HOW IT ALL CAME ABOUT 13 



We left our train an hour late, and with a 

 head wind and a cold night we were glad to 

 take the steamboat and be in the shelter of a 

 warm stateroom. Many of the passengers 

 were going to the far West from the "Old 

 Countries" of Europe — quite a number being 

 from England. Their comments upon the 

 sights and upon the fleet of passing vessels as 

 our good ship, the Assiniboia, plowed her 

 way through the inland sea, were good to hear. 

 "Hope, eternal hope," and wonder were ex- 

 pressed upon their faces in an unmistakable 

 manner. When we came to the famous "Soo" 

 Canal and our boat entered it, the crowds on 

 the wharf who had come to meet friends on 

 our steamer, or from idle curiosity, were of 

 prime interest to the newcomers. 



Behind us were two tugs, one pushing and 

 the other towing a big barge loaded with small 

 poplar logs. This barge had to be deftly 

 handled so as to get it in as close to the north- 

 ern side of the canal as possible, and also it 

 had to be brought near to the stern of our 

 steamer so that both vessels could be locked 

 through at one time. This situation retarded 

 us considerably, so two of the newcomers 

 with a little boy left the steamer and walked 

 across the top of the front locks. They soon 



