was seen black
with people who stayed for hours in the hope of catching sight of the
Prince as he went from one ceremony to another.

It was a gathering of many races. There were Canadians born and
Canadians by residence. Vivid American girls come by steamer from
Seattle were there. There were men and women from all races in Europe,
some of them Canadians now, some to be Canadians presently. There were
Chinese and Japanese in greater numbers than we had seen elsewhere, for
Victoria is the nearest Canadian city to the East. There were Hindus,
and near them survivors of the aboriginal race, the Songhish Indians,
who lorded it in Vancouver Island before the white man came.

And giving a special quality to this big cosmopolitan gathering was the
curious definitely English air of Victoria. It is the most English of
Canadian cities. Its even climate is the most English, and its air of
well-furnished leisure is English. Because of this, or perhaps I
should say the reason for this is that it is the home of many
Englishmen. Not only do settlers from England come here in numbers,
but many English families, particularly those from the Orient East, who
get to know its charms when travelling through it on their way across
Canada and home, come here to live when they retire. And this
distinctly English atmosphere gets support in great measure from the
number of rich Canadians who, on ceasing their life's work, come here
to live in leisure.

Yet though this is responsible for the growing up in Victoria of some
of the most beautiful residential districts in Canada, where beautiful
houses combine with the lovely scenery of country and sea in giving the
city and its environments a delightful charm, Victoria is vigorously
industrial too.

It has shipbuilding and a brisk commerce in lumber, machinery and a
score of other manufactories, and it serves both the East and the
Canadian and American coast. It has fine, straight, broad streets,
lined with many distinguished buildings, and its charm has virility as
well as ease.

IV

The Prince made a long break in his tour here, remaining until Sunday,
September 28th. Most of this stay was given over to restful exercise;
he played golf and went for rides through the beautiful countryside.
There were several functions on his program, however. He visited the
old Navy Yard and School at Esquimault, and he took a trip on the
Island railway to Duncan, Ladysmith, Nanaimo and Qual