New-York tribune., 1901-09-24
FUN ON THE OTTAWA
THE DUKE AND DUCHESS TREATED To
AN EXPOSITION OF LIFE AMONG
THE LUMBERMEN

Ottawa, Sept 23.-The Duke and Duchess Of
Cornwall and York spent to-day on the Ottawa
River and the forest lining its banks and wit
messed complete exposition of lumberman's
life with all its native picturesqueness. They
shot the timber slides on RATS lunched in a Iuu,
berman's shanty and enjoyed days outing that
was novel TO them. The royal party were
brought in from Rideau Hall on a specially
built electric and boarded the RATS at
Oregon-st. There were six of the RATS, each
manned by half a dozen rivermen in red shirts
and blue jeans. and from the one assigned to
the duke and duchess hoated the royal stand
ard. Besides the members of the royal party
the Governor-General and the Countess of
Minto. Premier Laurier and Lady Laurier rep
resentatives of the lumbermen and the news
paper correspondent travelling with the ducal
party were the only ones to make the trip
The RATS were f1oated down the stream and
then in succession sent whirling through the
slides, dropping forty-four feet in a quarter Of
a mile.
Every bridge spanning the river was crowded
and the banks lined with people, who
cheered wildly the royal couple foated
quickly past their exhiarating ride Scores
Of river craft of every kind awaited below the
slides, and there vas repetition of the cheer
ing. The cribs were quickly collected, and the
passengers taken off in birchbark canoes. The
whole hotilla then proceeded down the river 10
RCchliffe Point landing was made at the
clubhouse of the Ottawa Canoe Club, from the
veranda of which the duke and duchess wit
messed the aquatic sports The lumbermen first
gave exhibition of their skill in handling logs
in the water and series of logrolling contests
in which the leading man was invariably
ducked. The river sports closed with an excit-
ing race of war canoes. Seven crews competed
and there We're fifteen men in each canoe. The
pace was very fast. with desperate squirt at
the finish. The Grand Trunk Boating Club, Of
Montreal, won; the Britannias, of Ottawa, IN
Ished second, and the Ottawas were third.
The duke and duchess were then escorted 70
Rockliffe Park, where, in the midst of heavy
growth of hemlock and spruce, model lum-
berman's shanty had been thrown up. Fifty
redShirted woodsmen lined up 10 receive Ihem
and thev were shown at once 10 the Shanty
/ A great open fire burned in the middle OF the
/ log walled house. and the smiling cook an
nOunced in patois that dinner was ready. He
offered steaming pork and beans and other sta
pies of bush life. and the duchess sampled each
! a large tent that stood next to the shanty was
stocked with the fare OF civilization. and the
entire party lunched.
: After luncheon the Iumbermen gave an exhi-
bition of their woodwork They attacked a
{ great tree with their axes felled it, sawed it
into lengths and piled it on a sleigh After tnas
they danced on a rough platform 10 the scraplns
+ of violin in the hands of one of their num-
ber and sang the songs OF the old vOyageurS.
When they finished. they were sathered tosether
and the duke thanked them He said:
The duchess and l thank you very much
: We have seen many interesting things on our
way around the world. but none more interest
ing than this
William Whistle, the French Canadian fore
man Of the camp. replied to the duke. ana MS
+ speech strongly marked by the dialect OF MS
race was highly amusing. 1t dealt with his
/ own woes and debts. and the duke ana duchesS
could not restrain their laughter
: The duke and duchess returned TO Hdeau
, Hall on the special Late IN the a1ter.
/ noon committee representing the women OF
! Ottawa called at Rideau HAN ana presen'eu & ~ ~
/ ths duchess a mink cape. Lady Laurler made
| the presentation, and the duchess In reply eA-
/ pressed her appreciation and thanks
! The reception given By the Duke ana Ducness
| Of cornwall and York in the Senate Chanoes
! tonight was the most brilliant social AFFAIR o.
/ the Canadian tour. All Iocai lroopS "e'e
/ massed In Parliament Square.