I am not sure if I have got the leads which I got for my ink pencil.
If they are in the right hand top drawer of your writing table, will
you send them when you send my goggles?
Have not done anything about money yet for want of advice. It's no
use sending letters to Roland Stanley, he's too far away from
Montreal. He must wait till we get more settled. Please remember me
to everybody, particularly the Miss Bruces.
60, Aylmer Street,
Montreal,
_September 9th_, 1884.
My Dear Mother,
This letter is following pretty close on the heels of the other one.
and for this reason: I can't find any letter of introduction to Dr.
A. Howel or to Mrs. A. Howel, or any instructions as to calling
without an introduction in the epitome of my letters which father
gave me. I can't have lost it. You put them all up in a bundle, and
I never saw them till I opened my portmanteau at Sherbrooke.
Certainly I gave them to Henry to look over while I was writing as
he sat beside me, but he was so almost immoderately careful that I
do not think he can possibly have mislaid any of them. Anyhow it's
not here. If I am obliged to leave Montreal before I hear from you I
shall call on him and make my own explanations. But I don't know how
I could do that either, for I don't know if he was father's friend
or whether we got the introduction from someone else. Well, I shall
hang on as long as I can, and then go and beard him in his den as a
last resource. Now that's all the business I have to mention; it's
a bad job, but it can't be helped. Perhaps, after all, I never had
an introduction, and ought just to have called and mentioned the
father. I know he gave me a lot of directions when he read the list
over, but I can't remember them all, and only against one has he
made a note that no introduction is necessary. Yet there are about
half-a-dozen to whom I have not got letters, but whose names occur
the same as Roland Stanley. We've been hunting round, kicking up no
end of a dust, and called on and badgered scores of people. I have
already been twice to see a man called Van Haughton. He is some sort
of a boss on the Canadian Pacific Railway, and I am going again
to-morrow, though they don't want any men--at least not ordinary
men--but I am going to try and convince them that I am something
extraordinary. The ten pounds loose cash we brought out will only
last us another fortnight, but I have great hopes that Henry will
not need to draw more. Roland Stanley very kindly took him to a farm
to-day, a few miles from here, to see a man he knew, but the chap
wanted £50 per annum, so we declined. I was not able to go as I had
an appointment, but I don't think it made any difference, though
they didn't do any bargaining, only just asked him if he would take
him, and he said he would for the above-named sum. Some of the
introductions we brought out have been very useful--that to the
Darwins particularly. George, the elder son (I think) is a jewel. I
believe he would pop his Sunday coat if he thought it would do us
any good. He is strongly of opinion that Henry should advertise for
a job. He says he is certain that he would get lots of answers. But
I think it will be better to wait till we see what happens at
Sherbrooke, as by all accounts he could not do better than go to old
Crabtree. I think, with the prospect of his being shortly settled
there, you might write and explain (if possible) the matter of the
introduction--if we are not here they can forward the letter. 8
p.m.--We have just been down to the station to fetch some of our
baggage, having been told that we should have to pay for it if we
let it lie there, and as we did not wish to bestow any portion of
our capital on cabbies, we carried it up. The consequence is I feel
like this [Illustration: Hand bent at wrist.] as Pot would say. The
weather has been that hot since we came. By-the-bye, I meant to say
when I said that we had just been down to the station, that as I
felt so limp from carrying baggage on a hot night, you would have to
put up with bad writing, but I see it's just as good as what I
started with. It would all be better if Henry was'nt writing too--at
the same table I mean--which, being one of the round one-legged
arrangements usually met with in boarding-houses, is scarcely equal
to the weight of eloquence which he brings to bear upon it. I wonder
what he's writing about. You might just let me know what he says
next time you write. He's just bought some new pink paper to write
upon, and has already started several times with a most careful
beginning, so it ought to be something worth hearing. I have
suggested that he should give you his ideas concerning the crops of
this country, but his innate modesty debars him from giving an
opinion on a subject upon which he confesses himself at present
profoundly ignorant, notwithstanding that we went yesterday
afternoon (there being nothing else which could be done,) to the
great Dominion Agricultural Show, as befitted the incipient farmer,
and that I there carefully explained to him the points of interest
of all the exhibits in relation to which I was convinced that he was
as ignorant as myself. I am afraid, however, that he was rather
inclined to treat my explanations with levity, owing to a base and
misleading practice resorted to by the Committee, of hanging up
beside the stalls, though in not very conspicuous places, a
statement of the supposed race or species of each animal. These
prejudicial placards for a long time escaped my notice, so that I
was unable to fortify his perceptions with an account of the
pig-headedness of Agricultural Committees in this respect. The only
thing that I was entirely unable to explain, and the reason for
which I could by no means fathom, was the pertinent enquiry
constantly occurring, "why should one cow be given a first prize and
another none at all," when the only difference to the mind of a just
and impartial observer consisted in the variety of their attitudes
or colour. Being thus baffled in my attempts at edification, we
adjourned to see some niggers manufacturing tobacco.
Thursday evening.--I have just had a letter from Allen, saying that
he had three letters and a parcel waiting for us, so Henry has gone
down in great excitement with a post-card to tell him to send them
on as soon as possible. I wonder if they are from any of you people,
though I don't know what should make you think of addressing to us
there. It was rather a rummy thing his finding out our address, for
we didn't leave any; but just the other day, when looking over the
things in my despatch-box, I found a letter to Allen in Mr. Horton's
handwriting. I had'nt the least recollection of his having given me
anything of the sort, but I posted it down to Sherbrooke forthwith,
together with a note, making the best excuses I could for not having
delivered it before when I was on the spot, and of course I put my
address on the top. I should'nt wonder if one of the letters was the
lost introduction, which must have been left behind by some mistake.
We have been hunting about no end since we came here; calling on
everybody, from the man in the moon downwards, but do not at present
seem to have derived much benefit from it. I daresay Henry has told
you of a wild scheme in which Mr. Barnes wanted us to engage. He is
a most excellent old gentleman, the personification of good nature
and kindness, but is a good deal of a visionary on the agricultural
settlement question. When we called upon him on Saturday, he pressed
us most eloquently to up stick and go west with a friend or
connection of his, who was starting at nine o'clock on Monday
morning. He so far prevailed upon me that, in case there should be
anything in what he said, I went down to the bank and drew
sufficient money for our fares, and then returned to lunch with him
and the gentleman in question, a Mr. Deacon. In conversation with
him afterwards, he (Mr. Deacon) strongly advised us to do no such
thing. A branch line from the Canadian Pacific Railway, from Regina
to a place called Sussex, about thirty miles or so, which was to
have been graded this fall, and was to give me almost certain work
for the winter, would probably not be begun for some time, and the
land which Mr. Barnes had understood was along the railway in a
tolerably well-peopled district, turned out to be at the head of
Long Lake, eighty-four miles from Sussex, which is thirty miles from
Regina, not that those distances are anything great, but it meant,
in plain English, going and starting a farm 110 miles from the
nearest railway station, without a particle of knowledge or
experience. Still, we should have got the land for nothing; that
much was promised; and had I seen any chance amounting to five to
one that I should not have to spend my own money during the winter,
I should have gone, and, once well acquainted with the country, I
think we should have been able to live upon our land in some way
till I could trust myself to invest in a few implements. There must
be a fearful amount of gammon in the talk about this country
somewhere. I was told--in fact we were all told--that living in the
country was very cheap, and that living in Montreal was dear, but
according to Deacon it is just the reverse. He said he did not think
we could live in Regina, or thereabouts, supposing we got nothing to
do, under ten or twelve dollars a week, instead of five which we pay
here. I don't say that I believe it; someone must be in the wrong;
and until we can find out for ourselves it is impossible to say who
it is. It may just as well be Deacon as anyone else. Still, it would
have been unwise to go west so soon on pure speculation. The end of
it was the gentleman started away by himself, and Mr. Barnes said we
were quite right to stop where we were. He said, somehow or other,
he had managed to get a wrong impression of the whole affair. He has
since exerted himself a great deal in making enquiries in Henry's
behalf, and he gave me an introduction to a young fellow in the
Harbour Commissioner's office, which, however, did not prove of much
value. We have had to take our present diggings for another week,
not having been able to get finished up here in time. I do not want
to leave the place and leave any stone unturned, and there are
several people I can see yet. We see Roland Stanley nearly every
day, at a fish and game club where he introduced us, and which forms
a most convenient meeting place, &c. Like everyone else, he is very
good-natured, but his power of assisting us, so far, seems to lie
chiefly in his willingness to do so had he the power. He has given
over his farm to his son, and only kept his house and a few acres,
comprising his garden chiefly, so there is no chance of his taking
either of us. Holloway and Darwin are our two next best men; they
are both young, and both back us up most energetically. We are going
to spend the evening to-morrow with the Darwins, and on Sunday
evening we dine with the Holloways, which is a great improvement on
a crowded boarding-house. The latter is a partner in a well-to-do
hardware establishment, which means to say they import all sorts of
saws, chisels, axes, hammers, etc., from Sheffield; and the latter
is accountant in a bank here. He has got a mother and two sisters,
both possessing every claim to amiability. Holloway went with me on
Wednesday to the Grand Trunk Railway Works, and introduced me to
several people, and "boosted" me all he knew, but it was no go, they
sacked seventy-five men last month, and are going to do the same
again this month, things are "that" slack. Yesterday he took me down
to the Canadian Pacific Works, but the man we wanted was away, so we
are going again on Monday. There is also another man I am going to
see on Monday, who has a good-sized iron-foundry. I went down there
to-day, but he was out of town. Also I am going to see another
engineer to-morrow, so you see I am not done yet. I saw the son of
President Arthur, of the United States of America, this afternoon,
at the club, where he was detailing his sporting adventures, having
been away all summer in California and the Rockies, fishing and
shooting, which he seems to have done in a very luxurious manner, to
judge from his conversation. He talked about having engaged a Pulman
Hunting Car for his trip, &c., and, apropos of fishing, said he had
seen two natives netting salmon in some river or other, so he
"stopped the train" while he went to look on and try his hand at it.
By-the-bye, tell old Daddy that the pocket-book he gave me has
turned out the most useful thing in my possession, barring coin; in
fact, without it I should have been stumped, and had to buy one
before I left Liverpool. The little one you gave me would never have
held all the cards, letters, and business communications I have had
to cram into it. In fact, I verily believe its bulky proportions and
imposing air have obtained me an interview with many a big gun when
I should have been politely bowed out had I not produced it with the
sternness of a highwayman drawing his pistol, when I presented my
card. I must shut up or I shall lose the mail. Henry is writing also
by this post, but I wanted to tell you about the Howel introduction.
With best love to everybody all round,
Believe me,
Your loving Son,
J. SETON COCKBURN.
60 Aylmer Street,
Montreal, P.Q.,
_Sept. 20th_, '84.
My Dear Pot,
I daresay you would like to hear my opinions concerning the manners
and customs, _alias_ professional resources of this much talked of
country. When you told me that if I expected to drop in for an
appointment such as I would take in England after a fortnight's
search, I should be disappointed, you only predicted half the truth.
As far as I can see at present, it is equally a matter of difficulty
to obtain the sort of work upon which I was told on all hands it was
best to begin. I do not mean to say I have made a bad spec by coming
here, it would be much too soon for that even if I had been crumped
out of every shop I showed my nose in, which I have not by any
means, for I have met with more disinterested and sincere advice,
and have received more good-natured "boosting" in this country in an
hour than I found in the old country in a month. What I mean is,
that it seems rather harder, or at least quite as hard, to get work
of any sort, as a fitter, engine driver, or anything else _at once_.
I was told that for a sensible chap who would begin small, there was
lots of work to be had for the asking; in fact, that there was a
demand for what I may call professional labour, but that is a great
mistake. The works here, of every sort, are just as slack as they
are anywhere else, rather worse perhaps. I went to the Grand Trunk
and also the Canadian Pacific, but there was not the remotest
chance; they are cutting down everywhere, sacking men, clerks, and
draughtsmen hand-over-fist. The bosses were all good-natured, and
sometimes spoke to their subordinates themselves, to see, as they
said, if there was, or soon would, be, any vacancy, but there was
not; and in the face of any number of their old hands waiting to be
taken on again, there was small chance for a new comer. Of course
both the Grand Trunk and the Canadian Pacific Railways have been
running for some time, and are nearly finished, so it is not likely
that they will be increasing their staff. The chances lie in the new
companies that will probably form, and in the new works that will
probably be opened, but this is a matter of waiting, not always
convenient. There is small doubt, I think, that by waiting and
worrying, some of these chances might be laid hold of, and that
properly used they might be turned to good account, for there must
certainly be lots to be done eventually, unless nine-tenths of the
country are going to stand still and remain undeveloped; but this is
not exactly what I expected. I thought that if a man represented
himself as an engineer, and said that he would go and work as a
navvy, fitter, or blacksmith, until the company found it would be
better worth their while to employ him higher up the ladder, he was
pretty certain of getting his request granted; but they say here
that is not so, they are not particularly in want of gentlemen of
any of the above persuasions anywhere about their line, and it won't
pay them to keep two men where they need keep but one. Thus, the
main point of difference between the two countries seems to me to be
that, here work is more or less on the increase, though to nothing
like the extent represented at home, and in England it is on the
decline. Even that is not quite right, for work here at present is
certainly getting slacker every day. There has been a great "boom"
on Canada lately as a field for labour, thousands and thousands of
people have come, and been sent out by Colonization Societies, etc.,
and the consequence is, there are more people already than there is
work for, even in the agricultural line. Winnepeg, the much talked
of Capital of the West, is simply dilapidating, and as far west as
Regina living is high and wages low. I was told in friendliness, by
a chap called Deacon (I was introduced to him by his father-in-law),
who has an enormous tract of land by league with the Government, and
to whose interest it will be to colonize it as soon as possible,
that living in the latter place cost about $10 a week, just double
what we are paying here; and that he could get plenty of men glad to
do any work for him at $15 a month and their keep. All the towns
down the line are the same, every place (so I am told) is, so to
speak, staggered by the great and sudden influx of emigrants. Of
course, by those who have money enough to start a farm and have
sufficient experience to start it upon, there is always a
comfortable living to be made, so long as there is a good export
market for grain; but there is as much difficulty with the
experience question as with the financial, for the ordinary run of
emigrants, owing to the difficulty of getting on to a farm. These
difficulties, I believe, will continue until there is a cry in the
opposite direction, and Canada is voted a hoax. When people cease to
flock out here, because they are told they can earn $40 a month,
with their board, and when those who have already arrived get shaken
down into their places which will be opened for them by the natural
increase in the number of farms every year, the country will soon
revive, and with it the demand. When the people in England and
elsewhere having got Canada off the brain, it will not be overflowed
with people who come out to make fortunes, and at the end of six
months only wish they could make tracks.
I have not written all this by way of complaint, or because I think
our own prospects look black, for they don't; thanks to some
powerful friends and good introductions. I think we are both pretty
sure of profitable work for the winter, which, of course, means also
after the winter; but, because my first impressions of the country
are different from what I expected them to be, and I wished for the
sake of afterwards comparing them with later experiences to put them
on record, and I put them in the form of a letter to you, because,
being a thinker on such Subjects, you may like to grin and note how
my surprises are what you would have expected. I don't know what the
people at home thought of my first letter; it must have dispelled
some illusions concerning the voyage out, which they seemed to have
thought we should like immensely, but we didn't, except at the
beginning and the end. The first letter we had from the Governor
said, "I suppose by this time you are just about losing sight of the
Irish coast, and beginning to meet the long swell of the Atlantic,
and wishing your voyage was to last forty days instead of ten." Such
a wish was far from my thoughts, and the dickens a bit of the Irish
coast we ever lost sight of, for we never saw it, passing it in the
dark and in thick weather, and, at the time we ought to have been
losing sight of it, we were tumbling about at the instigation of a
nor'-wester of moderate proportions; and we never felt the delights
of a long swell at all, the wind, blowing fairly hard the whole
time, shifted regularly every day from nor'-west in the morning to
west and sou'-west at night, and kept us jumping about like a pea on
a hot plate the whole time, which, with soaking decks and cold
weather, made it imperative to go below occasionally to get warmed,
dried, fed, and--sea-sick sometimes, when the weather and the st--ks
were worst. It was a good week before it occurred to me that I might
be able to get a light for my pipe under the lee of the hurricane
deck, especially if I borrowed a fusee for the purpose. However, I
was sorry when the run was over after all, and I had to commence
knocking about from pillar to post on shore. I am sure I must have
walked from twelve to fifteen miles to-day in job hunting alone,
having made six business applications at long distances apart. It
has been upon one occasion exactly the same as with the Indian
business. If you remember, they said, "had he been a civil engineer
we could have sent him out at once;" and I called on a chap here, a
C.E., called Bantry, who asked me if I knew anything about
surveying; I said I did, rejoicing inwardly at the vagueness of the
question, but he soon stopped generalizing, and asked had I ever
done any practical surveying--in fact, could I take charge of a
survey-staff, to go out west or elsewhere. I said I felt certain I
could do so, but to his direct question was obliged to admit that I
had never had any experience. He seemed sorry; he wanted someone to
take charge of a survey, but he said he could hardly employ me for
that purpose, seeing I had had no practice. I think, had I possessed
a theodolite, and all the other paraphanalia, I could have got him
to take me on trial, but of course it was no use spending a lot of
money on instruments that I might never want, just for the chance.
This is the only time I have come near getting a job yet. It was
riling to miss it, but I don't see how it could have been otherwise.
What would you have done? I am rather at a loss to know what to do
now. I seem to have pretty well dried up Montreal, and don't see
much use sticking here for another week, and yet the man whom I have
got to see at 9 a.m. to-morrow, may recommend me to half-a-dozen
different places, and those again may give rise to another
half-a-dozen. What's the use of writing it all down any way? I am
sitting on a very low chair at a very high table, consequently my
left arm feels as though it was restraining an apparent tendency on
the part of the table to set at nought the established laws of
gravity. How is the old Tadpole, the wily banker, the impecunious
toiler among heaps of gold? Tell him to prig a few thousand pound
notes, and wrap himself up in them all but his head, that will do
for the port light, and labelled "wrong side up, with care," and get
himself sent across here, then I shall have nothing to do but to
chaw baccy, and wait till he comes out of jail. Have you seen my
particular friend the "Dook" lately? How's he a-getting on? And
what's he doing? And what does he want to do? which is just the
difference between great expectations and little realities.
By-the-bye, did you ever hear of a single ladder bucket dredger for
a depth of thirty-five feet to dredge 1,200 tons an hour? The
buckets are 1 cwt. 7st. capacity, and travel up at the rate of 125
feet per minute; the engines are vertical, and the connecting rods
go slick on to the pinions, on which is the friction arrangement,
instead of on the spur wheel. I got an introduction to some people
in the Harbour Commisioners, and the above details are all I got out
of them.
Now, good-bye old chap, and good-bye to the port-light too. Don't
bother to answer this, unless you have got something to say: you are
sure to be busy, and I generally have my evenings pretty much to
myself.
Your loving brother,
J. SETON COCKBURN.
P.S.--I meant to post this in time for the English Mail on Saturday,
but found, on coming here, that the post is Thursday. We are now at
Eton Corner, where Henry has at last come to an anchor. Of course, I
had come down with him to see the chap, and make the financial
arrangements. I can't tell you anything about them yet, as we found
the chap in question had been suddenly called away, and would not be
back till to-night. Hardy is his name. (I've found some ink). We
went out to the farm this morning. It is said to be a very good one,
and the fellow is worth a good deal of money. I expect I'll have
time to tell you what arrangements I have made before I mail this.
Henry was delighted with the place, and was not at all disconcerted
by what they told him he would have to do. I think he will get on
well. There is no doubt that he understands clearly what is expected
of him, and that he means to do it.
[Extra Supplement.]
Sherbrooke, Monday.--Many thanks for your letter, which I have just
received; I also got one from Frank, and one from mother this
morning when I arrived here. I have just settled Henry's business,
and left him to his own resources at the farm. His address is, c/o
W. Hardy, Eton Corner, P.Q. Your letter and those from home were
almost the first reminders I had about my birthday. I just
remembered, about an hour before I got them that it was past and
over. You see I, in a manner, anticipated your wishes about letting
you know what I think of the country, though, on reading it over, I
don't really know whether I have talked a lot of rubbish or not. I
have given you a lot of semi-political cant, when what you want to
know is simply, how easy is it to make coin out here. Well, I think
the answer to that is pretty easy. If a man is not ambitious, and
would be content to be a common or garden farmer for the greater
part of his life, and have, say a $1000 a year to settle down on
when he gets old, why let him ask some to give him some land and
begin. Everyone says it's the jolliest life going, but then
"everyone" is a farmer, so their opinion is no more than consistent.
That is just about the state of the case at present. If a man is
ordinarily careful in the choice of his land and the situation
thereof, he has the best possible chance of making a comfortable
living, and if he has got an agricultural soul his life will
probably be a happy one. Concerning the preparatory training
necessary before buying a farm, I should say there was some bosh
written on the subject. Mind, I am only talking, I'm not giving
deeply-studied opinions, or anything of that sort. I know too
precious little about it. I've seen it stated constantly in books
and newspapers, that "_anybody_" can easily get ten dollars a month,
and their keep to begin upon. I say emphatically anybody can't.
Henry is to get nothing at all to start with, bar of course his
board and lodgings, etc. I don't say that I couldn't have done
better for him, but I don't think I could, not without spending a
lot of money in travelling about, and I made up my mind long ago to
take the first thing that offered both for him and for myself. I
have sent a short description of the people with whom he will have
to live, etc., to mother, and he will, no doubt, send a full account
of his commencement and first impressions. Just to give you an idea
of the eagerness with which he commenced his work, I may tell you
that he would not come down to the station this morning to see me
off, because "there was too much to be done." He had offered to
churn the butter for Mrs. Hardy, and the boss had to go to a
committee meeting of the annual fair, etc., etc. Well, it's a good
sign. I gave him all the tips I could think of, and all the advice,
and I believe he has begun his work with the firm resolve of making
himself valuable to old Hardy. Now I'm going to shut up, as I've got
to write to mother. Tell the old Coke I will write him a jaw
sometime. Much obliged to him for his letter.