172
THE WEST SHORE.
THB QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY.
Annually on the twenty-fourth of May, the loyal sub
ject of Great Britain, in whatever quarter of the globe
they roiJu, ooiuliitiU) iu some furiu the birthday of
Queen Victoria. Even in America those nativeg of the
" tight little Me " who have tranHforred their allogiance
from thtt British erown to the government of the United
SUiles, meet on this anniversary occasion to testify to
the regard they feel for the land of their birth and the
queen who preside over ita destinies. These olmervan
oos of the day in the United States usually bike the form
of a banquet by the British Benevolent Society, an or
ganisation which is maintained in every city of oonse
quenoo in the union, for both charitable and sociable
uroMfl.
Throughout Canada the queen's natal anniversary is
oWrved as a genoral holiday. The citizens of Victoria
make HMoial effort to show their retqect for their queen,
in whose honor that beautiful city was namod, more
than forty years ago, and tho tweuty-fourth of May is
annually mado a day of festivity ami enjoyment The
men-of-war in Esquimalt harbor and the School of Gun
nery fire the royal salute, the bands play " God save
the Queen," and the pooplo dovote themselves to ploas
uro iu numWIesa way. Hi engravings on pages one
hundred and eighty-four and five. Sjmcial features of
the recent observance of this anniversary in that city
were horse racing, an athletio tournamont and a gamo
of base Imll Iwtwoen the Red SuwkingH, of Seattlo,
W. T., and the Amities, of Victoria, in which the latter
were victorious by a score of 12 to 4. The grounds
are located on Beaeon Hill, overlooking tho Straits of
Fuoa, acroes which lie the Olympian mountains, ou the
American side. The ectators, instead of staring at a
high lard fenoe, as is usual in this country, when not
alworbed in tlie varying fortuues of the game, can fonst
their eyes ou a Umlitcape of great leauty. Another
popular form of amusement is races and pleasure tripe
on tho "arm," as a long, narrow and placid inland ex
tension of the harbor is called. This passes through
the city and iuland several mile. It ia one of the finest
ratiing ooursea in the world, where steamboat do not in
trude and interfere with either the racers or the multi
tude of aooompanying boats. On every gala day and on
Saturday afternoons, the arm is thronged with boat, ca
noe and barges of every description, their occupant en
joying to the fullest extent the pleasures that surround
boatiug with a peculiar charm. At one point, known a
the "gorge," the inlet passes through narrow, rocky
ohannel, apanned by a bridge. This ia a favorite spot
with both watermen and equestrians, and a aplendid
drive oouuecU it with the city. The arm is a delightful
bathing place. It depth is not great, and the sun suf
ficiently warms the still water to take off tho chill which
all but the tuit experienced bathers object to iu the
ocean surf. It is also free from undor-tow, and as safe
for bathers a an artificial pon.L Victoria is in many
wsya a delightful summer resort, and is rapidly acquir
ing the reputation among tourists of being one of the
most beautiful, pleasant and comfortable spots to be
found in the course of a journey round the world.
EASTERN LINN COUNTY.
Of the foot-hill region lying in the eastern portion of
Linn county, a sottler writes as follows to the Albany
Herald-Disseminator:
Thinking the subject might be of interest, perhaps
benefit, to immigrants and others seeking homes among
us, I would like through your columns to give a short
sketch of this section of the county: Eight years ago,
settlers through this region were few; not a schoolhouse
was to be found anywhere from Waterloo to Browns
ville; but great change has taken place within the past
five years. Many families have moved in and made
comfortable homes; nearly all have erected good and
substantial buildings. A number of new school districts
have been formed, neat and commodious school houses
built as in older settlements. In our district the
number of school children is thirty-three, and in the
district adjoining us on the east as many more. The
soil is rich, easily cultivated, and produces almost every
thing that grows in this latitude. Of water we have a
never-failing supply, and of the best quality. Our tim
ber is principally fir and oak. All kinds of berries and
small fruits do remarkably welL We have but few
bearing orchards as yet, but have some as thrifty young
orchards as can be found anywhere. If, as we hope, a
part of the land which is now held by the Willamette
Valley A Cascade Wagon Road Company will be re
stored to the publio domain, as it should in justice be,
and thrown open to the publio, the change would be
far more marked in a few years to come than it has been
in the past Many, no doubt, have been deterred from
sottling among us by the hard stories in circulation re
garding the terrible falls of snow we have. We do, oc
casionally, have a winter so severe that we have to feed
stock from four to six weeks during the entire winter.
During the past winter there were ten days on which
snow felL The deepest snow was seven inches, January
21st; by the 24th it was all gone. Cattle were in good
order the entire winter without feed.
Thi famoua Chicago, Milwaukee k St Paul, whose
lines of railway ramify the whole oountry north and
west of Chicago, is a favorite route for travelers between
that city and 8t Paul and Minneapolis It ia thorough
ly equipped with everything required for the safety and
oomfort of passengers. Travelers over the Northern
Pacific or Oregon Short Line will find that at Omaha or
Ht Paul they can reach a greater number of points in
Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin by the lines of this com
pauv than by any other road. Ita fast train from St
Paul to Chicago is of special convenience to travelers
who desire to see those cities when enroute through
them. Mr. W. H. Marshall is the agent of the company
in Portland, and has his office at the oorner of Ash and
ront street.