Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-10-05
". G. HAYDON ON
CANADIAN SOIL
Editor Daily Optic.

Editor Daily Optic,
Victoria, b. c., Sept, elf we're
preparing for a bridal trip ] should
come TO Victoria, u. c. II wanted
to hunt and fish ! should come here.
Thanks To our fellow townsman, X.
ID. Goodall, and his hospitable broth
er-inlaw, a. j. Moreley ana two sis.
tiers, now Of this place, ! have had
mor crowded into n day Of sight
seeing than | have ever experienced
In e. days before, II you win take
your map, you will find Victoria fur.
ther north than Duluth, MIMI, sit
uated at the southern end OF Van.
COVERS island on one Of the finest
harbors of the world. The island was
discovered by Lord Vancouver, and
his statue adorns the cupola OF the
parliament building. the capital Of the
province OF British Columbia. | have
not had time 10 look uD that date.
Victoria Is. II Is claimed here, the
Oldest settled place IN the American
continent. and 10 prove IL, one Is cited
TO the fact that In dating q letter, II
was written Victoria, 'B. c." 1876. !
am now leaving It's genial shore and
climb aboard the Princess Victori,,
one Of the Canadian Pacific steam.
ships, built AT a cost Of a million dol
lars. and travels twenty knots an
hour. We cross the straits Of Juan
de Fuca to Seattle, a distance Of
eighty miles.
Doc. Goodall and myself (along with
the steamer Whatcom and the other
passengers), arrived last evening in
Victoria at $3.50, and were kindly en-
tertained by his relatives. This
morning we rode over the city with
a "Talahoe" party. Besides our
selves and Mr.. Moreley It was made
up Of the loquacious and genial driver.
the girl from the states, her anxious
mother and austere father: the Jolly
, 10, o an. her bright little do, gator
OF six :ears, husband and the woman
who would not talk. | do not know
"hs Nv EDV ouoJCtlCu IJOC Wdo
a bachelor. ] have seen some beau
tiful cities, towns. mountains, seem
cry, gardens and parks, but this is
the most beautiful place I have ever
seen In all my life. These courteous,
refined. English people have made
Victoria a city of homes. Here one
can see combined. a beautiful city,
parks with semi-tropical trees and
flowers, placid lakes. the ocean, noun
tains, valleys, forest trees. farms, or
chards and meadows. The homes are
built among the finest trees of pine
and oak. The oak grows three and
four feet In diameter, soft maple elm,
alder, and other kinds almost as
large. In the city limits they form a
dense forest.
Many homes are palatial in appear.
ance. The hedges around the Yards
are of cedar. privet, English laurel.
or OF ivy; the yards are flower gar.
dens. All kinds of flowers grow prc.
fusely: chrysanthemums as beautiful
as those from California. Every home.
whether a cottage or a castle has
blue grass lawns and flowers. Many
homes covered with the Virginia
creeper or some Of the different
varieties Of ivy. Driveways well
macadamized and winding through
The trees along which the homes are
britt.
Across the straights the Olynric
range ~snow-capped, can be seer on the
Washington side. The island Is also
mountainous. From any point the
ships, both sailing and steam, can be
e e coming and going. Large mer-
chant vessels at anchor in the harbor.
sealing vessels and the Indian canoes
are all a revelation to the land
lubber from New Mexico. One would
hardly expect to find the luxurious
growth Of timber and vegetation as
grows here. Wild roses everywhere.
The English Laurel. Scotch brown
tree. Arbutis, Monkey tree, Holly.
Willows, Lombardy poplars, all adorn
tie lawns. hill sides and parks. The
markets are full Of apples, pears.
peaches and grapes, all grown here:
also. potatoes. tomatoes, lettuce, mel.
ons Strawberries and raspberries. In
fact all kinds. and Scotch whisky, S5c
a quart. ] saw a flock Of fine bred
Sheppard we had good. tender NUT.
ton and juicy beef. Fresh salmon.
halibut, herring. clam chowder,, etc,
and II was good, too. though I am
fearful of losing some Of 1t as we are
IN the straits and u boat rocking a
little.
The girls have fair. fresh compl,x X.
ions and rosy cheeks. the ladies' are
stout and matronly, the boys strong
and the men robust and stout. wish
the island belonged to the United
States.
James Douglas. a Scotchman. found
ed the city In 1876, and a marble
statue Of him has been given a place
at the main entrance to the parlia.
ment building. He was captain OF the
Hudson Bay company, which was
chartered. II | remember correctly.
in George HIS time, and that company
still owns large tracts of land in
British Columbia 1rd Cana la. His
home still stands in the principal resi-.
dence portion Of the city. an old Eng.
fish house, though his son now lives
In a more magnificent and modern
home. ] did not have time to get
into the political or social conditions
of the island and will not attempt to
give the samoa Ia w liam e. Curtis
The churches that saw, Christ's