Capt. John McGrath to the right of Capt. McKay, who is behind the chair.

Capt. John McGrath was born in the pretty little village of Lachine, Que. He was educated in the Village of Lachine, and from there he began to sail on the great river at the age of sixteen on the steamer Clyde, running between Prescott and Montreal. From the Clyde he went on the side-wheel steamer Osprey, between Hamilton.Toronto, and Montreal, a boat owned by Capt. Frank Patterson. For four seasons, Capt. McGrath was wheelsman on her, and was in this boat when she coasted around to New York City.

The next boat the captain was on was the propeller Magnet, which was owned by Mr. John Proctor, of Hamilton, and ran between that city and Montreal. He was also on the Bristol of the same line during the summer of 1870. Then he went as wheelsman on the fine old steamer Norseman (now the North King), running between Port Hope and Charlotte.Capt. McGrath says that the duties of wheelsman in those days were of a much more onerous character than now. In fact, seldom, or never did the man at the wheel get an opportunity to leave the deck when the boat was under way.

In 1871 the captain joined the forces of the old Royal Mail Line of steamers, his first boat being the Magnet [now the Hamilton]. He left this line for a time and became first officer on the propeller St. Lawrence, on the run between Toronto and Montreal, and remained on her two seasons. Then he went on the propeller Bruno, between Chatham and Montreal. In 1874 he went back to the Richelieu, or old Royal Mail Line, being first officer on the steamer Corinthian, afterwards burned in the Coteau Rapids.Capt. McGrath is now Sailing Master of the steamer Passport. The captain is married, has one daughter, and his home is at Cote St. Paul. Que.

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