a gully with water at the bottom; a sort of trestle sidewalk on
stilts was afterward constructed until the gully was filled in. At
this date the Methodists had the most pretentious church in the city.
The basement was used for Sunday School, prayer meetings and
lectures. I must not forget the tea meetings which were given in
those days. They were presided over by prominent ladies of the
congregation--Mrs. Trounce, Mrs. Donald, Mrs. Bullen, Mrs. McMillan,
Mrs. Spencer and Mrs. N. Shakespeare--and the admission to these "tea
fights," as they were termed generally, was $1.50, and well
patronized they were at that price. I attended many, and I think I
can see now the tables spread with good things, and those sitting at
them, nearly all of whom have passed away. We were early birds in
those days. Entertainments commenced at six o'clock and all over at
ten. By the large view of Government Street in 1858 it will be seen
how it has progressed. It was not metalled until 1859, and nearly all
the buildings were frame. The first brick is now to be seen on
the corner of Courtney Street, the "Windsor Hotel." Where the
Empress Hotel now stands, and all the land to the south and east, was
the upper part of James Bay, and mudflats, and at times not very
savory. It was not until late in 1858, or 1859, that a bridge
connected the north and south sides of James Bay, people having to
walk around the bay eastwards. The population of James Bay District
was very sparse. Trails instead of streets ran in all directions.
Belleville Street, that is now so thronged with passengers to and
from the C.P.R. steamers every day, was not then in existence, for
the beach reached to the trees in the front of the Parliament
Buildings. Where the new Pemberton block now stands, down to the
corner of Government Street, was an orchard and vegetable garden.
Across the street where the Five Sisters Block stands was a vacant
lot with a log hut in the rear where the Hudson's Bay Company baked
bread for the citizens, four-pound loaves being twenty-five cents,
and very good it was. From Mr. Harry Glide, who arrived in Victoria
in 1856, and has lived near the Outer Wharf for fifty-four years, I
have learned much of the condition of things previous to the inrush
from California in 1858-1859. He says all James Bay District was
covered with fir trees and all the land from the mouth of the harbor
along Dallas Road to Beacon Hill was "Beckly Farm." He says there
were quite