THE CAPTAIN AND THE MAJOR. 7 



the sublimity of the spectacle. We returned con- 

 tinually to gaze on it, more and more fascinated, and 

 in the bright clear moonlight of a beautiful summer's 

 night, viewed the grand cataract at its loveliest time. 

 But newer subjects before us happily forbid any 

 foolish attempt on our part to describe what so many 

 have tried, but never succeeded, in painting either 

 with pen or pencil. On the Lewiston steamer we 



had made the acquaintance of Captain , or, 



more properly speaking, he had made ours. The 

 gallant captain was rather extensively got up, his 

 face smooth shaven, with the exception of the upper 

 lip, which was graced with a light, silky mous- 

 tache. He wore a white hat, cocked knowingly on 

 one side, and sported an elegant walking cane ; the 

 blandest of smiles perpetually beamed on his counte- 

 nance, and he accosted us in the most affable and 

 insinuating manner, with some remark about the heat of 

 the weather. Dextrously improving the opening thus 

 made, he placed himself in a few minutes on the most 

 intimate terms. Eegretting exceedingly that he had 

 not a card, he drew our attention to the silver mount- 

 ing on his cane, whereon was engraved, " Captain 



, of ." Without further inquiry as to who 



we were, he begged us to promise to come over and 

 stay with him at his nice little place, and we should have 

 some capital " cock shooting " next winter. The polite 

 captain then insisted on treating us to mint-juleps at 

 the bar, and there introduced us with great ceremony 

 to a tall, angular man, as Major So-and-so, of the 

 Canadian Eifles. 



