rORT ARTHUR AND FORT WILLIAM 119 



point to the extensive traffic which this highway 

 from the Far West affords. We were never long 

 out of sight of the black smoke line, which stood out 

 in sharp contrast against the clear blue sky. As 

 evening advanced, the great islands behind us became 

 mere specks on a far-off water waste, and the chill of 

 departing day was felt. The sun dipped low on the 

 horizon, and masses of piled-up clouds glowed as 

 with hidden fire ; patches of blue sky were marked 

 with a tracery of gold and grey. Half buried in the 

 sea the red disk sank, until the last lingering ray 

 disappeared, and it was night. 



The early morning brought us within sight of 

 Thunder Bay and Sleeping Giant Mountain. Port 

 Arthur and Fort William at the head of the lake are 

 rapidly rising towns, anticipating by their enormous 

 grain elevators the corn produce of the Golden 

 West. These twin ports developing side by side 

 and presenting the interesting problem to speculative 

 minds as to which would gain pre-eminence, are the 

 best examples of what railway enterprise can achieve 

 in connexion with a growing country. Everywhere 

 there are palpable signs of industry ; large trad- 

 ing steamers, extensive wharves, and coal docks; 

 facilities for loading and unloading, and transporting 

 the products of forest and field by land and inland sea. 

 It could scarcely be surmised that Port Arthur only 

 a few years ago was practically stagnant until it 

 received the initial impulse from the construction of 



