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- 126 REMINISCENCES OF OLD VICTORIA
were for Victoria. The freight was transferred to small steamers for this city, and also carted up by road.
We ourselves landed here from the steamer Northerner with six hundred others in February, 1859, and came around to Victoria in a small steamer and landed at the Hudson's Bay Company's wharf. There were several stages plying also, the fare being " only one dollar." The "'Squimalt" road of that day was not that of to-day. It branched off the present Esquimalt Road at Admiral's Road and ran eastward parallel with the present road, climbing up a very steep grade before reaching Lampson Street, and then keeping on straight till reaching Craigflower Road. Then it branched into the present road again at Everett's Ex-change. This great change in 'Squimalt has not taken place in late years. The loss of the naval station lately does not seem to have made a deal of difference to its appearance. It dates back to the "wooden walls " of old England, and the appearance on the scene of the ironclad of later years. Whatever was the cause, the effect is there, and I suppose good reason could be found for the great change. Melancholy it was to me, who had seen the place full of life, jollity and laughter as bluejackets and scarlet-coated marines by scores landed with plenty of money in their pockets, and maybe three days to spend it in. They were soon on the road to Victoria, stopping at the wayside houses as they jogged along, singing and laughing like a lot of school-boys let loose from school.
On one of these occasions a laughable incident occurred, as scores of these bluejackets and marines passed up Esquimalt Road. A squad or more might have been seen walking along, headed by a bluejacket playing a
ESQUIMALT, THEN AND NOW 127
lively tune on a fife or tin whistle. One or two were dancing to the tune, when all at once the music stopped, as a halt was made, the command being "'Alt all 'ands !" They had come opposite a wayside house and the sign over the porch?SALOON--had attracted their attention. One of the sailors had commenced to spell out the sign. " What's this blooming sign say? A hess, and a hay and a hell and a double ho, and a hen?saloon ! Why blast my blooming h'eyes, mates, it's a blooming pub ! All 'ands come in and take a drink," and you may be sure " all 'ands " forthwith filed into the saloon and " smiled," to use a Western phrase.
"For Jack's the boy for work, And Jack's the boy for play; And Jack's the lad,
When girls are sad,
To kiss their tears away."
These good old days of 'Squimalt, I am afraid, are gone for ever with her prestige as a naval station taken from her. Shall we see her rise again as a commercial port, as a headquarters of the C. P. R.? Shall the echoes of commerce take the place of the echoes of Jack's laughter and song? Let us hope so, and so end my little reminiscences of 'Squimalt's early times.
Since writing this I have come across a cutting in my scrap book from the Colonist of May 17th, 1870, which gives the account of the arrival of the first and only flying squadron (under Admiral Hornby), which ever arrived here. By the by, we were promised flying squadrons in lieu of stationary squadrons on this station. When is the first to arrive? As there was a flag-ship here with two other vessels, at this time, my readers
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