FAR AND NEAR 



for them, two deer appear upon the beach, about a 

 mile distant. Tliey l:>rowse around awhile, then 

 disappear in the woods. To the west of us is a 

 striking picture. In the foreground is the sea with 

 a line of low, rounded, dark rocky islands; behind 

 them, far off, a range of blue mountains with a 

 broad band of dun-colored clouds resting upon 

 them; rising above the band of clouds a series of 

 snow-covered peaks, with the sun shining full 

 upon them, probably the highest peaks we have yet 

 seen. The cloud belt cuts off and isolates the peaks 

 and gives them a buoyant airy character. From 

 the dark near-by tree-tufted chain of islands to 

 the white-illuminated peaks, what a wealth of blue 

 and gray tints and tones! 



Near nightfall on this second day we begin to 

 feel the great pulse of the Pacific around the head 

 of Vancouver Island, through the broad open door 

 called Queen Charlotte Sound. For three hours 

 the ship rolls as upon the open sea, and to several 

 of us the " subsequent proceedings " that night were 

 void of interest. 



In the early morning we pass another open door, 

 Milbank Sound, but are soon in Graham Reach, 

 which is like a larger, wilder Hudson. When we 

 look out of our windows the sun is upon the moun- 

 tain tops, and the snow much farther down their 

 sides than \\e have yet seen it. 



As we progress, many deep ravines are noted in 



26 



