272 



TRAVELS IN THE EIGHTIES. 



selves, their time is divided between the mines, the 

 bar, and the card-table. 



Inhabited though Nanaimo is by such a class, it 

 is not exceptional to find that all the various religious 

 denominations have taken root, and, as is generally 

 the case in every settlement of moderate size in this 

 country, the little churches or chapels belonging to 

 the different bodies form very conspicuous objects 

 in the landscape. The next day was Sunday ; all 

 the shops were closed, but access was obtainable to 

 all the drinking-bars by a side door. Several times 

 daily a detachment of the Salvation Army appointed 

 to this place, consisting of two men in uniform with 

 a drum, marches through the principal streets, hitherto 

 without having attracted any following, or, on the 

 other hand, without having been molested. 



The departure of a small tug-boat called the Rustler 

 (the term "rustler" denoting an energetic person), 

 by which I intended to reach Comox, a settlement 

 about sixty miles farther up the coast, was quite un- 

 certain, and might have occurred on Monday or the 

 day after. This made it necessary to remain in 

 Nanaimo until the time and date of departure should 

 be made known. Eventually it was decided that the 

 tug was to leave on the Tuesday ; so I spent Monday 

 in the woods fly-fishing on the Nanaimo Eiver, about 

 eight miles distant, with the object of getting away 

 from the town. But the water was low and exceed- 

 ingly clear, the sun bright, and the salmon had not 

 yet commenced to run. 



