A Nobleman's View of the North- West. 539 



explored the immense country which lies along the whole course of 

 the wonderful Saskatchewan, which, with its two gigantic branches, 

 opens to steam navigation settlements of rapidly-growing impor- 

 tance. As it was, we but touched the waters of the north and south 

 branches, and striking south-westwards availed ourselves of the 

 American railway lines in Montana for our return. It was most 

 interesting' to compare the southern mountains and prairies with 

 our own, and not even the terrible events which have recently cast 

 so deep a gloom upon our neighbours, as well as on ourselves, could 

 prevent our kinsmen from showing that hospitality and courtesy 

 which make a visit to their country so great a pleasure. I am the 

 more glad to bear witness to this courtesy in the presence of the 

 distinguished Consul of the United States, who is your guest this 

 evening, and who, in this city, so honourably represents his country 

 in nothing more than in this, that he has never misrepresented our 

 own. Like almost all his compatriots who occupy by the suffrage 

 of their people official positions, he has recognized that fact which 

 is happily acknowledged by all of standing amongst ourselves, that 

 the interests of the British Empire and those of the United States 

 may be advanced side by side without jealousy or friction, and that 

 the good of the one is interwoven with the welfare of the other. 



" Canada has recently shown that sympathy with her neighbour's 

 grief which becomes her, and which has been so marked through- 

 out all portions of our Empire. She has sorrowed with the sorrow 

 of the great commonwealth whose chief has been struck down, in 

 the fulness of his strength, in the height of his usefulness, in the 

 day of the universal recognition of his noble character, by the 

 dastard hand of the assassin. We have felt in this as though we 

 ourselves had suffered, for General Garfield's position and personal 

 worth made his own and his fellow citizens' misfortune a catastrophe 

 for all English-speaking races. The bulletins telling of his calm 

 and courageous struggle against cruel and unmerited affliction have 

 been read and discussed by us with as strong an admiration for the 

 man, and with as tender a sentiment for the anxiety and misery of 

 his family as they have been awaited and perused in the South. It 

 is fitting and good that this should be. We have with the Ameri- 



