^^'^*^^- EXCURSION TO KiKG'S MERE. 

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On Saturday, the 2Ut of May, the first excursion for 1887 was 

 held. The day dawned bright and warm, and at the appointed hour of 

 9 a.m. a hirge gathering of members and their friends assembled at the 

 corner of Bank and Sparks streets, where the Club vans were to start 

 from. A few minutes later six large covered vans were closely filled 

 and took their departure for King's Mere. Across the Suspension 

 Bridge they rolled, and their occupants had a good opportunity of 

 seeing the Chaudiere Falls at the period of " high water" in the Ottawa. 

 At Hull the main street was found to be impeded for its entire length 

 "with a trench blasted in the solid rock, for the laying of water pipes, 

 and by the resulting mounds of stone, as well as some ridges of ice 

 which had been protected by debris ; a detour was thus necessitated 

 and the party emerged through the C. P. R. station-yard on to the 

 Chelsea Road. After the payment of somewhat exorbitant tolls, there 

 was a stretch of several miles of macadamized i-oad and then turning 

 down through Old Chelsea the road ran through a pretty piece of 

 woodland, containing some splendid butternut and other hardwood 

 tree. Pleasant as wa.s the drive, everybody was delighted when the 

 pretty little lake known as King's Mere was reached and the vans 

 baited at its upper end. Several persons who had been unable to go in 

 the vans arrived soon afterwards, and the total number of those present 

 was found to reach 119, making the excursion the largest ever held by 

 the club. As soon as the numerous baskets, collecting boxes, &c., had 

 been removed from the vans, the President, Mr. R. B. Whyte, 

 announced that at two o'clock those wishing to ascend the mountain 

 were to gather, and that at 4.15 the entire party would re-assemble for 

 the purpose of hearing the usual addresses, from the leaders of the 

 several branches, on the collections and -observations of the day. The 

 party then broke up into numerous groups, which sought out shady 

 places under the clumps of trees upon the mountain foot Klope, and pro- 

 ceeded to discuss with sharpened appetites the contents of numerous 

 baskets, obtaining clear, cool and sparkling water from a spring near 

 by. At the appointed hour the President headed the company, which 

 desired to ascend the mountain, and the advance was made along an 



