274 TRAVELS IN THE EIGHTIES. 



been discovered near Comox. Work has been com- 

 menced there, and lines of railway almost completed, 

 several miles in length, connecting them with the 

 shore. 



At eight the following morning I quitted Nanaimo 

 on the steam tug, without feeling any pangs of regret. 

 The Irishman had been " shipped " on board, and was 

 regarded by the captain, for some reason, with great 

 antipathy. As before mentioned, I found it unneces- 

 sary to take him beyond Comox, and from there he was 

 sent back in the steamer, somewhat to his disappoint- 

 ment, as he evidently expected to have an easy 

 time of it for the next fortnight. Comox was 

 reached after a pleasant run of eight hours up the 

 coast of Vancouver's Island. The sun was hot 

 and the day nearly cloudless, but a pleasant breeze 

 ruffled the surface of the water. The coast scenery 

 is decidedly attractive. It was settled that the 

 steamer should leave Comox again early the fol- 

 lowing morning for the iron mine on Texada Island 

 across the strait, which allowed me the late afternoon 

 and evening to conclude a bargain for two Indians 

 and a canoe if they could be found if I wished to 

 avail myself of the steamer in being towed across 

 the Straits of Georgia, for which service I was to 

 pay the sum of $7 ; which, however, I considered 

 preferable to the chance of being caught by a gale 

 of wind in the straits while far from any shelter. I 

 was, therefore, delivered over into the hands of 

 " Joe," an old soldierly -looking individual acting 



