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Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmds en commengant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants appara?tra sur ia dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symboie — ► signifie ' A SUIVRE", le symbole y signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmds d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est film6 d partir de I'angle supdrieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images n6cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m6thode. rata o lelure. 3 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 r-v VANCOUVER ISLAND. Sii EXPLORATIO ,^.-' ±334=. Printed by authority of the Government, by Harries and Company. Victoria, Vaqcouver Is.and. r'-' I :1% The Vavcduver Island Exploration Committee, in presenting to the public a Report of their proceedings, beg to give expression to their deep S2nse of the obligation undor which the Colony is placed to His Excellency Governor Kennedy, as the originator of the Exploring Expedition, and to the subscribers and donors who have generously aided the Committee in the prosecution of the work con- fided to their management. From the first settlement of the Colony, the desirability of a thorough knowledge of i'.3 resources has been felt, and various sug- gestions have from time to time been made and discussed, as to the best means for its acquirement, some of which never took any practi- cal (orm. Some valuable information had been obtained through the unwearying zeal of Captain Richards, now Ilydrographer of die Royal Navy, and of his laborious and talented subordinates, who in addition to the survey of the coast line, of such importance to our future commerce, furnislied the geographical details of more tlian one line of land travel across tlie Island. A premium of Fifty Pounds had been ofi"ered by the late Gov- ernor, Sir James Douglas, for an Essay " which should set forth in the clearest and most comprehensive manner the capabilities, re- sources and advantages of Vancouver Island, as a Colony fc a EXPLORING EXPEDITION. settlement," and awarded, in 18G1, to Charles Forbes, Esquire, M.D. and Suvgcon in tlio Royal Navy ; l)ut no siilis(3(iuent racat^uros seem to have been adopted to utilize the information thus obtained, beyond its being printed and circulated. A reward of One Thousand Pounds had l)ecn offered by Pro- clamation for tiio discovery of payinu^ gold hold.s but in consequence of the unavoida])le cost and toil involved in the search, if under- taken, little had boon done oven under tho sliimdant thus offered ; and on the arrival of His Excellency GoveruDr Kennedy, there existed a wide-spread conviction that some practiLCilile scheme for the development of the resources of the country was essential to its prosperity and progress. The correctness of this cjnviction was fully and ]>roniptly recognized by Plis Excellency, wlio witliout loss of time suggested the ad'-antages which would doubtless result from 1 systematic and combined effort of the Government and the people, and generously p''oposed to contriljute from funds at liis disjjosal " two dollars, for every one furnished by the pooi)le,'' and to leave the entire outcarrying of such plans as might be devised, to a committee, to Ijc popularly chosen. In accordance with these suggestions and proposals, a public meeting was held on the 29th of April, ISGl, and a Committee appointed, consisting of the following gentlemen, viz : SicLTM Fn.vxKLiN, EsQ., M. L. A,, Chairman. Gkoroe Ckuickshank, Esq., Secretary. Commander A'erxey, R. X., Alajor J. Downih, Reverend E. EvAXS. D. 1)., Jamks DrcKhox, M. 1)., John As;i, M. D., Thomas TnouNCE, J. J. Cochrane, William Ffsuer, C. B. Young, J. T. PiDWELL, and A. D. Bell, Esquires, and W. 11. Fkanklyn, Esquire, of Nanaimo. An exi>loring party was selected, engaged, and suitably equipped, consisting of Dr. Brown, the Couunander and Govern- ment Agent; Peter John Leech, Lieutenant and Astronomer; Frederick Whymper, Artist ; John Buttle, Naturalist ; Alex- ander S. Barnsto^t ; John Meade ; Ranald Macdonald : John M. Foley, (detached 'itith July); Thomas Henry Lewis and Richard Drew, and William Hooper, (joined (Itli August) ; Pioneers and Miners; Toma Antoine, and Lazare Le Buscay, Hunters ; who took their departure from tlie Hudson Bay Company's wharf on the 7th June, 1801, in Her Majesty's steamer Grapplor, Commander Verney, after an eloquent address from Governor Kennedy, amid the cheers of the crowd assembled, and with the prayers of the friends of the Expedition, which must now be allowed to tell its own tale iu the following Report of the Commander of the Exploring party : Gentlrmen Victoria, Vaxcouver Island. NovEMUEii Gth, 1804. Tl.nugh I .'^liall I.avc the lioiior of prcsontln- to you at no very distant period a AdI and systematic report, of 'the wliole pro- ceeding., discoveries and results of the Vancouver Island Explorinc. Lxpchtion, which you despatched under my command, yet in accordance with jour desires I beg to submit a short outline ibrnun- with the _ detached notices and despatches which have already appeared in the local prinhs. a connected narrative of <,ur laboui's On the 7th of June we left Victoria on board I Icr Majesty's Ixunboat (.rappler, nine in all. The .ame afternoon we arriVodiu Cowichan Harbour and the weather being very wot. we did not disembai . until the next day, wlien we encunpod on the o,>posite «ulc ot the river from the Indian Village of tUnwkco On the morning of the 0th I despatched the stores in char.^e of one ottiio party and two Indians, by canoe, to the lii^hest village outhe nvcr &.K>.r;, while with the rest of the partv f travelled over the trail on foot. This same evening on all bein^r met ogether. 1 eiigage.l iu>kn!aiza, a chief of the tril^v and an In.lian l,oy to accompany us to the great Lake ; at the same time 1 cn-a.-ed a hairbreed froquois and Chinook, Tuma Aaloine, as hunter and Cowichan interpreter to the expedition, a choice on which I have since had good reason to congratulate myself. For the lir-^t three weeks ot the expedition I took him on sulTcrancc, and linal'v on his good conduct being put to the test, I engaged hia services" tor the whole period of the exploration. Next morning ^o commenced our travels in earnest. I placed he whole of the provisions in the canoe with the two Indians, and two of our party, while the rest carrying their own effects, travelled by land, meeting the canoe at nights at appointed places, for which purpose we took Toma along with the land party, he having hunted along the banks previously. Occasionally wo met to assist in making, portages, or otherwise to aid each other ; most frequently, the river 2 ExrLoniNO ExrEDirioN. bcinc very ronpli, llic land iiarly arrived before llio eanno pnrty, ])nt Avhcrc the river was al ull easily iiaviiralilo so diHicult wan tlio bush lrav(!llins;' that tlio water party luul the advantaf,'o; by tlus means wo Hcciircd a survey of the river ami hanks, besides con- veying the stores more easily. Tho land iiarty, by oeeasionally strikin;^' for a lew miles back iVoni the river, Hci'in'cd a retrospect of the adjoining: country. In this way wo travelled to the g;eat Cowichan l^ake, which we reached on the loth of June, an^l encamped near theca.stcrn extremity. Tiio Cov.-ichan River is al)Out -iO miles in lengtli, and is a most torturous stream ; a straight line from the moutli to the lake would not prol)alily bo more than I2il niih:',s ; it is exceedingly rapid, tliero being hardly any smooth water with the exeeption of short distances in the canon, and about two miles at the height of tlie river before joining tho lake. Its banks, some distance from the sea where the sea lirec/.e;:; do not alTect them, covered with magnificent forests of the finest description of spai's, and numerous natural kiiQes, arc found every wlicre. Were the river cleared of obstructions and deepened in the shallowest parts, they might be Ihjated dowu ia "cribs." Tlic winter time would be tho best for rafting when the water is high. Tlie total fall may be 71*0 feet. Tiierc are few bars, tho l)anks running peri)cndicularly aid covered with trees to tlie water's edge. In many places the river divides into channels ; its breadth varies from lU to 20 feet. Below the falls {Si!fz) the riverbed is composed of round well worn stones. The color of Gold wo found everywhere, and in one or two places from ^ cent to l.l cents to the i)an was reported to me, in other suilicient pay dirt to last for a long period. I may call to tlie recollection of the committee that white men havo since then been rejiorted as making as nmch as t^pcr dlon on this same river. Coal ero])s out in one place on tho creek. The surrounding country is in most places Hat, with here and there open tracts. The whole of tho spar lands are excellent soil, and it would abundantly f)ay to clear them for the value of the timber alone. Deer abound all along the track and salmon ascend the TJiver to tho lakes. The Indians inhabiting its banks are as follows: 1. Cuniial-eu, (the " Indians by tho sea,") 2. Qiannichau, (the " hump-backs '' from the nature of tho country,) 3. Samena, (the " upper river " Indians.) 'Ihe latter tribe only frequent the upper waters of the River, and one or two families hunt on the great Lake in the autumn. A trail is here and there found along tho banks ■with occasional fishing lodges, and camping ground such as (above Samena) Tsaam, (the " torn up place,") Saatlaam, (the place of "green leaves," lUal-amath, (two log houses.) Qualis, (the " warm place," Latitude 48 degrees -15 minutes 37 seconds North,) Kuch- f 1 EXPLORINV, EXPEDITION. 8 mrM, (the " common ccir.oni, of the rapids,") (^nnfclm^, (tlio canon) S'/>'if::. (ilic " cui| of tlii^ «\virt i)l!ico,") a most pictiii'O.squo scries of rapids with Imlian lodges of wliioh wo soeiu'cd a sketrh, ami so oa until wo ciiiiio to b'iriiiii-l-init, an Ishind wli<*rc llic ludinu deposits Iho )tolo< \>y whicli \\v has hitherto projiellt'd ids caiioo u[i tlio ra))id siream, for miw vv, jiavo como into Squalntin, the still waters, tlio coinnu'iici'HiLnt of tliu Lalco, whi^ro tho cin'reiit i.s no h)iiycr pcrcopiilijo. Every bend lias a name, every hill a story, every dark jjooI a tradition, and ofu-n on the suniracr ovcninir«i did wo listen to tlio strange story of Kukalaha, tlio lord of these do'idnious, as ho called np the storied chronicled of tho past. At S'/i'if-: conirncnci'd tlic first tanti'alilc eridcnco of tho existanco of tho inland trihu, wlio.'c history was prcviou-lj a fivUled romance, and is now lieeomo a (act of history. At the proper place I will notice tJii.- at greater length. On tho ITtli, I removed our camp to a more central position — ^cven miles above the lake, to the mouth of Foley's creek— and here r dc'spatclied parties as follows : ]. To examine the creek for gold. !2. To survey the lake, and ascertain tho existence of gold and other minerals, as well as the situation of the native tribes, if any. 3. A last party, of which I took charge of, into tho mountains round the lake ; while two remained in camp, and a third hunted to supj)ly the hu'der. On the 22d of June we had completed our ex[)loration3 of the lake and surrounding country, witli ihe lollowing results, as perfectly as time and the nature of my instructio:is would allow of. 1. The lake is froin 20 to 22 miles in length and Irom 1^ to 3-4thg in breadth. It is suri'ounded by two distinct ranges of mountains from 20U0 to 3(100 feet in height. The northern rango we named the Kennedy, the southern ♦he Seymour range, respec- livoly after their Excellencies the (.ioxernors of Vancouver Island nnd British Columbia. It is fed by several largo etreams, of which Foley's Creek, tho Thew-ccn-kut. and the i^mackan Rivers are the largest. It is emptied alone by the Cowichan River or Sinn-woio- ^tuhnn, (tho m»in river). The Cowichan name is Kaair.a, (" tho lake,") and every promontory has like the River some characteristic name e. g. a curious peninsula is called Kanatze " the island in tow,'' !/a. The liver in all its winding from where we struck it may be probably twenty miles in length, and below the canon its banks iire tliickly studded willi tishing lodges of the Xittinahts. Arouu'! each lodge is a (piantiiy of good open land. Next day Barnstoii and I left camp in our leaky canoe, to search for lii'liaas, to convoy our parly from this |)0-it,ion, and to relieve Ibitiie and Levis, who were still lc(t up river. On roun- ding a point we were startled to see a large sul)stantially built Indian villa'jfc, but not Inhalnted ; where we were glad to iiiid a tolerably good canoe, whic^h we pressed into the service of the Expoditiou in l!ic name of Il(.. most gracious ^Majesty Queen Victoria, and llor faithful Peputy His Excellency Artiiur Edward Kennedy. We inunedialely returned to camp and des])atclied Harnslon and McnonaM to bi-inff down, the remainder of tlic ]»artv, while Whyinpor and I set ourselves to work to caulk up the leaks in our new acquisition with Hour bags and pine resin. That same afternoon Buttle and Lewis retnr.ned. and our whole party being now collec'.od wo matifl' bargain for a war canoe, and with no very fund regrets, bade farewell to the ■• Chivalry of Why-ack," who had asscmliled, nicn, women, and childiH'n, (Ml tlie beach, to at once bid us good bye, to steal, to bargain, and to beg. That afternoon we scudded along the coast of I ho straits of De Fuca. past I\loo-lcutif«l table, we verily believed wo had got int.. Utopia, itnd Langhton, the good Sir. TIios. Moore who had created ii. Late that night we sat around his lire hearing the news ol the last month, and as it was too hilc to pitch our tentK, selecting each man a soft plank on the floor. Ou the 3d July a sloop Ijeat into the Bay ond ancliored in u cove. Mr. Laughton and 1 boarded her and found her to be the " Raridoin" of Victoria, with stores for us. A jilunger had been sent previously and turned back again, when within live miles of the harbour, and even this sloop had put back twice to Socke. As the master was afraid to put into Cooper's Inlet. I removed the stores into (Jiiisio the chief oi Pachcna's canoes. That same day llin whole of [iOoch's party arrived, (Mr. Foley had arrived the evening before.; and reported to mo regarding their route, (sub-reports, Xos. 2 and 3). On the whole he found the coun, try through which he passed very rough, travelling over mountains- some precipitous and covered M'ith fallen timber, others rocky, especially along the scource of the ?an Juan river, which they followed, but which is not navigtble for any distance, owing to numerous bad canons. If they could have travelled from the Cowi- chan Lake to Port San Juau, it will be seen by the chart that they could have had only eighteen miics to travel. They could not pursue all the route in that direction, but had to keep iho only available route, viz., the course of the river in an easterly direction about etvst. •south cast, south west, and south south west ; in fact, some days they ilid not make south of tlie previous day's latitude, " Thus was our distance increased, and at a rough estimate we walked forty miles to gain cij^htccn. This shows the fallacy of people talking about cross- ing the island in so many days by measuring lineally on the map. Independently of the course being continually delayed by prospecting and surveying work, nearly everything depends on the country and the loads to be carried. The country travelled over is totally unfit for agricultural settlement, but it presents rich metallurgical indica- tions at the heads of the creeks, which we passed over, respectively named Saint John's creek. Coffee creek, itc. Spe(;imens of plumbago, an argentiferous looking rock, <&c., we brought along with us ; these, with a map of the di&trict, wc beg to present for your satisfaction. EXPLORING EXPEDITION. ;o\vi- they irHUO able they our es to 3ross- map. ting and unfit dica- ivcly ago, lese, •tion. In most of tlie creeks we found more or less gold, crystalized quartz, slate, Ac., but if these do not turn out to be good it is no certain criterion, for we found it a matter of much difficulty, owing to the character of the country, to devoto sufficient time to give these creeks a thorough prospecting." The district around Port San .Juan, (the •• Tanhena" of th*^ Indians,) for two or tliree miles, is flat from the margin of tlie river to the base of the hill*, and thougli a few good patches of meadow land occur, the narty rnre of opinion that the country since leaving Cowichan lake might be described in general terms us " mountain, pine and cedar every wl. ore, barren of grass and soil ; a home for the deer and herds of noble elk, but lit for nothing else."' This country has since then been farther pro.«pected by one of our party, who reports his eaily predelictions in favor of it as a gold field to be fulfilled, and that paying ^ old diggings exist on all the bars of the river for many miles, though probably its length is somewhat over-estimated. Gold was found there many years ago, and I have recently heard rumors of men having made wages. I trust that by next summer it may be a busy gold field. In talking with the Indians, I learned of the existence of coal near the creek and village known as Echicatess. I despatched a party on the morning of the .')th, in charge of Foley, (order No. 3) to search for it. Mean- while we devoted our time to exploring the neighboring country. ascending the Gordon and San Juan rivers, assorting the store;', drawing maps, itc, «fcc. On the evening of the Tth, Foley aud purty returned, and rcport,cd (Suit, report No. 4.) that he was so unfortunate as to be forestalled l)y a party of miners from Victoria, who heard through gome Indians about it, and had just arrived. The coal is however, a mere thin scam, dipping into the sea, at no place exceeding an inch or two. 'JMio sea dashes furiously on Jic beiich, and it is difiicult for strangers to land, anu almost injpossible for ships to load, oxow were the mine of any conseciueuce. On the way back they found coal at various points near Port San Juan, but in ijuantity and quality not ,,;-.p'fior to tlio former. It was the intoiition of the committee originally, that wi.- should strike through the unexj)lored sections of the Island, carefully examine that tract as a specimen, and thus form a skeletuu to be filled up afterwards, and as circumstances will show this plan has wrougiit admirably, so far as the Southern section has gone. Accordingly I resolved that the next place where Ave should strike iu Bhould be Sookc Harbor, and thenco across to Cowiehan Harbor, on the East coast ; the reasons which tempted me to this, will appear. On July 9th, I engaged a party of Indians and their canoes to 10 EXPLORINO EXPEDITION. u i: convey U3 to the point mentioned. Most were gone to their halibut fisheiy, or a " Potlach," at Chowit/.en, (Beechy bay,) but after a muster through the camp, I succeded in raising a hetcorogenous crew, as follows ; two old men, one old womaLi, (hideous,) one young woman, her husband, and a slave, and thr.t as usual, aftor hard bargaining. These Indians are not like the Indians round Victoria. They have plenty of food, and unless a bribe sufTiciently heavy is held out to them to throw oiF their lethargy, it is almost impos- Biblc to get thoni to work. Having been cheated by some white men, many years ago, they are naturally suspicious, and this combined with their natural avarice, render a bargain a matter of many words, and strong language. I hare more than once been compelled to show the money before they would agree to accompany me, and a promissory noto is frequently demanded, certainly a very simple way of reassurance, seeing that if the writer chooses, it juay be soniewliat informal ! The first parr, of the coast on the route from Port San Juan to Sooke, has in general low cliffs, with dead or scrubby timber, and a tliick undergrowth of Sal-al, (Gaulthcria shallon,) and which always increases as you approach the coast, and from the interior. Towards Victoria t!io coast gi;ti greener, with a Ijack ground of bald rolling hill country, and slopy park-like openings, stretching down to the water's edge. About one hundred yards to tlic east of Sheringham Point nearly concealed by foliage, we found a ^eani of Coal, tliickness from six inches to a foot, dip. 35 degrees, in the country beljind, apparently a continuation of the Clallam Bay scams. The wind blowing too hard to round Otter Head, camped on a grassy meadow where a creek flows iu. On this Creek and all around here we found indications of Coal. Previous to this we had passed the Sombrio, and Jordan Rivers, the Cockless, ami Dittida, of tlie Indians ; tho former forming the Eastern r)Oundary line of the Pachenahts. In both of these rivers. Gold was found, and a party of men to the uumbei- of sixteen have just started, containing some of the discharged men from the Ex- pedition to remain there until Christmas. The whole country between Sooke and Port San Juan has also beeu passed over by Goldseekers. Xext afternoon the whole Expedition arrived and camped up Sooke River, or as the Indians pronounced it, and as of course it ought to be written. ''Soak." Gold has been found on various parts of the Island, previously, but being in general, in non-paying quantities, excited little fi,tteution. I was aware that Gold had been got on the lower part of Sooke River, and though not iu any qutiiity, from the evidence then presented, I was cer- tain that it would be found in quantitiei to pay on tho, unhnown head waters or inflowing tributaries; hitherto nothing had been known of I EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 11 of Sookc River l)eyond a mile or two. Thoujrh the extent of country as far as any geographical information was concerned, was unimportant, I determined to despatch a party in that direction. Hitherto, I had not found it necessary to the better conduct and interest of the party to learo it, as I more than suspected I would before starting, but various circiumstancos occured which sliowed mo nmch against my inclination that to perform my duty to the party under my charge* it would 1)0 necessary to cither send a mcssouger to Victoria, or to go thoro myself. Discontent and grumbling, which I saw would soon ripen into oj>en mutiny, wore commencing in the camp, xn regard to the discoveries of the lilxpeditiou. and it coming to my ears that in case of any very valuable discoveries being made, we having heard of no ro-orve being placed upon them as yet, though this had been jiromisod before starting, some of the party were inclined to leave, for one reason or another, and take advantage of their discoveries. Some of the party havuig told me plainly that unless 1 took moans to Bccure their discoveries until the close of the K.'C[)editio!i, when they wao performed the work on little pay and could have an ei[ual chance with otliers, they did not consider they were breaking faith if they found it convenient to leave, ^?uch a contingency I know was more than likely, and of course one or two leaving was paramount to tho breaking up of the party, and the defeating of t!io whole object of the Expedition. I also found that as always happens, some things had been omitted in our hurried preparat. )nS; instruments had l)ecn broken or lost, and must be replaced, the men were badly in want of a do7:en things, and my plan as then decided upon, (though the results which eventually followed altered those,) would not allow of us replacing these until we reached Nnnaimo,and then only partially. Finally [received letters in regard to my Engli.oli mission, and the dispatch of a box of s[)ecimcns in A'ictoria, which I had not considered necessary to be sent until my return, and other matters which rendered my presence in V^ictoria im[ierative for a day or two, otherwise I must resign my appointmout under you. To resign the command at that period 1 knew would result in the immediate breaking up of tho Expedition and I determined tliat as die least of two evils, to visit Victoria, theret ransaet my business, and meet my party at the rendezvous mentioned, with canoes, provisions, (tc. 1 accordingly procured packers and guides for the party, garc Leech detailed written instructions regarding the whole conduct of the expedition in every respect, directed him to finish prospecting and ex{)loring the course of the river and its tributaries to the lake in which the Indians told me it headed, (though very few of them had ever visited it) and then despatch another party to our old 13 EXPLOBINO EXPEDITION. li'iii W^ astronomical camp of Qiialis, on the Kowichan, and 'vith this pro- ceed throufrli to Kowichan, making the rendezvous for the party the Indian village of Samcna. I particnlaHy insisted upon this to keep the men away from the settlements ; and it v as a source of rcj^ret to me that circumstancos rendered it impracticable to adopt it, or send a party to Quilis, thouL'h he most satisfactorily accounted to me for this deviation from liis orders. I at the same time f^jarc him cash for a week's expenses, which time I told him I expected ho would take. Iccordingly, my prcscnc: *'eing no longer necessary, except as an ordinary membar of the party. I took one of the party to assist me in obtaining tlio articles rc(|uired and to receive medical advice, (and I may mention that medicines was one of the articles required for the party) and returned to Victoria, where J reported myself to the Committee, gave an account of onr proceedings, and obtained what we wanted, wliich kept me so busy from morning to night, and often all night writing, that 1 had to time to supplement my oral report by an extended written one. Onr business being trans.icted, by the lirst opportunity I pro- ceeded to Kowiclian, and as the party had not yet arrived 1 travelled to tlie different Indian villages on the river, charging the chiefs to look out for my men, and to give tliem every assistance they required and J would see them paid. Tlicy did so, and frequent were the false ?.larms wliick they gave me, during tlie two days wliich elapsed beforr" (iioir arrival un() feet above tlie level of tlie sea. From Camp 16, (Brule'.s ranch, three-fourths of a mile up Sooke river,) for about two and a half miles np .^tream, th« countrj is level or slightly undu- lating, suil gv)0(l. Tliu countiy lying to the westward consists of conical hiils, tovored with pines — very little level land. Tc the eastward it is very rugirnd, eo'isisting of rocl\!ii('h the river rises is also known by the generic name oi' Kokcma- wifrh. 'J'he great Kowichan lake bears alxjut we^t north west, and Sooke lake north by west. This camp by my small arieroid barome- ter was on-? hundred and twenty feet above the level of the sea. Coal is said to be lomid in the vicinity ot the river. Sooke lake was reached on the afternoon ot the sixtcenlii. About six miles above tlie canon the river forks, one fork llowing from the north west the other coming from the lake, |- the latter stream is the smallest of tlie two; to trie tbrmer however, lor the sake of distinction, was api>lici[ !h'; nanie of Leech Hirer, i'vom the fjicuteuant of the Expe- dition, wiiilst the later continued to bear tlie name of /Soukr, for conviMiience sake, as arising out of the lalsc. though in reality the iormer is t!.c main river. Here a parcel of liio Sooke gold was sent with I'eturiiing Indian packers to Victoria. On the !7th duly. Hnding that th(; gold decreased since passing the forks of JjcocIi and Hooke, a party was sent back to the former stream, and returned four days afterwards with the gold prospects whicli have been fortunate enough to attract so many adveiifui'crs to this strea;u. I They varied from three cents • On Sooke River parties of Cliincse, debarred from tho more exten live placers of l.eech Iwiver. mined all the summer of 1864. At present there are about 300 employed there, and their agents inform me that they expect upwards of 1,000 to be so employed during the ensuing summer. [March 23, t You can almost inrariably di«tiDguish wliether a stream rises in a lake or otherwise by ite warmth, if the former is its seource ■« frequently happens in Yaa* couTcr Island. X Upwards of ;$100,000 are said to have been taken out of this itream since Augns last. Several hundred of white men are employed there. A number of embryo town* bare sprung vp in the district, with stores, hotels, and all the other concomitants of rising • 'cities. " March 23d. u EXPLORING EXrEDITION. |!^ !' ■ r, li;. t il ]■ 1". to ono dollar to the pan, the average being twelve and a half centa. Sooko lake is about ten miles long, and about two Imudrcd and fifty feet above the level of the sea. It is full of splendid salmon trout. Latitude of southern end, forty five degrcM, sixty minutes, forty nine seconds, Nortli. A small stream Hows inlo the lake through a valley which bears north west from its mouth on the lake. Tliis valioy socin to contain ,!;ood soil. The opcniivj^ extends for about one mile along the margin of the lake, with ou:nt timber *' Cedar," {Th)i}(V]i)utuslomcntosa. often mi-taken for the Manzanetla of California, ttc. (c) The party wore forced to shift their camp to an Island on the lake, which was christened Exjtloration island, the woods having caught iiro. On the twenty .second of July a rait was con- structed ashore, to take tlie party to the head of the lake. That night Mr. Leech wa^ so unfortunate as to meet with an accident : a prospect pan full of fire was standing at the door of his tent for the purpose of keeping olV the musijuitoes. and as ho w^as coming out of the tent after dusk, trod on the edge of the pan and capsized the fire, to the .sei'ious detriment of his foot, and certain '"portable property" belonging to him. On the 2;}d they reached head of the lake at o p. m. Struck through a valioy, crossed Shawnigan lake, (distant from Sooko lake south west six miles.) and crossed the Victoria-Cowichan trail at the twenty-four mile post on the l!r)th, and on the 2Gtli, reached Cowichan harbor. I considered the news of such importance that 1 despatched Battle as a special messenger to Victoria, and Leech having burnt his foot it was necessary to stop until it was well. Here I ought to mention that some of the men struck for pay, which I had no power to give them, but after some trouble I continued to keep them together, though for reasons whiqh I communicated to your secretary at the time I found it expedient to discharge one of the party. Without this I do not believe we should have had a single unpleasantness in the whole party. Cowichan district abound in minerals, marble, coal, copper, &c., and gold has since been found by Mr. Wra. Coldwcll and party on the Zu>/;«ai7a nvcr, though I find that another individual has presumed to claim the merit of this discovery. On the 31st Buttle returned, and though Leech's foot was not yet fully well, I determined to make a start. I accordingly des- patched Leech and a portion of the party in a canoe, with written orders regarding his proceedings on the way, and in Nanaimo, es- EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 15 lie pecially charging Iiiin to call at an island in the De Courcy group, where I had received iiiforniation from an Indian regarding tlic cxis- tance of coal. With the rest 1 took the road to Nanaiiuo, called in at Cheinaiiios, Cthc "bad snicUiug promontory" of the Indians,) to search for coal, as intimated to me by a Chemainos Indian, who has since been son-tenced to death for murder. We failed to find any, hough as intimated at tlic time to tlie Secretary, (dcflpatcli Xo. 8.) there seems little doul)t that tlic district is coal bearing ; it is a pretty and rich agricultural valley. Here I obtained a piece of sul- pliate of copi)cr from an Indian hunter, whicli had been found on the head waners of tlie river, Sdivufiilh Stdlotr. He promised to f?how me tlie mine on my return, and failing in our oitject of vis- iting tliis district L made all haste a. '. reached Xanaimo on the Ctli of August, and reported mysrlf to Mr. Franklyn, (,'liairman of t!ie Branch committee of Exi)loration. My proceedings heie I will {ilace in diary form. August Ttli, Sumlay. August Stli, writing to tlic committee. Met tlie sub-committee here. (Javc them a resume of my plans and course, and asked as 1 matter of courtesy their opinion of the next best course. They agreed with me as to the Nanaimo river being a suitable point to start from, but determined to leave the whole matter to myself. August 0th. To-day I obtained and secured the etores. Got the papers of the two new men, Hooper and Drew, who had Just reported themselves, signed in the preseoce of the Magistrate, and tried to obtain some Indian packers, but found it almost impossible, the gold excitement having spread, and every Indian being engaged at work at the coal mines. August lOth. To-day the Indians refused to give an answer, and as every day's news of the result of our discoveries arrived, I was in great fear of the consequence. August llth. To-day 1 went to the Indian village with no better results than yesterday, all being gone, but old men, Tvomen, and children. I applied in my dilemma to Mr. Nicol, through whose assis- tance one of the chiefs promised to use his influence, but at the same time heboid out little hope, his young men being very excited, our work being hard, and pay no better than what they could get here. Besides they said soon all the men will be going to the mines and the " Gold chief," as they called me, " will be glad to give us any- thing ". Finally succeded in obtaining three that evening. August 13th. All ready this morning for a start, but could not yet obtain our full complement. Finally that evening I obtained the full number, and signed the articles in presence of Mr. Pranklyn. The agreement I transmitted to you. (Despatch No. 8.) 4 16 FA'PT,ORIN(! EXPRDITION. f^'^' I;' SiiiKlivy Atijrust 14tli. Ilitliorto, when oven ;il nil pi-af'ticub.o, I kept the Sundiiy nan, day of rest, but J was ac(|iiiiin;o(l with the disposition of tho Indians too well not to know that c\ cry day is precious, a» thoy soou chanpro their minds, and at!t.'ordn}:;ly 1 liad cverythini,' ready to start to-day, wlien tlio Indian.s retiiH<'(l to travel, and it wa-< not until ni'xt day that 1 .q;ol Leech's {tarty undnr weigh. Uis instructions f have transinitled to you. (Order, No, 7.) Next day, (Auirust l(»tli,) 1 started foi' Coinojw with the rc:-t in a I'aii'ie, and ba\ iii'u' head winds wi' had a long passsigo, and did not arrive in l'i»rl Augusta until tiie llUtii. Thai ^anic day J ascended llio Court''ii;iy river, to the head ol navigation, itwo inilc.«,) aud there Ibriued a central c.uup uiitil the 'M»t. during which time ])arties were despati-hed to explore the country in every di- rection, iho re.-ult of whicli nuiy be .-uuuaed up as follows: 1. The couiUry lying between the settled di.-trict aiul the sea, i- woodfAi. :iud If there are jtrairies, tiiey arc of very limited extent, i'he woods, however, arc very open, with nnuicrous clear sf)0ts. and would over the whole extent, form irooil cattle runs, ami in many places could be cleared with the utmost ease. As I foriuerly hinted, it is ]trobable tiiat prairies exteiul for a considerable distance in a •westerly or north-westerly direction, but are shut in by dec]) belts of woodland. Indeed it is known tliat there is a ]>raii'ie ca[pable of aiVoi'iliiig i'.iriii.i to ie:i or Iwciity .-ettlers. aliouf livf miles in a ■westerly direction. 2. 1) must however lie noted, that prairies or open lands, in general, as far as N'ancouver Island goes, follow the course of rivers. Though the woods in most cases grow thicker, and the timber •• scrubbier," as yoi; aji[iroach tiic coast, yet in some instances you tind beautiful Hats stretchiv.g along the shore, and dotted with clumps of trees, and inteisoctcd l»y sloughs of the sea, .so as to be j>arlially ovcrllowed during high tides, but as often elevated Hats or liowns, or what arc known in the )iorth of .■Scotland as " liidartios liail iiauKtl tlioin after riiyaeir. I hope yon will not accuse mo of etrotism. if at the earnest solicitation of ilic expedition, 1 allow tlie seat of this rich coal field to liear the name of Hnnvti's liivcr. On TiiUfHduy, the 1st Hoptemln'i-, I left th" -ottlement of Coin- oucs, (.[iaiituijc foi'ty-niiK' (Ii'ltoos, thirty-six niiimtcs, twi'nty-KCTeii ?econds, North. lion,L'itudo. one hundrcil and twonty four degrees, rifty-one minutes, eighteen m-coihIs, \vi\-i.) behind, haviu.i? failed to [lerstiadc any natives to accompany us, tlie icar of tin.' ven.L'cance of tlie ."^('shalil-* and ()peehe>ahts hein.ir too ;rreat and the attractions of the saliL'on tishery now cninnu'm'iuir too stronu'' for them. Accordin;jfly. I'oiu ful of such aimtlicr (K'lay us hefore. I determined fo make an attempt to asi end the runtled'j:e v,'ithout their assist- ance. In this desire I me; the cordial co-opciatiitn o! ih(> party as luckily the lii>l jiortion of the route whiiih I had selected lay on the course of the river — a roarinjr lorrt^nt. liut up which it is possible to ilra^:' a can poriaLT over the wor.-i rajjids. (.S'/'.-r-c/i. "the lautrii- ing waters." <")a the "til Si>[tteinber. we arrived at a lake eijxht miles lonir which we ascended to its head. Here 1 formed a central camp and cxiiloreil the ueiiihboring country. On the ItUh. I struck in a south-east course through a valley, all hands carryiiiL' In^n-y loads. That same night we came to a ■iiuall lake. On the ITih, we crossed it on a raft. On the ISUi, travelled in a southerly course, we crossed u range of mountains at the foot of which lay another lake four miles (OUg. On the 10th. 1 struck east by south through a valley about .^ix mile-' long, arrived that same evening at another lake fed by a large river and surrounded by extensive .swamps, at present nearly dry. The first lake 1 named the Puntledge Lake, and the principal feeder of it — Cruickshank Rivei-— after the estimable Secretary of the Exploration Committee, George Cruickshank, Esq. The second lake was dedicated with emptying stream to Mr. C. B, Young. A largt crook feeding it was named Monitor Creek. A prominent EXIM-()IllN(i KXl'KPITION. 19 u les six A cut rftn^o ol" hills roiitid the I'uiitlcdj^'c Lako I iiiuiied IJoIl's Hills, llio third lake 1 niimod AkIi Liik(!. and t ) tlii! fourth was attached tho nmiK) of |)r. Dickson. A considoralilo river fuodiiii^ it and flowing' Binoollily along from tin; inounlaiiis was named Fisher's River, while a prominent snow poiik, over 1,0. K) I'eot in heim'ht, was dedieatcd to the Uev. l>r. Ilvans — '■ While runnd itn bate the eluuili in circle* spread, Kternal luniiiiue setMci oa its head." Another lake, just hcfrnv reacliin^^ tlu; Central Fjakc, and oniptiod liv a creek llowini; info the hitter, 1 named Trounce Lake. On tlic 2Uth we travelled due .-oulli, and camped on the side of a ran^je of mountains 2,"(I0 feet higli. On the 2l«t wo struck due south thronjrii tho heavy foi? over- hani,nng the mountains. Hero 1 plotted our coiirs«, and found that we were distfiut liut a few miles IVom the central lake, and tho foir clc-arinp away a little from the heiirht we di.-i'ovi'rcd that dreary expanse of water ei,!.'htccn mil.:s long; — much smaller than previously .^uppo.sed — .-trotchin}? aliout ea.st and west. On the -'Jd wo rcaciied this lonu' look(^d for point, and con- Htructod a raft un which we sailed in an easterly course seven miles. Wo here left ii. and struck through the woods in a Kouth-east course ; Indian signs and white men's hla/.cs becoming freiiuent until dark. On the following morhing wc reached another largo lake, (Sproat's or Ivleecoot r.iake,) which 1 iiad explored last year, and travelled round its borders, until with glad hearts we threw down our loads, (now considerably liglitened since we left tlie Strait of Georgia.) in front of the Opischesaht Indian village at tlie Falls of the Somass. 'I'lic Indians were all from home, but l)eforc long we were surrounded by a party of woodmen who lived in a camp close at hand. They had been expecting us for tiie last fortnight, and we were no way reluctant to accept their hospitality, as we had been living for some days on bread and water, game l;aving entirely dis- appeared from our track. That evening — Saturday, the 2ith of September — wc descended the Sonmss or Kleeeoot river in a canoe, amid the congratulations of the Indians, who recognized me again. and a warni welcome we receiveil that night at Albcrni from Captain Raymur and Mr. Johnston, J. V. On this trip wo passed over much timber land fit to be brought into cultivation, and a new and easy route for a wagon road connect- ing the east anil west coasts. Wc discovered large scales of gold in Cruickshank River, although at the time the means at our dispoial and the shortness of food would not admit of our prosj)eeting it as we wished, ret we arc of opinion that good diggings will be found there. We are of opinion that it would repay a party of regularly 30 KXPLOniNH KXPEPITION. equipped miners to prospect it tlioronghly to its head in the course of the summer, and that its banks and the base of Mount Evans will jot bo basy witli miners. It is of much tlie same nature as Leech River, Gold was also found in the I'lintlcdge, but in little greater quantity than the " color." On arriving 1 learnt ol the arrival of the party which I had despati'heil from Nanaiino town, to Barclay Sound, Leech returned on the -7th, and presented the following report ; Alukhni, Sopteml'r 110111, lSl>t. In ncoordanee with instructions rcccivoil froin Dr. I'rown, 1 proceeded with my party up the Naiiaiino river to a jioiiit where it forks, one fork coining from the south west, ami the other, which i.s the principal stream, tVoin the west ; having its source in a small lake which is couuceted with another by a small sin'am about a mile ami a IkiIT in length. The seeoiul lake i.s I'cd by a stream ilowing from t!ie westward through a wide t>|ioii valley not very heavily timbered, but consisting of cedar, Houglas pine, iiiaplo, with an umlerbriish of berry buslie-*. There sihniis to lie some very good laud i:i this valley. The tini'Der on the shores of the lake is excelh'iit. Uetnniing to the forks I proceeded up the south-west branch to its source which is in latitude \\) degree-;, 1 niiiuita, North; longit'.ule. 1.1 degrees, '!'] ininute-, We^il, and at an altitude of about lOOlU'eet above sea level. From tiiis altitude we had a niagnifieent \\o\v oi' tip' surrtuiudiiig country ; tlie jtortion lying westward presenle,! a sueees.-ion of inoiintain pe;'.ks and ranges, many of them bald and roeky with patelies of >iiow still on them. To the eastward between the Xanaiino and Clieniainos or Sel-wac-uth rivers (here is an exti'iisive pi lin heavily timb(M*ed. T should have examined tliis valley, but th'' shoi'tnes.s of my provisions at the time would not justify me in si^piiratiii'; my i)arty as intended liv Dr. lirowu ; however I liave no doubt but there is good Agricullur;',! land in this plain. Coiiliiuiing onr jiuirmw in asouth- westerly (liret'lion we -iriiek tlie head waters of the riviM- .\imiehin, which we followed to its mouth near the west end of Kowiehan lake. There is some e\eelleiit timber, white pine (I'inus strobus^ and hem- lock, on this river, but it is (lilViieut o! aeees-^. From the we-;tcndof Kowiehan Lake we proei'eiied liiie west to T.arelay Sound, which we struck at the mouth of Sarila river in \u inu-kiMnis Hay, having crossed four distinct rami'cs of moniitains vaiying in altitude from two to three thousand feet. Wo also erosse.l the Nittiuaht river, which here (lows through an open valley, heavily timbered with spruce — underbrush of berry-bushes— and two other good sized streams ilowing through very fine valleys, in which I lielieve thero arc considerable patches ot good laud. The Sarita river has its EXPLORING EXPHDITION. 2X source m a smal lake, about three miles in length, and threo-quar- Tth oa? wl'"' ".'"'" <•-! b, a stream iWing from tho'e^t noo )o' H T '"' ^^r'"^'^^ - tl'o lake a delta of about (1000) one tliousand acres is formed ; it could be very easily cleared and n.ado ava, able for agriculture, as would also the a 'j throu!>:h wluch the S«rita ri^er tlown. ^ Wc left Nanaimo on Monday, the 15(1, August, and arrived in N:Hun.kan.m.s Bay on Wodnosday, the Tth instant. Our pro T.s.ons got so low on the 2Sih Au,nst, that wo wore obliged to put ourselves on .hort rations. On the n.orning of Suada;. tho ' 0.1 Monday morning we cached onr tent, (he sextant, and moH of our personal eileets. fuuling onrsehea too weak to earrv (hi On_ Tuesday, about noon, we str.iek the Lake at the head of Santa nver, where wo eaught live small trout, of whieh we made some de luMOus soup, travelh^l rou.ul the northern shore of the Lake, and eampod at nightfall, where it disehar^vs i„to the ^aritR Xoxt^ day OVodnesday.) afior a good breakfast of trout wc proceeded down the river by a good trail, ean.e npon an Indian lodge, about halt a miK« from the Lake ; an old Indian and hi" squaw were the only inhabitants. 1 b.argaiued with the ohi man to take ine party in a canoe to the sea for six dollars. .Vb.HU two mde. l.irlher down the river we eanie to another lod-e, wlaMv (here were nbout s,x men will, iheir s.p.aws and children, b.h.n^^an.v to the Ohiahis. T boili All lie reeenH\l n; ver\- _.i 'ii'.i.l\- ani e.-h sahnoii. ive us pleiilv of AllH'rm. were we arriviul I'ai'gai.'ie.i foi- a i-anoe to ta! on On 'i'ne.^vhiv last 1 loo!. Tiie.-il bill! us t( ;iy. tlie Sii; instant. to ilie pLu-e wlieiv I mailo the car llet ami iwo aiul niau to A! Lidians. a:id went back found everytJiiiig safe. H'fui ye^tenlay at C. ]>. ni. Prospeeted f,)r -old every ^lream.• merely found t!ie color in the \ II th uliLTi'v iie^ but did not liiul e eountrv abounded with d e\!'n tkal a nvwlioi-i aiiaiMio river, and Alilioiia'h eer lad Iteen hitherto very sneeessful, vet shot and tunato as not lo !>;> ;ii)!e to kill Nunaiino river aiu 1 oik. and oni- hunter is a cood we wer^ a single deer from the t .) uiifor- imo we loft Your oliedient servant. 1'. d. LEECH. The objects of geographical interest on this route were named lu honor ol some members of the Expedition, of the Committee of 22 EXPLORING EXPEDITION. •"Hr Exploration, &c., c. g. Mount Wakeford,* (4,200) Mount Pidwell,t (3,700) Mount Forbes.J (4,000) Mount r)onn33,§ (3,800) Mount Frank- lyn,l| (5,100) Mount Jkgbic,1i Mount Wood,** (5,500) Mount Lan- dalc.tt (4,250) Mount DcCosmos,:}::j: Cone Mountain, (3,000) Mount Good,§§ (4,600) Ycrnoy's River,!- a tributary of the Nanainio or Swoj- lura River, Frauklin'.s Rivor,"i*^ llowing into tlie Alberui Caual^ Fol- linsbeo's River,*''* debouching into tlio same inlet. Mount Kuipc,tt1- (4,350) itc. Tlic names of the raonibcrs of the Expedition are com- memorated in McDonahr.s River, a tributary of the Xittinalit, Barn- ston's River i.nd Lake. Mount Inittlc, (5,25Uj Mount Drew, (4,700) Mount llooiier, (5,100) .Mount Wiiynipei-, (5,2()0j wliiist Hungry Creeii, Cache River, (flowing into Paeheua Ray.) Delivery Creek, Ac., arc named in memoi-y of iucidcutb. which happened on their l)anks. j>Ieadc has a river llowing into Lho Mahoilh or Stamp's River from the North. Tlio weather was very wet for some days, but as .^oon as the rain abated, and t!ic men had recruited a litUe, I conuueiiccd explor- ing the vicinity of Albcrni canal, until tlie 13th October, wlien the news of the Ah-oiis-aht disturbances reache;! mo in an ollicial form, and with it, tiie order to return to winter ((uarters, on account of tlie disturbed conditin;i of the Indian tiibes of the vest coast. It had been my intention to liavc done so previously li:iving received intimati'iii through native scources of the bomi)ardment of the Ahousatlit villag'\ conscipient on the murder of the " Kingiislicr's" crew, and warued nut to endanger our lives, in the attem])t to pass along the coast on our way to Xootka yound. (in some of the Rivor3 of which there is s;iid to be Q-old in jiartng Quantities) from wlienco it had been my intention as intimated to you m n;y despatch No. 8, to have crossed tlie Island by a chain of lakes nwA rivers, to Fort Rupert on the east coast. The results of onr explorations in the vicinity of the Albcrni canal, ;inii Ijarclay, (or as it ought to be Z'c/'v/t//) Sound, may be shortly siininicd up as follows : 1. The discoverv of cold in Franklin's river ilowing into the Albcrni canal, bdow Copper mountain, and taking its rise near the Nanaimo lakes, in (pianlities v»'!iich as far as our Exploration per- mitted u- to judge, froMi one dollar and a half to tl.'ree ])er iJiem, ' In hnmnr of tUo Ilonorr.'ilc llor.ry Wakeford, Coloniril Secrct.iry; f J. 'J'. Tid- wcU, Ksij., .\leml)':i' of thu ijX!jlorcu:oa (.'oiiiiuUtec ; X !^i'' I'i>i't'c-''i ii- N, llie Auihor of a very carefully complied Prizn Esiuy on Wmcuiiver Island; vj G E. Denncs, Ksq., M. L. A. ; ii \V. 11. Friuiklyn, K-q., J. i'., Cnairiiiim of lirau'.'h Committee of Kxpl 'ration, at Nauaim 1 ; 'I U;s ll'iaor Cliiof Justic? l!e,;lii'.', of British Columliia ; ••Tlie Honor- able T. L. Wood, Attorney Goneral of V.-vnc^iuver Island ; ft J. J. Landalo, \W\., C. E. Enijiiicor of lUrowood Railway ; +f Amor DcCosraos, Esq., >l. 1j. A. ||'j Thn llev. J . B. Ouol, B A, Naiiairao; |iii Lit'Uteuaiit CuiuinindinR 1',. II. Vf-niey, K.N., II. M. S. " Qrappler," Ch»inna" of Su'j. Coininlttec of l-^xplor.^tion ; 1)^ Sclim Franklin, Esq., M. L. A. Chairman Exploration Con'raittoe ; •*» llr. James FoUiiisbec, a t'amou* wood- man of Alljcriii; ttt Tho Uer. Gliristopher Knipc, M. A,, Alberni, EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 23 with the rocker, with the promise of greater results in a more extended prospecting. The Iliver is full of canons, but there is "pay dirt" for a reasonable nuinbcr of inou. In our opinion, the river is worthy of anotlicr prospecting. 2. Tlic cxph ration of the Xah-inint river flowing into Nali-mint bay of the chai ir, to its scouroo in a lake about eight miles long. The River is claimed l)y a tribe living in Ukl-nl-uaht arm, and we tbund them camping there. The soil along . the banks of tlic liiver is good, l)ut diOicult to clear of fallen timber. After leaving the falls, the limber is principally maple, (Acer ?tracro|)]iyIum Dougl.) no indications of gold were lound ; bnt favorable imlicatioas of copper and ironstone. IJuttlc, to whom this duty was instructed, in his report to me ol).-crves : The Lake we named the Nah-mint Lake, it is between eight and nine miles long, with an average width of one mile : it lies north and south for about four miles and then it turns to tlie west and north-west, for the remainder. It lies be- tween two largo mountains, about tlirce tliou-^and feet above the level of tlie Lalcc. I took bearings of several liigli mountains to north and west. One group 1 named the '"Ten Spies" (in memory of the Expedition, the original ninnber of which was tci),) on account of the suiall rocky peaivs. JJelow the ])eaks wo saw large glacier banks of ice nnd snow, an 1 tlie portion of a Lake bearing south-west. About two miles np the llivcr at the head of canoe navigation, was found a vein of coppor. wliieli looked favorable. The same party subsctpiently found out-eroijpings of copper below Copper Mountain, 3. TIio discovery of inland water comnmuicaiion for ton miles only a (prartor of a mile from the salt water, at the head of Oucli-e- clons-aht Harbor, not far from the Indian village. This Lake I named Ilendcr.son Lake, after my friend Captain John Henderson, v.iio first communicated to me tlie su[ii)oscd e.vistance of this body of water, which may probably yet lie of considerable value lor inlaiid connnun- Ication, as the little outlet could be easily suited for the entrance of vessels at a comparatively rmall expense. The Lake is fed by Hen- derson River and is surrounded by stccj) barren mountains, on thi,^ side of which were found iiidications of copi)er. In neitlier Ilondc)'- 3on River, nor a smaller one (lowing in at the hend of the harbor, (Whymi)cr River,) was tlierc found the slightest indications of gold. 4. In a river known by the Indians as the Atdaht, nearly oppo- site the mouth of Onch-e-clous-aht Harbor, were found some indica- tions of gold, and a copper ledge two feet in breadth — the indications promising. On a trilmtary of the Ah-laht, llowing into it about foar miles up, and at right angle, the course of the A'.daht being south- 24 EXPLORING EXPEDITION. Mi I 11 east, and that of the tributary north-east, about three miles up were discoTcrcd three copper ledges but no gold. 6. We also completely explored the Central Lake, which we found to be only from eighteen to twenty-two miles in length, nearly shut in by mountains, abounding in deer, fed by Johnston * and Raymur's t Rivers, and emptied by Stamp's | or the Mahoilli River, which joins the Kleccoot or Somass about five miles from its mouth. The latter river flows into Stamp's Harbor at the head of the A.lberni Canal, and is tlic emptier of Sproat's II or Kleecoot Lake, a many armed sheet of water, aijout sixteen miles long in its longest axis, and fed by Taylor's River from the mountains,§ round which you can see the waters of Klay-o-qualit Sound. The latter lake is bordered in many places with open lands, suitable for pasture, and lino timber. From the mounlaius round the north arm of this lake I am in possession of a piece of silver ore ; but from tlic scourco whence I received it, its existence, as Sir Thomas Brown would liavo said, " though not beyond the boundaries of possibility yet docs not admit of a reason- able solution." Several pmall prairies border the Kleccoot River, two of which arc beinir brouglit under cultivation by Messrs, Ander- son & Co., the pro])rictors of tlie Albcrni Sawmills. On the 14th wc conmienccd our jouriioy homewards, by crossing the island from the mouth of the Somass Or Kleecoot Rivor, (naviga- ble at higli water for two miles liy steni-wlicel steamers, as is also the Courtonay River at Co:nox.) to Qnall-c-luini,oa tlic Strait of Georgia, where, after an ca:^y march, wo arrived on the ISth. Tlic first portion of our route lor six milci w.'is llirough a very open thinly wooded fcru"[ covered country, well adapted for grazing. It is the priiicij)al hunting ground of the Opcclic^ajlit Indians ; the trail is tolerably well marked. From here the route takes over a stce])ish ridge, GOO feet in height, from whence you descend to Home's Lake, seven miles long. Keeping along by the borders of the lake until the end, we struck for the sea through an oi)Gn thinly timlicrcd track, gently sloping to the sea, and oflering no impediment to travelling, with the exception of about Lalla mile of burnt and fallen timber, two miles from the coast. A five loot trail, fifteen miles in length, connecting the east and west coasts, could Ijo easily constructed hero at an •ivcrago expense of seventy-live dollars per mile, and though the steep ridge montioncd might ofi'or .some ohstaclci to a wagon road, as * Mfttthow Johnr.ton, RBq., J. P., Alberiu; fCaptain Jamos llaymur ; tli^ward Stamp, Esq.; |i Gilbert !Malcolm Sprout, Esq, § I explored tliii river in June, 1SG3, and dijtinguighcd the snow peaks belting it by tbo namfi of Sir William Uibsun Craic;, liart , Lord Clerk Register ot Scotland, I, Andor- ■on Henry, Esquire, George Patton, Ksquiro, &o., prominent mcmberi of tho Botanieal ■eei«t7, undsr whose auspices I pursued my rcssarchss. H The eosmopolitan I'ttris aquilina. EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 25 Captain Ricliardr^, R. N., coniidercd, yet I think this could be sur- mounted ; but still for !i pack trail this would bo immaterial The route along the banks of the Quall-o-hum River is very bad. Captain Mayne, K. N., crossed the island to the south of our present track and north of our routo from Nanalnio to Barclay Sound, and consi- dered that a route was practicable in that direction ; but I question whetiier the advantai^'o arising Iroin avoiding the ridge would coun- terbalance the disadvantages of the much greater extent (on the pro-;ciit state of the Indian tribes of the Island, socially and statistically, wit'i vocabularies of the languages spolceu by them, and Lhc wliolo cumarif.ed into a new and detailed map of the colony, when you have decided upon the necessary scale, and other arrangements. Mr. Fredoricic Whympcr. liie artist of the ExiKHlition, proposes exhibiting his numerous virawings at present, to the jcubli'^ 'ii one of the rooms of the (iovonnnent House, and aftcrwai'ils, iu ' iction with m puVdishing them in a work on tliis coast, or olborwiti', as yon may finally determine. In conciu.-ioii i nave to liiank yuu lor ihe trouble you have taken in this matter, and your patience on cvary occai.ion ; a^id though on the Commander always lies a load of diJlic'dl,ies and anxieties such as none who have not shared in similar enterprises in the same capacity can well appreciate, yet I would be wrong not to speak gratefully of the assistance ready and constant almost to a man of the subordinates of the Ex[)cdition ; and you will pardon me if I express a hope that their labors will not go uni'cwai'ded by you. Another Expedition would 1)C comj)aratively easy. To you and to us fell all the '• pioneer" work of organizing and carrying it into effect, amid difficulties, jealousies, and other obstacles. Though I fear that it cannot be my lot to personally join in another Expedition, yet I trust that you will see fit to send out another in early spring, and I tliink that we could perhaps furnish odvice and information whicli might enable you to steer clear of dilliculties which seriously but imavoidably incommoded us. Finally I have to thank you for the honor you did me in placing mc at the head of the Expedition, and my satisfaction at the favor- abl« results which have followed its labors. I trust tliat I uave in EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 27 some degree merited your confidence, and that any errors I may hare committed will be attributed to licad and not to heart. I haTO the honor to be, Gentlemen, Your very obedient servant, ROBERT BROWN, Commander and Government Agent of the Vancouver Island Exploring Expedition. Vancouver Island Kvploratioii Commiitee. The Report has afTordcd tlic Committee much gratification, and they are persuaded that its publication, whicli has kindly beea undertaken by the Government, will do much to stimulate future enterprise, to attract capital to the Colony, and to promote it? settlement. The gold fields of Hooke and Leech Rivers, now being successfully worked, furnish broad grounds for the belief that in the interior there exist deposits which will give remunerative employment to great numbers of industrious men, and supply the means of fo ;ter- ing extensive commercial, manufacturing and agricultural interests. The Commander, and the Olliccrs and men under his direction have prosecuted the arduous task assigned to them in a highly praiseworthy manner ; and the Committee trust that it will l)e in the power of the Executive of the Colony to confor upon them some appropriate mani^'estation of ap[)reciation of the zeal and persever- ance by which difiiculties of no ordinary magnitude, inseparable from such an undertaking, have been met and surmounted. The assistance from time lo time rendercil by the Admirals and other Ofiicers of Her Majesty's Navy has been of great advantage to the Expedition. It lias been the means of economizing' 'Jie funds placed at the disposal of the Committee, and entitles the gentlemen connected with that branch of tlic service to the warm thanks of the inhabitants of the Colony. In conclusion, the Committee contemplate with satisfaoiion and encouragement the successful results of the researches of the Expedition in the limited section of the Island to which they were confined by the shortness of the season. They hope that His Excellency and the inhabitants of the Colony will deem it advisable to resume the work of exploration at the early opening of the spring and to extend it over the entire Island, with the warranted expec- tation that its mineral and other valuable resources will fully reach the warmest anticipations of the friends of progress. Subjoined will be found an abstract of the Receipts and Dis- bursments of the Committee, all which is respectfully submitted. SELIM FRANKLIN, Chairman of the Vancouver Island Exploration Committee. Victoria, Vancouver Island, April 3rd, 1865. m \ VANCOUVER ISLAND EXPLOKING EXPEDITION. 1864:. 1. RouEUT Brown, Commander and Government Agent. 2. Peter Jolin Loccfi, Lieutenant and Astronomer. 3. Frederick Whymper, Artist. 4. John Buttle, Asistaiit Naturalist, &e. 5. Alexander S. Barnston, Pioneer and JLiner. C). John Meade, 7. Ranald McDonald, 8. John M. Foley, 9. Thomas Henry Lewis, 10. Richard Drew, 11. William Hooper, 12. Toma Autoinc, Hunter, 13. Lazare La Buscay, " " detached July 2G. " " joined August 6. K ((