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This is very muc I)ossessior] part with of seams no idea th found fror the count Bute In a large ri favourabU Indians \\ cipal i-easc prepared t discouragii Camped matter of ( well pleasi blankets, a these |x)int of consequ was a Tye ( 249 ) XIX. — Explorations in Jarvis Inlet and Desolation Sound, British Columbia. By Mr. W. Downie. Communicated by Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, Bart., f.r.g.s., &c., H. M.'s Secretary for the Colonies. Bead, December 12, 1859. Mr. William Downie to Governor James Douglas. Siu, Victoria, Vancouver Island, March 19th, 1859. I have the honour to infoiin your Excellency of my return to Victoria, after a sojourn of sixteen weeks in British Columbia. 1 have been for the last month in Desolation Sound. The snow and rain set in, so as to make it impossible to start over the mountains from the head of Jarvis Inlet to the Upper Eraser Kiver for some time. I then thought it would be as well to visit the Klahous country, as I had heard a great deal alx)ut it. We started from the head of Jarvis Inlet on the 22nd of February for Deso- lation Sound, in a small canoe with four Indians, pick, pan, shovel, and rocker ; came down the west entrance of Jarvis Inlet, wliich is much better than the eastern. From Scotch-fir Point, up the coast, it is shallow, and rocks and reefs running out a good distance from the shore. It was most refreshing to come down on the gulf, where the land had all the appearai..e of spring, and after being so long up the inlet. Ko snow on any of islands along the coast except 'i'axada. Savary Island has all the appearance of a farm under cultivation, from the abundance of grass on it : larjzc patches of fiirming-laud make it look very enticing, but the water is scarce for farming purposes ; but there are excellent pastures for stock all the year round. The mainland opposite this island changes in appearance with regard to the rock formation : quartz and slate along the shore up to Sarah Point. We arrived safe in Desolation Sound, which does certainly look somewhat desolate in a snow-storm, but I am well pleased with the pros^xct of this section. This is the first time I have seen pure veins of sulphuret of iron, which looks very much like silver. The first I saw of it was a small square i)iece in the possession of an Indian : I ofl'f red him some tobacco for it, but he would not part witli it, even if I gave him its weight in gold. I came acrot:s a number of seams of the same kind. It lays in the quartz, the same as gold. I have no idea that the gold is confined to Fraser Piver alone ; and if it can only be found from the seaboard, or on the rivers at the head of some of these inlets, the country will soon be prospected. Bute Inlet (Homattheo), that nans so much farther north than this inlet, has a large river emptying into it from the north-west. This river looks most favourable for gold, and I should much like to have prospected it ; but the Indians would not go, as they were afraid of the Euclitus trilxjs : the i^rin- cipal reason, however, being that the canoe was small, and we were not altogether prepared to give it a fair trial. It was snowing most of the time, and rather discouraging. Camped near the Klahous Indian village, they paid me a visit, as a matter of course, and I gave them all a small piece of tobacco. They seemed well pleased ; but they would have a look at our mining-tools, canoe, and blankets, and our general appearance. When they had satisfied themselves on these iJoints, they told my Indians I was not a Tyee — meaning a chief, a imson of consequence (this was the unkindest cut of all). My Indians told them I was a Tyee ; but it was of no use. They said a Tyec would have a large «p 250 1)ownie'.s' ExpluratiuHs in Jarvis Inlet and canoe and plenty of blankets : wlicreas there was nothing of the kind visible, only picks, pans, and an old rocker, — and what was the iiso of that among Indians ? 1 did not feel disposed .to find fault with the poor Klahous Indians for judging from outward ap^xjarance, and, upon the whole, I got along with them very well. We got a few potatoes from them, so there must be something else besides rocks in Desolation Sound. We went up to the head of the inlet, where the " Deserted Village " is on the map, but there were no IndiaiiS there. It looked as much like a deserted village as it did when it was named by Vancouver. About two miles above this, the river comes in from the north-east. 'Die sand washing out of the river has formed a large flat at the head of the inlet, in some i)laces dry at low- water. We had some dilliculty in getting the canoe into the river, which is also shallow, being filled up with sand from the continued wash from the mountains. We went up the river about five miles. The Indians told me it would take five days to go to the head of it. Judging from the way a canoe goes up such rivers, the distance would Ijo about sixty miles, which must be a long distance above the Squamish, and would not be far from the Lilloet. The Indians have gone tins route to the head of Bridge lliver (Iloystier), which it may prove to bo the best route to try. It is very evident there is a pass in the Coast Itange here, that will make it prefc.able to Jarvis Inlet or Howe Sound. If a route can lie g(jt through, it will lead direct to Bridge lUver. I have seen more black sand here in half a day, than I did in California in nine years : it looks clear and bright as if it came from quartz.* Seeing that it was out uf the question to proceed fartlier, we \)\\t back and came down along shore, breaking and trying the rocks, but did not discover any gold, liots of iron pyrites or sulphuret of iron. The land on each side of the river is low, and nnist be overflowed in many })laces in spring ; but lor all that, if a trail can be found through, it will not be tliflicult to make a road along the banks of the river. In coming down we passed through what on the map is called the Island " Redunda." This is a fine passage, and shortens the distance about ten miles in going to Klahous Inlet. The distance from Klahous Inlet to Homattheo Inlet (Bute Inlet on the chart) is about 30 miles ; but I could not get the Indians to go in the small canoe. The Indians told me that the colour of the water in the large river that comes in at the head of Homattheo from the north-west, was the same as Fraser lliver ; and thus when I proceed thither, I should be in or near the range of Queen Charlotte Islands, where I should get gold. We had a hard passage to Nanaimo ; but arrived all right, paid off the Indians, and heard from Captain Stuart that he had forwarded supplies to Jarvis Inlet by order of your Excellency, so that I was all ready for a start again to Desolation Sound, if I could obtain a small decked boat. out. Fort St. James, Stuart Lake, New Caledonia, Sir, loth October, 1859. I beg to make the following report of my trip to Queen Charlotte Islands and my journey thence by Fort Simpson to the interior of British Columbia. Having left Victoria on the 27th July, with twenty-seven practical miners, with stores, &c., for three months, we arrived in Gold Harbour, Queen Charlotte Islands safely, on the 6th August, and immediately set about prospecting. We examined the spot where a large quantity "of gold was formerly taken Magnetic iron ore? — R. I. M. Desolation Sound, British Columbia. 251 out, and discovered a fow specks of it in the small qnavtz-scams that run through the slate; two of the party blasting the reck, while others prospected round the harbour. 1 then proceeded in a canoe to Douglas Inlet, which runs in south of Gold Harboar hoping to find traces of the Gold llarbour lead, but without success. The nature of the rock is trap or hornblende, with a few poor seams of ([uartz straggling over the surface. Granite was found at the head of this inlet, but not a sjx^ck of gold. Next day we went up an inlet to the nortli of Gold Harbour, and here a white rock showed itself on the spur of a mountain. After a difficult ascent we found it to be nothing but wciither- beaten, sun- dried granite, instead of quartz. Farther uj) the inlet wo saw a little black slate and some talcose rock, but nothing that looked like gold. On our return, we found that the nien engaged in blasting the rock had given it up ; the few surface specks being all the gold that could be found. The large amount of gold that was formerly found with so little difliculty, existed in what is called an offshoot or blow. The question tlion arises how did the gold get here : some of our party were of opinion that a gold-lead exists close at hand, but it can only be put tlown to one of the extraordinary freaks of nature so often found in a mineral country. The offshoots in question are not unconmion, as I have often seen them in California. On such a discovery being made, hundreds of miners wuidd take claims in all directions near it, and test the ground in every way, but nothing farther could be found, except in the one spot, alx)ut 70 feet in length, running south-east and north-west ; on being worked about 15 feet it gave out. Before work commenced I have blown the sand off a vein of piue gold. I now proposed to test the island farther, and started for the Skidegate Channel. At a village of the Crosswer Indians, where we were windbound, the a[ipearances were more favourable. Talcose slate, <[uartz, and red earth were seen. We tried to discover gold, but without success. Sulpiiuret of iron was found in abundance, and we discovered traces of \irevious jaospectings ; the Indians understand the searcli for gold well, and detect it in the rocks quicker even than I can. The coast from the Casswer Indian village to Skidegate Channel, is wilder than any I have ever before travelled, and we did not care to hunt for gold in such a place. Five Indians were drowned here to-day, while fishing. At the Skidegate Channel we found black slate and quartz prevailing ; farther north granite appears, and then sandstone and conglomerate ; and as we were now in a coal country, it was no use to look for gold. We saw coal here, but I cannot speak as to its quality, not being a judge of it. The formation is similar to that of Nanaimo. From this we returned to Gold Harbour, where a party which bad remained behind to prosi)cct inland had met with no better success than ourselves. We then consulted what Avas the best thing to do ; I did not wish to return to Victoria, as your Excellency had desired me to explore some of the inlets on the mainland, and I left Gold Harbour with a party of fourteen men for Fort Simpson, where we arrived in eight days. The north-west coast of Queen Charlotte Islands is a low sand and gravel flat, having no resemblance to a gold country. I left Fort Simpson for the Skeena Kiver on the 31st August. From Fort Simpson to Fort Essington i ^ about 40 miles ; the salt water here is of a light-blue colour, like the mouth of Fraser Itiver, and runs inland about 30 miles. The coarse-grained quartz of Fort Simpson is no longer seen here, and granite appears ; and the banks of the river are low, and covered with small hard wood and cotton-trees, with some good sized white oaks, the first I have seen west of Fraser River. Vessels drawing upwards of 4 feet of water cannot go more than 20 miles up the Skeeua lUver, and it is very unlike the deep inlets to the southward. 252 Downie'a- Erplo7'ati(ms in Jarvis Inkt and Al our camp here some Indians visiU'd ns, and told ns lliat tlicy were honest, h\it next morning the absence of my coat rather ne,;^atived their statement. Mext day we found the riviT slioal even for loaded canoes, as it had fallen much. At our next camp I went up a small river called iSccnatoys, and the Indians showed me some crystallized quartz, and to my surprise a small piece with gold in it, being the tirst I had seen in this jiart. The Indian took me to a granite slide whence, as he asserted, the piece of quartz had come. I found some thin crusts of fine quartz, but no gold. From the river Scenatoys to Fort ^]ssington, at the mouth of the Skeena lliver, is 75 miles ; a little below the Scenatoys an Indian trail leads to Fort Simpson, through a low pass, and the distance is no*^ great. From this, 10 ics farther up was a river called the Toes. On the south side hence is an Indian trail to the Kitloops on the Salmon Iliver, the south branch of Salmon, which river is called Kittama. Vty this time we were fairly over the coast range, and the mountains ahead of us did not look very high ; the current here was very strong and much labour was required to get our canoe along, and we had to pull her up by a ro])e from the shore. Gold is foimd here, a few specks to the pan, and the whole country looks auriferous, with fine bars and flats with clay on the bars ; the mountains look red, and slate and quartz were seen. The next camp was at the village of Kitalaska, and I started in a light canoe ahead of my party, as our canoe, by all accounts, could not ])roceed much farther, and I then determined to penetrate to Fort Fraser. The Indian who was with me, told me that a large stream called the Kitchumsala comes in from the north, the land on it is good and well adapted for farming, and that the Indians grow i)lenty of potatoes. To the soiith is a small stream called the Chimkoatsh, on the south of which is the Plumbago Mountain, of which I had some in my hand, as clear as polished silver, and runs in veins of quartz. Near to this on a tree are the words " Fionecr: H. Bj_C.," and nearly overgrown with bark ; the Indian told m.e it was cutbyMr. Xolm Worth, a long time ago. From this to the village of Kitcoonsa the land imi)roves, the mountains recede from the river and fine flats run away 4 or 5 miles back to their bases, where the amoke is seen rising from the huts of the Indians engaged in drying lierries for the winter. These Indians were very kind to us, and wished nje to build a house there, and live with them. Above the village of Kitcoonsa, the jirospect of gold is not so good as below. As the season was so advanced I was not able to prospect the hills which look so well, and unless the Government takes it in hand, it will be a long while before the mineral resources of this part of British Columbia can be known. This js the best- looking mineral country I have seen in r)ritish Columbia. From here to the village of Kitsagatala the river is rocky and dangerous, and our canoe was siilit from stem to stern. At Kitsagatala we entered a most extensive coal country, the seams being in sight and cut through by the river, and running up the banks on both sides, varying in thickness from 3 to 35 feet. The veins are larger on the east side and are covered with soft sandstone, w^hich gives easily to the pick ; on the west side quartz lines the seams, which are smaller. The veins dip into the bank for a mile along the river, and could easily be worked by tunnels on the face, or by sinking shafts from behind on the flats, as they rim into soft earth. I have seen no coal like this in all my travels in British Columbia and Vancouver Island. We experienced some danger from Indians here, but by a small present of tobacco, and by a determined and unconcerned aspect, I succeeded in avoiding Desolation Sound, Britiah Cuhnnhiit, 253 the (IniiL^er of a collision witli tlieni. Wo could <:o no fartlier in tlit" caiioo than Kittaniarks or tho Forks of the Skecna Itiver, and we had btrii twenty days iVoni Fort Simpson, though the journey could have k'en done in a third of that time. ()n the 21st Si'[pteuiber I left Kittaniarks with two white men and two Indians, and started over a fine trail through a beautiful country for Fort Fraser. We crossed over an Indian suspension-bridge and entered some first- rate land, our course being about east; we completed about 12 miles to-day. Next day it rained liard, but we succeeded in doing 12 miles again, jpassing through as fine a farming country as one couM wish to see. To the sontii-east a large opun' space appeared, and I have since learnt that a chain of lake .s runs away here, being the pro])er way to Fort Frascr, but as I always follow my Indian guides implicitly, I did so on this occasion. The third day the weather was fine but the trail not so g(Jod ; it ran along the side of a momitaiii, but below the trail was good and grass abundant. My Indians started after a goat up the mountain, but were quickly driven back by three bears. The fourth day we ciossed what is called the Kooky Pass, which may be avoided by keeping the bottom. To the north a chain of mountains wt3rc seen covered with snow, distant about 30 miles, where the Hudson Bay Company have a post called Bears' Fort; to the south is the Indian village Kispyaths ; along the bottom runs the Skeena past the village of Allagasomeda, and farther up the village of Kithathratts on the same river. On the fifth day we encountered some dangerous-looking Indians, liut got away from them. We passed through a fine country with cotton-trees and good soil. We now arrived at the village of Xaas Glee, where the Skeena Biver rises We were again on the river wjiich we had left five days ago, having travelled 55 miles, when we might have come by tlie river. We had great dilTieulty with the Indians here, and it was fortunate that 1 knew the name of the chief, as otherwise they would have seized all our property ; as it was, they sur- rounded us and were most importunate ; one wanted my coat, another my gun, a third took my ca]) from my head, and I really tliought that they would murder us. These Indians are the worst I have seen in all my travels. Nnas Glee is a great fishing-station, and all the worst characters congregate there to lead an indolent life. Thousands of salmon were being dried at this village. We hardly knew what to do, as they told us that it was ten days to Fort Fraser, and if we returned they would have robbed us of everything. I therefore determined to go on, if the Chief Norra would accompany me, and on giving him some presents he consented to do so. The river from Naas Glee downwards is very rapid, but as the banks are low and flat, a waggon-road or railroad could easily be made. The land around Naas-Glee is excellent, and wild hay and long grass abounds. Potatoes are not grown here, owing to the thieving of the Indians. There is no heavy pine-timber hereabouts, and the canoes are made of cotton- wood. Above Naas-Glee the river was very rapid, and it reqtiired all our energy to get along, as we had but a small quantity of dried salmon to last us ten days. Ten miles above Naas-Glee is an old Indian village, called Whatatt ; here the shoal-water ends, and we enter the Babine Lake. Going through a fine country, we accomplished 20 miles this day, the lake being broad and deep. Next morning to my surprise I found a canoe at our cam]), with Frenchmen and Indians, in charge of Mr. Savm. Hamilton, an officer in the service of the '^^ Hudson Bay Company from Fort StTJames, Stuart Lake, New Caledonia, whither we were bound. He was on his way to Naas-Glee to purchase fish, and advised me to return with him to Nasxs-Glee, and then to accompany him to Stuart Lake, but as I had seen enough of Naas-Glee I declined Lis oiler, l-V «. V mm 251 1)()\vnik'.s Krplordiioiis in Jinn's Inirt ami with tliiinks. Mr. Tlamilton oxjm'sscd his surprise Ihat we had uianacfd (o ^ct away from Naas-( i Iwt, as wc wcp' th(! first white men who liad come throuudi this route ; and even lu; found much difiiculty witli the Indians there. Ilavina; jiersiiacU'd Xarrii, the chid", to Ictus liave his canoe, we hid farewell to Mr. Hamilton, and proceeded on om' journey. Jt was fortuiiiit;) that we .«erit hack our two Indians, as otherwise wc should have suthtrcd from want of food, and as it was, we reached Stuart T.ake only Avith f^reafc difficulty. We made a fine run to day lieforc a fair wind to Fort Killanioures, which ])ost is only kept up in the winter. Our course from Naas-(ilee to this place was south-east, and the distance about 50 miles. The land is good the whole way, with long <:;rass on the henches near the fort, which is a very lonely place. Ft is a .!j;reat ])ity to .see this beautiful country .so well adapted to the wants of man, lyin<^ Avaste, when .so many Englishmen and Scotchmen would he f:;lad to come here and till the soil. liabine Lake is deep, and in some jilacea 5 or (i miles wide, with islands and points of land to afford .shelter from storms ; from Fort Killamonres to the head of I'abine is about 40 miles, direction south-south-east. From the head down about 20 miles, it runs east and west. We arrived at the head of ]>abine on the seventh day after Icavin'j; Naas-Glee : wc had seen no Indians nor snow, and had made a favourahlo journey. The district we had passed was well adapted for farming ; some of the land is rocky, but on the whole it is a fine country. At the head of Bahine Lake there is a good site for a town, and a liarhour could be made, as a stream flows in which would supply the toAvn with water. This is what I call the head-v.'ater of the Skeena River ; the lake is navigable for steamers and 100 miles in length. From this to Stuart Lake there is a portage over a good trail, through the finest grove of cotton-wood I have ever seen ; the ground was thickly strewed with yellow leaves, giving the scene quite an autumnal a]ipearance, and ])re- senting a picture far dilferent to what we expected in this part of British Columbia. Six miles from Bahine, we came to a small lake where were some Indians fishing hei • on our approach they appealed xmdccided whether to run or remain. I . ". them for some food, and they soon provided us with some fish which refreshed us miich, and having jtaid for our repast, we started again. From this a small stream runs a distance of i miles to Stu.irt Lake. Arrived at Stuart Lake we found no means of crossing, no Indians to direct us, and no food to sustain us, nor had we any shot to enable us to kill ducks. We camped here three nights without food, sleeping the greater pa;t of the time to stifle our hunger. The only thing that supported us was the great idea of the enterprise in which we were engaged, having been the first to '^xplore the route from the Pacific to Fraser I?iver. One of our party found an old canoe split to pieces ; this was rigged on a raft of logs, as well as circumstances would admit. -- I returned to the Indians above mentioned and purchased a few hfiirin^, and walked back to our camp with difiiculty and found my limbs giving way. Next morning we started on our frail raft, expecting every moment to go down ; we were obliged to sit perfectly still, as the least movement would have upset us ; a slight breeze sprung up and a small sea washed over us and we had to run for a lee-shore, where kind Providence sent an Indian to succour us. He welcomed us with a " Bonjour," invited us to his lodge and gave us most excellent salmon-trout from the lake. We had at last reached this spot with thankful hearts for our preservation through so many dangers. We stayed a night with this good Indian, and next day gave him a blanket to take us to the Fort. We abandoned our old canoe without regret, and proceeded towards our destination. The Indians all along this were verv kind to us. About Q. rc'j ii.'iir- iiortl Jh',u/aliou SouiuL I "S; "'ir:f Sfuart L.I< ' ^^'-'^'.v// Colunih >iii. '"■t'l SKlo of f),o I^,!-,. r , ^' w ^h. J -0 miles fl ■"^ «niall pinsprcf, „f '•■for O^r,] will ''anics I'l-od '(' ,i.'i"oiii),i i "fc anyfliit ,^» thr !»f|, Oc(„l ',2:. •^ ^•<'^"i» il._ . •• '""^'1 CXllOHr'* fr, nil ...• , - " •'I'lVwIuM-O 0?1 tl Nfiiart I,al, 'f joiiniev. l'»«'-«l to all winds Tiako ] i 00 ^'o IS 50 i„i|(,s ) i-oni Fort S 'Dllcs; /V 01) (f Tho '•^"J I found it col.l ••I- III, l^ni Nan.s.(;|,.p to | PO'-taw to Rabino JO m '■'-»;:"r;;'';;'^"':' ''••■«.:. Q,;;™7:(=,??"''!-. and miles; |!,il >inr! ..-.....,„.« of ti.o two men';;'/"""'' ''"'«'» Charlotte fsh . ' ""'' ^'^'^ ""'es '"iiniai, ()etoher 24 IVp w'lich IS over loo „.; ^"P.P''^'sn«cessarv to tlir. m "'^ ^''^'^t r)rivation<; V too, are represen ed n l '^T'}' ^'•«>» the newlv f '"" ^'^ "^taiiod £ at Colvi " tow. was made by Serffeamr '"''■^^-'"^<-^n gold-mine? tf^^l ^"^ that pros- Compton Bar."^ '^''^^^^^^ ^ompton, in whose\o„our t^; llX^T""?'^' ^^ ^^^ as TeVw^l'* ^^ ^'^'^ »e^s has been to ^ ^'' '^'^^^ "^"'«J Although the discoveripo «, ^ ^ attached to the ^ "« and summer developments 250 Extnivlsfrom the Drsjm/rhcs oJ'Dll. David TilvrNflSTONE. will be made wh'cb will establish the fact of that part of the country being — as wc have always believed it was — e(iual, in mineral wealth, to any part of California or Mexico. ExtracU from Letters. •* Camp, Si-mil-ka-meen, October 8, 1859. '• * * ♦ I am detached with 14 men at the N. \V. It. station on the Si-mil-ka- meen, about 12 miles from its mouth. * * On the Cth my sergeant showed me the result of six pans which he washed, and we found it to be worth 6 dollars. On the 7th two men obtained 20 dollars each; others from .5 to IT) dollars. We have no tools or conveniences, and the men knew but little about digging gold. I give you the simple facts, and shall make no comments. * * * It is much coarser gold than they found on Fraser liiver, some pieces weighing 2'r)() dollars. " This river is very incorrectly mapped, as it is 150 miles long with numberless tributaries. It is a swollen mountain-torrent till the middle of July, so that it is lato before it can be worked. It is my opinion that this gold was washed out of the hills contiguous, this year, as these diggings thus far have been on the surface only. You know that gold will always, if you give it time, find its way to the bed rock. I do not know that they will be developed 8o