their semi-military uniforms, as they turned out in full force on
their gala day, the first of May.

"On the arrival of the steam fire engines, six of the younger members
of each company were taught to manage the same, and soon became
proficient as engineers. Each company sent three members to the board
of delegates, who made laws for the entire department. Whether owing
to good luck or good management, we had very few large fires in those
days, the most notable being the Rosedale store, owned by Reid and
McDonald, on the north-east corner of Bastion and Wharf Streets; the
Sam Price warehouse, then used as a lodging-house, opposite the
Occidental Hotel--this fire brought out for the first time the Tiger
steam engine, with Mr. H. E. Levy (one of the engineer class) at the
throttle. Another large fire not to be overlooked was the Hotel de
France on Government Street, nearly opposite Bastion. It is a notable
fact that a great number of the most efficient heads of the
department were nearly all Americans, viz., John Dickson, S. L.
Kelly, John C. Keenan, Charles Brooks, J. A. McCrea, James Drummond,
and many others, who no doubt are still remembered by the old-timers.
There was a strong spirit of emulation between the companies,
which added greatly to their efficiency, each striving to be first at
the fire, as it was considered an honor to have first water on the
same. At the tap of the fire alarm men could be seen running from all
quarters to the engine-houses, as the first man at the engine-house
had the honor of carrying the pipe into the fire, which was a
position of some danger."

CHAPTER X.

A SIBERIAN MAMMOTH.

Some four or five years ago I came across an American illustrated
newspaper containing an account of the discovery of a perfect mammoth
in Siberia, where it had been imbedded in a glacier for thousands of
years. It was stated that an expedition had been sent from St.
Petersburg by the Imperial Academy of Sciences, headed by Dr. Herz;
also that later a telegram had been received stating the expedition
had been successful in securing the animal complete, and that all the
principal parts, including even part of the contents of the stomach,
had been secured and were being brought on sledges overland for
thousands of miles. I was intensely interested in the alleged
discovery, and made many enquiries of various people to find out if
there was anything in it more than sensation such as is often got
fro