VANCOUVER ISLAND 



AND 



BRITISH COLUMBIA. 



CHAPTER I. 



THE VOYAGE. 



WHETHEK Good Friday was more unlucky than 

 Fridays usually are, in the estimation of sea- 

 going men, I know not, but from England to St. 

 Thomas we encountered a succession of head- 

 winds and terrific seas. Of course it was the re- 

 gular typical storm : ' waves running mountains 

 high, threatening instantaneously to engulph the 

 struggling ship in a watery abyss; rent sails, 

 creaking timbers, men lashed to the wheel (real 

 tarry Ixions) ; screaming mothers, and remark- 

 ably sick papas and passengers,' that ended in 

 our case, as it usually does in all sensation sea- 

 voyages. St. Thomas was arrived at in perfect 

 safety, some few days after time. 



Amongst the passengers was a lady, fat be- 

 yond anything I have ever seen (of the human 



VOL. i. B 



