that one cannot ride in any direc
ton without glimpses of lovely blu,
water sparkling in the sunlight
Fine sea views are to be seen al
along the route TO Esquimault. Al
electric street car line extends t
Esquimault, where her majesty
navy yard is situated. We visited
this place and saw several torpedo
boats in the course of construction
number of interesting things al
present. The first thing to come t.
mind is one of the guns used in the
time of King George. AS compared
with the monster guns that are used
in modern warfare it is as q pygmy
to giant. AS it was little rough
when we were at the navy yard last
week we did not go aboard any of
her majesty's battleships which are
in the harbor, but today being our
last day we went down to Esqui-
mault on the street car, out on the
little bay in q rowboat and were
shown through H. M. S. Imperieuse.
She is a large frst-class battleship,
accompanied by her two consorts,
Amphion and Phaeton, also two
torpedo boat destroyers, Sparrow
hawk and Veragua. We went at
noon, as we understood that to be
the hour for visitors. Arrived Just
in time to see boatload of the red
coats and the blue-coats pull away
from the different ships, enroute for
the great event of the celebration of
the queen S birthday. The past
three days have been given over to
celebrating this event in the proper
manner. l must say these Britishers
understand the art to perfection,
even to having weather most agree
able.
To return to the Imperieuse. l
much wanted to get q picture of
some of the British soldiers. AL
though they are seen in great mum.
bers on the street, did not wish to
take snap shots at them. But one
branch of the service, the royal
marine artillery, wear such q strik-
ing uniform, that I've wanted
chance to take a "shot" at them.
Today the officer said l might take
pictures, so got u fine shot at the,
marine band, one of the royal ma
rines with blue uniform, and another
with the red coats. These marines
wear dark blue, having broad red
stripe on the trousers seam and the
coat very heavily trimmed with vel
low. When off duty they carry
tiny canes and wear white gloves.
But the browning feature of this re-
markable uniform is the cap. per-
fectly round, very small, no visor,
but having u wide yellow band
around it, and u good sized yellow
button on top. This cap is worn
resting on the right ear, the top of
the head bare or nearly so. A little.
leather strap on the chin appears to
keep the little wonder in place.
cannot see them without thinking
of the Great Panjorum himself
with the little round button on top"
We are growing more accustomed
to them and can distinguish the diff
ferent branches of her majesty S
navy by the uniform worn. The
officers are fine specimens of man |
hood.
The celebration commenced Mon
day, the 23d. The first thing was a |
miners race in which the contest
lnts were each to have a miners
Icense, then carry a pack of sixty
pounds distance of two miles. We
lid not see this one, but the next
vas miners race with mules. The
mules were in corral, each contest
mt having number, and at given
ignal must enter the corral. catch
nd bride the mule bearing the
anne number as himself. Then he
hight have someone to hold Il e
lule while he puts on the pack. 1t
'as extremely funny, for some of
ne mules had decided objections to
arrying u pack. Others wanted to
ct on the sidewalk and they made "a
eneral scattering along the line.
ONE ran SO fast that the men had ,
} run more than double quick" to ,
eep up. Today / learned from an !
.merican gentleman that three OF
lem belonged to "a party of Ameri-
ms who are enroutc for the klon- y
Ike, and these three took the first
Tree prizes. They were expert G
need packers; one poor fellow, how i
yer, was a little lame, his horse c
iving fallen on him, so when he a
)t out of sight of the crowd he got t
4 the mule, too. The three prizes !
the mule race amounted to thirty u
We dollars. We saw another pc [
lliar race; the men rolled empty r
)gsheads. One came to grief just i
ross the road. He ran into a
rocer's cart and quantities of eggs i
I'd other like commodities were s
rewed all over the street. All
lese events were just where we
'uld see them, as we had a central
cation front rnnu fhraa Ia rua | =,