somewhere out there, and he says he thinks I should be able to get
on too. When at last we got up alongside the wharf he was of great
service to us; he has been backwards and forwards several times and
knows the ropes well. He took us to an exchange office where he said
we should get the most value for our money, which turned out to be
$4 86c., about par I believe. He and everyone else that I asked said
that the idea of a premium on English money was a myth, that $4 86c.
was the highest, and that only in gold; for a fiver that Dr. Marsh
exchanged he only got $24 instead of $24 30c. Well, we shall see
when we get to Montreal and deliver the circular notes. The landing
and all the Customs business was a great nuisance, though we got
through capitally. I waited quietly till the hoorooche was all over,
and then went and collared the most benevolent-looking old chap to
come and stir up our baggage. I had them all unstrapped and ready,
and he just looked into one or two and then asked me if I had
anything in them that was not my own wearing apparel, or that had
not been worn. I said no (there were lots of things that hadn't been
worn, but then they _were_ my own wearing apparel), so he chalked
them all up without even desiring that Henry's big box might be
opened, which was very lucky, as it would have been a great nuisance
to have to knock those plates off the keyholes. I think it is a
great mistake to put them on; there is no fear of the things getting
wet down in the steerage deck where they are stowed, and they may
possibly cause a lot of delay going through the Customs House. Then
came our first experience of Canadian Railways, _not_ a pleasant
one. We were told the train would start at 2.15, accordingly we
dispensed with dinner and were on the platform at the stated time,
but the train never moved till nearly five o'clock. Then the baggage
chequing business turned out a great nuisance, the men went down to
cheque it while I was away getting the tickets, and when I came back