Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-04-26

onic. that it is difficult for us now to
realize the conditions which then OBJ
tanned.
We had several broken railway sys-
TENS north and south, but there were
not then more than five thousand miles
of railway built in America. All things
considered, felt lucky when we
reached New York less than twenty
four hours out from Washington.
Up the Hudson i took the crack
steamer Swallow. the same which just
one year later was sunk while trying to
beat her own record Of nine hours and
two minutes from New York to Albany.
She required eleven hours on our trip.
Under conditions then obtaining, 1t
took me a day and half more to reach
Lake Ontario. Here, happily, picked
up a frail steam craft, owned by an ad-
venturous soul who was not unwilling
to risk his life and that of others on
the uncertain and ice-filled waters Of
Ontario. With him l negotiated to car
ry me with others down the st. Law
renee One delay after another with
broken machinery, lack Of fuel, running
ice and what not, required five days
more Of my time ere l reached Mon
treal
/ could not be called either officer or
spy, yet none the less l did not care to
be recognized here in the capacity Of
one overcurious. l made up my cos
tune as that Of an innocent free trader
from the western fur country of the
experiences, to answer any questions as
to beaver at Fort Hall or buffalo on the
Yellowstone or the Red. Thus l passed
freely in and about all the public places
Of the town, and inspected with GER
tain personal interest all its points of
interest.
AS moved about from day to day,
making such acquaintance as I could, I
and expectation. The hotels, bad as
they were, were packed. The public
places were noisy, the private houses
crowded. Gradually the town became
half military and half-savage. Per-
sons of Importance arrived By steamers
up the river on whose expanse lay
boats which might be bound for Eng
land-or for some of Englands colonies.
The government-not yet removed to
Ottawa, later capital Of Ontario-was
then housed in tine old Chateau Rame-
gay, built so long before for the French
governor, Vaudreui.
Here. / had reason to believe, was
now established no less parsonage
than Sir George Simpson, governor of
the Hudson Bay Company. Rumor had
it at the time that Lord Aberdeen Of
England himself was at Montreal.
That was not true, but i established
without doubt that his brother really
was there, as well as Lieutenant Will
liam Peel of the navy, son Of Sir Rob-
ert Peel, England's prime minister.
was not a week in Montreal before
learned tnat my masters guess, or his
information had been correct. The race
was on for Oregon!
All these things, say, l saw go on
about me. Yet in truth as to the inner
workings of this l could gain but little
actual information. I saw England's
ships, but it was not for me to know
whether they were to turn Cape Hope
or the Horn. l saw Canada's voy-
ageurs. but they might be only on their
annual journey. and might go no far
ther than their accustomed posts in the
west In French town and English
town, among common soldiers, voy-
ageurs, inn-keepers and merchants, I
wandered for more than one day and
felt myself still helpless.
That Is to say, such was the case un-
til there came to my aid that greatest
of all allies, Chance.
To be Continued.