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A.W. ROW : 1867 ORIGINAL, HISTORIC MANUSCRIPT TRAVEL JOURNAL HANDWRITTEN BY A CHARMING ENGLISHMAN DETAILING HIS VOYAGE FROM PLYMOUTH TO QUEBEC THEN OVERLAND TO 'UPPER CANADA' MERE DAYS AFTER CONFEDERATION

16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall. On offer is a manuscript travel journal of a sea voyage from Plymouth England to Quebec and an overland tour to Toronto and Hamilton made in the month following the Confederation authored by an Englishman identified by his own inscription as A. W. Row. It gives a fabulous opportunity to see Canada through the eyes of an early traveller. He travelled by boat, rail and horse-car, comparing the sights to England and expressing especial liking towards Hamilton, Ontario. On July 11, 1867 he boarded a brig named "Eliza", commanded by Captain Barrett: "Arrived on board the Eliza at noon, got on first rate, eat, drank, and slept well", but due to weather conditions they were not able to get to sea until July 15: "Started at 4 a.m., enjoying myself jolly, leaving the Princess Royal and Countess all astern, about 9 or 10 miles off the Lizard". In his voyage account he mentions seeing a whale, and catching cod and a shark, writes about strong head winds and gale: "One of the heaviest gales the crew ever recollects in the month of July. While at dinner the rudder ropes parted nearly throwing the man over the wheel…obliged to heave to under close reefed main topsail only. I never saw anything so awfully grand in my life. I had three falls but escaped with two nasty bruises". On August 10 he writes about Dead Horse celebration, the day when sailors paid off their debt to the ship according to a naval tradition: "Had rare fun about the Dead Horse, had to stand grog around". On August 30 they arrived in Quebec: "…arrived at Montreal at 6AM. Next morning had a drive around the city, was very much pleased, at noon started by cars to Lachine & through to Hamilton... that travelling much more pleasant than what I have seen there in England, should like to live in C.W. very much." In Hamilton he was staying at the Royal Hotel, the only first class hotel in the city built in 1857 by Thomas Davidson, and meeting with several people: "Still at Hamilton the folks very kind...wish me to stay longer very sorry i can't. E. T. Very jolly nice gal no humbugging stiffness that some gals have". Then he started his return trip, first by rail to Toronto, which he found nice, but not as pleasant as Hamilton, and then by boat to Montreal, was riding around with captain Barrett on business, and regretted not having time to visit the Montmorency Falls . On September 13 they set sail to go back to England. The journal covers a two month period, written in a fine colonial hand, on blue lined leafs with marbled edges, 11 pages are densely filled, but most left blank. Unique wallet-style binding, brown roan with wrap around closure, internal pocket to front board.. Illustr.: /. Manuscript. Book Condition: Good

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