THE QUEEN'S HIGHWAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 208, 4 September 1886, Page 4

THE QUEEN'S HIGHWAY.

FROM PACIFIC! TO ATLANTIC. Across tho Canadian Pacific Railway. BY STUART- CUMBERLAND. [Si'isoiAt- Correspondence ok Auckland Start] No. I.

From Her Majesty's dominions lying under the glimmer of the Southern Cross to those in the N»rthern Pacific is a long cry ; but ■with the opening of the Canadian Pacific Railway the'antipodes and the province of ihe midnight sun will in the immediate future be brought nearer to each by many days. At pretent there is no direct communication, and we have to thank American enterprise for carrying usover the thousands of miles of sea which separate British possesbions in the North aDd South Pacific. But soon all this will be changed, and it will be vessels sailing under tho British flag that will run direct from Australian to Canadian shoree, and who knows but what Victoria with its ships running south to Australia and New Zealand, and west to Japan and Hong Kong, may not, ere long, even outrival 'Frisco, the captial of the Golden State ? Coming north from California, you sight Vancouver's Island so soon as you round the point of Cape Flattery. Victoria, the capital, lies in the Strait of Juan do Fuca. same sixty miles from the point of entrance. Thia etrait divides the Island from the mainland of tho United States -Washington Territory —it runs into an island-dotted sea called Puget Sound, wherein is contained som« of the mostlovely scenery imaginable. Northof this commences tho Strait of Georgia, and here cuds the territory over which float the Stars and Stripes. Thon northwards for some 700 miles until Ala«ka, the lately acquired possession of the United States, is reached, Btretches nothing but British territory. Looking eastward from this point for closo upon 4,000 mile?, tho eye would rest upon Her Majesty's possessions stretching from Pacific to Atlantic in one sole expanse unbroken by the possession of a solitary acre by any country whatsoever. It is over this wide expanse comprising niillions of acres of fertile corn lands, immense tracts of magnificent timber, mineral belts of untold wealth and diversified scenery of unequalled grandeur that the Queen's Highway runs in one continuous line. From the moment you land in Victoria in the Pacific until you reach Halifax in the Atlantic,. you will have traversed a country over which the British flag alone waves. It is my intention to traverse this country almost immediately, and to devote a series of articles to a description thereof. In the present letter I shall deal almost exclusively with Vancovor'a Island, a country little known, and yet one which in the near future must play a very important poi;t inconnection with thelmperial and commercial intfarestsof theiimpire. Theateamer lines which are to connect the antipodes and Asia with Europe by way of the new Canadian Pacific Railway, will presumably pentro themselves in Victoria, which is not only tha capital of the Island of Vancouver, but of the mainland province of British Columbia. The Island, which, as I have already said, begins at the Strait of Fuca, through which runs the international lino, and extende north westorly parallel with the mainland a distance of 300 miles, having a varying width of from thirty to fifty miles, and containing an area of 12,000 square miles. It rise's in placo3to an altitude form of 6,000 to 9,000 feet. There is comparatively, for so extensive an area, but little level land ; but the arable tracts are good, and the land generally is highly fruitful. tn its topographical formation, and in cli mate and general appearance, Vancouver's Island most resembles Tasmania, only instead of the everlasting blue and white eums andlight wood trees, the spence and tho pine rise up high towards the clear summer skies, whilst, clumps of flue oaks and groves of richly foliaged maples are everywhere to be seen. Anything, as in Tasmania, that can be grown i» a temperate climate will grow in Vancouver's Island. In the antipodes they have imported English flora, but here in this isle of the .Northern Pacific they grow wild in luxuriant profusion. Bordering the roads ore thickets of wild briars ; and although the season (mid-July) is now over, yet from time to time I came across bunches of delicate pink and white roses, peeping from beneath a wealth of sweet-scented leaves. Then the waxen honeysuckle fills the air with its perfume, and a pirngent odour came from the hedges of wild peivit. One could ■well fancy oneself in England again. Everything is thoroughly English in Victoria. There is no bustle, no briskness, none of the Yankee smartne;s which pervades the adjacent territory of Washington; but withal it has an appearance of intense respectability and solid comfort.

Description of Victoria, ana Capital.

Victoria was founded on Old World lines, and although British Columbia entered into tho Dominion aB far back as 1871, it, to this day, has all the instincts of a Crown colony, and has the habit of looking more towards England than to Canada, of which it is part and parcel, as much a3 is Ontario or Quebec. Its isolation from the rest of the Dominion will in a great measure account for this, but the opening of the railway, which brings the Victorians within five days of Montreal, and Beven days of the Atlantic coast, will alter all this, and the province west.qf the Rockies will think and feel with the Upper and Lower Provinces. Considering its comparative isolation, Victoria has certainly made satisfactory, if somewhat slow progress. Forty years ago there was no town at all, only a fort belonging to ths Hudson Bay Company ; indeed, the oldest house, an old warehouse of this gigantic fur establishment, now standing in the place, is under forty years old. In 1849 it wa» constituted a colony, and the dominion of the Hudson Bay Company passed away; but its enormous influence still remained The mainland passed away in a like manner, and in 1858 it became a colony under the British Crown. In 1866 the mainland and the Island joined hands, and became one colony under the name of British Columbia. Fivo years later, following the example of the Maritime Provinces, she entered into the Dominion, and Canada thereupon stretched from the Atlantic to the Pacific In 1858 the gold craze brought Victoria and British Columbia generally monentary prosperity. Gold had been discovered on the banks of the Fraser River, and endless strings of miners poured into the country. The extravagant expectations, were not, however, realised; the fields were speedily played out, and the exodus became as rapid as had been the influx. This naturally had a bad effect upon the colony's prospects for a while ; but she has long eince recovered therefrom, and her future promises to be as brilliant as that of any of the adjacent Pacific states of the Union. The whole province has a population of something like 76,000 ; of which number it is estimated there are 30,000 Indians. The Chinese, too, have recently come over in some numbers, and there cannot be lees than 8,000 of them altogether in the province. The white population, have in fact taken alarm at this Mongolian influx, and, as in Australia, every visitor from the Flowery Land has to pay an entrance fee -of 50dols. (£10); and still they come, and with a smile that is innocuous in its bland innocence they put down their gold, march off_ to Chinatown, there to work and wax rich. The Chinese quarter in Victoria look* exceedingly flourishing. Tho streets are broad and the houses clean and substantial, being for the most part built of brick. They deal in furs, and sell tea, groceries, curio 3, and general merchandise. They are well-conducted, inoffensive, and law abiding. IBuppo3ewith thedirect communication that is shortly to take place between tho province of the midnight san and Aeia there will all in good time come the pedling Mahomedan with pack on back offering the manufactures of the ladies to the monied curious; the jungle-bred Hindoo with his pipes and performing snakes ; and the übiquitous Lascar eager to take a hand in manning the ships which the splendid harbour at Esquimault will, I'll be bound contain in plenty.

The North American Indians,

Very few Indiana are to be met with in the city, although there are plenty o! them in the interior of the Island. Just acrosa an arm of the sea facing the city there is a small encampment of them. To them I went yesterday and made myself acquainted. They did not eeem at all glad to see me. In fact I was etruck with their phlegmatic indifference and absolute coldness, not to say rudeness. For it would have given them too much trouble to have been rnde, and your noble redman of today hates giving himself the slightest trouble. He adopts European dress,* attempts to observe European customs,

bogins with fire-water and ends with consumption. Tho proverbial wigwam was nonexistent in this reservation. Instead there vvere some ill-constructed wooden huts, in style liko cattle sheds. Inside these sheds benches run round, and on the«e benches lie the variousfamiliesall higgledy-piggledy. Decency is not strictly observed. Haw this hanging-on to tho fringe of Europoan civilisation debases and corrupts the heathen, whether it be in Africa, Asia, or out here in the Great Lone Land ! In ono part I came across a young wife nursing 'apapoose of some seven months old. Although she was a pure Indian herleatures were almost classical. I have aeon such faces in Athens and amongst the great community in Alexandria, but nowhere else. Sho was really beautiful, with a delicato, rofined lorolinois that strongly contrasted with tho hideous old wrinkled equaws who squatted in the doorway. She could not speak English, and in her silent modesty she bent her head over her black-eyed daughter and said not a word all the time I wa-3 there. Her father, however, came in previous to my departure. He was very much under the influence of fire-water, and consequently ho was remarkably familiar. He evinced more sense of hospitality, and even asked me to eitdown. As, however, there was no vacant clean place round about, I had to accept his attentions standing. Tho burden of hia song was tire water. For " two bits," Is, he could ?et "plenty, lot, good firo-wator." Thon he commenced to sing and afterwards ho did a ehufile, whilst his straight black locks waved about on his forohead. He, how ever, failed to impreaa mo and 1 kept my two " bits ;" and soon after ho left me to console himsolf with n pipe. Later on the brothor-in-l&w of tho woman, and son of the old heathen who reeked of bad whiaky, came in. Ho epoke English, and with him, by fits and starts, I managed to keep up a conversation. He, however, was as unsociable as the rest.

"Is it usual," I asked, " for"your beloved parents to imitate the worst vices of the pale-face?" " I guess (anothor young buck spoke with a strong Amefican accent acquired upon the neighbouring Americanehoro) my father he drink spirits everytiine he get them."

"And you ?" " I guosa me drink too. Spirit him good, rum himgood, beer him good, him all good," and ho smacked his lips with evidont relish at eithor the anticipation or tho contompla tion of tho virtues of " firo-water " drinking. "And the squaw." "Themdriuk too. She "(indicating his brother's wife) "drink much fire-water afore she marry my brother ; now my brother he drink all the spirits himself. Him vory good drinker." So the lady with tho classical faco used |to drink, and only n iw was temperate because hor husband elected to drink for both of them.

Outside of their habits they appear to bo a moral people, and infidelity on tho part of the wife is instantly punishod b,y the husband in a summary manner. An Indian acquires a wife by purchase. There is no affection about the affair. There is no gentle wooing aa with Longfellow's and Finnimore Cooper's poetical braves. He aoes a woman w^o takes his fancy and he forthwith bargains for her; and if he and tho lady's parents can come to terms, then the lady is his. The value of the bride much depends upon the wealth or need of the parent, und payment is made in money and in kind. .

Tho lady with theGfocian features, I discovered, cost hor proud possessor tome 90 dollars and four boxes of biscuits. Her father, it appears, was a temperate man at that time, and proforred tho biscuits to tho fire water. Now, I presume, he is filled with regret because he did not say whisky instead of sugar coatod nicknacks. Thc?e Indians do not profess any particular religious faith. Somo claim to bo Roman C.itholiw, but tho majority of them do not trouble themselves to think of anything, their religion being tho religion of nothing. They have not even tho superstitious faith which sustained thoir forefathers, which is still prevalent among tlio tribes furthor inland. They are sustained in the consolation that they, in a future Btate, will hunt and shoot the shades of the animals of the chase, and so enjoy their life in the hereafter. But these fellows toil not, neither da they spin ; they hunt not neither do they chase—so they must naturally ba deprived of all ohance of enjoying suoh a state of things as is belwved ia by their moro active brethren.

Although the Indians in the interior are so numerous,the Government authorities never experience any difficulty with them. They aro reaping the benefit of the good impression left behind by tho Hudson Bay Company, who ever dealt fairly with the Indians.

The Citizens ana Buildings ol Victoria.

The population of Victoria is, including Chinese, close upon ten thousand people It ia a well laid-out city, having good main streets lit with electricity. The houses are, on the whole, not largo, and they have no claim to architectural beauty. There is an excellent hotel, the Druid House, which, in size and general equipment, is fully up to the best hotels in the largest colonial cities. In hotel life everything is on tha American plan. The Victorians are apparently a great reading public, as they have no loss than four dailies—two morning and two evening newspapers — besides several weeklies. The Government buildings, after the magnificent edifices one sees in Australasia, look for all the world like dolls' houses. They are five in number, and are situated on St. James's Bay. They are built of red brick, in the Swiss style of architecture. A very handsome theatre has just been erected. It ad joins the hotel, and is, in its completion, by far and away the best place of amusement I have ever seen in so small a city. The Victorians have genuine aspirations, and they are erecting buildings which shall be worthy of a city that ii to excel the present Queen of the Pacific. For my part, I do not see why Esqjiimault and Victoria should not form one great city in the future, provided, of course, direct communication be established between Australasia, or the one hand, and to Japan and India on the other.

Erom England to Australia via Canada.

The distance between Victoria and Sydn»y to New South Wales is some 700 miles further than that between San Francisco and the fame place; but then the distance overland is shorter, and the estimated speed greater, so that in the end quicker time could be made than that at present made by San Francisco. Besides, it is, t believe, the intention of the Canadian Government to put on an especially-equipped fast line of steamers botweon Victoria and Australia, provided, of course, they succeed in arranging a sub»idy with the Australian and Mew Zealand Governments. The Australian and Now Zealand mails for Europe would then be delivered several days quicker than they are at present by the shortest route. It is compnted that the time between the Australian port and Liverpool will not exceed thirty days; it is 07en believed that the passage will be made in 23 days. Of course, as a commercial speculation it would for the first term be anything but a paying concern ; but the Canadian manufacturers are bestirring themrelvei, and they say that of the articles of merchandise now being conveyed from California to Australia and New Zealand by way of the mall steamer", quite 90 per cent, of them can be as readily and as cheaply manufactured in Canada itself. As a passenger route 1 have no doubt but what many w«uli prefer travelling right through British territory from the start to the finish without having to pans through alien lands and be harassed by vexatious Customs' regulations. I have, of course, not yot had an opportunity of seeing the Ecenery en route across the Continent, and 1 must defer my opinion as to how far it compares with the muchvaunted scenery on the American railways until I have had an opportunity of so doing. As far as Asia is concerned the diatanca is undeniably shorttr, and there can hardly be any doubt of its being the direct routo of the future between Europe, Japan and Hong Kong. At present the shorteit route is through the United States by way of the Central Pacific and San Francisco. The distance is 12,038 miles, whilst tho distance via the new roate across Canada is but 19,263 miles. Thus the Queen's Highway has tho advantage to the extent of upwards of 1,000 miles. This means reaching Yokohama fully three days ahead of any connection by way of the United States. From an Imperialistic point of view this road presents incalculable advantages in time of war over any other. We are no longer dependent upon the Suez Canal, but we can send our troops across Canada, having for the first time in the history of our Empire a ba?e for our operations in the Pacific; foritis.lbelieve,intendedto3trorgly Fortify Epquimault, and to make it an important naval station ; and already, as I write, I hear by telegraph that the Pominion Government have instructed some naval and engineering experts to proceed from Halifax to Esquimanlt immsdiutely, in

ordor to report upon tho ma1 ter. The Imperial Government purpose, X hear, giving substantial assistance to the project. The superiority of the harbour facilities of Esquimault, which is distant Borne three miles from Victoria, caused the British Admiralty to seloct it for a naval otation some tittle ago. It already has an arßenftl, a naval hospital, a dockyard, and a powder magazino ; an iinmenee dry dock is also in course of construction. With the facilities now afforded us of reaching the extreme western shores of our immense American possessions, and with tho establishment of an impregnable navaletation at.Esquimau.lt, we are at once pliced upon a different footing as regards Russia. Hor interests in the Pacific can at onco bo dominated by England. But of this matter I purpose speaking specially in another article, for 1 have not yet had time to complete my inquiries in connection therewith, and I cannot delay sending this letter ono day more, as the mail between here and 'Frisco, unless Bent by the direct steamer once a week, is Uncertain in its delivery, and I am anxious to catch the next outward Pacific mail for the Californian capital. Sir John Macdonald, Canada's veteran Premier, who, together with the Marquis of Lome, has done so much for Canada, is expected in Victoria to-morrow (tho 24th). It is the first time ha has visited tho Pacific Oonsfc, and tho dream of his life will have been realised, for it was ho who opposed the ehort-sigiht policy of thoi Cauadian politicians who sought to let the trana-oon-tinental railway terminate at the Rocky Mountains, there connecting with the railway systems of tho United States, and so on co tho Pacific. In euch case British Columbia would have been cut off from the rest of Canada, nnd there would have boon no Queen's Highway from ocean to ocean. A Good Word for Canada. People who have, never visited Canada look upon it as an icn-bound country, barely inhabitable, savo in the summer months. This is a gross libel upon tho whole country. As for this part of the Dominion, nothing could possibly be more delightful in tho way of climate. • It is very much like that of Australia, only its summers are not quite so intensely hot, whilst the winter is, minus the nipping blasts of Hobart, somewhat akin to'that of Tasmania. Tho scenery round about is roally enchanting, whilst fish and gamo appear to be inexhaustible ,Tho coast linp of British Columbia is the most wondorful in the world. Of it Lord Dv florin says, when as Governor-General of Canada ho came this far west: —" S.uch a spectacle as its coastline presents is n jt to bo paralleled by any country in tho world. Day aftor. day for : a whole woek,. in ,a vessel of nearly 2,000 tons, wo threadod an intorminablo labyrinth of watery lanes and reach et, that wound endlessly in and out of a network of islands, promontories, and peninsulas for thousands of miles, unrulrlod by the swell from the adjoining s,eas, and presuntiug at every ~ turn an overshifting combination, of rich verdure, forest, glacier, and snow • capped mountains of unrivalled grandeur and beauty. Whon it is remembered that .this wonderful system ef navigation, equally well adapted to tho largest line of battle ships and the frailest canoe, frinjjos tho entire seaboard of your province, and connects at points, sometimes more than a hundred miles from the coast, with a multitude of valloys stretching eastward into the interior, while at the same time it is furnished with innumerable harbours on olthor hand, one is lost in admiration at the facilities for intercommunication . which are thus provided for the future inhabitants of this wonderful region " As Lord Dunorin putß it, so. it is, .and although people making the through passage from Australasia or from Asia may not bo directly influenced by the prospects of seeing much scenery, yet the knowlodgo that the Queen's Highway from Pacific to Atlantic is beautiful, as well as being tho shortest and most convenient, must havo its duo influence. Victoria, British Columbia, July 24, ISB6.