258 A SPORTSMAN'S EDEN. 



1885. The wages earned by white navvies on 

 these two works were about 45 dollars a month 

 and board. There is lots of work still to be 

 had in British Columbia for strong and willing 

 men, though much of the land has already been 

 reclaimed, and most of the great lines have been 

 built. 



There is another class to which British 

 Columbia holds out great inducements the 

 men, I mean, of small capital or limited incomes, 

 the ruined landlords and soldiers, of whom Eng- 

 land considers that she has no longer any need. 

 To these latter British Columbia is specially 

 kind. I dare say I am insufficiently informed, 

 but I know of no other country to-day in which 

 retired officers, formerly in her Majesty's Service, 

 are offered free grants of land as they are in 

 British Columbia. 



To a subaltern of seven years' service, British 

 Columbia offers 200 acres of land as a free grant ; 

 to field officers of twenty-five years' service, she 

 offers 600 acres. As a home the world cannot 

 offer anything better than Vancouver's Island to 

 my mind, save for those luxuries and advantages 

 of society, amusement, and education, which in 

 the nature of things can only be obtained in 

 crowded centres. As to the society, it is made 

 up largely in Victoria of the same sort of people 



