Year: 1867

"Where is the Captain p asked somebody.


Well, l was the Captain, and there | aodS.
Not really the Captain, either, but all one as
the Captain; for | had just finished putting
the machinery into the Firet4y, and was to run
it a month before it was accepted. So l was
virtually in command for the time.


ooh you are the man | wish to see, are
your" asked the voice and then the face be-
hind the voice looked into the engine-rOOm
where was sitting.


The face was bright and keen and pretty, and
belonged, as | knew at once, to Mrs. Galloway,
q wife of a coal merchant up i'll the city.


Are there any boats faster than yours,
Captain Burbank" she continued, i'll her
quick, business way.


"None, unless it may be the Victoria. The
Frefy will beat out any other craft on the riv-
er | can promise you that


" Are you sure she is faster than the Mdrid?'
asked Mrs. Galloway, anxiously.


"Oh yes | will stand her against the Mdrid
twice over, l replied.


at is all right then. wish to engage you
and your boat to run over to Vancouver with a
bride party, at sunrise tomorrow: We shall
be chased probably but the Maria is the only
other boat which can be chartered, l learn
We may depend on you, may we p


Certainly. will have you there long
enough before the Maria can make the pas
sage, or will blow up the boat, | replied.
Punctually at sunrise, then!' she said,
and ran off with the air of a woman who had
the world on her shoulders, but felt entirely
equal to it.


| 1t was something new to see a woman doing
business without saying the same thing over
and over, to make sure-Or man either, tol
that matter and felt certain she would sue
ceed in bringing her undertaking to pass, what


ever it might be. And so she did. The par


ty came on board just as the sun was making


ready to rise over the Cascade Mountains, and
directly we left the wharf with the never
ing puff and snort characteristic OF all smal
river boats.


Down past the town; past the steamship


wharf past the saw mill, and so along the rlv


er, with high bluff on the right, and a mar


row strip of low wet country on the left, be


tween the river and the mountains; past SwaI


Island. with its low green banks and it's ont


house, which is deserted at time OF high-wa


ter past mountain ranges farther down, GOV
cred with dark green frs, which now and thel
bit of clearing and house; past two
three little villages; and then out OF the slug
gish Willamette at last, into the strong water
, of the Columbia River


think in all the world-and | have bee
over it deal in my day. have never behel
a more beautiful sight than one sees from tn
deck of boat at this point. The river is
mile wide, and upon the opposite side Noun
: ST Helens, though miles away, seems to rs


q high, snow crowned cone, from the water
. while looking up the Columbia one sees Noun


Hood, also snow crowned and glittering an
it also apparently rising from the water in an in
> passable barrier. just make the picture
s. your mind. The swift, rough river, swollen
e the melted SHOWS of the tar North and th
e Rocky Mountains; its banks covered wit
y every shade of green, from the vivid brigh
,l ness of spring-time to the dark heavy color
1t the evergreen frs and the whole contraste
Of with and glori6ed by five mountains cappe
If with perpetual snow.


~ And yet it is certainly true that the gram
~ ~ eur and beauty was all lost on the bride, wi
Is turned her handsome black eyes restlessly baC
y. the way we came and anxiously forward towa
be the little city of Vancouver, which appears
70 the distance on the farther shore as we rour
VS. the corner. :,
sis Suddenly the shrill scream Of steam VIII