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From Returned Missionaries

Alma O. Taylor's Journal Excerpts-4

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Part 4

July 27

Arrived in Seattle in time for breakfast. Changed from the Northern Pacific to the Seattle and International Ry. and continued on our way to Vancouver. The movement of the train was very slow but the beautiful scenery of the country through which we passed was so grand that a swiftly moving train would not have been satisfactory. The gigantic pines towered up on either side of the track, waving gentley in the breeze they seemed to bid defiance to the keen edge of the woodmans ax many of whom were striking vigorusly at their base. As the lion is king of the jungle, so also are these mighty trees the monarchs of the Western Mountain ranges. But the hundreds of stumps which were seen along the way gave evidence, that as the parents of these massive monuments of wood had some time been forced to yield to the superior power of man, so also must they fall and become a means of promoting the wealth happiness and comfort of mkind. Yet their memory shall not be lost, for silently, yet gracefully, were growing at their base, thousands of their kind that under the protecting hand of God, shall grow to reach the self same hights and kiss the clouds as they have done. The ferns which grew luxuriantly with spontenous growth like grass covered the ground, with a mantle of green which here & there was dotted with the delicate colors of wild flowers. Suddenly leaving the timbered hill we our train passed into the beautiful green and level valley of the Frazer River. Rolling slowly on its course this vast body of water. (which I should judge was about one third of a mile wide) presented to the eye, of one who had been used to the gushing streams of the Wasatch Mountains, a picture of wonderment and awe. What mind can conceive the amount of water that daily flows along this river bed? much less imagine with its finite powers the volumes which roll on, eternally, toward the Western Sea? Yet nature with all her wonders is governed by one Creative hand and God oversees and measures all her deeds. For about two hours we followed the course of this river arriving in Vancouver at 4:50 pm. After visiting the ship ("The Empress of India") in which we were to take our voyage across the sea, we went to the Commercial Hotel; (about ¾ of a mile from the depot and secured rooms.