ago
THE WEST SHORE.
October, 1879
gala took place in 1862 and '63, which
of course (really benefited the rising
settlement. Some made large fortunes.
and more did not succeed so well, but
all thing seemed to promise well for
the growth of the place.
Hut history repents itself, and we see
the experience of Melbourne and San
Francisco licing undergone by the
Queen City of the Northwest.
By students of the history of British
colonization it is remarked that its pro
gress, though ultimately sure, is fre
quently somewhat tardy, "rauus ltd
rertus " appearing to be its watch word.
This mOttO will apply in some re
spects to the subject of this sketch, as
the growth of Victoria cannot be said
to le as rapid as that of other places,
but "sure" it is, ami, in spite of mani
fold discouragements, frequent reverses
and commercial disappointments, Vic
toril to-day is by no means a failure.
From the gold excitement up to
1 865 all was prosperity it seemed too
good to be lasting, and since thai time
altcrmite hope and depression have
been felt.
Such is a brief outline of the history
of the city. In an admirable position,
well adapted for residence and com
merce, it would appear certain that at
no distant day it will become the great
Pacific Krt north of San Francisco.
Situated on the southern end of Van
couver Island, easy of access for navi
gation, possessing a harbor of its own
now being improved and a Splendid
one at Kso,uimall, ,t miles distant, trade
has every facility and with the growth
of opulation it may very fairly lie ex
poem that trade will rapidly devel
op. The land for miles in all directions is
admirably adapted for the erection of
Intimations, line- wide streets extend for
long distances, large shops anil ware
houses are men, and commodious
bail's skill the h.irlHir, at which
steamers and sailing craft are constant
ly loading and unloading freight.
The government building are orna
mental and imjMKing the substantial
Parliament house &c. Custom House,
Post Office, Government residence,
Public School, Ac, adding considerably
to the beauty of the place.
The shops are remarkable for iheit
sise and for the variety of goods to tvr
obtained. A stranger is surprised to
find himself able 10 procure every Eu
ropean article of necessity and lux
ury. In close proximity to the town, sit
uated on the sea shore, and looking to
wards the Straits of Juan dc Fuca, is
Beacon Hill Park, a splendid, natural
recreation ground, where on holidays
and in summer evenings citizens can
enjoy the beauties nature has so lavish
ly bestowed.
The climate of the Island through
out is excellent, and this is by no
means the least attraction for visitors
in summer.
Many, struck with the advantages of
the place, have settled down perma
nently, and admit that, all things con
sidered, it is a highly favored spot.
Religion and education are well at
tended to. The prominent object to be
seen in approaching the city is Christ
Church (Episcopal) Cathedral which is
situated on an eminence close to the
harbor.
There are 1 1 other places of worship,
including the Roman Cathedral. St.
John's (Episcopal) Church, &c.
Colleges and schools arc supported
by several denominations, while the
free education of all classes is underta
ken by the Government.
Public schools hnvc been established
to which every citizen is entitled to
send his children.
Hut there is one thing which strikes
strangers as very remarkable about
the town, ami that is the excellent con
dition of public order.
The capital of the Pacific Province,
possessing a population of some six or
seven thousand of all nations, scattered
over a large extent, and made up of
a good percentage of unruly characters,
respect for the law is so great that
some dozen policemen are sufficient to
preserve good order, and any one pass
ing along the streets at any time of the
day or night, will wonder at the quiet
that prevails.
Probably no town on the Pacific
Coast can excel Victoria in this respect
n the whole it will be apparent
that surely, although perhaps some
what slow ly, the city is progressing.
New abodes are constantly being
erected, fresh land brought under culti
vation, and in suite of the 1 - III 1 1 1 1. 1 1 . . il
depression now so general everywhere,
1 1 hoc seems noun lair v.
Thus in a comparatively short i;n!
since Governor Pouglas first marked j
out the site for the city, it appears to
have made good way, and in the ordi
nary course events it is not UoreatM,
able to suppose that it will at no dis
tant day realize his expectations, and
the hopes of all well wishers to Victo
ria, British Columbia.
THE WATER-SI'OUTS OF THE UPPER
COLUMBIA BASIN.
BY RKV. 0. K. ATKINSON, D. D.
THEIR 'FREQUENCY.
On the 22nd of May, 1879, at Spo
kan Falls, a sudden and violent rain
storm passed in a circuit from the
eastern mountains, over forests and
plains. On the same afternoon a
water-speut burst upon the hills along
the Pcnewawa creek, in Whitman
county, eighty miles distant south, and
bore a hundred or more tons of basalt
stones and rocks for two miles down
into the stage road, ploughing out the
hill-side canyons. Another, about the
same time, burst on the hills along the
Satnss creek, in Yakima county, 150
miles west of the latter, with a like
result to the stage road. Another was
reported at the same date in the Blue
mountains, 150 miles southwest, which
filled the stage road with the debris
during the same storm. Others were
reported, but less definitely, settlers
and travelers in the upper country have
often seen them, or noted their paths in
the canyons that mark the slopes of
the hills and mountains in all directions.
If observed only once in their sudden
and vast downpour of waters, which
rush and roar and plough out the steep
hills, sweeping away fences, bending
or breaking trees, laying whole fields
of grain flat, drenching, perhaps de
molishing buildings, burying large areas
of highways, of fields and gardens, with
rocks, stones, gravel and soil, in a vast
conglomerate mass, they reveal one of
the mighty forces at work to wear
down ibc high plains of this interior
basin. It has been the common ides
that the sudden melting of snows, and
the great storms, have dug out the al
most numberless canyons of that re
gion, and this is true, no doubt, to a
great extent ; yet the water-spouts have
had no small share in this process.
THEIR OIUGIN.
They come out of a clear sky. On
May 22nd the sun shone till ia
Spokan Falls. It was clear and pleas-