The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Aeneas, having had some time to look over the steamer OSPREY, and assess her capabilities, decided to purchase her. On the 8 June he placed an advertisement in the paper for a cruise by the OSPREY, on or about 18 June, for Pictou and Halifax. She would cruise the Saguenay River both going, and returning. Capt. W. Smith was in command. During 1868, Aeneas had acted as agent for The Old Oswego Line, of which E. M. Fort & Co., of Oswego were the proprietors, and this connection was continued in 1869. The service was advertised as a "Cheap and Reliable Freight Line" between New York and Hamilton. On the Montreal service, Aeneas MacKay was now associated with H. W. Ireland, of Montreal, S. F. Holcomb, of Toronto, Norris & Neelon, of St. Catharines and this syndicate now called themselves the "Merchants Line". Vessels placed on the run were the OSPREY, Capt. W. Smith, AMERICA, Capt. Moore, BRANTFORD, Capt. Hanna, ACADIA, Capt. John Malcolmson, and the DOMINION, Capt. McMaugh. This lastnamed propeller was built in 1868 at St. Catharines by Louis Shickluna, for Capt. Sylvester Neelon, and measured 137.0 x 23.4 x 11.4; Gross 601; Net 376 tons. The agent for the Merchants Line at Montreal was changed in 1869 to Peterson, Coquillette & Co. and in the fleet, Capt. Taylor replaced Smith on the OSPREY, while Capt. Vaughan replaced Hanna on the Brantford. During the winter of 1868/69, Aeneas had replaced the piling and all the old timbers in his No. 2 Wharf, along the shore in front of the coal and sugar sheds. This practice of plowing some of the profits back into the business was the indication that Aeneas was an astute and careful business-man. Further indication of these characteristics came to the fore when, on Friday, 23 July, he sent the OSPREY out on a moonlight excursion to Oakville, complete with an orchestra for the dancers. One fact to be born in mind was, that the OSPREY was the only sidewheeler in the Merchants Line and may have been having trouble keeping up with the propellers which were much better suited for the package freight trade. In July of 1868, she had been sent up to Dundas for boiler repairs, and in 1869, Aeneas advertised her as being available for charter on Lake Ontario. Since acquiring the wharves and adjoining property on the bluff, the MacKay family had resided in a house at the north-west corner of James and Burlington, a site now occupied by the Harbour Commission office building. They called the house Reay Lodge. The name Reay is familiar to anyone who has read the Clan MacKay history. The steamer OSPREY received some publicity on the 19 April, 1870, when this account appeared in the Spectators "The OSPREY - this fine vessel is now being thoroughly overhauled and refitted. In addition to its handsome outside appearance, with the fine mouldings and other ornamental work, the inside claims special notice. The boilers and other parts of the machinery which require it, have been repainted and otherwise renovated. On ascending to the upper saloon, a great change for the better will at once be observed, at least by those who knew the vessel last summer. New carpets, of a superior make and gay appearance, have been laid the entire length of the saloon and the doors of the staterooms have been most beautifully ingrained and embellished. The cabin is painted a marble white colour and this, in conjunction with the finished and chaste appearance of the other improvements in this part of the vessel gives the visitor, or passenger a most pleasing surprise. The galley which, as in other steamers was below decks, has been relocated to the saloon deck, but is so entirely shut-off, that no -11-