To give a bird's-eye view of our Carnival is
difficult in the limited space at our disposal, and yet convey any
fair idea of the hurrying to and fro, the cheery jingling of
sleigh-bells, the shouts of tobogganers, the smile on every face,
the friendly grasping of hands, and the general air of
holiday-making to which we have all so completely given ourselves up
this last week.
Montreal, perhaps, more than any of our cities, by
virtue of its situation and surroundings, its pure air and healthy
out-door sports, possesses attractions which have made it the one
place in Canada where a winter carnival may be most fully carried
out. If our first, in 1883, was a great success, we hope our second,
in 1884, has been a greater. It has had this difference: we have for
the first time met his Excellency the Governor-General and Lady
Lansdowne. They arrived, with their suite, on Monday, and have since
put in a good honest week's work. They have been present at every
ball, every masquerade, every tobogganing hill; visited colleges,
convents, and schools; received and replied to addresses; attended
organ recitals, skated, been photographed; and, in fact, done
everything (and done everything graciously and pleasantly) that an
exacting people have desired. They have left us, and by their
courtesy and affability have established a popularity which will
stand them in good stead through all their term of office.
Looking back on the week, the two things for which
perhaps we may take to ourselves most credit are our Ice Palace and
the masquerade at the Victoria Rink. The former is castellated in
design, 160 feet long (larger they tell us than the historical
palaces of Russia), and contains 15,000 blocks of ice. Solitary, it
stands in a square, directly opposite the Windsor Hotel. Viewed in
the daytime, every block emitting its prismatic ray, dazzling and
sparkling with crystal brilliancy as the sun lights on it, it
presents an appearance which is completely fascinating, and has been
visited, admired, and wondered at by hundreds every hour.
At night
it is illuminated from within by the iridescent light of electric
lamps, and on Wednesday, when it was attacked and defended by snow-shoers,
it was like a scene from fairy-land, and like nothing else. Sixteen
hundred men, dressed in blanket coats, with their respective club
colors in stockings, sash, and toque, surrounded it, and for
half an hour rockets, Roman shells, and balls of fire flew in every
direction, while red, blue, and green lights were burned at
intervals, each changeful rainbow hue giving some new and brilliant
effect. After the capitulation victors and vanquished alike joined
in one long line, and, with torches high in air, marched toward the
Mountain. Taking a zigzag course they reached the summit, where they
again sent off fire-works, and turning, wended their serpentine way
back, looking in, the distance like a thread of gold.
As to the Rink, it is itself the finest in Canada,
and the masquerade on Thursday has never been surpassed in this
country. The ice was in splendid condition, and completely covered
with graceful skaters in every imaginable fancy costume. There
was a
large ice temple in the centre, flags flying everywhere, gay music
from the band; "roll and double roll," figures 8 and 3,
"grape-vine," waltzing backward and forward— the merry maskers
skated round in seemingly unending streams, making the whole place
one moving mass of ever-changing form and color.
Little of a
private nature has taken place during the week in the way of
entertainment. True, there have been two balls, both highly
representative. One was given by the officers of the garrison
artillery, with decorations of a military character; the other by
the Master of the Montreal Hunt, with sporting decorations; but time
generally has been more given to out-door than to in-door amusement
Sleighing has been enjoyed to its fullest extent, and everything,
from a six-in-hand with postilions to a box "sled" with dogs, has
had the right of way through our streets. Tobogganing is perhaps the
most distinctive and unique of our sports, and has most excited the
enthusiasm of our foreign friends. The hills have been getting
steeper and swifter each year, and now the speed with which one
reaches the base must be experienced to be realized. At night they
have been lighted by hundreds of torches, with usually a large
bonfire at the top. As seen from a distance they have a strange,
weird effect, somewhat as if an Indian encampment had suddenly
settled among us. Curling, too, has had many enthusiastic followers,
and rinks have been kept in good order for the bonspiel. The
river itself has held a position of importance, frozen from shore to
shore, and not a few have seized the opportunity of sleighing
across and visiting the villages on the other aide of the great St.
Lawrence.
Lest the
idea of so much frost and cold should be too chilling, we hasten
from this to the only other point needful to notice, namely, the
Windsor Ball. Here the one thing most apparent to the senses was the
heat. As a spectacle it was fine, but when we say that seventeen
hundred people obtained admission, you will understand there was
little chance of dancing. Besides Lord and Lady Lansdowne, the
invited guests included President Arthur and .the Governors of all
the States. Many of these were present, and in fact most of our
visitors came from "across the line." It is now all over. Our aim
has been to show that life in Canada may be not only endurable
during the winter months, but enjoyable. Our two carnivals, we
think, have proved this, for though "the clerk of the weather" might
have been more gracious to us this year, it is only fair that our
friends, wishing to know our climate as it is, should experience it
in all its phases, including even a thaw.
every masquerade, every tobogganing hill; visited colleges,
convents, and schools; received and replied to addresses; attended
organ recitals, skated, been photographed; and, in fact, done
everything (and done everything graciously and pleasantly) that an
exacting people have desired. They have left us, and by their
courtesy and affability have established a popularity which will
stand them in good stead through all their term of office.
Looking back on the week, the two things for which
perhaps we may take to ourselves most credit are our Ice Palace and
the masquerade at the Victoria Rink. The former is castellated in
design, 160 feet long (larger they tell us than the historical
palaces of Russia), and contains 15,000 blocks of ice. Solitary, it
stands in a square, directly opposite the Windsor Hotel. Viewed in
the daytime, every block emitting its prismatic ray, dazzling and
sparkling with crystal brilliancy as the sun lights on it, it
presents an appearance which is completely fascinating, and has been
visited, admired, and wondered at by hundreds every hour.
At night
it is illuminated from within by the iridescent light of electric
lamps, and on Wednesday, when it was attacked and defended by snow-shoers,
it was like a scene from fairy-land, and like nothing else. Sixteen
hundred men, dressed in blanket coats, with their respective club
colors in stockings, sash, and toque, surrounded it, and for
half an hour rockets, Roman shells, and balls of fire flew in every
direction, while red, blue, and green lights were burned at
intervals, each changeful rainbow hue giving some new and brilliant
effect. After the capitulation victors and vanquished alike joined
in one long line, and, with torches high in air, marched toward the
Mountain. Taking a zigzag course they reached the summit, where they
again sent off fire-works, and turning, wended their serpentine way
back, looking in, the distance like a thread of gold.
right of way through our streets. Tobogganing is perhaps the
most distinctive and unique of our sports, and has most excited the
enthusiasm of our foreign friends. The hills have been getting
steeper and swifter each year, and now the speed with which one
reaches the base must be experienced to be realized. At night they
have been lighted by hundreds of torches, with usually a large
bonfire at the top. As seen from a distance they have a strange,
weird effect, somewhat as if an Indian encampment had suddenly
settled among us. Curling, too, has had many enthusiastic followers,
and rinks have been kept in good order for the bonspiel. The
river itself has held a position of importance, frozen from shore to
shore, and not a few have seized the opportunity of sleighing
across and visiting the villages on the other aide of the great St.
Lawrence. 
Lest the
idea of so much frost and cold should be too chilling, we hasten
from this to the only other point needful to notice, namely, the
Windsor Ball. Here the one thing most apparent to the senses was the
heat. As a spectacle it was fine, but when we say that seventeen
hundred people obtained admission, you will understand there was
little chance of dancing. Besides Lord and Lady Lansdowne, the
invited guests included President Arthur and .the Governors of all
the States. Many of these were present, and in fact most of our
visitors came from "across the line." It is now all over. Our aim
has been to show that life in Canada may be not only endurable
during the winter months, but enjoyable. Our two carnivals, we
think, have proved this, for though "the clerk of the weather" might
have been more gracious to us this year, it is only fair that our
friends, wishing to know our climate as it is, should experience it
in all its phases, including even a thaw.
