FROM MY CANADIAN DIARY

1920, August 15 -We have had a good passage out on the Megantic, but as we approached the coast of Newfoundland we ran into a terrible fog, which continued for 1000 miles, so we saw none of the wonderful scenery on the St. Lawrence we had heard so much about.

Once the fog lifted at sunset and showed orange and peacock blue clouds and a wonderful blue overhead, but it closed down again, and we had a night of fog-horns, one ship calling to another. There was a collision between the Manchester and a C.P.R. boat, so we had to anchor-truly a fog-bound land-and at six o'clock we are still sitting in the St. Lawrence, and likely to sit on, as they have shut off steam.

August 16. In the night the captain, hearing there was only a band of fog between us and clear weather, made a bold rush; so up came the anchor, and away we went, fog-horning like mad, and got through the Traverse all right; and so we came to Quebec, and had delightful rooms at the Château de Frontenac, looking over the St. Lawrence. We hear that the C.P.R. is giving us a

coach to go where we like.

In the afternoon we drove out to Government House for tea, which we had on the verandah looking over the river. Spencer Wood is old and very interesting; the Federation was signed or agreed to there in 1867. The grounds are lovely, and I saw where Wolfe landed in 1757, and where he had his breakfast half-way up the cliffs, and where the Highlanders crawled up the hill to a little clearing and found the French Canadians bivouacking, and the Highlanders killed every man with their dirks; then we saw where Wolfe fell in his hour of victoryit is marked by a flag-staff with the Union Jack flying-and we saw where on the same day Montcalm fell. (I think you have to leave England to be very proud of being English.) There is a very fine monument of him looking over the land.

Next morning we saw the town, Sir Charles Fitzpatrick being our guide; and he knows every inch of it. At the cathedral there are the most lovely vestments given by Louis XIV.-a raised pattern of wine-coloured Genoese velvet on a background of gold,

silver and green. On either side of these gorgeous garments are the coats of arms of France, gold and fleur-de-lys on a blue ground; and given at the same time were a chalice and paten with different scenes-the Magi and the Annunciation. The finish and the modelling of the figures were extraordinary. Then we went to Spencer Wood to lunch, to meet the Prime Minister, Taschereau. After lunch I went down to see a little swimming bath Sir Charles had made for his grandchildren. Lady F. got an inkling that the children were allowing the dogs to bathe with them, so she put it to her grandson, and he said, 'Granny, we alternate with the dogs.'

We drove twenty miles to the shrine of St. Anne at Beaupré. Father Caron showed us everything. Everyone who had received any benefit from the saint had sent a thank-offering; gold, silver and precious stones were there. One chalice was encrusted with priceless stones, and two golden crowns were packed with jewels. Naturally, with so much wealth and beauty, I became somewhat wordy. Father C.'s English was quite good, but limited, and he said, 'My! yes, very fine.' Then we drove back by the Montmorency Falls, stopping at Kent House, where the Duke of Kent lived.

August left Quebec at 10.30 in such a good coach, the Metapedia-dining-room, saloon, two state rooms, bath-room, hot and cold water, with a first-rate chef and steward. This we shall keep till we get to the frontier, leaving the coach at Detroit, and then the Americans will see after us till we join it again. after St. Louis.

Laurent. The fields were blue with wild succory; in the distance are the Laurentian Mountains, that, according to tradition, were the first created mountains. The land is wonderfully cultivated, and intensive culture is being worked everywhere. We arrived at Montreal about three o'clock. I knew we were to be met, but when six K.C.'s came I did feel rather outlawed. Six K.C.'s said, 'Pleased to meet you'; six times I said, 'Thank you so much'; and when a delightful spokesman spread out our programme before us, his face and bearing were so Napoleonic that we neither of us made a struggle, but fell in with all his plans. We were placed in a car and sent off to the Ritz-Carlton. I found the most lovely American Beauty' roses awaiting me from the Canadian Bar Association; and then the telephone started. The six K.C.'s were ready and willing to ascend to our sitting-room.

One dear little man quietly told me that we must not let ourselves be rushed, as they were all so anxious to give us a good time that they might tire us out; but Napoleon said: 'Judge Mignault, his wife and daughter, will be calling on you

at 4.30; at nine o'clock I shall fetch you and take you for a moonlight drive to see the lights of the city.' They then left, leaving with us a bottle of whisky and another of port. Before I could change-and I was feeling very tired-the Mignaults arrived. We gave them tea, and they stayed until 6.30. We are to go to them to-morrow for lunch and golf. We managed to dine before our Napoleon turned up with a judge or two to drive us to the heights to admire the lights of the city far below. I would have willingly put my head on the first handy shoulder and slept there so comfortably, but it was not to be; every time the voices faded away I was noticed and brought back. We got back to the hotel at eleven o'clock, Napoleon making plans for our future.

August 18.-We went for lunch and golf with the judge at Point Claire. The judge had a most amusing way of telling legal stories. One I remember:

There was a man who never gave anything in church, although the bag was always handed to him. A new churchwarden thought he would shame him into giving, so when he came to the pew of the non-giver he made a circular tour round him and presented the bag to the next person, whereupon the unvisited one had the churchwarden up for libel, saying that he had brought ridicule upon him in the house of God, and the court held it to be libel, but the damages were the smallest that could be given.

August 19.-We were fetched by a couple of judges and driven out to the Laval Golf Club, on the island of Jesus, where we lunched with twenty-six judges and barristers and five wives. They made kind remarks of G. and sang For He's a jolly good Fellow, and then sang Vive la Canadienne, implying I was she. G. went off golfing, and I sat with the five wives. They had never been in England, so I had plenty to talk to them about. The golfers got back by 5.30, and we went back as quickly as possible to dine before going to the station.

August 20.-We shunted a good deal in the night, which accounted for the battle I thought I was in. I woke in the dark and tried to turn on the electric light, to find myself in a driving wind; tried another switch, which rang the bell; tried another, which flooded me with light, and above me the electric fan was whirling over my head. We got to Toronto about seven in the morning. Mr. C. boarded the car at eight, and we arranged plans, had breakfast, and repacked for Niagara Falls. Before crossing Lake Ontario we had lunch with the H.'s and went for a drive round Toronto with the judge. A fine city, with beautiful houses. We just caught the boat. The captain asked us to go on his deck, so we were very comfortable, though the boat was packed. The wind gave one little soft buffeting blows, and kept me better than I might have been. The captain was such an interesting

man and talked away so pleasantly. When we were leaving, G. 'I said, 'Tell me your name; I like to remember my friends.' He said, Smith, sir. I am one of a large family; you will meet them wherever you go.'

On landing we had a twelve miles' drive to Niagara Falls. After a time we saw far below us the rapids tossing and foaming over huge boulders. The American side of Niagara is horribly spoilt by huge elevators and the what-nots of vile man; the Canadian side is more preserved and much left to Nature. The cliffs were very steep. As we neared the falls they burst on one in such beauty, they took one's breath away. An American said that he guessed the Niagara Falls as compared with the Victoria Falls were a mere perspiration; and I know what he meant. Nothing ever can touch the Victoria Falls, because they are straight from the hand of God, and no man has ever tried to make business in those waters; here man has done his worst to destroy and defile. But he has failed, because as you look at that glorious wealth of water for ever and ever spending itself, rushing, ever rushing, in green translucent volumes edged and fringed with priceless laces of spray and foam, for that mad leap for which they have travelled hundreds of miles-no man can spoil that.

If you watch the centre of the Horse Shoe Falls there seems to be for ever a fierce battle raging between the waters. At the side nearest the Canadian bank the river sweeps over with wonderful dignity, and the spray rises and rises, and hides the end of that marvellous leap. The American fall is not quite so extraordinary, but it is very beautiful, also the Bridal Veil. No lace bridal veil could ever compare with that lace made of spray and foam and glittering dewdrops.

The Indian word for the Niagara Falls is Onguaahra. There is a Welsh word, Niogara, which means The Sound of Waters.' The Welsh word is rather curious because of its meaning. The native name for the Victoria Falls is 'The Smoke that Thunders.'

August 21.-On the cliff looking over the falls is Victoria Place, built by Dr. Grant, son of Sir James Grant, of Ottawa, whose kindness and hospitality are too well known to be written about. From his house the view of the falls is, I should say, the most beautiful of all, as you see them through a frame of leaves which has been slowly and beautifully cut out of the overhanging branches. We lunched with him.

Before lunch a truly delectable cocktail was brought in, called Orange Blossom.' It was everything I ever dreamed of in a cocktail; it began by smelling and tasting like a flower, and it went down cold and refreshing, but then came to you the thought, 'Is there more in this than meets the eye? Is this a dry country, or is it not?' By this time you felt it was imperative

to make further investigations and to finish with undiluted pleasure that which had been so beautifully prepared for you, and not to look a gift-horse in the mouth, and you felt you were walking very pleasantly as you went in to lunch, but I was careful to keep to iced water afterwards. The lunch was charmingly laid on an old refectory table, with a hand-woven, narrow linen cloth, with linen thread tassels, lying flat on the table and beautifully spread out. The old silver tankards were filled with pale lavender and blue flowers; everything to eat and look at was perfect; and we are to stay with this charming host on our return journey.

August 23-At Detroit we were met by Mr. B., Judge M., Mr. and Mrs. T., and Judge Duff, whom I had met in England; we were at once placed willy-nilly in a car and taken out to the Country Club, ten miles from Detroit, a beautiful place on Lake St. Clair. There we met Mr. Brian Walker, a collector of shells, and Mrs. Russell, and had to eat another lunch; in calm despair we ate it, and it was so good it would have been a sin not to have done so. We three women each had a lovely bouquet of pink roses tied with pink ribbons given us. Judge M. was a good talker. He said that during the war he had to sit on the tribunal, and one day a man came to him and gave him many reasons why he couldn't fight. The judge said, 'I can do nothing for you until I look into your case, but if half the reasons you have given me be true you certainly will not fight.' The man said, 'I have always believed in God, and I have always trusted in Him, and I shall always do so, but in this matter I shall look to you, Judge, to help me.' The club was really beautiful, as all these country clubs are; you can stay here for two or three days at a time, and they said if we came back they would be delighted to put us up there, but I am sure we shail have no time for this. Mrs. T. then took us for a drive to see some of the houses in Lake Shore Road; I should think only millionaires could live there, as all the houses and grounds are huge.

We heard many stories as we drove back, mostly about Prohibition. One man said, 'Until we had Prohibition I was a law-abiding citizen: now I take whisky from everywhere I can; I take it home in my car; if I was found out the police would take me in charge, but no judge could condemn me, because they do it themselves. I bought a case of whisky from a man at the most exorbitant price, and he brought it at night and put it in my cellar; the next night it was gone; he had carefully learnt the lie of the land and fetched it away, knowing I couldn't prosecute him, because I myself would be prosecuted for buying it from him.'

We saw a car passing us, and in it a nice-looking woman holding