stopped. What! the boat is rushing
straight on to the banks. H-w-k! A whole shower of spray is dashed
into our faces. Little shrieks and laughter, and a sudden hopping up
from stools, and a sudden retreat from the railing to the centre of the
deck. Staggering, quivering, aghast, the boat reels and careens.
Seethe and plunge the angry waters, whirling, foaming, furious. Look
at the pilot. No chatting now, no bystanders, but fixed eyes and firm
lips, every muscle set, every nerve tense. Yes, it is serious.
Serious! close by us, seeming scarcely a yard away, frowns a black
rock. The maddened waves dash up its sullen back, the white,
passionate surf surges into its wrathful jaws. Here, there, before,
behind, black rocks and a wild uproar of waters, through all which
Providence and our pilot lead us safely into the still deep beyond, and
we look into each other's faces and smile.

And now the sunset reddens on the water, reddens on the bending sky and
the beautiful clouds, and men begin to come around with cards and
converse of the different hotels in the Montreal that is to be; one
tells us that the Prince of Wales beamed royal light upon the St.
Lawrence Hall, and we immediately decide to make the balance true by
patronizing its rival Donegana, whereupon a man--a mere disinterested
spectator of course--informs us in confidence that the Donegana is
nothing but ruins; he should not think we would go there; burnt down a
few years ago,--a shabby place, kept by a grass widow; but when was
American ever scared off by the sound of a ruin? So Donegana it is,
the house with the softly flowing Italian name; and then we pass under
the arch of the famous Victoria Bridge, whose corner-stone, or
cap-stone, or whatever it is that bridges have, was laid by the Prince
of Wales. (And to this day I do not know how the flag-staff of our
boat cleared the arch. It was ten feet above it, I should think, and I
looked at it all the time, and yet it shrivelled under in the most
laughable yet baffling manner.) In the mild twilight we disembarked,
and were quickly omnibused to the relics of Donegana, which turned out
to be very well, very well indeed for ruins, with a smart stone front,
and I don't know but stone all the way through, with the usual
allowance of lace curtains, and carpets, and gilding in the parlors,
notwithstanding flames and conjugal desolation; also a hand welcomed us
in the gas-lit square adjoining, and we were hosp