Westward with the Prince of WalesNewton, W. Douglas (Wilfrid Douglas)
History
Westward with the Prince of Wales
Newton, W. Douglas (Wilfrid Douglas)
Canada -- Description and travel; Windsor, Edward, Duke of, 1894-1972
The Parliament Buildings are beautifully situated before a wide stretch
of water. They are the semi-classical, domed, white stone buildings of
the design of those at Edmonton and other cities--a sort of
standardized parliament building in fact. Before them, on the terraces
and lawn that shelved down to the water, the big throng made a scene of
quick beauty. There were ranks of pretty nurses, rank upon rank of
khaki veterans, battalions of boy scouts mainly divorced from hats
which were perpetually aloft on upraised and enthusiastic poles, aisles
of sitting wounded whom the Prince shook hands with, and thick,
supporting masses of civilians. Lining this throng were unbending
fillets of scarlet statues, the "Mounties" of the guard. And
humanizing the whole were solid banks of school-children who sang and
cheered at the right as well as the wrong moment.
The presentation of medals--one to a blinded doctor, who, led by a
comrade, received the most poignant storm of cheers I have ever heard
in my life--and a giant public reception finished that day's
ceremonies. Sunday, October 5th, was a day of rest, and Monday was the
day of the "Mounties."
The Prince showed a particular interest in his visit to the
Headquarters of this splendid and romantic corps. The Royal North-West
Mounted Police is a classic figure in the history of the Empire. The
day is now past when the lonely red rider of the wilds stood for the
only token of awe and authority among Indian tribes and "bad men"
camps, but though that may be there are no more useful fellows than
these smart and sturdy men, who, scarlet-coated, and with their
Stetsons at a daring angle, add a dash of colour and bravery to the
streets of Western Canada.
In his inspection the Prince saw the reason why the physique of the men
should be so splendid and their nerve so sure. The training of the
R.N.W.M.P. makes no appeal to the weakling of spirit or flesh. He saw
their firm discipline. He saw them breaking in the bucking bronchos
they had to ride. He saw them go through exhausting mounted tests.
His congratulations on their wonderful show were expressed with great
warmth.
III
From Regina the Prince took a holiday. He went up to the sporting
country near Qu'Appelle for duck and game shooting, spending from
Monday, October 6th, until Friday, October 10th, there. This district
abounds in duck, and the Prince and his staff had very fair sport.
During his stay the weather suddenly turned colder, the rivers froze
over and snow fell. So sudden was the cold snap that one of those with
the Prince was caught napping. He woke up to find that his false teeth
were frozen into the solid block of ice that had been water the night
before. He had to take the tooth glass to the kitchen of the house
where he was staying, and thaw it before he could even articulate his
emotions adequately.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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