The Log House by the Lake: A Tale of Canada by William Henry Giles Kingston
CHAPTER THREE.
Canada is now traversed from one end to the other by railways, withnumerous ramifications to the north and south, while steam-vessels runnot only on its main artery--the Saint Lawrence--and the great chain oflakes, but also on numerous other rivers and lakes in every direction onthe lines of the highway to any inhabited district. Notwithstandingthis, the romance of travelling through Canada is not altogether doneaway with. Although several of the chief cities contain very largepopulations, Montreal having 100,000 inhabitants, and Quebec and Torontonot many thousands less, and possessing likewise all the advantagesrequired by civilised communities, yet a very few miles away from themthe stranger may find himself in some wild district where he mightsuppose that the foot of man had never trod. In the summer, steamers onwater compete with locomotives on land in conveying passengers; and whentime is not of consequence, the route by water is generally preferred.
A few days only were spent at Quebec by the Ashtons after their arrival,before they embarked on board one of those wonderful constructions, anAmerican steam-boat, to proceed up the Saint Lawrence to Montreal. Theentrance was in the side of the vessel, and on the main deck, whichappeared lumbered up from one end to the other with casks, chests, andpackages, a flight of steps led to an upper deck, which had theappearance of a long gallery, fitted up as a drawing-room, with sofas,easy chairs, and every luxury. The glazed roof was supported bypillars, but no access could be discovered to any spot where helmsman,captain, or crew might be posted. Harry, after many enquiries, foundthat the wheel was on a platform on the roof forward, where the captainand pilot stood. He pronounced the vessel to be constructed on two hugearches, having a vast Thames wherry below, with a superstructure ofpicture galleries on a wide platform extending far over her gunwale oneither side.
Montreal, the head of the ocean navigation, was reached; and then by aseries of magnificent canals the rapids of the Saint Lawrence wereavoided; the lake of the Thousand Isles, with their rocky bases andtree-covered summits, was passed, as were several larger and thrivingtowns, and Lake Ontario was entered.
At Kingston they embarked on board another steamer, which was far morelike an ordinary vessel than the one they had just quitted. Who shouldcome on board, just before she left the wharf, but Mr Norman. A fewhours afterwards, when Harry and Charley came on deck, they uttered anexclamation of surprise as they looked around. "What, is this called alake, Mr Norman? Why, where is the land?"
"Out of sight," answered their friend, laughing. "North, south, east,west of us. It is rather hazy to the north, or you would see thepine-fringed shore. We shall soon again see it, as we have to touch atseveral towns on our way."
Several large vessels were met under all sail, with numerous crews,steering for the Saint Lawrence.
"Where can they be going to?" said Harry.
"To Liverpool, perhaps, or to some other English port, laden with wheatfrom the Western States," answered Mr Norman. "Vessels have sailed allthe way from Lake Superior to England."
They saw, however, more things to wonder at than can well be recounted.Not the least, in the eyes of the boys, was the fine city of Toronto,with its numerous public buildings.
"Why, I thought that we were about to enter the backwoods by the time wegot thus far west, and here we are in the middle of as civilised a cityas any we have seen," exclaimed Harry, on their return from an excursionthrough Toronto.
"We have many other fine towns still further west," said Mr Norman, whohad stayed at the same hotel. "If we go into the States we shall find,several hundred miles off, Chicago, which has sprung up as if by thewand of the enchanter. The secret of this rapid increase is itspeculiar position at the head of a great navigable lake, with abackground unrivalled in its corn-producing powers. In the course ofyears we may hope to see cities, towns, and villages, rising atintervals on British territory, directly across our vast continent,united to those which have already appeared in British Columbia."
Mr Ashton having made all the enquiries in his power as to eligiblelocalities, set off with Philip to select a spot for the future abode ofthe family. He was advised to rent a partially cleared farm, but hissons especially entreated that he would purchase a tract of wild ground,that they might have the satisfaction of feeling that with their ownhands they were bringing their own property from a state of nature intoone of cultivation. He yielded to their wishes, though, perhaps, theplan he was advised to adopt would have more rapidly afforded them areturn for their outlay, and some of the luxuries of civilisation. MrNorman casually enquired the direction in which they proposedprosecuting their search, and on hearing that it was to the north, heremarked that he might possibly meet them.
We need scarcely say that the Ashton family employed their timeprofitably in seeing all that there was to be seen in Toronto, and thatthey made excursions to Hamilton, and to several other towns accessibleby railway. Mr Ashton lost no time in searching for the desiredlocality, and he and Philip soon came to the conclusion that it was nota thing to be done in a hurry. Fortunately Mr Norman did meet them,and with his assistance they at last found a spot to suit them. "Thenext thing you will have to do is to _get fixed_" he said, laughing."You will soon find out the meaning of that term, I guess."
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Note. "Get fixed" is the American cant term for settled.