The Henson Journals

[19]

Friday, August 23rd, 1912.

'It is more than the best Wit in the World can do to inform itself, within one year's compass, of the nature of a great nation, of the factions, of the places, rivers, & of all good helps, whereby to prosecute a War to the best effect. Our Princes have commonly left their Deputies in Ireland three years; whence, by reason of the shortness of that their time, many of them have returned as wise as they went out; others have profited more, & yet, when they began but to know the first rudiments of war, & government fitting the country, they have been called home, & new Apprentices sent in their places, to the great prejudice both of this & that Estate. But it have ever been the old course of the world rather to follow the errors than to examine them: & of Princes & Governors to uphold their slothful ignorance by the old examples & policy of other ages & people: though neither likeness of time, of occasion, or of any other circumstance, have persuaded the imitation'.

Sir Walter Raleigh. 'The Historie of the World' p. 863. [London. 1666].

[20]

A very wet morning for our departure. The post brought a proof of my article on St Bartholomew's Day 1662. I corrected it, & at once posted it to the "Times". Then for a while the household was convulsed with the crisis that I had lost my keys. They were finally found in my tail–pocket! With the invaluable help of Marion, & the willing labour of the maids, we did at length get to Euston, where we found a great crowd. Our journey to Liverpool was uneventful. We went at once on the "Empress of Ireland", & found our cabin. We then watched the process of taking luggage & post–bags on board, everything went on under a pitiless rain. About 7 p.m. all was completed, & the liner actually started.

At dinner we had places at the Captain's table: opposite was Sir George Askwith & his wife. Mary Scott was distant but a single seat.

On Saturday, the sea was fairly smooth, & the sun shone brightly. I was able to attend at meals; but Ella failed after breakfast.

On Sunday the sea was distinctly rougher. Ella took the prudent course of staying in bed. I had an interval of dubiety when first I got up: but finally decided to brave it out. I attended service read by the Captain in the saloon: & then sate out on deck & read. I lent Sir George Askwith the Putumayo Blue–book; & had some conversation with [21]Mr Mitchell his colleague. The latter is a working–man, & has decided opinions on economic questions – decided but rather pessimistic. He expressed himself as hostile to the plan of bringing working men to Oxford. He said that Socialism was making rapid advance among the artisans: but he could suggest no effective means of checking it. The only method of avoiding disaster was for the employers even at the eleventh hour to set about making the condition of their work–people more tolerable. Where employers had done this, there had been no difficulties. He quoted the well–known cases of Cadbury & Lever. At dinner my neighbour, Sir Charles Johnston, was communicative. He held forth to me on the subject of extemporaneous preaching, which he eulogised. Evidently my style of oratory would not be to his taste!

We have over 1900 persons on board, of whom 320 are first–class passengers, & more than 700 steerage. It is hard to believe that there can be so many persons stowed away in the ship.

The voyage proceeded without incident until on Tuesday we got into the Strait of Belle Isle, where many icebergs made navigation perilous. For some hours during the night the engines were stopped, & we waited daylight. There were a good many icebergs, mostly small ones, visible when we came on deck. Now a violent wind made our progress tardy, and greatly hindered our comfort.

[22]

On Thursday morning the violence of the wind was nowise abated. We packed our baggage, & prepared to leave the ship at Rimouski, where the customs–official boards the vessel.

About 3.30 p.m. we arrived at that place, and disembarked in the steamer which came alongside to bring the officials, and take off mails. Mr Fleet came also to our great relief. In order to board the steamer we had to traverse the steerage, where we admired the simple yet comfortable provision for the 700 & more 3rd class passengers, & the violent odour which pervaded their quarters! Before closing the record of our voyage, let it be mentioned that one of the steerage folk, a Swedish woman, was delivered of a child: and £15. collected among the saloon passengers for her, & £1. for the nurse!

Mr Fleet showed us Rimouski, a flourishing & characteristic French town. Almost all the houses were wooden, though brick & cement were visibly invading. Most conspicuous was a large new Roman Catholick church built of stone in a style at once pretentious & tasteless. This building was being erected by Scottish loans secured on the tithe. The Bishop has to obtain the consent of the parishioners before pledging the tithe in that way, but such is the power of the church that the parochial veto is not exercised. We had a comfortable meal of eggs & tea in a little hotel.

[23]

There, as we had some time to wait for the train, I had some conversation with Mr MacTier, who with his son, had also landed at Rimouski. He was bent on a moose hunting expedition. He told me that the Governt limited the sportsman to a single moose, and that the killing of more was punished by a heavy fine. Our conversation having come round to Putumayo, I was interested to learn that the director, Sir John Lister–Kaye, was not unknown in Canada, where he had taken up a considerable ranch, but failed to make it pay!

Our train was more than an hour late, &, when at length it took us on, its pace was abnormally slow. We spent more than an hour in traversing the 25 miles between Rimouski & Little Metis. On arriving at the latter, we went on a 'buck–board' chaise, and were driven at a break–neck pace over the most wonderful road in the world. It was a series of swamps and mountains. We held on, & thus arrived about midnight at our destination, where we were hospitably received by one of our host's daughters. Very delightful was the consciousness of terra firma after our experiences on the Atlantic, where (though we could recall no great disaster) we had endured unceasing discomfort, and apprehension. However, taking all things together, the voyage was not unprosperous.

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Issues and controversies: Putumayo