PRINCE OF WALES IN CANADA.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 November 1919, Page 4

PRINCE OF WALES IN CANADA.

A WiLD WE&t SHOW. SASKATOON, Sept. 11. : Having passed through the gateway of the West, the Prince has now entered on the boundless prairie. From daybreak he proceeded through a portion of the Empire’s granary, graingrowing land stretching far beyond the horizon. He saw threshing in full operation in many fields still bearing tlie yield of wheat, and oats in stook waiting their turn for threshing out the golden grain. There were also a number of large mixed farms, with big herds of cattle and horse-breeding establishments, but the land is mostly corn farms. As fast as the harvest is gathered the land is being ploughed to receive the seed for next year’s crop. There are splendid, scenes of activity all over the country to get the work forward before the winter snows, hut the workers ceased their labour to salute the Prince, often waving the Union Jack) wliich they brought lout from their homes in order to show how strong a place Britain holds in their lives. There was not a wayside station but had a congregation of cheering people. All through the night they had assembled at central points to demonstrate loyalty to the Prince" and whenever the j engine stopped to Like in water the , inhabitants turned out in force. At, one station, at two o’clock in the morn- j ing, everybody was awakened in the train by the people singing the National Anthem and ‘‘The Maple Leaf,” and cheering just as. heartily as they ‘ would have done if they had seen .the Prince. In another place the crowd, j brought in many miles in motors, gathered round a girl dressed as Britannia, and sang patriotic songs. . It is obvious that the eounti-y folk are ns keenly interested in the presence of the Prince among,them as the Canadians in the cities have shown themselves. He had a fine welcome in Saskatoon, which in less than twenty years has grown from bald prairie land to a city of nearly 30,000 inhabitants. In this vast country, which, can hold ten

.times its present population, the dis : tances between towns are great. Saskatoon is about 400 miles from Winnipeg on the east, and the same from Edmonton on the west, with no place of any size between, with hardly any manufactures.

WONDERFUL COWBOY FEATS. At Saskatoon, which is the distributing centre of a large area, evorbody has supreme confidence in the future; that is - evident by the expenditure on the University and other public biddings and the planning of wide streets, the whole organisation of the town being arranged so as to meet requirements when Saskatoon’s population is infinitely larger. The citizens were proud to show the Prince the development of their town, but the greatest delight they had was when his Royal Highness accepted an invitation to a “stampede,” where he could see something of the skill of the men on the ranges. Fifteen thousand people welcomed the Prince in the arena, and his Royal' Highness remained three hours and witnessed a most amazing exhibition of riding, roping steers, and lassoing. The participants clearly, set out to make this the wildest of Wild West show's. They cared not for injuries, and tackled the animals in most difficult situations. The stands fairly rocked with enthusiasm, and no toreadors at Spanish bull fights were greater heroes. The cowboys showed that theirs was no sport for tender men. Some of the buck-jumpers,'’ when they could not throw their riders, rushed among the crowd, but the latter, however, not unexpecting their moves, were always on the alert, and'there were fewer accidents at this “stampede” to-day than at previous shows, though the fun was faster and undoubtedly more furious. During a lull the Prince showed his interest in the national pastimes by ‘asking that two cowgirls bo presented to him. The girls, blushing unaccustomedly, walked across the arena amid a tumult of cheering and stood before the Prince in their picturesque costumes —leather' skirts, top boots, rope girdles, and last—this seemed a trifle .incongruous—silk blouses. They wore ;the high-crowned sombrero hats affected by the cowboys. When the Prince admired the skill of those engaged in , the display they modestly replied that fthey enjoyed the sport. Not to bo outdone, a woman in the crowd hailed a cow'boy, sat astride behind him, rode to the front of the Royal Pavilion, and slid over the horse’s tail; and then Asked the Prince to pose for a photoigraph. His Royal Highness smilingly complied. A RANCHER’S MISHAP. One of the cleverest items in a marvellous programme was what is called bulldogging a steer. Two cowboys galloped up the arena behind the big animal One jumped off his horse while going full speed, seized the steer by his long horns, and threw it. Generally the men came down under the beasts. One heavy man, a millionaire rancher) riding in trousers with -white shirt and linen collar, in throwing a huge ani.-> mal had the beast on top of him, and' fell so badly that his shirt back was torn to shreds across his mighty .shoulders, and his skjn was cut in "many places. On releasing himself ho picked up his felt hat, put, on his waistcoat, and was walking off when the Prince sent for him and asked if he were hurt. The rancher merely laughed and said it was nothing unusual. This and. every other bit of pluck were recognised by the crowd. The performers were ordinary workers on the Western ranches competing for prizes, but their exhibition was far finer,than the professional shows.

At the close of the stampede and the day a- rancher named Lethbridge, owner of some of the horses ridden by the cowboys, asked the Prince if he would like to have a ride on the horse he had used in the arena, a long-tailed broncho, high-spirited, but of more gentle manners than, most of the animals seen during the afternoon. The Prince said lie would. W v hen his Royal Highness mounted the crowd broke into a condition of delirious excitement, cheering-again and again, and waving arms and handkerchiefs. The whole of the cowboys formed about the Prince, and their wonderful, delight at seeing the Prince, dressed in a lounge, suit, on what they called a cowboy outfit, was transparent on every rugged face. The Prince said to them, “I did not think I should have the luck to meet you.” His Royal Highness, esoorted by cowboys from the Canadian West and from Montana and Wyoming, rode 1200. yards to the end of the arena, and then, turning, he led the cowboys back at a tearing gallop.