Page:Columbia - America's Great Highway.djvu/34

 "Eve.—We are now at Vancouver, the New York of the Pacific Ocean. Our first sight, as we approached the fort, was two ships in the harbor, one of which, the Neriade. Captain Royal, had just arrived from London. The Columbia, Captain Dandy, came last May. and has since l)een to the Sandwich Islands, and returned. * * * What a delightful place this is; what a contrast to the rough, barren sand plains, through which we had so recently passed. Here we find fruit of every description, apples, peaches, grapes, pears, plums, and fig trees in abundance; also cucumbers, melons, beans, peas, beets, cabbage, tomatoes and every kind of vegetables too numerous to mention. Every part is very neat and tastefully arranged, with fine walks, lined on each side with strawberry vines. At the opposite end of the garden is a good summer house covered with grape vines. Here I must mention the origin of these grapes and apples. A gentleman, twelve years ago, while at a party in London, put the seeds of the grapes and apples which he ate into his vest pocket. Soon afterwards he took a voyage to this country and left them here. And now they are greatly, multiplied.

"After promenading as much as we wished, and returning, we were met by Mrs. Copendel, a lady from England, who arrived in the ship Columbia, last May. and Miss Maria, daughter of Dr. McLoughlin, quite an interesting young lady. After dinner we were introduced to Rev. Dr. Beaver and lady, a clergyman of the Church of England, who arrived last week in the ship Neriade. This is more than we expected when we left home—that we should be privileged with the acquaintance and societv of two English ladies. Indeed, we seem to be nearly allied to old England, for most of the gentlemen of the company are from there or Scotland.

"13th.—This morning, visited the school to hear the children sing. It consists of about fifty-one children, who ha-e French fathers and Indian mothers. All the laborers here are Canadian-French with Indian wives. * * * French is the prevailing language here. English is spoken only by a few.