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[Page 66]
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The next morning I left for New York, gathered my belongings, and the same evening was on my way to Buffalo; it was an all night journey, arriving there at half past seven. I sought an hotel, enjoyed my bath and breakfast, and left for Niagara. A tram car took me there in three quarters of an hour, and I have to confess to disappointment that at the terminus it looked like an ordinary suburb, and looking for a conveyance to take me to the falls, I was told that they were opposite, and there just as on a sea-side water front were shops and a pavement. I had dreamed of wonderful canyons and mighty gorges and here was just what looked like a fast running river. I was always sorry that this was my first view, because later when advised to take a car and drive round the whole eight miles, and viewing it from every point it was miraculous and awe inspiring. Both the Americans and the Canadians have, I think, in their desire to make it a paying proposition, lost much of the spirit of grandeur. For instance to view the rapids where Captain Webb lost his life, in his foolhardy attempt, one goes through a souvenir shop and down an almost perpendicular cable tram, where at the bottom it is impelling in its rugged mightiness, but its artificial entrance detracts.
I viewed also the home of the shredded wheat, and marvelled at its huge organisation, so skilfully and artistically handled. Every worker dressed in white, bakers, packers, printers, manipulating the most effective machinery with the deftest dexterity. A hostess, who receives one at the well furnished lounge, and courteous guides who conduct parties at intervals, as though it was their greatest pleasure in life.
The next morning I left for Toronto, and with some of the other passengers toured the town and its environments in a Char-a-banc, known to the Americans as a rubber neck, by reason of turning one's head in every attitude in order to follow the direction of the guide. Ours on the occasion was even more voluble than the usual and greatly facetious. He, in broad Canadian accent, informed us when passing a park that at the moment though there was no sign of fruit trees there might be seen any evening many 'pears' and an occasional 'peach'. He was very careful too, to have the car drawn into the side walk, so that we might