The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-09-19
A JOURNEY TO
THE RIVER DESERT
Or. Ker's Interesting Account Of His
Summer Outing.
PERFECT PARADISE FOR GAME.
Deer, Moose, Bear, Phcasnnis ara
Ducks Abound and the Streams
Are Filled With Bass and
Others Of the Finny Tribe,

WASHINGTON, Sept l4.-specisl-
The River Desert from which / have just
returned Is the name OF river, a village
and the region adjacent, and is one hun
dTed miles north Of Ottawa Canada. The
name IS pronounced Dessir. The country
is MOUNTAINOUS but many valleys Of great
fertility are interspersed afd when the
soil Is well cultivated splendid crops are
produced. consisting mainly OF wheat
oats, bucl1wheat and potatoes Vast for
ests cover the mountain sides, Inhabited
by deer moose, bear and myriads or
pheasants. while ducks are found without
number in the thousand lakes that dot
the geography Of this interesting region.
In the little rivers and lakes are trout,
bass. pike and other fishes in the greatest
abundance. The population Is principally
French with a good spnnkling OF In
dams English. Scotch and Scotch-Irish,
though altogether # is very sparse. The
air is cold and bracing and this, with the
fine fishing and hunting. makes II IL most
attractive country for a summer outing
Here the Rev. DR. Donald Guthrie ana /
have had some Of the finest sport 20 be
found any where on the continent. Long
trims bv water IN canoe or boat uamDs
for hunting phoasants and ducks, ana
camp lie I'm the wilderness are the attrac-
tive features Of a sojourn among these
I.lurentian mountains OF Canada.
a QUICK JOURNEY.
We "a from Montreal TO ottawa. one
hundred and twenty-five miles by the
Canadian Pacific. on a train that makes
the Journey in two hours and a hail. a
very fast train and composed OF the finest
coaches have ever seen. The day coach
is equal TO a Pullman parlor car. The
road runs along the valley OF the Ottawa
river. FL most fertile country, covered
with green pastures and fields OF yellow
grain. Arriving at Ottawa, the capital or
Canada. we visit the splendid government
buildings IN beautiful Gothic architec-
ture and justly the pride OF the peope-
The Canadian volunteer army We're rem
dev0uzed there al the time Tor their an
nual shooting contests. and our hotel was
crowded with officers. fine miliisry-looking
sons OF Mars u red coats. We find not
q little feeling OF irritation among the
Canadians towards the government az the
Tinted States ON account OF its dcc.ina-
ZION 10 submit 90 arbitration the dispute
concerning the boundary Of Alaska. The
Canadians also feel that our tariff laws
are unjust and unneigh5orlyi yet they
rejoice i'm our triumph over Spain In the
recent war and they cordially enter into
the sympathy shown by Great Britain, for
the United states during the struggle
over Cuba. when most European nations
were hostile towards us.
A GREAT PEOPLE.
Ny impressions OF the Canadians are
that they are great and noble people
and have q splendid country. Ihey are
lust beginning to- know how much they
have in their rivers, fields and mines, and
are developing their magnificent resources
most commendably What they do. they
do wen. as is attested by the solid and
substantial improvements going forward
on an hands.
From Ottawa we journey northward
sixty miles up the valley OF the Gatineau
river on the Ottawa and Gatineau rail-
way. The road runs generally near the
river which is seen here and there tum-
bling over rocky sleeps on its way 10 the
Ottawa. II is the path Of transportation
for millions Of logs cut in the mountains
of the far north. Ottawa is the head
quarters Of a great lumber business.
We rest over night at Graceheld, the
northern terminus of the railway, and the
next day travel north by very slow
stage. thirty miles. 10 the village River
Desert where old friends Of Dr. Guthrie
give us a delightful early tea, and we go
By private conveyance eight miles TO the
Joseph Farm on the edge Of lake St. Jo-
seph. at the point where the little river
ST. Joseph enters the lake. There we are
Hospitality entertained by an excellent
family of Scotch-Irish people. who keep
up the generous habits of the country
from which they came. This region was
the scene OF two summer vacations work
by DR. Guthrie. when he was a divinity
student Of the Montreal Theological Col
leee. When our friend preached here he
was nineteen years OF age, and now that
ne is here again a Doctor Of Divinity
and pastor Of a great church. he breaches
10 his old friends and some of them say
81 told YOU so: ] told you there was some
thing great I'm the young man. The
Richmond people will agree that these
frontiersmen were good judges. and that
their predictions have been realized.
INTO A GARDEN.
Our host, Mr. Miller. and his sons, al
the Joseph Farm. show by the results
of their work what intelligence and in
dustry can accomplish In changing a
wilderness into a garden. The land is OF
the richest. and the crops are such az 10
make glad the farmers heart, while fat
sheep. horses. hogs and cows and enjoy
luxurious life in the barns. and pastures
By the lake. The people Of the farm tell
us that the winters there are most de-
Hghtful The thermometer seldom goes
lower than 80 below zero, and the album
dant snow provides excellent roadways
for transporting produce in sleighs. The
lady OF the farm tells me the climate IS
so moderate she never wears flannel,