Travels in search of a Settler's Guide-Book of America and Canada

Front matter

TRAVELS IN SEARCH OF A SETTLER'S GUIDE-BOOK OF AMERICA AND CANADA. BY GEORGE JACOB HOLYOAKE, Auihur of " The History of Co-operation in England." " We must cease altogether to say that England is an island off the north western coast of Europe. » * We must cease to think that Emigrants, when they co to the Colonies, leave England, or are lost to England. * * Contem plate the whole Empire together, and call it all England : we shall see that here too is a ' United States'— a great, homogeneous people, dispersed over boundless spare."— " Expansion of England : " Prof. J. B. SeeUij. LONDON : TBUBNEK & CO., LUDGATE HILL. 1884. a LIMITED EDITION-TWO SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE. TRAVELS IN SEARCH OF A SETTLER'S GUIDE-BOOK ov AMERICA AND CANADA. By GEORGE JACOB HOLYOAKE. "We must cease altogether to say that England is an island off the north western coast of Europe. * * We must cease to think that Emigrants, when they go to the Colonies, leave England, or are lost to England. * * Contem plate the whole Empire together, and call it all England : we shall see that here too is a ' United States '—a great, homogeneous people, dispersed orer boundless 8j>&ce."—" Expansion of England : " Prof. J. R. Seeley.

LONDON : TRUBNER & CO., LUDGATE HILL. 1884. TO Mrs. ELIZABETH THOMPSON, OF AMERICA, WHOSE CEASELESS MUNIFICENCE AND NOBLER SYMPATHIES ABE RENDERED IN AID OF JUSTICE, IRRESPECTIVE OF COLOUR, BEX, OR OPINION ; AND EVER PROMOTING THAT LARGER SOCIALISM OF LIFE, REPRESENTED BY TEMPERANCE, TOLERATION, AND SELF-HELP WHICH OFTEN FRUSTRATED IS ALWAYS ADVANCING : THIS RECORD OF "TRAVELS" WHICH SHE ENCOURAGED ISJHSGRIBED.

Preface

. My story of the " Hundred Days among the Cana dians and Americans in 1883 " is ended. Like its predecessor, "Among the Americans in 1879," it has been written merely to satisfy the rash curiosity of Mends who wished to know what occurred on the way. Both narratives might bear the one title of " Travels in Canada and America in Search of a Settler's Guide-book." Of some 300 persons who have written to me for copies of the Guide-book since issued by the Government of Canada, most have taken occasion to say that they have been interested in reading these chapters on their periodical appearance. Carlyle, in his earliest letter to Emerson, relates that " one Irishman in Cork wrote a letter to another in Edinburgh containing the friendliest possible recognitions of me. One mortal then says I am not utterly wrong.

Blessings on him for it." Thus I have more encouragement to issue this story in a separate form than fell to the author of Teufels drockh. Though I am a cosmopolitan, and believe in universal principles, I do not believe in universal buyers, and therefore print only 500 copies. As I shall probably give away 100 copies, there will remain 400 for sale. As there are one million and a half of Co-operators, I calculate that each 10,000, by co-operating together, may take one copy among them. That, if it comes so to pass, will carry off 150 copies. Mr. Mullins, of Birmingham — it being my native town — may buy one for the Free Library, of which he is custodian; and Mr. W. E. A. Axon may suggest that one be taken for the Free Library of Manchester. In Leicester, where I have a friend who is a Book Store keeper, another copy may be disposed of, and in Liverpool, Edinburgh, and Glasgow, one

PREFACE.

. may be got into the market in each of those places. In the American cities of New York, Springfield, Florence, Boston, and Washington, one copy each is sure to be sold ; and not less in the Canadian cities of Hamilton, Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal. Prob ably the Pueblo Indians, who come into Santa Fe to sell wood, may take a copy, and one I feel sure will be bought by Indian correspondents in Calcutta. Since Mr. Nuttall has gone to Melbourne, I count upon one being sold in Australia. I am told I might put down two copies for each of the nine American and Canadian cities I have named, making 27 copies in all. Thus, 100 plus 150 plus 27 — make the disposal of 277 almost certain. As neither the Co-operatite News nor the Boston Index (which have issued these chapters) is able to supply any complete sets of them, I have provided 228 copies for what are called the '" general public," namely, for those rash, curious, irresponsible, and venturesome readers, happily to be found all over the world, who, being without fear or discretion, are the ultimate friends in whom an author puts his final trust for means of paying his printer's bill.

Their day of reward comes when the second-hand booksellers' catalogues mark the work " very scarce," at four times its original price. GEORGE JACOB HOLYOAKE 34, Alfred Place West. South Kensington, London, S.W. May, 1884. ihstidjeix PAGE Adler, Dr. Felix, His Speech at the German Club 123 Adventures of a Loan Collector 86 Adobe Temple of Montezuma 72 Adventurf s at Montmorency 34 at Guelph 35 on the Way to the Pueblo Indians 52-65 Advisory Board, American Co-operative 123 Agricultural College at Guelph, Visit to the 35 Aldricb.T.B., Lines on England by, 142 Applebee, Rev. J. K 116 Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad . .16, 50, 52, 54, 64, 70, 72, 86 Atmospheric Energy 13y Author's Outlook, The 148 Object Stated, The 137 " Axe l o Grind," An 28 Baird.

President Spencer F 25 Ballou, Mr 118 Baraganath, William 96 Beecher, Henry Ward, Protection Stated by 140 Belford and Clarke, Messrs 88 Bishop of Kansas 81 Blair, Senator Henry W., Defines the Qualities of a Guide Book . . 15 Bond, B. F„ of the"0. and B." 99 Bright, M.P., Right Hon., Story of HisPortrait 20 His Message 'to Wendell Phillips 21, 22 Brighton Books Cast Upon the Waters 23 Brooklands Hotel, Banqnet at 12 Speech at 12 Brother Botolph of San Miguel 75 Butler, General Benjamin 112 Bystander, The 40 Canada, Old and New 43 , Climate of 44 , Last Days in 48 — , Unfamiliar Facts About.. 43-48 Carlyle's Sister, ViBit to 38 , Her Home in Canada 38 Carl* le, Thos., His Characteristics 39 Oarling, Hon. Mr 48 " Catalonia," The, Self-respecting Behaviour of 10, 11 Catskill Mountains, The 31 Cargill, Mr 50 Century, The 21 Chandiere Falls at Ottawa 33 Charlton, James... 21, 30, 32, 79, 89, 94 95, 127 His Journal 52 to 65 Mrs 51 PAGE Charlton, Mr. B. E., of Hamilton . . 41 Chicago, Lecture in 96 Its Unforeseen Ways .... 92 Church of San Miguel, Subscription to 75 Coffin, Mr Ill Co-operation, Lecture on, in Montreal 48 In the Sea 78 In America 127 In New York 128 Among the Pueblo Indians 73 as a Moral Force .... 128 In Harvard, Story of. . 130 Co-operator of the Old School, A.. 109 Co-operative Guild 29 Lectures in Toronto.. 41 Lecture in Chicago . . 96 '■ Lawrence University 90-92 Supply Association in Montreal 47 48 Co-operative Dress Association. . . . 131 Cope, Thomas 125 Cobite Co-operation 146 Collyer, Dr. Bobert 118 119 Coloured Sermon, A 103 Cooper, Peter 124 Commissioner of Customs, Visit to 24 Coney Island 19 Contrast Between America and Holland 17 Cross, M.P., H. K Ill Cosmian Hall, A Reception at .... 108 Courtesies of Travel 90 Customs House, Mr, Bright's Portrait at the 22 Dawson, S. E 45 De Vere, Miss Mary Ainge 119 Denslow, Professor Van Buren 96 Denver, Growth of 56, 78 Devyr, Thomas Ainge 30 Dickens, Charles, His Lecturing Policy in America 142, 143 Dinner at the Rideau CIud, Ottawa 42 Disputable Facts 88 Duff.

Mr., of Denver 79 Dilke, Bart., Right Hon. Sir Charles 105, 106 Douglas, Frederick, A Night with 104, 105 Duignan, W.H 48 Dundurn Castle, An Afternoon at . 41 Drinkers, The Difficulties of 5S Dunn,John,Vice-Consul of Chicago 96 Eaton, General, Department of Education, Washington 105 Eddy, James 113 Education of Settlers 37, 147 Electors,Responsibility of American index — continued. PAGE Emigrants, Arrangements for in Canada 46, 47 Emigrant Training 134 Errani, Madame Charlotte 31, 116 Evarts, Mr. Ex-Secretary 24, 121 Factory Town and Prairie, The . . 135 Fatrell", Mr. C. P 18 Farrell, Mrs 18 Field, Miss Kate v . . 119 Fish, Co-operation 79 Forster, Sir Charles 29 Fraser, John 125 Frelinghuysen, Mr. Secretary . . 26, 106 Founder of Florence, The 109 Fronde, J. A 39 Garibaldi's Home at Staten Island. 122 George, Henry: Opinion on his Book 120 Gledhill, John 129, 145 Godwin, Parke 119, 123, 124 Government Guide Book, American Letter concerning 29 Government, Canadian 44, 45, 147 Granville, Earl 106 Greeley, Horace 128 Guelph Agricultural College . . 36, 51 Hale, Rev. E. Everett, author of "BacktoBack" 115 Hall, Mrs. William 34, 49 Hall, Mr. William 35, 49, 50 Hallet, Alderman W. H., Gift of, 22, 25 Hamilton, Visit to 36, 87 Haren, Colonel 71 Harper-s Magazine 21 Harvard Store, Story of 130 Health Congress Volume 24 Consignment of 26 Heroic Engineer, A 87 Hesse, Baron Von, on Colony Planters 18 High, Frank 78 Hill, Samuel 109 Hill, A. G 108, 110 Hinckley, Rev. Frederick A 113, 111 Hinton, Colonel R. J 105 Ilollick, Dr. Frederick 22 Holyoake, Miss Emilie Ashurst 14 Holyokes of Massachusetts, The, 110, 111 Horse Shoe Fall, Change in 31 Hospitalities of Boston 116 Hugh, M'Hugh Ill Hunt, Thornton, Remark of 76 Hunt, Seth 110, 111 Hurst, Bishop 135 Huxley, Professor T. H 7 lies.

George 48, 50 Incidents in Springfield 110 Index, Boston 112 Indian Village, Visit to an . .36, 61, 63 Interviews with the Canadian Government 42 Interviews with the American Government 106 Interviews on the Comet 69 of the Brooklyn Eagle . 14 of Truth 120 with Editor of the 8tar 28, 117 Ingersoll, Col., His House at Long Beach , .17, 18, 19 His House at Washington 99, 104 107 PAGE Ingersoll, Col., Ancestors of 99 Mrs 18, 28 Miss Mamie 18 Johnson, Colonel, Land Commissioner 54,56,71,72, 79, 129 Jones, S. F., A Famous Plainsman. 65 Journals in Doubt 136 Journey to Washington 99 Julien, Rev. M. C 112 Kansas Cowboy, A Picturesque. ... 85 Kimberley, Lord 106 Kindergarten School at Florence, A 109 Lake View High School 93 Speeches at 94 Las Vegas, Marvels of 71 Law against Gifts, Singular 22 Leach, Mrs. . .14, 51, 71, 87, 94, 101, 108 Leadville, A Description of 57 Ways 83 Lilley, Mr., of Florence 108 Little Oratoress, in Blue Silk, The. 108 Littlehales, Thomas 31, 35, 37 Literature of Association, The .... 133 Lord Clarendon's Blue Book 30 Lord, Mr., of the " B. and O " 99 Lord Dufferin's Terrace 49 Long Beach Shore 17 Lorimer, Rev. Dr. G. C, Sermon by 8, 100 Lome, Marquis of 106 Lotta, The Live Ii2 Lowe, Mr. John 42, 43, 44, 45, 147 Mad Niagara 31 Macdonald, Sir John A 42, 44 Macdonald, Lady 42 Mackelean, Q.C., F 41 Manhattan Shore 14 Martin, George 48 Matthews, Mr 47 Mayall, J. E., His Portrait of Mr. Bright 20 Mazzini and Burns, Busts of 117 M'Culloch, D. M 40 M'Innes, Senator 40 M'Carthy, Justin H 51 M'Watters, George S... 14, 116, 123, 124 Medhill, Mr., On Workshop Cooperation 73, 132 Medhill, Mr 146 Memorials to two Governments. . . . 106 Mendicant, A business-like 33 Mennonite Settlement, A visit to. 53, 89 Mexican Woodseller, Life of the. 73, 74 Mighty Landlords 77 Migration of Ideas 97 Mills, James, President of Guelph College 36 Montezuma Hotel, A Day at the, 59, 70 Montreal, Special Features of 49 First Lecture in 47 Mundella, M.P., Right Hon. A. J., Suggested Visit to Guelph 37 Munro, W. F 135 Murphy, Captain 8 Mussey, General 24, 25, 107 Mysterious Parcels 139 National Honour 144 Newton, Rev.Heber 118, 119 New York, First Deputation at 13 New York Tribune , 21 Letter to 26 Quotation from 136 New Mexico, M arvels of 59 _ Manner of Driving in index — continued. 3 PAGE New Bedford Lectures 112 Nightingale, Professor A. F 93 Nims, F. C, of the Rio Grande Railroad 79, 82 Orators at the Academy of Music... 124 Pankhurst, Dr 12 Passenger Ships, Improvements in 6, 7 Pender, M.P., John 11, 13 Percival, J. M 123, 129 Phene, Dr 11 Philadelphia Industrial Co-operative Society 129 Phillips, Wendell, Note from 114 ■ ■ A Morni ng with 105, 115 Philosophical Society of Chicago, Address to 96 A Night with . 98 Piddington, Mr 41. *7 Plainsmen of Kansas 66, 67 Pleasant Days in Providence 113 Plunder and Progress 121 Pode, J. S., Advice of 137 Pope, Hon J. H..

Minister of Agriculture, Canada 42 An Interview with 42 Dinner with 42 Potter, Rev. William J 112 Potter, T. B 141 Praise, The Art of 20 Prairie Animals 67 Life, Effect of 69 President's Church 99, 100 Prodigal Living 81 Prohibition in Kansas 127 Protection, Effect of 23 Influence on Co-operation 39, 40 Protection: Its Nature Defined. . .. 140 Providence Journal 113 Pueblo Indians 60, 62, 63 Quebec, A Day at 49 Reception Committee, A Courteous Letter from 120 Reception in New York 119 Rogers, H.P., Prof. J. E. Thorold. . 29 " Royal Gorge," Wonders of the . . 79 Ruin an Antecedent of Progress in Chicago 95 Russell, Dr. W. C 121 Russell, E. R 136 Salisbury, Lord 106 Santa Fe, Last Days in . .63, 64, 70, 75 San Antonio River 27 Scalp-Land, In 83 " Scythia," The 14 Seagull, Ways of the 7 Second Sight of New Lands 11 PAGE Settler, The Term 134 : What He Should Be 47 Shakspere " At Sea " 10 Ship Preachers 8 Sidebotham, Peter Ill Sleepy Montmoreucy , 82 Smalley, G. W 21 Smith, Professor Goldwin . ..40, 41, 42 Smith, John, Emigration Agent, 36, 16 47, 50 Smithsonian Institute, Charter of. . 25 Spencer, Herbert, at Niagara . .31, 49 Spencer, W. H., of Cosinian Hall.. 108 Star Route Trial 18 St. John, John P., Ex-Governor of Kansas 54, 126, 127 Strange Children 75 Strange Mexican Customs 61 to 63 Suggestive Letter on Land, A .... 138 Suspicious People 27 Taxing the Means of Salvation 141 Theory of Short Hair 16 Thompson, Mrs. E„ . . . .14, 28, 119, 124 , Gift of 30 Three Poets in Favour of Protection 142 Three Thousand Miles in Fourteen Days 55 Tibbetts, Capt., in the Canons 79 Tired Billows 9 Townsend, Nugent 50 Tyndall, Professor John 77 Underwood B. F 116 Mrs., Characteristics of ..,'. 116 Villard, Mr. Henry 121 Mrs 121 Visit to a Coloured Church . . . .101, 102 Wamsetter Mills at New Bedford, ill Washington, Journey to 99 Wandering About .... 1U1 ■ -Remarkable Municipal Volume of 107 Watts, Dr. John 12 Ways of the Sea 5 West, Hon. L. Sackville, British Ambassador 105, 106 Weedon, Mr 113 Westley, Mr., Difficulty of Discovering 26 White, Mr. : His Railway Policy, 89, 90 White, James 26 Windsor Hotel 48 Winter, William 122 Witton, H. B 31 An Article by 43 Women's Rights among the Pueblo Indians 73 Wonders of the Canon Roads 82 Woods, Justus 0 123 Wright, Carroll D 115, A HUNDRED DAYS ABROAD IN CANADA AND NEW MEXICO.

Chapter I. Ways Of The Sea

— SHIP PREACHERS. Were titles put up to auction I should be a bidder for any lot containing one better to my mind than that I have chosen. Unfortunately, all the striking titles have been snapped up long ago. There is that famous one, "How I struck America, and how America struck me." There was a difficulty about using that, as people invariably put upon words their most obvious signification. For myself, I did not strike America at all. To nse an expression of theirs, I " did not feel like it." And had I struck America it would not have mattered. The great extended creature would not have been conscious of it, and certainly would not have condescended to strike me again. If it had I should not be left in a condition to tell the story. My business in the countries named was to obtain authentic information for the guidance of Bettlers.

" Adventures in Search of a Settler's Guide Book," would describe the nature of my travels, but so many other incidents occurred that such a title would not cover them. In America the press spoke of my "mission," to which I was never reconciled. There is but one " mission," one common to every traveller, and that is to keep his eyes open, and tell the truth (if he can make it out) with regard to whatever comes under his notice likely to be of public interest and use. So I have chosen a title of " A Hundred Days Abroad," as the indication of time is the best test of the opportunity of judging and verifying tbe facts recorded. Most things take twice seeing, and a long time looking at, to make them out. It is not of moment to any, save to those who may profit by travel, to remark the effect of a sea voyage on health.

When I went to America in 1879 the effects of the disabling illness of 1874 were not extinguished. The prospect of a journey, or the sight of the sea, as I met it in coach or train, caused eagerness and gladness formerly. After 1874 all this had ceased, and life itself was uninteresting, except when I — SHIP PREACHERS. was working. On my voyage out in 1879 I felt no change. While travelling in America, I felt no exaltation. On my return I was not conscious of being better or worse. Yet all the while I was entirely changed. The sense of intermittent weariness had gone out of my mind and no more returned. In 1882 I longed to be again on the Atlantic, not doubting that I should rejoice in sight of the shoreless sea, and it all came to pass, even as I had imagined. The second Sunday at sea on the voyage out ended with the wildest night I had seen.

However, I had enjoyment in watching it, and counted that a gain. There is no dust at sea. That is one of the first satisfac tions which comes to a writer in London, whose books and papers are daily covered with the nimble particles. It again seems to me that a pleasant and useful book might be written on Sea Things and Sea Ways. The discomfort of sickness on the ocean, which comes to so many, is as much imaginary as mechanical. It is pretty much with sailing as with swimming, those who have the most confidence swim the best. New voyagers fare better who keep their eyes from observing anything whose motion they can measure. Had I time and sufficient means, I should like much to make voyages in the chief vessels of the best known lines, to describe their pecu liarities and special advantages.

There is no doubt that if a shipbuilder had instructions or permission to use his best judgment he might, as captains have told me, greatly improve the arrangements for the convenience and comfort of steerage passengers. There are difficulties in introducing improvements, as the first vessel having them would be popular and passengers would crowd to it, avoiding other vessels. Railway companies are reluctant to introduce improvements in carriages, as it dis qualifies other rolling stock. In this way improvements are delayed, long after steamship and railway companies are quite convinced that they should and ought to be introduced. Since passenger vessels multiply every year, and will multiply more in the future, and an increasing number of people have to spend no mean portion of their lives at sea, it is surprising that obvious conveniences, such, at least, as are inexpensive, are not supplied.

There are the rooms of captain, doctor, purser, and other officers, bearing designation on the outside, generally written on plates so indistinctly that new passengers pass them scores of times without observing where they are, or knowing where to go to if they require to communicate with the official occupants. Besides, the names on the doors are — SHIP PREACHERS. 7 placed so low down that only midgets of the Tom Thumb stature can possibly read them without stooping very low, and that action in a lurching ship is often attended with inconvenience. Why I recur to this is that a ship is some times called a " Floating Hotel," but ships are so large now that they are floating towns, and have their High-streets, public buildings, squares, suburbs, professional and lower class quarters. The corridors are virtually streets, where scores of people live whom you come to know during a voyage.

Why should not the corridors have names like streets ? Numbers are the sole designations of the stateroom or residences, which are unintelligible to persons unfamiliar with the ship, and difficult to find without inquiry. The chief parts of the ship should have names put up, so that passengers would be able to describe them, and know where they have been, and where appointments could be made. Officers of the ship, and the few passengers able at all times to walk about the ship at pleasure, and who are therefore familiar with every inch of the ship, have little need of these facilities, which to them would seem absurd. But the greater number of passengers never make this acquaintance with the vessel during the whole time they are on it. With a little thought and taste, a ship might be made much more interesting and intelligible than it now is.

Passengers are left to find out everything for themselves, and commonly never do it. Some day these attractions will be added to passenger vessels. In every stage of human life most people are at some time or other discontented with their condition, and some have good reason to be so ; but excepting the very worst there is often consolation to be had by reflecting that things are not so bad as they might be, nor is the comfort of comparison denied to those who spend their days at sea. It is good for saloon passengers to think of steerage inmates, and for steerage passengers to think of those escaped from wrecks in open boats, with no cooks or stewards with them. In some warm parts of America there are races of accomplished mosquitoes, as well-informed as though they had attended Professor Huxley's lectures on natural history at the School of Mines.

These educated and fog-horn-throated insects select English subjects for operations, as being more full-blooded than the persons permanently on hand. The same intelligent quality is observable in the sea gulls, who visited the ship at Queenstown. They first appear at break- — SHIP PREACHERS. fast time, when remains of meals find their way into the waters. Having obtained all they can, they retire, and do not return until luncheon time. They know the hour when the repast bells ring as well as the passengers do. The dolphins and porpoises, farther out at sea, seem to understand when the steam hotel comes by, and follow it. One Sunday morning a fine shoal leaped out of the water in the bright sunshine, and kept up with us for two hours. Gradually the fatter kiod fell behind, but two fine lean ones kept ahead for a time, like two champions at a race, of more pluck and speed than their fellows, and who arrive at the winning post together.

Their behaviour appeared, to more experienced travellers than myself, quite like a human contest. In fact an old colonel standing by me cheered the foremost fish. On the last Sunday of our voyage we had the pleasure of hearing the Rev. G. C. Lorimer, of Chicago, preach. On previous voyages Church of England clergymen were selected who were less competent and less distinguished than several American ministers on board. This time I suggested that if the authorities of the ship had difficulty in making the selection, all the reverend gentlemen on board should cast lots, and he who drew the prize should preach. It was unseemly where so many passengers were American and many preachers of their own country were present, that they should not have at least an equal chance of conducting the ministerial office.

Captain Murphy assured me that he merely stipulated that the prayers read should be those of the Church of England. He did not say, but his choice implied that they were, in his opinion, the most efficacious. So it came to pass that I heard, for the first time on board ship, an American divine. Dr. Lorimer, of Chicago, is a perfect type of United States energy, and looks it. He has an impetuous voice, rushing on without pause or break, ever advancing with an iron alacrity. His discourse proceeded along like the engines of the " Scythia." Of course, any logical discourse should proceed from premise to sequence, but this hurried along. It was not spoken ; it was impelled. In a musical box the dropping of a bar marks the succession of a new tune. The preacher had no bars between his service. Song and sermon and prayer were all on one reel, and constituted one piece of vocality, which is an error in art and in reverence.

Nevertheless, there was a vigour of argument in the Bermon, and abounding, apt, and relevant illustration. As for words, the commissariat of — SHIP PREACHERS. 9 the ship was not richer in edibles than the doctor's treasury of terms. They flowed like the Gulf Stream, in fervid, caloric torrents. His exhortations were to the self-sacrifice and self control of the Christian life, of which he assumed the capacity and, what was more, made clear the possibility. He drew similitudes from sailors and the sea ; a difficult thing to do with art in tbe presence of experts of the ocean ; but the preacher did it. I tendered to Dr. Lorimer my thanks for his wholesome discourse, saying that, though I could not answer for his principles, I wholly agreed with his con clusions. On the following night the reverend gentleman made a speech in the saloon on behalf of the Seaman's Orphan Fund, in which there was humour, naturalness, and modulation, which means space between the tones; and a subscription from his hearers of upwards of £20 was collected.

The attractions in New York delayed our return until the hurricane month of December. For a fortnight before the sea had been in a cyclonic uproar.* The news of wrecks was served with our breakfast every morning. The " Catalonia," in which we had elected to sail, had been more than two days late in reaching New York, owing to storms and to her stopping on the way rescuing wrecks. That was a consoling consideration, Bince a ship which could ride the gale to save others might be depended upon to know her way about in turbulent seas. As neither pain nor pleasure lasts for ever, it was fair to presume that neither tornado nor calm would endure, and since they must take their turns, the tur bulent sea, after a fortnight's commotion, might be pretty well tired of leaping up night and day, and about the beginning of December the billows might be found disposed to behave well.

They did. When we came to embark New York was being as rapidly buried in snow as Pompeii by the ashes of Vesuvius. The ship appeared one vast boulder of snow, and as she had lain a week in the dock without steam, she was as cold as a well. * " A cyclonic fir," I said formerly, in a short paper on my return, " a fit with unmistakable convulsions, since tbe ocean shook and foamed at tbe month," bat the printer put it " hooks and foamed." For a time no one could guess how the word " hooks" was created. At length I saw that the printer bad pat the "a "at the pud of tbe "b," instead of before the " h," and so tr*neformed " shook " into " hooks." I never saw so carious a misprint before. I have kept clear of "shook" this time. No doubt the " s " had dropped out in lifting the formes, and got dropped in again at the wrong end of the word. — G. J. H. — SHIP PREACHERS.

No sooner were we out of Sandy Hook, than the snow itself gave in, and we had four days of the best-conducted sea I have ever seen. The captain, however, who was a prophet of experience, had told us at New York that he thought tbe Atlantic would prove ill-tempered sooner or later, and that our prospect of bad weather was good. No sooner had we left behind us the sharks of the Newfoundland coast than the most excellent ocean turned rough. A vigorous north-west wind sent forth all its strength, blew the stout ship on her side, and mostly kept her there. "Inconstant as the winds" is a proverb, but passengers find that the winds have virtues which have been overlooked. We found the wind could be constant when it pleased. The "Catalonia" being a freight ship, and what sailors call "broad in the beam," had good manners.

When she rolled she went down until her edge Beemed in the sea— but then she went down so deliberately that anyone might have made his will on the road — and when she came back it was in such a self-respecting way that you felt there was nothing mean about the " Catalonia." Day by day I watched the mighty contest between the assaulting wind and the resenting waters. The Bea was indignant at being attacked. Often driven below by bruises, as I found my strength insufficient to hold well by the ropes, I retreated to the saloon, not wanting to be washed away and leave no address. Still, I saw enough of this conflict to understand the exclamation of Henry IV. at the wild blasts : — Which rocked the brains In oradle of tbe rode imperious surge, And in the visitation of the winds, Who took the roffian billows by tbe top, Curling their mostrons beads, and hanging them With deaf 'ning clamours in tbe slippery clouds.