the land of the living. I would we had such
Queen's weather as we had then. May was equal to July now for warmth,
and with beautiful clear skies, they were days worth remembering.
Everyone went out for the day and the hill was covered with
picnickers. The navy was represented by bluejackets and marines by
the hundreds, bands of music, Aunt Sally and the usual other side
shows. And lastly, I must not forget the music. The flagships of
those days were large three-deckers, line-of-battleships, such as the
_Ganges_ or _Sutlej_, which would make an ordinary flagship
look small. It was understood that the officers, being wealthy men,
subscribed liberally towards a fine band. It was a great treat to
hear the _Ganges'_ full band, as I have heard it in the streets
of Victoria preceding a naval funeral to Quadra Street Cemetery, and
very few I missed. But I have digressed and will proceed to finish
Government Street. The corner building, now torn down to make way for
the Five Sisters' Block, was occupied by William Searby, chemist, who
was my Sunday School teacher. He left Victoria for San Francisco,
and I had the pleasure of renewing his acquaintance years later,
and, I think, he is still in business in Market Street. In the
front of Searby's stands John Weiler, father of the Weiler brothers
of our day. The upper portion of this building was called the
Literary Institute, and the first I remember of Mr. Redfern was
at an entertainment given here for some charity, when he sang that
beautiful tenor song from "The Bohemian Girl," "Then You'll
Remember Me," and it has been a favorite with me ever since. W. K.
Bull, who presided over so many municipal elections, and was a very
well-read man, also took part, giving a reading on Australia, and
ending up with a recitation.

Crossing the street, we come to the Brown Jug, the same to-day as
then, but kept by Tommy Golden, a well-known character then. In the
front is a hydrant with a water-cart getting its load for
distribution through the city. The water was conveyed in wooden pipes
from Spring Ridge and sold by the bucket, which may be seen on the
shafts of the cart. Forty of these buckets represented one dollar.
Opposite the Brown Jug and across the street is a vacant lot, now
occupied by the Bank of Commerce. The opposite corner to this is also
vacant, but soon after was built the present brick building by J. J.
Southgate and Captain Lascelles, R.N., of the gunboat _Boxer_.

[Illus