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 YALE UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
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 DISCOVERY 
 
 AND 
 
 SEl'TJ.EAJENT 
 
 OF 
 
 WES'JILIIN 
 
 NORTU AAJ ERICA 
 
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 C0]>L1X"110N OF 
 
 WILLIAM 
 
 ROBERTSON 
 
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 CARIBOO: 
 
 A TRUE AND COKllECT NACTATIVJ'; 
 
 CONT.MNM.NG AN AfTOUNT Or*)nS THAVKL OVK]'. IKS' TIIOUSAKD 
 
 .MiLi:s, i;v si;a, i;i\i:i:r, i.akks, anh land, 
 
 10 fellE 
 
 CAUT'BOO GOLD DIGGINGS, 
 
 liKlTLSJI COLUMBIA. 
 
 All ynii vlin nif diiiiliir,'-' nf twins I" Cnriljon 
 i{ef(Mv .st;ir;in;.; out, iiI'-.to lo.iil tlii-. Ivok tlirc>i!.;;Ii ; 
 "J is wiittdi liy one wlio has l.c-cii over the lontf, 
 And contains fomc hints n.-vful to you, no iloiiht 
 
 V^ 
 
 STOOKTCiX' : 
 
 IT:INTi;i> ]iV \<. M. Wr.KUlT, MAfi -IT.IKirr, Kir,VKR-r.T!;r.KT. 
 
 18G3. 
 
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 CAIllBOO: 
 
 A TiiVE AM) CORliECT NAIIRATITO. 
 
 In conscqiicnco of fcvcral Iciigtliy IcUns wliicli n])pc;)nd in 
 tlie 'J'imcs Keirsj)apcr, fioui the pen of one Poiiiild rra/.rr, 
 tlicii res-idiiig in Victoria, ]!ritis}i Colnmbiri, artiiij at that 
 period tis corrcfjioiulciit for tlie iibovc Ncv.tj-^ijicr — letUra 
 whicli cxcilcd the ntlcntioii of thousands of ricii in the Briti?li 
 Isles, and on the Kuioptaii, Auieriean, and Aur-trulian couti- 
 nents, causin;^; tiiriii to leave f;ood situations; tofoifialre liomci'; 
 to dispo.se of roniforlable farm?, and sinh the deliglit« of 
 civilization, to fntcr rpon a life of advcntnro, ri' 1 ri';k their 
 nil ill a visit to those gold lii>'-.ls of Cariboo, described by him 
 as surpassing in richnej ■ all other mines liitheilo discovered ; 
 also repiesei.'t.'iig the colony as possessing large tracts of rich 
 land snilable foragrirut'uial purposes, with a first-rate climati. 
 aiid abounding witli game of all deserijitlon — 1, in cominmy 
 with two sons, started off for th: Golden ]',ld(^rrt. Wc'lcft'^ 
 our homes on the Olst of Mi".:'h, 18(12, and f:iiled from 
 Liverpool on the 2nd day of Aj^: :' in tl;c ittam-i.hiii ^' City of 
 Daltinioie", in company v, ith s ■■vhcre about ihice hiuidreil 
 passengers, Wc called 'at Queei, .v.n, Ireland, th., follov.-ing 
 day, and tool; in about three, liun;!red boys and girls fioin the 
 Knurald Isle, all tired of their native toil, nr.d going out to 
 try their luck in n foreign land. 'J'liey were liouiid for tha 
 Canadas, aiid the United States, but many of them, hcaiing 
 of the glorious nrospects in the newly diccovcrcd gold legio.'i". 
 
 " '" M I > I Mi ,^ 
 
.L_., 
 
 cliingcd their uiiiuls at once, and tcl out v.Itli a (Ictermiuritlon 
 to have their share of the piecious iiiil;ih 
 
 \Vc left Qiicciibtowii ill til'.' evciiiiiL', \vitli a living frtiglit of 
 fix luindied huiiuin beings, mid ftraincd along St. George's 
 Clianiicl with tlic lii>h coast in view , till the shades of night 
 jirevailed, and deprived us fi'in seeing tlic scenery of otvld 
 Ireland. \Vc hunied ofi'to i ir bunhs to feek rest, but there 
 is very little to be found ah •■ril a ship rocking to and fro. 
 Next morning when ue tuuieii out on Heck, tiie land Lad 
 di>;aj,, -ared altogetlier, and wc v.i.rc Jiow fairly lauiielijd out 
 and surrounded on all sides witli the miglity wati r of the 
 Atlantic, whose face at this time was getting rufilcd and angi y 
 like, the wind blowing sli'ong ag.iiii't u^, and telling upon the 
 pa;-sengers, sickness and sadnt.-s depicted on ahiiosl cvciy 
 face. \Vlint a scene to look upon ! So the night passed away, 
 and the morning was ushered in, the wind slill blowing fiercely 
 against us, and the sea fearfully agitated ; sicl,nes> unci inis'^iy 
 still ]jrevailing on every side, whieli continued the most part 
 of the night. Next nifrning the uind abated ; weather 
 inijiroved, and li!;ewi'^c the condition of the jiasseiigers ; most 
 of them were able to leave the filthy and close dens in the 
 steerage, for the liealihy and invigorating brec/e on the deck 
 of the vessel. Beaeiifiil day and iiie.hl. J^unday luorning 
 very fine ; all hand^ on deck enjoying tlieni;elve= as best they 
 could, when the skip boll jiceled forth to announce to all on 
 board, that divine worship was about to coniinenee in the 
 saloon ; a good many attended the cereiiKiny, which was 
 conducted by tlie Captain, who went through the bu.sii:e.-3 in 
 a prii ■•t-lil;e style. 'J'iiis over, another scene jire.sented itself 
 which ajijiearedto be mine attractive, a regnkirrnsh was made, 
 and every one seeiiKd in earnest. Hpiee duugh v.as on the 
 table for dinner, and it was a treat indeed. It e.ily made its 
 aiijiearanceonceav.v 1:; the olliermcals, each of whieli, during 
 the week were made uji of very inferior articles both in quality 
 and quantity ; tiiis over, Father Skilly, a culholir prie:;l, made 
 liis ajijiearance to coii-olc and {.'ivc comfort ti- the lambs of his 
 flock. After eoUeetiiig thcni all into one fold, he commenced 
 by reading over a long ligmarolc of unmeaning gargon, after 
 which he commended llieiu to t'ae C're of Maiy, the mother 
 of God, whom he trustid would watch over them, atid bring 
 tafe to the dc'-ired huvcn; (poor deluded btings, moio to b'j 
 
 , 1 < \ Ti.v firco over, one and all began 
 P'''^' *1:T^:^J- ; ilnJlvu h".^w-vays, but this wa, 
 to employ anu i. y>j !•">•' 
 
 of short duration. lou",— the vind 
 
 The cour,e of pleasure ne r '"" .'^^-'i^.^.r ,„d 
 began to vvhislle. and ^'>"/"T,'^^;°„„d "rough dunce v'c 
 louder, till the -ve^ hegim U. d , r^ d_ • ^ ^^. ^, .^, 
 
 bud ; in their mad ^^'^Z'. ^ ' ' , ,, f^oin stc : to stern, and 
 fearful blows, winch "'^"l'' l'^\!"'' 1' „ "i,... bceauic alarmed, 
 the dear Irish boys and girh, cspecialij, . _ ,_^_ 
 
 ihe dear Irish .boys and g.^^ . '^^^'^f^, ,o los= 
 though placed mthe charge "f'l/'^'^,^, bottom. This 
 confidence, and fancy t'^'V^-^' ''f^^'^^ ;„ ; the morning 
 sieni. continued ^- P^'^'^Z^""' "^Z a avast nund-er 
 brought better weather, and a ='•'"'.',,„ ,,l,asanlly, 
 crow'ded the decks, and t^ie '^O, j;' = ^^j'^: ,:,"\,lrrieane U 
 with the exceptiun o '" %^ '; , ' „ ,,,h shelter whe:c 
 short durati.m, wln.h dre.e C'' h • n > ^ ' . ^^;,j ^,„j 
 
 be^t they could find it. Night pretty fine ; 
 
 stoimy. , , „^,, ,,v^,,. their sick season 
 
 Kverybody 
 Ein"hig, dancm 
 
 -!-,;:riro£- -:,.-- Ooi'. on till 
 
 singing, dancing, ami var ou o w ..^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^ 
 the hour of ten, after «-h.oh. the <^^"^^ ^ / ^,., ,„„i Oieu 
 themselves together to repeal then Anc Maue , . . 
 
 nd then 
 ■r to re'iieai iin-'ii *."• •- • .,,,,•,, 
 
 ship, causing a feeling (I '"'"' ..,,,„,,- morn iig. i l>e 
 
 ^^l-^-"^^f?"^^!^^^;:ut.:ccl::;:..;;■a^^ 
 
 Imed to threaten all with _ sudden 
 
 The 
 
 :, , • .u,\.,.- nocoiiipanied with siitiaell 
 ^vindeontiniiedtoboNvlaen.l l^.n^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ 
 
 gusts of rain, whl<-h seemed to «'^';\ ,;,,,_,;, bundred 
 Ltroction; y^^ i" ^l^ '"f^ ^ ,' ^'in;!! ^^^of cracker, and 
 human being, ail l-'- '.Idled '"1^^^''^' '. "j j. .^f, lOth : fine day ; 
 tea Ki'-ht got out pretty fine. Vv >. due clay , i J 
 
 t,; a miserable niglf.. J^n^^:' 
 passed several ships. I'nday, anollRi 
 some awfully Lrand flashe 
 
 of 
 
 away pretty Weil ; 
 
 wild day; wilnes^.ed 
 
 lightning in the w'esl ; cauio 
 
 Buiiie awiuMi o" — "" . ,. ,1 "..I,;,, nirkiii" fi'r.ifullv 
 on a very wild stormy -'^^^:^^"\^£''tu^., l^tli, ^.ind 
 when morning came. '•'"''' Y . ^^.^..^ u,id rights ve 
 
 Monday LMli, three miscr.'.We cKl stoim) oaj 
 passed! rocking on the vast aby|-=. ^,_^ 
 
 MetV nVt- f intending cmigiains euui ^ ,„,,„r^ 
 
L, 
 
 tlircni'-l, I ];,-ilr,.,I . . ,. , . c"'"if;'-' to what wu |,ad p,,sn;J 
 
 «•"« «lcli.'l,tc<l 'to -o7t .r^nm I oV''^'r'''''^"V'' "".'^^■^'^- "'"' 
 C-e lmr,icd on deck to u- ' , n -a t," , " ""' , '''\'>- 
 o-rjoycHl a. tl,c ,,,0,.., of once' r ' L f„ I0 ^^ S '">^ 
 
 f "J tl.e ,n-t;l.t ,-assr,l over vc ■ n u v f , ' tT '™^ ''"'' ' 
 '"Vt.Iy-,„or,u-n.'- tl,c ..om. , ^ T' .t > fo l„wcd by aiiotl.cr 
 
 ^ thou: 
 
 illK'ywac-ladtotcuup. 
 
 tli.M.l.as.uv vav nut«llosu.d i,.. I U vevor ^, K "','' •' ^"^ 
 ' «"'cho,-. ,,k1 .-,11 ,„.,i,, ,„„•,, ^vc,r, ■ ''"!' '"-'"« '^t 
 
 H,.t an ,vc<l .,lon:;.l,!. of us a litdc after ci o' 1 o"' i .. "° 
 
 tl'O fu^= conimuacrJ,-lu<.„,,.v •„„! , ° .«'><! thai 
 
 fe'oo. trunk sot such a .hakh, ' a, t , '^"l "'"^ '"""•^' " 
 
 ^v"rd. would ..co^..... ,,. „ coJ^Se ^, ^ ' .^'i^?:- "f^-" 
 
 as.enj,cr. wcr. all tran./,:rrc:d't., the (ukIo Zff ""' 
 
 \vay across tic rivrr ' c-,.- „ ,■ '"b "-O'lt, (iiid on our 
 
 '"'Hlin,- place ; Ca^ fi?,.r'-^' ""' ""'^ '"" '-^-"'^'''"^ t''^" 
 
 "'n!u- C>>lin^ circu„,sta,>^ ' ..!^ ;^ «q'"Wic, e.j>rdaliy 
 
 'g circumstaiia'i, wli.ii 
 
 tiie whole- luition 
 
 was uji in onus, nnd sjilil hsuiuI r, butclicrlnj orio 
 another with whoksulc flaughtcr, and t-jircadln^- dcsulalioti 
 and woe through tlit wliolo length and brcadili of llic 
 land Oil! cuci' niiylily Anaiica, liow low thou trt 
 fallen! What will thy future d(-tiny be! Dcfore wc wcic 
 allowed to enter the city, wc had to undert;o rNaminatioli, give 
 in our nanief, where from, and were (Ictincd ; this requiud 
 sonic time, nnd before v.e were nil jia'.'-od, half the diiy \.<^h 
 sjicnt. After tlii^, the conne.\ioiis and, fiicndirhijiE recently 
 formed in the " City of Hallitnore," were severed Usundcr, iiUil 
 wc were all soon disj.ersed lo difi'erent Jiarlb of the cily, each 
 no doubt, nnNious to find a roinfortahle jilaec, and ytt 11 decent 
 rejra',l, a Kixniy we had not enjoyed tinee lea\iii^; I/i\crjjo(il. 
 i utid a jiailycf fivi' olhert g-iit \cty coinfiirtably ei-co!ieed in 
 private loii^in^;.-, hejit by u Mr.s, lliighc-, in Qiicen-stiecl : 
 board and lodj'jny.s scvenly-five cenfs yci day taeh. Tho 
 next invjioMant matter to be attended to, was n £;ood wa:li, 
 vhieh wc soon jwucurcd in tlie shajic of a warm bath : Ci.ch 
 'ell immensely ben fitdl by it. We tlicn Iiad n walk into the 
 cl'.y, but bcin;; cxte.-ively hoi, our walk vas fliort ; llicttrccts 
 wc jias'xd thr(ai[;h weie narrow, badly jiaved and dirty. 
 Wc got a very unf.ivor.ible iniiiression of th': city on our fust 
 tour over ; but having to stay here a few days, wc had liaic to 
 walk about, and the city suiiied to inijirovc each time, Wc 
 rambled out, till at length our fu>l iiiijiressiou fa(I. ! ov.ay, 
 and we canu: to the conelu'>ioii thai it was a noble iiluce, — 
 streets wide, with t]ilendid buildiug.s on each jidc ; heic and 
 there a sinicious square, ciicu>, or cre.scent attracts your 
 attention, and jiarkn richly laid or.t in dilTeieiit ] ;irl'.; of the 
 city. One day in (4ir |.erandiuk:tlon, we saw a ciov.d collecled 
 in one of the Talks ; we went down lo them, and found they 
 Were ;;aziii^ on the ]ilanet ^'enus ; we turned our eyes in that 
 direeliun, and rlcaily saw llie jdanet v.'itlj the naked ijc about 
 niid-di:y. In the aflenioon we went do\\n to the oflice of the 
 California ''teamShijijiinr; Comj'any,a)idon mal:ingenquiriesv,c 
 weie told the stcarm r " C'hamiiion" was to leave for /Vjiinwall 
 on the L':.'nd,and that the steera:^e dejiartni'nts were all cng.-'g- 
 cd; and so great was the ru^h lor Cariboo, thai jiartits were 
 securing tickets for the next itrann.'r to leave in a forlni^jhl. 
 Wc concluded not to wait; wc therefore cnyaeed Lerlli!, iu 
 Uiv second cabii! of the " Chaiuj-ion," for whidi vc wcr^; 
 
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 chiirgril cue Iiiiiidicil and fifty iloUars cacli, for our passage 
 tlirou^'li tu Pan I'raiirisca. In tlic c\ciiiii^; vc went to 15ar. 
 nuii;'K 'I'tiiatrc, mul wcri' iirctty well cntcrlaincd, Gciieial Torn 
 Thiimh bcin- tlic soiiroo of ntlractioji at that time. 
 
 Sunday, wtl day ; gut out fiui.- in tho cvcuiii- ; wo tool; our 
 places in the railway cars, mid rude out to the Central Turk, ft 
 most inagulficenl plaeo, l)("iulifiilly laid out, nnd foiintaiM'! and 
 statues in cvciy u''..'iiou. Monday lu'iriilii^;, wet and cold; 
 packed up, , lid went cl.wii to tlie'sliiii : what a bustle und 
 conrusion time wa.— wha' a shahint', of hands, and shedding 
 of U'ais, nnd wavin- of l.-.ts luid Ijaiidkei chiefs, whep the 
 " Champion" iiioveJ away from the ^' i.k ; n great in-"iy no 
 doubt W'ere pauini; to nuet no inoie, and this was the Inst 
 long lingering louk j and k) long as llie tteaiuer Was in t'ljd, 
 did they (.land and waleh, iiuJ tlivn no doubt miiiiv ti'r"iicd 
 away with !ic!iin- Ik, ulb, leaving tlie g.dhiiit vt'S!-ei\,itli its 
 living freight to its f.Ue, to pIuuglT its w,iy iicrots tho Atkiu'!" ; 
 nnd u living freight there' was,''•-ulAva;d^ of t.wlvc bundie<i 
 Iiunian beings. 'J'hc steerage dejiartuieiit wa.< crowded lo 
 excess ; not half of them hail berih^ to sleeji in, they Iiad lo 
 lay down any i.,;- whei-.; they could find sji;iee, and ih- food 
 they liad was of lii.^ ijicaucst dcserijilion. W'c had not been 
 many hours out to eca befure the wind began to blow, end 
 every thing around ul. betokened a stonuy night, whieli we 
 hadin reality befo-'c iiiidniglil. 'i'lie tliiji wab rocking and 
 reeling to and fro, and the waves were dasliiug furiously 
 ngaiiiPt her, and seemed to threaten us with utter (lestruction. 
 AVliat <i tcene there was- below ! Almott every passenger on 
 boaid was jirostraf d with sickness, and vomiting in nil 
 dirertions. What a jiicdieaiueiit tu be in,— upwards of tv e!vc 
 hundred liumr'n beings helj less.cNiiivcd to the greatest djuig-er j 
 did not know but the next billow might bury "lis all .m: ! every 
 thing beneath the oei .m, and iioi leave one behind to tell the 
 tale. 
 
 Oh! cruel Atlanlie, when thy v.i..!h is once nroused, thou 
 Brl not easy to jiaeif) ! AYIiat a va.-t ainouni of life and property 
 tliou liasl rejuiivJ to be saerifieed from time lo time, to 
 npj)eaw' thy raving and roaring p:is^ion ! and yet we havcsf.,i 
 Ihy face as calm and smooth as a mirror, and iunoeiiice ttamji- 
 cd ujjun thy counlenance. In a short time tlic wiiul moderated, 
 the wavco Bunk te rest, und tlie ship " Cluuiipiou'" blilt 
 
 retained Ik r " Ci.amph.u" fhiii, aad glided tinnotlily mid 
 swifllv over the tea. 'fhe vo\a-e .or ihc remnuuUr of our 
 journey to Aspiuv^;:!! -vas f.ivoiable ; wc steamul onWard 
 day after day. pa«L(d Cuba, and the Vtcst India Islands. 
 Saw a great many whales fljati.ig along; nnd a vast 
 quantity of dillVient specimens of the finny tribe sport- 
 ing about. One cuilous little fish, called by the sailors,— 
 Portugese man-ofwar, in rouseipience of their hiril.ing iiiiit.i- 
 tlon of a ship in full sail : many of iheui are a beautiful imrple 
 colour. We saw mvriads of Hying fish ; likewise at times the 
 ravenous, and mueli dnaded shark might b'.' scni gliding 
 swif'.ly along just beneath the surface of the water. 
 
 On the "J!!;!!, we jnissed through the ("aiihbean sea, 
 in the Troiiieid reglu;:s, we b.gaii to find it uneoiu- 
 fuit;ddy hot,' so iiiueli su, we were obliged to (piit our 
 bunks,' nnd lake up our lu lgi:igs on the deck of the 
 vesel. Wc arrived at A%pinwall, Central America, 
 on the evening of the SOth of Aja'il. About ninC o'eloek ii 
 pood nuiiihir of us '.oik a walk iiitu the city, but being dark, 
 we had ii'it a clianre of seeing much. 'I'liu place was lighted 
 Up hero and there with oil hinijis ; bat what we did sec wai of 
 a ]iecu!iar natiiri.'. 'J"lie natives ware strange lojking peuple 
 ill a semi-naked condition ; a greit many of the women were, 
 sitting smoking cigars, with a stall orb, ueli before them loaded 
 with vaiious kinils of d. tables to sell ; nho cocoas, ornngesi, 
 lemon-, bananas, and they seemed to liavc an eye to business ; 
 they looked out for nmnber one. A good in any of another 
 class luight be seen walking ahou; iko slrecls in a loa.s" white 
 diess, v.ilh fairs in their hands, and i.ctiiig cpiite the lady. 
 'I'lieri' were a guod iii-'uy stores, and in the very nio.?t of them 
 liquors of nil kinds were sold. The site of the town is very 
 Kood ; the streets laid out pictly well; there are a few brick 
 buildings, but the greater p:nl of the lioJses were built of 
 Wood, "(since then abaut one-h,df of the town lias been dcs- 
 tiejed by fire,) afti.r rambling about till we were tired, wc 
 leluiried tu t'le " Chainpii':)," and took u[) ourledgings again 
 for the iiiglii, but there was not inuch sb.eiiii.g, parties were 
 going and coming all night long. 
 
 Ik'tiuie.- ill t'lc morning, we rose, and made ready 
 for our exit; and by seven o'doek, v.c' had all taken 
 our leave of the " Cliamir.ori." The cars not leaving 
 

 . i 
 
 
 i; 
 
 ' 1' 
 
 - 
 
 ■ 
 ■ 
 
 • \ 
 
 i i 
 
 
 ! 1 
 
 
 : i 
 
 
 ' ( 
 
 
 
 
 
..i 
 
 I 
 
 10 
 
 beforr. ten. ve liud timu (o look aI,o.,t us vith dayli"l,t. 
 I wns cxcc^.v.ly |,oi ; „., .ver. exj.osccl lo a scorcl,i„i su„, 
 and _ glad to fn.d shelter nnyulrre Tlio negroes were 
 ^vork,,,. ,„ „,e,r "bare iK.lts." and ll.e sweat was tecniny off 
 then, : tl>cy ,,r.sen!ed the aj.j.earancc of a n,a;s of dirty g,?a.c 
 n.eltmg away, and tlicwomc, wliat a Hght! repid.;-,, loolcing 
 beings, Kielan.Mg 10 Inol: upon ; nuuiy of tlieJu «.,e goin^ 
 about ,cll,ng a dnnk n,ade of le,„o„. and ice Mater, ,vl,ieh 
 t,ry served out of a pad at five cents ,,er gla- ; and a splendid 
 trade ihoy d,d, It was so l,ut and drougl.ty. people drank it 
 vitli greodmess. '1 n„e uj,, a r^.h was made to tl,e cars, we 
 ^ere.oon ul .ealed, and then the cars were dehigcd with 
 vendors of all kn,ds of eatables and drinkables to the hft 
 rnomentof slarlin.. The cars here are of superior const, notion 
 to onr I-.nglnh cars; thee is no side door, theent.ance is at 
 t t end. and there ,s a track or path .!,rou.;h the middle of 
 I ?;,!''' .i" 1' "" «;"^''"''^" ^''■' ^valk fron. one end of the 
 tram to the other, with.nit inconvenience to the |.L.^sen"ers or 
 dangerto Imr.sclf. The passengcs are seated in couples on 
 each fuleoftbepath; also a rope passes along the top of 
 every car n.snle, from the engine to the guard's van. attached 
 to a hell, so >f anytlnng occur,, in any carriage, or any part 
 ol the tram c.nnKUniealion can he made al once with the 
 engineer .After we inul provided ourselves with a fan, u> 
 1 felul m tins country, we bade adieu to the motley uroni, of 
 -•^spinwall, who ar|nounced our dejiarture^.v a ierrifie'shoul in 
 conjunelmn w,lb the ^ ild scr.am of the cn:;ine that started ..fl' 
 through the wood a! lull speed over one of the most crooked rail- 
 Ways ] ever saw, curvilinear from cud to end. 'J'|,c seenervon 
 each side was beautiful, trees laden wi:h fruit., cocoas, oran-e. 
 lemous pme apple.-, bananas, limes, ^c. ; and trees <.f various 
 J<n,ds clothed n, beautiful foilago : leaves several feet in lenrlh. 
 _ >^e passed a great many ^ilh,s.cs, or grouj.s of wigwams ;"the 
 mlMbitanls were m a sonu'-naked state: the youtigliug- were 
 running about complueiy naked, and it was with diillculty 
 sonictnnes you could pick then, out fiom amon-.si the black 
 pigs tliat were running about ii, abundance. Kverv feuir miles 
 we icsHd a neat while paintnl wooden buildinir.'or station ; 
 nlso the re.-ideneeof the sup.iintrndent. who.e biVine- it was 
 to look after the four mihs of railvvav, aud Keep it in rood 
 condition ; nlso to attend to other business connected ^^ill^lllc 
 
 11 
 
 railroad. I did not envy bis situation ; I should not like to 
 live here, the beat is so oj'pressivc. After a run of tb.ree and a 
 half hours over a di.-tance of forty-seven miles, through the 
 most romantic and wildest scenery I ever beheld, we arrived 
 at the old andaneient City of Panama, situated on the Pacific 
 coast. Central Ameiiea, and v.e were greeted on our airival 
 something similar to our arrival at Aspinwall, by a curious 
 looking jieople, with their increhandise lor sale. Wc visited 
 the city and found many large brick buildings covered with 
 tiles, no windows, just door., to open as eonveuienee rerpiired. 
 They could here boast of several churches and a cathedril, 
 which we visited, and found not to be wanting in images and 
 figurer-, shewing al once they \uu' under the influence of 
 Popery, and wc observed many devout worshippers bowed 
 jirostrate to the carlh before their idols. I felt sorry for them, 
 but saw no licipe for t!ieir improveuient or rcdemiitiun, ti'l 
 priestcraft and )i('pery are abeili-^lud from amongst them. There 
 were many large stfucs, and well bloeked with goods of every 
 description. Wc visited their market jilacc, a rough and 
 rugged place, where there was a Utile of all kinds for sale. 
 I'Ik' lowest current coin here is hnlf-a-dime — five cents. Wc 
 now hurrieii away lo see their buiying gnmnd, which we: found 
 to be a Jilafe enclosed with a high brick wall, against 
 which is built U[i places with shelving, on which the cofiins 
 are plared, and so remain for a twelvemonth ; after which tiine 
 they are taken and burnt, and so make re)Oin lo deposit the 
 Corpses for the next twelvemonth to CiuiiC. 'I'lie pojud^'tioii eif 
 the city is somewhere between twenty and thirty tli'v.u.ud 
 lieforc inoeeediug iurlher 1 mayjust slate that the making of 
 the railroad aero s the isthmus, was attended v.itii ginil 
 diflicullies. and fearful s.iciilice of huinaii lives, the Worke. 
 being delayed many limes, and actually ste>jiped for want of 
 lianelf ; and it is stated that a- many died as there are 
 sleejiers, or bearers, over the wl ok- length of road, forty-ccven 
 miles orcighly-lwo thousand, Si.veii hundred and tvanty yards : 
 the bearer." aic la.id cue y.ud a]iarl, therefore if llie statement 
 be correct, there v.ere eighty-two thoiisuid seven hundred 
 and twenty death- Once over they secured many thtunand 
 Chinamen, thinking they would be able lo st,u,d tlie cliiuatc ; 
 but ill this tlii'Y Were mistaken ; after being at work a fev? 
 months, tliey fell into a (k>p.iiu!ing nielanclu'ly coneiiliou, uml 
 
 ■ ii ii. i"nj iui » > iiijB n ii ii n tw' '' < n " 
 
•i. 
 
 ■• ^ ■■ ■ . — — «-. 
 
 I I: 
 
 
 the emu • .!,?. . " ••" ^«l'<-' I'lmiliff ;: 01,"- 
 
 of vLi^r; :^'Uf 't "'J;' ,: "---"-thigh.tiu. u,;; 
 
 '""' ""-^^^'^'I'-'U of tlK.buu-nc« v.vs, inluuiich. 
 
 13 . 
 
 ing tlie uoat, one of tlic sailors got liis l;anil fearfully lairt, which 
 completely disabled him r'or the re^t of the voyage. Came o/. 
 B very wet night. 
 
 May 3rd: Tremr.iidoiis thiuidrrand lightiiinj;, acconiiianicd 
 with a hravy rain. .\ thimdcr-storm at sea is an awfully gnuid 
 sight. ]",xccs.sivel} hot. ^'ery hot again next day, with tluiiider 
 and lightning. jlalncd intorrcntv for liiilf-an hour, when it 
 cleared out, after wh.ich it was much cooler, lleligoiis pervicc, 
 fheer hyiiocrisy — more to their credit if ihcy had endeavoured 
 to liave made the i)a?=engcrs in their charge a little more 
 comfortable, being treated more like hog? and dogs, than 
 human beings. We thought our tnatnient on our way to 
 Kev,- Vorl; very bad, but we found it doubly ^vor^e under the 
 Americans; also let me add: having a large number of 
 Ynnhee pasiengers on board, matters were still worse, they 
 nre the most disagreeable trnvelling comiiaiiions I ever was 
 with ; they do certainly excel in a few things : filibustering, 
 tobacco eating, and the use of bad and filthy language. You 
 ma) hear some pretty .stuut swearing in h'nghind amongst the 
 liawies ; but the oaths made use c!" here, by even the best, 
 cdne.ited among.st them, arc so fearf ' :. ■ to laahe the most 
 wicked EurojKan shudder, ai'd blush ' > hear them. 
 
 An old lady from New York, on her way to visit tv,o sons 
 in San Francisco, who h.ad be en ill for some time, died through 
 the night, and was this niorning consigned to a watery grave. 
 She was attended to during her sielcness, by a coloured 
 woman, who robbed her of a pood few dnlkirs ; there was a 
 great deal of jilundering and jil'ferlngconst.mtly goingmi ; also 
 other Rlraijge dunls of inirjidty practised fiom day to rir.y. 
 
 I do think ihe presc}it arrangements in emigrant shipis arc 
 fearfully defective, and that it is liigh time some stejis were 
 taken loward.simiirovement in this matter. ^ 
 
 \ crN hot and sultry all day ; thunder and lightning in the 
 evening. Tnesdi'.y, \\ ednesd ly, and 'J'lunfday, exec.slvely hot 
 day.s ; thimdi r and lightning every day. The skin peeling 
 off the faces nnu hands of most of the passengers in conse- 
 quence of the heat; the wattr you liavc {;ot to drinl; is 
 completely warm, being nothing but the condense.l f,teani 
 from the boilers ; you may get a dritd; of ice v.'alcrat the bar, 
 hut for it you must pay n shilling. 
 
I 
 
--».„ 
 
 14 
 
 a complete nud.. slat? r^. ooj : '5 ^"T, ''^''"— 'i'^. in 
 with the ras.cgors ■ thcv -.K v ''''' "^ ^"'"'"^ '''^'J- '-"J 
 
 •-° tlic water, down th,v r„t " , ','''"' '' '""■^' "f" ■'"■|vor 
 
 tf-- , A lot of ihc!,I : ; :^a^. ^intlr '" "^"■"l'''"-"s 
 aWd. and a strange exhihiti^^R "f"^^"'^ 7'-''"' -"'^r 
 
 and vc^ soon stSn" 1 o^' ^^ :::tT\ '^^'Vr^ '""'""'- 
 «lo>ig the coact of Tcv s • ;, '"' "'"' •^^■"■'tiC'd so ,. 
 
 towering hi,,, • 1 . t,^.:' "f ^"I'^'' --''■;'SJ^''d w.ounL.in 
 '">.^l.t 1^ .een be le in , n,'' "^O" "f them at h,terval= 
 
 ^i"eading rnin and d n.u 1 tl" h nn'"r'T* "■ ', "^ ''""'" 
 h- s^'mlin- foul, ,1, l,oili r. • '"'""'''"^"'•■'^'''"^miiuod 
 tain sides! Satu da f i" , /" '<"""; '^"'■'^ "'^' "'-""- 
 
 tv.ice to-dav, thin atl-nd. i ''^l't;'oii. scrvitv jxTfonncd 
 
 «r-Uedlil..^;,;,, , '; ,'';;;,^;""' ''-;""der~n,oek^rv--n,u, 
 called together f.r di;:!;::;:,:;:"' ''"^-" '' ^«ch. and then 
 
 ;;"-->;-. toiev^rj^old h/^f, '^i;::;:; -'^ i--'^ f-om 
 t'u' rongh and rnnoxd hills of I nZrCUr' • •""^' '" '"-'" "^ 
 I'o.s.e.,sions, ],iu , ,;„ ' '''/:'';■ \' Cahfornia in the Mexican 
 
 5-ren, ,.,„ .•onsideLlC^i; Llird^a-';;;,?! TT'' 'V 
 ^I"nn.v : „.a ,o„!,|„ u' "^S"' " •-' "■'■•'""•'■. ^^^V cold and 
 ^^•ah;e.dav. wiJch «;id:^ ,;'":'"' ■'';-^ l-vi"y l''<nann.. 
 "" nddiiiun to ...nr elo h r ''";';' '■'' '""' '" '""^^c 
 
 ;i"y. nm-fher n,i.er:i!;;! dav ^ d^it'^''^,^'''^ r^''^: . •^'i-- 
 "'. on hoard an cini-,aut O, , „ I , '"'^"' I'^^'^'f" «<> be 
 
 ^ve.■dher; eahn .sea :'n a ,;,'"' r'"""''/ ^''''''"). '"'Uct 
 
 15 
 
 Informed that we were ju=t pissing through the Golden Gate, 
 byn loud report from tlie cannon. VeiT prctly scenery on 
 eacli side as v.-e approached the Golden City. Came toanclior 
 precisely at s,ix o'cloel; on the morning of the 17th of .lunr. 
 and with glad hearts and smiling faces, one and all rushed 
 from the shiii down the gangway and hurried from the prison 
 house in which we had been confined for upwards of Kixlcen 
 days in torment. 
 
 If intending emigrants wcic aware of the .sufiVrings and 
 privations to be endured aboard ship, esjieeially in the Srlcerage 
 dejiartmcnt, liow few would mahe the attempt. If V. IVazer 
 Imd been an honr'=t man, he would liavc said a few words on 
 this subject ; but, he only presented u.s v. illi the bright side of 
 the subject, carefully glazing over every thing tliaj njight 
 inspire fiar, and cansc the intending emigrants lo shriid; fiom 
 bard',!iips--the lil;e of which CaliTorni:ins, Australians, and 
 Canadians bad never before experienced. I only wibli be was 
 comjielled to m'd;e one journey, it v.-ould teach him a lesson, 
 and cool bis judgment a little, imd tend to make him what lie 
 never was — a man. 
 
 What a crowd there was collected on our arrival; no sooner 
 escaped from lie.' sea sharks, tbui we are surrounded with tlic 
 land sharks, all ready to devour ns ; cabbies, bussmen, and 
 bmnmers, in abundance ; cards flying in all directions ; voices 
 heard on alt sides ; free ride to the " what cheer" house, and 
 cverv other hou'C, and a many fmd on their arrival at those 
 hous'es, they ha\e got half-a-dollar to pay for their free ride ; 
 let me also hint, that you must kccji your " weather eye" wide, 
 ojien v,ben at tho'e houses, for many a p.'ior fellow has becu 
 robbed of all his r oncy, and turned out a beggar.^ 
 
 NVc stayed some inic in San Fraueisco, at the Eagle Hotel, 
 and were charged for board and lodgings, fne dollar: lie)- week. 
 Kvery morning paper we saw, contained some \mfavou!abIc 
 report from Carribon, stating tliul h-'udreds were Imngerlng 
 fiiul .starving to death, and that vast nun)bers were reluming 
 daily. Tlio.'e rci'oMs deterred n-.any from going further, and 
 ns matters turned out, they chose the better jiart. Wc took 
 another view of the matter ; wc k:mw the Americans were 
 unfavourable to liritisb Columbia, they would much rather 
 parties stayed in tlie State- of California, or Oregon, or go to 
 the Salmon Il'ver Gobi Mines, which turnuUuif to be a:, great 
 
"^ 
 
' '•; 
 
 16 
 
 n nii!!tnl;c as Catlboo. Looking at tlip mattci' in tliis liglit, 
 •\ve concluded tlicir ioi<iuir(.iit;aio/is were false,- \vc felt deter- 
 mined to proceed. In our c\try day rambles tlnough the city, 
 during ur stay, \vc were many tiin':t struck witli wonder and 
 estonisni.icnt, wlien vieulng tliis mighty ciiy, with its nob'o 
 buildings, nv.d '[.lendid iiiarkit?, all aijpeared to have rifen as 
 by magic. Fourteen years ago ll.eic \va'^ no San I'raneiseo 
 City here, and since that peried., the city Ikc; been several 
 times alnirst conijilctely destroyed by fire. In the jilaees where 
 the wood i building.- stood, njay be seen noble baildiiigi; of 
 brick and stone, that can vie with any city in the svoild. A 
 gri'at jiart of the city i.« still built of wood, but nightly dis- 
 aiipraring by that de.-tiuetive agent fue. The lower ]i irl of 
 the city is built o\er the water, on piles and planl;'. ; and tlu' 
 streets are in a h:'.d and d:;iigcroiis condition, so mueh so, tlmt 
 i( is no very mieuiniiiuu oecuruuee for p;;rtie.- to fall through, 
 nnd bo drowned. 
 
 There are railw:'.ys laid through all the ))vinei]^al ftreet--', and 
 people are ccjuvtyed in curs, at a cheap i.de, fruui one place to 
 another. The inhabitants are of a very mixed nature, n ]iye. 
 Fcntatives froii,] ahiiosl every part of the globe. Thert 'C a 
 preat many Irish,--! believe the principal j-art of the out dour 
 vork in the city, is done bytl.e Irish labou.ers, 'i'he Chinese 
 nre very numerou.s, whole streets o.cujiied willi them, end a 
 many of tlicni are well to do, they have large stores, ;ind well 
 stocked with idl kind.s of goods ; they trade altogethei ainon., 
 tlioniselves. 'J'he only benefit derived from them by the Mate, 
 is from a tax of foiu' dollais per month each, they have got to 
 jiay for being allowed to live in the state; ther.,- are n great 
 many of them make' a livLlihood by the laundry b inest You 
 get ainufid in jiassing ihroiigh the st recti, by the curio'.is 
 names yoii see above their pltiees of business, t\!ch as : Ah 
 Sing, Ah CMiow, Ah Chi, Ah l.iim. Ah Long, Sam Yah, 
 washim: nnd iroidng done, tram Yu]) & Co., Merchants, f;c., 
 (<.v. They lire ;i disagreeable, thievi'-h lot ; the v.oiaen are a 
 little odd-leoliing, almond-eyed jieice of humanity, and their 
 jieciilie.r dn-s d'-.- not impieve tlieii- appearance in the lea^t, 
 they go ho;iping about with l!:eir little feet encased in a kind 
 of a shoe, with a circular bottom ; they remind me very much 
 of n cat on coelde shells; they arc generally of a su'.jiielons 
 mid loose char.ict'. - ; theli moiK of iibtaining a livim, is not 
 
 17 
 
 one of the most respectable kind ; all monie.? they ma]:c m 
 trading. &c., over and above what they require for maiuianencc 
 is £cnt° back to China, and even when they die, their corpsca 
 are boxed up and sent over to the Celestial City for interniciil, 
 with this exception, if any of the males have lost their XmU, 
 on npiiendai;e they wear from the crowns cf their headc to llij 
 goles of thc'ir feet, they are not allowed back to china heithor 
 living nor dead. San Francisco. I bclelvc is oiie_ of tlic niost 
 notoriously wicked places in the world, and this aiLcsin n 
 great measure from the fact that its p,.puliilio;i is even thirst- 
 ing fur exeitcnieiit, and the conseiiiKiicc is the wildest scenes 
 tf°rioting and debaucliery, are of nightly '..ccuirciicc, 
 
 June 3rd : The steamer " lirollur Jonallran," lervei to-day 
 for Victoria, crowded again with men and cattle fioin r.lei. to 
 stern, the ste.imcd away^runi the duel: precisely at five o'Clo^jk. 
 in the evening. Stormy wcallier with a denre fog up till 
 Thursday morning. Crossed the bar and entered the magmfi- 
 cenl Ccdunib;!. river, bounded o:i the right by llic Vailunglon 
 territory wi^i. its lofty inounl.dii', two we ob.,crvcd particuLrly, 
 Mount Cei.- and Mount Hood, the latter we were iufcnocd, 
 rose 1 7 ,000 f-ot above the level of the sea, and wore a pe: j.aut.l 
 crown of snov.- on his head, and not in constant dread, Ilka a 
 many mona.relis of the earth of losing his crown. Y.'t j.C'ted 
 out of the Columbia into the \\'illlai^ette river, with iti lovely 
 teenery on each tide. Wc • I -y ed a few hours at a small Jih.cs 
 called Astoria, then steamal onward to Portland City, dls- 
 chaiged same cargo and the passeiigei:, bound for the Sdmoii 
 lliver Gold Mines. I'orllni'd City is pretty- well ntualcd, 
 rather low, liabl. to be inunurted when the river lijss, v.laeh 
 which was the case at this time, we law several parties boaliiijj 
 in tl.ic streets ; the buildings arc all wood, the flrecti prelly 
 well nrriUiged, ti.e city is .surrounded with mouiita'.n, nnd 
 forests, coiitalning some of the h: -t and h.rgest firb I cvei £:.v,'. 
 A few miles furlhn' uj. the river f.U\h Oregon City, the 
 capit-.d r,f Or.guii territory. This is a great corn and fruit 
 jiroducing cou;itiy; wheat is sold for twenty-five cents per 
 bushel; thcie are ako a large cpianllty of cattle rndlinucs 
 raised heu ; beef is .sold fur 'three cents per pound ; pigi: i'lid 
 eheep are bought for a mere tride. We left heie on MoaJ:.y 
 morning, nnd steamed down tb river; we si- yed a short lime 
 St Astoria, uud and then huiriedofl" to get ccrosothc'jar liroio 
 
 / 
 
J 
 
J 
 
 > I 
 
 If 
 
 tlie Pacific ocean. Wc com-,' .k i ' ^ ''■■' "'''■ '^■^y ^^^cr 
 
 Jvc-O- passenger «as once . oTo rit'r'"^ '" " '''^'^ '^'^"^ 
 J venture to afiir,,,, in n-n in. ' ■^'■"''''."°' °''^' '"'O'. 
 
 b^'i-K very Ik,i, t,e u^cI '•"".! '. °'\ '" ^ '^■^''^'^' ^"" "'^'-^ 
 e°' '^ good sv;eah-„' 1 , "Lk ^'V" ''?''• ^l'^' "'"^^ of ^ 
 
 reached A-ictor;a,u-c fo d-t!,e^I, r' "■">r'"-ir""' ^'''- ^'^^ 
 Many of the Su„au-. d I ' , "" l''^'""All!v tnoii-l, a 
 
 •»c ".. idle ^JT^^'uTm^Z r '"'^'" ''^ '^-'-Ucad 
 rorM ini!„i, idle VabLb; U, ''■'-'" 1° -ay. ,v,,e sup- 
 
 . '^■■'!-inner.cS;''^;:tc:^r"""*''''--'^'^i 
 
 cncan.j.nunt. veil nodded vi "'' ''"'^ "» ''"I' " 
 
 «'"■"■ >nanncisand cu< , ^ ",' ° ^'"'y pnndlive bI. 
 
 I'e very qnle, «nd J-eaceable ;.|,!la ".'"f, •''■"• '■^^^•^^•-■- "-' 
 can_ .ay of .r,e v.ldtc. men; one f ' lov ; ' V' T'' "''''" ^ 
 bcdnne. n, the inornln-' to onr ten r, • • 'i '^?'" ^"J""'"' C"""' 
 
 for " ^vhile. till V,.. told hi . "',,^ .rb^f' ■•^' "T ' ^ 'T ''""^-' 
 «fUT ,.Ineh he cahu,d d.wnndu; ..'"'' " ''^"^' ''i^'^- 
 n.ore tronbl... \\-edne.Hlav . r b, ' H ?-' ""'' ^'''' »'^ »o 
 Cily. Kndr.unbled ab:n,( foA tin f' ''^' """ "'^° '^- 
 Eood streets, in v'deh •,.,..,.! ' V'"^' •'"•^'■everaIpre;!v 
 «' Src.l im of tec ^■'"^' '"^''"r ^" '^'l-- I'uilding.s b (^ 
 ^ll.ou!,dthca> rl , . '""",""-^^1 "f ^^■°^'''^'" I'-lii.'l: 
 
 ^v'-icharerenl.dt ;■ w"M''''^''f'^^-'''"-l'^ 
 
 > i.>lu.mn- classes, for yvhidi they j,ay 
 
 19 
 
 from four to six dollars per montli, a many of tlicm nro 
 occupied by Indlnns and Chimmcii, and they only have one 
 room, in which they ])crform all their donicPtic duties, cool.ing, 
 wa^hinj;, eating, and .slccj)lng. There are several cluirehcs 
 and chajjcl?, and a very pretly cemetery in the city. The 
 Hudson Bay Company have got several large warehouses, and 
 other place? of business, along the quay, and a great amount 
 of business they do : they have had a fine haul out of the 
 Indians, in the skin trade, for many years past. Land luis 
 risen in value, in and around the city, and lucky was he, that 
 secured any a few years ago. One party t'dd me that he had 
 one lot for which lie jiaid fifly dollars, which v.as now worth 
 five thousand doll- -s, and there Mcro two water s-idc lots told 
 by auction, the hrst bro'.it;ht seven thousarid five hundred 
 dollars, the other lul, which was sold a week after for fifteen 
 thousand dollars, ])Urcliased v.'itli Cariboo gold, by]\lr. ''tcole, 
 one of the hieky Caribooiles. I, in conip'sny wi;h John 
 I'.nuiierson, vifiled Covcrnor Douglas, he received us kindly, 
 entered fretly into conversation with us, answered all our 
 iufjuiries, and gave us such information ns he thought would 
 be useful to us on nur forward jouiiicy, we fancy lie did'i\t. 
 spcid: with much confidtnee of the Cold Diggings ; lie told 
 us if we were not ."^ncccscfid the first ye.ir, we weie not to be 
 di.'.licarloncd, there wa!> plenty of woik on the roads. I didn't 
 like the idea of coming ten tliousand miles, to make roads in 
 15rilii h Columbia, nllhough many hundreds that cnuic out on 
 the fame criand, had that to do, and glad to got it. When ■ 
 wc w-erc about leaving, he ordered his Fergeant to show us 
 through his ganiens and orchr.rd, wdiirh we found to be veiy 
 pretty, all laid out in the Old Countiy style; he again 
 came out and held another chat with us, — ordered us 
 tome refieilnncuts, which we went and jiartook of, after which 
 wishing long life and hapiiine;? to his c: cellency, we took our 
 departure. Wc then went dov.n into Victoria, procured .such 
 poods and chattels as wc recpiircd for our journey ; we then 
 packed up mn tents and blankets, and walked dov.n I'.i the quay, 
 where we found the steamer "I'.liza Anderson," rt:idy to sf it 
 on her journey. \\'c went on board, crowded as u^ual, — all 
 for Cariboo. We left the quay about eleven o'Clock, and 
 fteanied away through the channel and the tomuls ; rojk after 
 rock Was pa-sed in buccession, till ut Kngth wc found ourtelver. ' 
 
 „,A.,^., 
 
^L 
 
 
 20 
 
 glidlnp; away down tlio miglity Frazcr tWct, v;1i1i its tlioufctid 
 triijut.irlcs, v.liicli, in 18j'J wab tlu j;rc;it bixiie of cxtitciiiciit. 
 'J'lio\isanili< ill tc;iic!i of tlic pri'cious iiictul, tind not u few 
 uocfully di.MjipijiiUcil auj juiiieil in (lie alttnijit, could u feaiful 
 tide unfold 
 
 Wc arrived at Wcstuiinslcr City, shortly after eight 
 in the cvcijing, and liud littl'; tinic tostetlie jiluoo; \vu 
 thoujjht it a t'raiujo site for a city,— rock? all lounJ, and tui- 
 ronndcd witli afun-st. At a ihort di'>taiice from tlij city, v,c 
 observed t!it barr.ieks on a vciy extensive icale. Tiic other 
 steaiiicr bchig ri'ady, we took our place;;, and in a little time 
 glie jiufTi'd Oil' the scenery. On cacli side the I'raiicr was very 
 pretty ; but, darkii'-^b sctiiiig in, di.'|irivcd u^ of furtlier tight. 
 \Vc Bought out a jihicc to rest awhile, and at early (kiwii we 
 • liaflcncd on ckck. Alon;j; llic banks we obheived a great deal 
 of cuUIvation goinp on, by the flr^t settlers, (Kanaekerinen,) 
 brougl-.t lieie from the S:uidv,ieh l.slc:, by the Hudson Ikiy 
 ConipauY ; aho, clo.-o upon the river wca' sevend panic.-* of 
 Celeiitirds, with their rocking ctadlci, kc, seeking for gold 
 du?t. W'c also pa-iicd a uiuuy Indian c.inips, one very large 
 Bcttlement, just bofure we [lasscd out of the I'razer into the 
 Hnrrinon Uiver, at the nioulli of which there was t,ii Indian 
 Baiicluary, with its rov,' of Lnds, of all thape> and sizes, some 
 of ihc- most liideous upjiear.mce, none of them reinaikable for 
 beauty ; also, adjoining was a burial place, where n great 
 many posts wt.v erected, from v.hich flags of various colours 
 were hanging ; nl.-o, sonu' jheets and bhud.ets.and on iiie top 
 of one of the stakes weie two guns fixed. On inrjuiiy, we 
 found tliat the ri mains of one of their ('i'yhce) chiefi, u great 
 warrior, was laid there; the blanket^ end linen wc sav.-, \,eie 
 tiroinn' him in iicl.ness and dc.th ; the uiuslicls were used by 
 him wiicn in v.-irfare. A little further on we pa'ied .1 large 
 fifliin:: vill:^ge. In llie river there apjierued to be any (piautity 
 of fi'.lmon, they were leaping out of the water on all fades of 
 us, and the ]iidi::n- in c.inocs, teemed to capture (hem easily; 
 also, a va'jt of l!i(in were strewed on the br;nks. Ihnidieds 
 of dead (Irh, and tho'.i.-;.nd> of birds of varloi;-- kinds feeding 
 upon ihein ; and fcr v.ild duck's, the jdaee was literally swarm- 
 ing M'illi them. After a fev.- more tuiuings and v, Inuings along 
 the river, we entered the beautiful and cxjK-.u'ive IJarrisoa 
 Lul:c, fomc sixty miles in length, and the Oeaiity of tlic tctn.ry 
 
 21 
 
 on both Mde= furlhc whole ^'i^l'">« '" .P^^^^.^^^'to t^ 
 de<cribable. Mountains of great elevation, f. 0.1 f' <^ ^ \^ ', 
 
 wonderful and heautilul are thevo.ks of Y'^l""'"- jo^,, 
 
 Wc. arrived at Tort 1'-'^'- ^>'«-\"^'- '"'''" '.^ I' ' 
 J„nc. Atiothcr wooden ci'y --n^ U- vocks .. h d fa^' 
 
 i„o:ldil'icult journey 
 
 rtatly mistaken. 
 
 t coinitrv ever 
 
 roughi 
 
 to'ourselves, that, on our arrival here, our 
 was over, but, lo and behold w_ v/erc 
 
 ZL a diihenlty in procuring it at the vayt.dc l.o.is.s. unK.. 
 
 rrnuirct ,- — 'ue iijuiiuio i^.. — , 
 
 remain for the .dght, having in tins distance got a ta...t., ol 
 
 fearful 
 
 d 10 
 
 if the 
 nr ■ e, do\n, 
 
 road; one pbcJ we had " ';;;;;j;;,,;\-;; J (-,^0. and tested 
 down, -vcral hundred fc^.^^ J, ^ ;;,^ ,,,, ,,,,,,,,. 
 
 ^;£,V.:^rm:d'uJhoLforwlnehthev,ndd..^ 
 
 „„ou.d. the wc. u»^ a ^^au ^.^^^^ ^^^ .^^_ ^^ ^^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 aiound us,g.g.tt . . om n c ^ ^^^^ ^^ 
 
 uud descended all mc o.ij , o „ /,„ ,,..,,. i,,!,,!--". 
 
 intervals for a change. One .wnrnp we came l^.^ ,= '.•" ^•- 
 able and laid ritrht dong the roi.Uor a con..deiab!c v^.). tlu^t 
 waB no way for us but .0 scale the >»">"''"'• ,J,J 
 con-ueenccd and a fearful tUugglc v.'e hud, huvm^to C.m.C 
 
 ; 
 
I 
 
 i 
 
 22 
 
 Sf vcfal liiiiidrod feel, aliii'i.'l pfrpciuliciilrir, licfore we could get 
 clear of the rocki IkIow. My friciul iMinnersuii was conijilctfly 
 cxliaiistril, mill almo^t roady to ^ivc u\i llie yho^t : I ciicouraiji d 
 liitn forward as well nj I covdd, ami after a few struggles wc 
 accoinplislic'd the ta-.l;. \Ve were s'Jiiie time ticfure we got 
 ourselves collceled to^ctlirr again at tlie oilier side of tlie 
 Kwutnii, some of our p.irty Invin^ got n good way out of 
 the trail. We travclKd o!i a few miles further, and then caiiip-d 
 for the iil;;ht ; \vc iii:ide on u ^ooJ fire, coolied and cat our 
 eiipjicrs ; lieaped a ^ood deal of Wood on the fire, to ke'.j) 
 away imy intruders that might Ael disp jsed to visit us. We 
 crept into our tents, and hdd our hjdies down to sleep, and 
 perhajis lo dream of tlio.'e we had left behind. 
 
 Tiiroiurh the day we passed a Jilace called the hoi .spring;.-, 
 where the water buhhle.-; up, in a very healed condition, so hul 
 that you cannot hoar your hand in it for any time A tpce- 
 lilator lias turned thi-i to a <;ood account bo far ut he is con- 
 cerned ; he h IS creeled Imlhliiin's and piivate h.ilhs, v.diich he 
 rcconiniendsns h.nefieial for l!i,eunritie jMinsiiConililaint veiy 
 Jirevalent in this counliy, and no wonder, iii.'U sleepin-; cm tiic 
 ground ni;;hf after tii;^'ht. 
 
 June ITp, we wallieo for miles to the tv.'caty-ei^ht Utile 
 house. A small hjal wasjnslujion the ])oint of leaving;, a 
 rush was made, mid the h.ial was soon filled, nnd then hturted 
 away over n lahe, seven miles in breadth, and a very iiarrov.' 
 CSC-; . they had from bjinjj drown/d, in cmsecjuenee of bein^' 
 ovt . -crov.'ded, the boat took in water, and it slron;; breei^e 
 blowinir, it was nearly ca])si/ed several time;. Wc with 
 several others, cro 1 in a second boat, without any d.iu^ei' 
 whatever, Wc jiasttd some more grcnijis of little atid big 
 Indian goils, pl'.eeJ on the J.id( of the lake, Wc had now poi 
 two miles to Walk through another wood, to the ne.\t l.;kc, 
 over which a steamer plied wilh goods and ))a.':--i ngert:, ouccu 
 day. On our arrival the steamer had just I ' imd wc were 
 doomed to wail till next morning. Wc lean. j was a game 
 they rcgulaiK jilay. d ; they tried to leave ]):; _ ngers, so that 
 the keejier of the house mi;^ht have a ch.'ince of plundering 
 them. Wc pitched ou:- lent, and fj):'nt the day the best way 
 we could ; sonic went into the canuiuns to look f jr gold ; otheis 
 to .shoot; some to fish; nnd .some climbed u[i the mouutiiins 
 n little way. Wc taw one at a di>tunec lliut towered liijjh iu 
 
 93 
 
 the heavens, nnd capped with snow, .aid to be fifteen tliou.;a,id 
 et .hove the leve of the sea. We all retarned wed tircd. 
 co^ul soniepu.iMons, and had u jolly repa-t. and then to 
 •arm wile away a few hours in .kep Came on a vwy 
 ndl; rose carb next u.oruing. breakfasted, paeki-d up a ^ 
 we t hnvn ; t.ok our places on the steamer and .n ffrur Iiou.l. 
 we ay landed at I'ort Pemherton, the distance being 
 lU- iles charge, one dollar. Of all the pi.ees I ever 
 w 1 eJed for a tJ^vn, this beats all ; tl.e houses or hut. were 
 all b^-.llt of wood, stuck up here ami there lunong the locU 
 leiV IS only one decent house in tie. lot, which ^^^^^'^^^i^j 
 a store uid gio, shop, here you could get what they c.d cd 
 ".' s luare nu id," for o'ne .lollar ; a gh.^s of ale or grog for n 
 u ciuarter of a dollar ; if you felt Inehned to smoke a cigar )ou 
 CO .' '..ae for the. same price. The log-huts wero cecupied 
 by Ic'' packer, and teamslers. two or three cabined together 
 and doing all their own work. There was only one woman 
 lie place, except the Indi :u squaws, and they vvero Very 
 mm. rois There were several camps m and around the place, 
 lupople seemed to be .pilM and inonensive jet repulsive to 
 c k' upon, with their red' painl.d f.ues ; and sldl, sliange o 
 Z. mu.v of the [.aimed scpi iws. were picked lip, and cohab- 
 tiK with:he while men. The Indians make gie-;t pretei^ions 
 .'eli-ioi. n.:.ttei,-,--strlet obnrver.. o the. babb„th day.-it 
 \l from tl,eir a^.embling together on the Snnd.iy, nnd then 
 
 „oj „,,. nf v.-,,isbi..inL-. th'.l inform.^ the while 
 
 d 
 
 trtKiik'l'hev"wI!inot inipro-..- aiem ua.eh. 
 
 From I'einberlon, a stage runs daily over he n - xt pu.tage, 
 twerty-cighl miles, if you go with it you will ride to the Uu.e 
 of ri-'hldullaii;: this being the CSC, wc pre --^ 
 
 oisv .noee of worshiping. thM .nform.s the while men. vluvl 
 ay of tin week it is. 'tI.c Catholic I'riesls have got thelirdians 
 mder tluir tuition in this locality at present, imd 1 am inclmcd 
 
 red wall'ln 
 
 6 > 
 weat onc'e'shuuldeied our packs, nnd stalled o!.' through the 
 wa.ds ag.dn ; but had not proceeded far, before our eyes were 
 ntlaetedbynnotieeou the w.iy.sdc, " C; nboo the road to 
 lliin"; notwithstanding this, we posted on. a. d soon found 
 ou.selves walled in on both bldcs by the range cf Cascade 
 mnmlain., rough and rugged, showing at oneo there mu=t 
 kve been some violent convulsions and upheavmgs m nature ; 
 tley .-ave un;.iislake,ible proofs of Volcanic agency, the whole 
 iras^'^had ban in a slate effusion in bj.gonc rges, Ouy 
 
S4 
 
 Bttcntlon wa^ iiarticubrly cillud to t— niiall moimlaiii by the 
 vaysidc, on the top of which is t: ■ 'kiinct imnrcssio;! of a 
 InrgR foot-]inut. The IndlHU cvpha^iiou of thi- mnltcr is that 
 once upon a timp, the •' S.ickally Tylice."-i;rcat spirit— 
 dcscrnilc'd and stuod vvilli one foot on this ro'clc. and stent 
 across the gnlph below to a rock whicliwas pointed out to iV 
 on tlic other side, where it (- rs (be print of the otlicr foot, {( 
 so. It \ni; a fcaiful stritle, I s., '.i tay two or three miles at 
 least : tiiey do not tell n^ where be stepped to r.fter th:it. 
 
 _ Having travelled upwards of twenty miles, the shades of 
 nigbt_i)revailnig, we concluded to jiiteb r.ir tent, and rest for 
 the night; close by us was a bcautiiul rivulet so essential 
 to gipsy life. After cooking and eating our 6n])pors, 
 we iifain strelolicd our weary limbs on mother earth, with the 
 viue canopy of heaven for our cnitains, and the wild bear 
 prowling tironnd us.feekingwhouihe might devour ; wc however 
 nwoke all right in the morning, found ourselves ^ndcr the 
 tent, and not in the niaw of the gri/.^Iv bear. \V . started off 
 nnd tugged away over bill and dale, till wo rea-hed the lake 
 almul ten o'clock. The boat not leaving till two o'clock, we 
 vilcd away the time as w.ll as we could. At last llie shrill 
 voice of the steamer was Jieard ; we haslcne.! on boird, paid 
 one dolla.r, an ! were soon on our way over Ander.-o;i lake. 
 Wiien in the middle, it appeared a-- though we were in a basin,' 
 the mountains towering high on all sides, weconhl not perceive 
 n way out, however we did manige out, and arrived at the 
 oii|)ositc side abc-ut five in the evening. \Vc tlien w.di.ed two 
 miles, and were ju^( in time lo ratcb the steamer, whi'^h vas 
 to convey n- over the third rnd last lake ; she, li';e the reet, 
 WHS sou,, cujwded witb luH:i-.u brings, all big v.ilh hopes ard 
 prosnncts of the golden har\e L to be' reaped ere. long, by eac'j 
 and idi, oi-.t of the creeks nnd cannions of the far-fumel 
 Ci.rilio'j. Fatal tick ' n !--0h! Frazer and Wbitc,— 
 
 Yo'Ugetyoiu- fairiir, J ; 
 
 In U they'll ro;;;t ye I'^itli IIIlo licnuis. 
 
 Tliif hike being the same clislanec across as the last, in three 
 hours vo found our.'^tlves at Seaton House, minus another 
 tlollar for our passage. Some stayed at the house all night, 
 ina.ny w.il!.ed forward a mile or two, and pitched their tents; 
 our jmrty proceeded forward to ],illcol City, (our miles on our 
 way. Wc I'll'iscd beneath some luv.erlng dill's, ^tliat had n 
 
 frightful appearance, looming in the darknc .3 ; also by llie 
 side of oiu' path for a while, was a rapid running river, thai 
 appeared so fidl of wrath and mischief, as though it woiJd 
 burst its bounds and sweep I's and every other thing it came 
 aerois, to destruction. Wc reached the city, tired, v.eary, 
 and hungry as liuntcrs, abjut ten in tlie cv ing. Some of 
 tiic party sought Aul, and kindled a firi, others went oflf 
 and purehr.sed sonic provisions, and brought thein to the camp, 
 and a hearty repast was made by each and all. 
 
 After wliifli, we walked doNiii to llie store, 
 AthI laid ciar weary bodic-. on tlie sliop fleor, 
 Wtiieli llie liakcr leid kindly alluv,i..l us to do; 
 Ttiis being one favor skowii as ou our ^s■;^y to Cariboo. 
 
 Kcxl morning we had a look through th? town ; it is situated ou 
 an extensive flat, bt tween the chain of iii'junl.-dns, which follow 
 the swiuly-running Frazer, almost down to the Guljih of 
 Georgia. Lillciit is the most charming jdace I have seen in 
 lirilis!) Columbia ; I like it better than \'ictoria, both for beauty 
 and seenery, 'J'hc bouses were ehiedj built of wood; there 
 was one or two built of unhuinl bricks, but the keen fro Is of 
 winter were telling upon them. '\\'e saw u gkud niany Indians 
 stirring about ; they bad a very ludicrous appearance, with 
 their painted faces; also a great number of the tailed tribe 
 frcuii the Ctle.-tlal F.mpirc were w.aluling to and fro. After 
 our ramble, we went down to the store, brc difasted of bread 
 and milk, which was a great tre.at, having not seen any milk 
 leaving- San Francisco. We purchased our stock of 
 ions, paying fifty cents per Ibforflour. We Were here told 
 wt should have ere long, to encounter another IroubleoOinc 
 enemy — the inusqnllo- -and in order to get along, we should 
 have to jirovide what they call a mnsqnito bar, it is a large 
 piece of gauze netting, in wdiich you coinplelily cnvelojtc _,our 
 liead. Having got all we thought we should require, wc ^luit-' 
 cd forward ; in a little time we found ourselves slandhig by 
 the fide of themiglily i'razcr, over \.hich wc nui 1 jiass. Along 
 the banks we saw a good many at work s.;eking for gold ; ve 
 Were told that ihcy found it in quanlilies sullieient to p.iy 
 them for their labour. The ferry boat having arrived, wo m'ldo 
 ready to cross. W'e had lo go a long way uj) the river from 
 the landing before getting into the boat, and ;dthough we did 
 this, the cniie'.il was running so strong, that on our arrival aX 
 
 since 
 jirovi 
 
 r 
 
20 
 
 tliooppobltcElJp, v,c v.cic drivai ii great distance below tlic 
 landing place, 1 was tjhul wlica we arrived. We were 
 cliargtd fifty cents eadi. Our cour.-o now lay aloni;£ide the 
 river, and fur miles as we trudged on, we saw by tlie upturutJ 
 Rround, flip pits and treuclics that had been dug, and old flunics 
 for Wiishing out tlic gold, that all this w.is tlic cfTccts of the 
 goldcxciteuieiit of 185!). 
 
 Wc remarked as we ]iassed IhoiC relics, if we could but 
 get the true history from those who I.ilored here, it 
 v-ouldbo a fearful pieturo of sulfcrlngs and dibappointmciitt. 
 I am inelinod to think tveiy ounce of gold taken out of tiae 
 ground has- cost more than its value : tlie few that have btcu 
 succcs.':riil do not coniiicii^ate for the many that have been uu- 
 sucrr:-^ful. The hi'^lory of tlie California mines warrants tlii'. 
 coiiehuaou— it is a black history. Hundreds of families were 
 brukeii up. How many husband: went out to the digi'iiii,.--, 
 mid never returned. \Vh;it a va.t number under the excite- 
 liicnt were drivi.'i, to maduesi. VisitSlocktun Asylum, a tov/u 
 in Sacraiiitnto county, Califoniia, and you will there fmd it 
 filled with nridmrn, constantly raving about their gold. I 
 sawoncwreok myself in Portland Cily, amadman ihtlr confined 
 —all his cry was about the glitlning dust. 'J'iien again, fhe 
 nieii who were the moit fortunate, who tojk out gold hi abun- 
 dincc, were led away into extravagance and ruin ; and it h 
 nn acknowledged fact, that the very most of thciu nrer.monga 
 tlie poorest in the ftiite, and pests to society. 
 
 I'iie road wc were travelling over, was ^ery good, being tlic 
 new road made by goveimiicnl. W'e had walki : about tea 
 Hides from IJIIeot, in reality wc were only four to Uic a lea 
 phrase,- we had boxed the comiiass round the ruouulair. 
 
 At this point we came acro-s an l^ngli^liman labouring by 
 the wayrlde, who had b;..ii in<'' -cd to leave his home by' the 
 fabled lejiorts of Cariboo; b. had given up the journey at 
 present fur a bad barg, in, he had heard so many unfave;.dile 
 l-ejiorl)-, and seen so many retiiiiiing, lie ihoughl he would wait 
 awliilc'. He toUl us he believed there was gold along the 
 Krazer river, that could be got without going to Cariboo. ' Wc 
 being at this lime clo.-e u)ion the rivu', resolved to try our 
 hands and s-e if Dame I'orUme, (ahhough a fickle daine in 
 this counlry.) would tmih' upim u:, I nnd my two toiu: 
 de;eeiidi.d the rivir, luid coinnieuted oj^ atlons nt oi'Ce, 
 
 / 
 
 27 
 
 Wc washed several pans of dirt, and found small E)iccks la 
 every pan, but not sufllcient to pay us. We walked a little 
 further up the river, and came ujion a party of Chinamen at 
 work with their roekers.but not bi'ing able to understand their 
 language, we could not learn how matters fared with them, 
 they jiointcd out simc pieces of gold in tiieir apparatus, but 
 they were very cautious in trying to give us any information 
 on the subject. Wc saw several companies at work across ' 
 the river, we however learnt, tluy could take out about two 
 dollars worth of gold per di;y. This would never do for us. 
 Why, tlop here for that, when we were told by Mr. Frazc;, 
 that once at d.riboo, our fortunes were made, V7c could no*, 
 go wrong, in every river, creek, and tributary, the jirccioua 
 metal wa' laying in abundance, and bat little frjin tlio furfaec. 
 With this iiiipresslciii, we hastened away, and soon found out 
 that we had made a sad mistake. In our hurry down the hill 
 we forgot we should have to return; there the hill slued before 
 us in formidable array, and before we reached the suiainit, I 
 Was nearly exhausted. Wetlien ti.ivelled on for a mile or t\.o, 
 pitched our tents, and re.-ted for the nig' . 
 
 'In the iiioniing, betimes wo journeyed forward over the li'll'! 
 and through the valleys, some places we took the old trail over 
 tlic mountain tops. in preference to the circuitous route 
 round the foot of the mountains, rdong the newly form -d ro".d, 
 saving a few miles walking thereby. We came to where the 
 road diverged, — one the governiiiont road, the other t!ic old 
 river tr.iil, which wc v/ere told was fifty miles ehorter route; 
 we therefore took it, and our choice proved not a hapjiy one. 
 Wc found it to be one succession of mountains and swamps 
 the whole way ; likewise, we soon found it iicee- ■ ivy to fold 
 our heads in the inusquito bars, to save us from being com- 
 pletely Worried, they made a fearful attack upon us, mid 
 continued the warf i re day and night, the whole jiui in. ythrou[;l!, 
 1 got r.ither amused nevertheless with our friend Kmi icr.ou, 
 he had never been. in such eomp.my bjfore, and was anxioos 
 to sue the cfl'eels uj/on liim. He allowed thein to b'jre their 
 proboscis (plielly, v.ni.] take their fdl of il.-.'ct ; he .'oon got 
 Batisficd, — denouiaed them as tvrriule pcsts, and slew them : 
 without lueicy. His suflerings from tli'^ai were iiothing in 
 Comparison to what others sufieied; some were cunijilelely . 
 disfijured and blinded with iheui, their liands swollen tv,ic^ 
 
 - II|I J »I|| I I J I K i 
 
26 
 
 their usunl f'v/x. In this coirritioii \vc struggled on day by 
 day ; selling nio'.iiit.iins ; plodding tlirougli valkys ; and, to 
 add to our t^ollb!o^ uud d;iiiii) our iudour, Nve met upon an 
 nvcr.i'^c, seventy returning every duy, in a wrolclied, miserable 
 condition ; relating liearl-rendlng tales of their suft'crinLrs and 
 
 privations ; de 
 
 ig the place they IkuI left, as one complete 
 
 scene of wretchedness and woe ; hunger and slurvution Etall;- 
 iiig through the length and breadth ol tlie land. 
 
 Our journey after tIlo^o reports was rendered anything but 
 pleasant ; 't was bad before, but, with such a foarlid pjospccl 
 looming in tlie future, made it doubly worse. Hints of re- 
 turning oused out from tiaic to time, — still wo tugged ori, iind 
 a fearful lug we had. One day a mighty mountain stood before 
 us, and over it we must go if ever we reach Cariboo. After 
 a good rest, we addressed ourselves to tlic lash, win'ch took uf- 
 several liour.s to jjcrrorm, and almost juoved th-' last toil far 
 poor b^nunerson ; he sunk scvcial thiies cpiitc exliaufted ; the 
 day was fearfidly hot. and no water to he )iad,--his thirst be- 
 came intolerable. We encouiaged blm on as well as we were 
 able — Used strat.-igeni by telling him wc heard the Water 
 roaring ahead of u=, and never shall I foigel the emolion and 
 jloasurc we nil experienced, csp'Ociaily him, when wc iu reality 
 tiid bear the glorious sound of water ahead, isfnied by the first 
 there, and feut back as by clectrlelly, till the last traveller oil 
 the mountain e.inghl the ne\is, We hurned on, and s.oon heard 
 the water rushing in torrents down the mo. ntahi side. 'T wa'. 
 a mighty fall; when we «rri\ed, how eagerly lie clutched 
 the cup, and woidd no doubt have done himself harm, Iiad wc 
 not pievented hia.— -I dragged tlu cu))fromhini sevciv.l tiaiUB. 
 Here wt ])ilched our tent for the night, by the tide of tiiib 
 glorious stream, which 1 have no doubt saved the life cf 
 one of our jiarty at leaU, and had prob.dily saved the llvet 
 of nian) othei; before. . 
 
 Next morning before us stouil anothei foriiudable inouutLJi:, 
 ele-' :nat('d the liig Slide, over whieli is a dangerous pa;?, being 
 of a faiuly nature, and by ihe side of the trail h u pieeipic , 
 seveial hundred feet jierpendieular, at I'iU botloui of 
 w'lich, lay bleaching the skeletons of both ii:en ami anim:ds, 
 in one ma-./, logellier. 
 
 A [cv.Mn.jre day.s and nights of ini'crable t.ivelling, brought 
 US t' Williaui'.s Lnkc, which place wc reached on WcdriCiday, 
 
 29 
 
 the 2.!th of June. The night before, vhHc camping, wcwere 
 visited by a bear, be tool; a survey all round our lents.-rell 
 b with .(othing tosuit, except a bag^ wh.eh ae ^v^^^^J^f;;;;^ 
 it contained nothing but tins and cooking utensds, winch 
 laU when he was'^bugging theni ofT, ^nd.rou.c^o..oo^ 
 nchd.bours, who peeped out and saw Ins lordship Ktreaing. 
 he returned fo, hi- revolver, but Mr Shaggy took he limt. 
 dropped the bag, and decamped as qmekly as posSili.e. 
 
 A William's Lake there was a vast uumber of returned 
 Cafibooit U and amonget the rest were several of cur ormer 
 Ua ingcomp.nions,^vbo had been f.-rtyfive m.ks fuithcr 
 unt country i but, found matters grew »o,se ana Wurse- 
 tl ey e n ned nd this decided the fate of other Iwo of our 
 con pa V. Ennnev^nn and Marquis resolved to relurn along 
 S\hem •, thus reducing our party to three, '"ys^lf a'-d . o 
 Tons. Wc however . evolved to proeeed, and see how n.at r. 
 Ld at the terminus. Here we parted w,tb our friends, «lneh 
 ^;as not done without producing a keen and cutting (..notion ; 
 ow could it be otherui^e ! we had shared the troubles uid 
 d°.nr "to 'ether, for ten thousand mile.s. mul here we part.m 
 a trm.e wild country, perhaps never to sec each other again! 
 la' w 't-ad provided' ourselves with provisions which wc 
 Za were got!ing the farther we went a very "' V ^'^'S!^; 
 wo ctarted awav with sad hearts and weary limb.,, V c 
 cntei-cd the wood again, and walked on about two mile::, 
 darkness closing around us 
 
 And th^^ wood fowl had cone to licr ucst. 
 The wild hc:„l h:. 1 \M ilowi. m his ]aiv ; 
 i.scn hero v.c IkuI f;rc.i! need ci rc'„ 
 So wc to cm- tents did repiMr, ^ 
 
 Kcxt mornin-' we started away about seven, and that day nnu 
 Ol t'Swingdays, we w.'ked. and wade over imd tbrou.n 
 
 -^c-!^i::r£S.te;<n,^^-:"L:f^ic.^^ 
 £;-brr^;-i;"ro^tri^?u 
 
 S„r upper and ti:en laid down to re.t. >^"' ;^"S^;^ 
 
 f",nd there was a larc;e nnmbci of tents idl around us. pail'eO 
 fouml Uieie v a V '' c- ^^ , . j,^.,,^^ ,^„„e more 
 
 relUrnmiT — othei.s on tlieir wa,\ . 
 
.A 
 
 
30 
 
 doleful occu'juts of llic cligi;Ingf ; bIso, of the next Cfly mile ; 
 we Imd to travel over, it got worse and wuric. Tiiis place 
 was filled with stores and warehouses chi.fly kij.t by Jews — 
 regular extortionist!-- : sold their goods at cxorl)it;int prices, 
 their BelfithMcss \v;is injuiiou^; to the travellers, and a curse to 
 the country. All the goods that cume here, v.eie j)!icked 
 on mules ; but, from hero over the next stngc, they iiad to 
 cmjiloy galloways; liiuie,^ could nut travel over the swamps. 
 A good deal of provJMoiis wire paelced from here to the dig- 
 gings by njen, v.dio carried from one hundred to one hundred 
 and fifty jiounds on their baekf ; they cliarged thirty cents 
 per iiouiid; it tool; them six days to go and return. We pur- 
 chased a stoek of jinivi'.idns for our furv.ald jouniev, two fifty 
 pound bags of (lour, costing sixty-five doljai.-; (^C13), and lliis 
 was considered cliea]i. We bouglit it of a p;rty who had ju.'l 
 come to the cily ; he was under-ielling the lliievi-h Jewc, and 
 in so doing was risking hi.~ life. 
 
 \Vc left on the niovning tf the 30th of .hine, and in our 
 travels tlnough the day, we were overlo 'k by au iMigli-hinau, 
 we joined company and ]iullf(l on together, through mud, dirt 
 and niiseiy. lie v.asfruin Derbyshire; le- liad li'fla fn; t-r:>,te 
 situation in C'hccUi field,- — hnving leail in the jiapc-i.-, hVazer's 
 dazzling rejiorts of C'aiHioo; ho could not re^t any longer, 
 but started ofl' in cunipniy witli two younger brotliut^, for the 
 Golden Valkyr. He and hi^ youngest brother arrived there, 
 — the other got a situation dov.n in the eoiiiitiy, and reniidned 
 below. On their aiiival tliry fuiind piavii-ions so higli, that 
 the eldest tfailid back to QueMielie City, le;-.ving h!^ brother 
 to pro?peet the country, whiKt he jiaeked uji pio\isions. He 
 was returning with a jiacl: on hi.> back, of at least seventy 
 po'ir.ds weight ())retly job for a banker's ekrk), when we 
 joiii'd conijiany. We eiiramiied together for the m'glil. 
 
 Kcxt morning we ]>:i 1 )\eiihky Creek, the eoinnicnceuient 
 of Cariboo. There vai. little doing here; one or two com- 
 panies were working, but with liille sueciss. We bad not 
 proceeded far througli the wood, when it began to thunder and 
 lightning, aec'jinjianied with heavy rain, which continued nil 
 day ami nil, lit. We erected a bn sh v.ood [-hauty, made 
 on a good fire, and remained h-. re till moniliig. NVc passed a 
 very iineoiiifort.ible nlglif, our blankets having got all wet, we 
 slept vcjy little. Nixt day was .'pent in wading swamps and 
 
 91 
 
 climbing moillitain, ; the wet .day ^^^^J^^^^^^^ j^ 
 proved Uie roads al all, we ^«[";«\;'^p° , '^ ^e durst not 
 Pf Oie great n.oun.jnc:. ^^ •■'-•,„, dinner; after 
 engage witn Inm till we im „ toiliiK' and sweating. 
 
 which we startedup. and "f'';'^ ' ^^^ ^^^^^ '^^, magnif ^vnt 
 wc stood upon his ^"^'^^-^='1' ; J,, ,"T\;-W range of Koeky 
 , view before - -,^f ^.(^^^^^'^J^ l\e(^re us, as fnr as 
 Mountains ay ^^'-f'^'^^^^^^JZ of them had their snow- 
 the eye could reach ; [^ '^^^ ^ '"''^ ,,,s , mountainous sight 
 crowned heads aui.d \1' ,^^'" ',,, 'Vule. ca^t, «st, north and 
 underneath us, around us o evcj) ■ ^ .^ ^^__ .^.^ 
 
 bo;;:^..laytbe.,oig,on.^^^ 
 
 went, ar.d after a ^ -t'lid'ts-e ^solved loeanip hero for the 
 
 other side, weary aiid f''' f';;,:.^,;;, .onipaniou started away 
 „igU. Next rm^ning oin IK V^.r.^e^ ^1^ ^ ^^ 
 
 v.-.thoutus ;j.,l"^ J;,;. J,, fc.tof the r.ahl mount;...., 
 some creeks, tlkit run . lun^ u , , . . v,-ithout suceuc:-, 
 .-Inch we did. through ^ - -j; - f' ^''^'^I'^lj, t,-,, day a 
 in fact, we never ^^'^^^colo.u n tl M -'j ,,,^^,.°,„, ,,„y v,-c 
 
 party "^ P' VT'TlS'lXf al d of ns. and hadbecn to 
 had previously travelled. l)ut ^.,01 a- > a„,,carance of 
 
 Antler Creek, but •"--->:' ^/'-cJ^ of mi.<Ty. they 
 the place, everything looking H''" ^.'^ ' ,,.„. i,, );. Very dis- 
 ^bdut ship." -'•,l-^.:;^:: :: :;Aie; tl.. l,ad been 
 lieartemng news «'"'-.- ."""\,^^., ,„„-,;„. ^ve stalled out 
 rovghing It for many )eM^. J;" ^„,,,^^,„,= „,„spi.ed, that 
 
 f„„ i,„|,n««n >v. I.. « «-. ,„j „,i 
 
 iiij; liim. 
 
 .y 
 

 32 
 
 crossed several .■„],],. fi I "iT • • ° '"••■■ '"^ "'^'^- M'c 
 
 /•'-I ^^.■1>. and tl e , cl ^. t , "',' ■^"""•' ^"'" fif'^'-' to ,v,enty 
 
 «"f ^ve.,y. «l,iut iV,„ o'el , f^^' •^""'■'■^ Creek, tired 
 
 July. «nd to aceilaiMtv ■. f "^'^'"oon of il.u -Jih of 
 
 H huts, c,-,nva« u' - ilo ,"';'"' ' " T^^^ ^-"^<'-P J-l.ce 
 f ca,a, fI„„K.. trend, "'';';,£'7'''"<-''-.lH>N..iu,Ki; 
 fac you h.rdly knew wl, o ^ T"^* '"","'"' ''^•' '" 
 a"I.,!., ,ve Etruek a plaee •,, I , ;,^ . '^'^'"' "•"■''^''■i'K "bout 
 
 'Jou,, to re.l, but tbero v.L v 1 i' ' .1 ."" ""'ry ^'"^'^^ 
 
 fi"'»",g of their iru'enn, , . J- ' '■'"" '■^leLratini; ,1k' 
 ^rcn.^li.cha,,i;j^; ' ::,,;:,,^3-.'''''"|'^the tree. In tli; 
 
 H''-. dust, aud i^^o;,,.: . L:! :'' ;^"''"^, c^-'^ ^° -^•'^ t'- 
 
 I'-^-t '-' been prospu.t:';fi^ ^ ; i;;;-' '';^;'^;^''^ ''' P^-'- 
 to be found. ,vo at JeM-il, r-,,,,^ t, . . V '''"^•"i^' llure 
 
 1 '^ely, a„<l en„Hae, ? o, " ; ' " 'f ^' ^>'"^l' Me considered 
 day. retu)n(d ,o ,|,e earn , " • r,' "■"'■'^^■'' ''■'"' ■•^» 
 
 ^'e.\l day 
 
 l''«t clay ,0 , . • '' V' '''' ^^■^"'''^ ''1^^ »'= 
 
 to-% J... ;;^.r';::;i/''-^,4 -;a j--ver. fnd colour 
 were obli.ad lo 1.-V, ;. ^'Ol^cd here toii;e t me 1ml 
 
 ivo ^t^: J ,h;: , "• i;:^T?" "'rr, "''^^ >'i'-' 
 
 -vcr.,1 day. UajJ];!'^,'^-: ";^:::' /j^'," -"-o At 
 
 nn old e.NT.erie,ieed di-^. Vl V V ''" ' "'^' ""'"■ f-'a. 
 
 and many were. In lot , ''"'' '"- ''^■■' "f^^'' 'l:.y, 
 
 a"yi>a.tie.s.(nl;;n,^ it in ibjl i -.V 1 ; ' "'' ''^^■"■'' ^^ 
 I'fy CXI, .i.rs 'i'lfer.v , ' '" ''•''■■""• sufilelent to 
 
 {)-rce dain, ve.t i "'o^r:!:'' "^T'^'l ''' --'<. two Jr 
 sa^v for ...y^elf^h^'ori^, '^; ^ r '• i?^^^^^^- ^vhich I 
 
 33 
 
 ci''ht liulidrcd (o ii tlioiisaml dollars of gold in the jian, but 
 even thls! conijiany had been ut an enormous cxiions-, bcfoie 
 gcttiti'^ their mine into ojieration, they were consideriihly in 
 debt, and the danger was b^'fore they got cleared Uj), the 
 vein would woih- out, as was Ireqncntly the case. 
 
 There had been a griat deal said about tlie richness of this 
 crceh, and the quantity of f^'old tahen out from time to time ; 
 but not a word was said on the othc r side of the question, (one 
 talc is good till another is heard) there hjid been several com- 
 panies ruined at thisereel;. One company, a jiarty of ciplit 
 Corni-hnien, 1 was well neqiuunted with, were on ground 
 adjoining this rich claim, v,e )ia>sed and repassed the place for 
 many days ; they too!: uji eight claim'^, one hnmlred sfjuare 
 feet to n claim, they had worked for inonlh-', had diveited 
 the river, put in lluir.es, prepared tlieir tluiee boxe;, got 
 their pumps and all other neecsNary apparatus ready for 
 worl:, and yet they never struck it in sullieient (inanlilies to 
 pay for ^^ovl;lng, and tliC day Ir fore we left Anllei^ Creek, they 
 abandoned the place, and left it, mined nun. 'J'his was the 
 case with every other creek ; some struck it rich, and this was 
 blazed in cveiypajicr: the many lost all they had, and were 
 coiupletily be.^!^ured ; tlii> was never named but hu^hed down. 
 My opininn of the afiair is, that there is gold, but not in 
 every cri. hand canuion, nor is it laid just below the surface; it 
 is laid in spots, and defj) in the gruund. The Ehallov.w-t 
 di"i;ings I saw orluard of were ten feet deeji ; hut in most places 
 gold was found at a dejith of from twenty to thirty fee!, .-.nd in 
 tonic jilaces niueh deeper even than this; and fur the diy dig- 
 pin."s nienlloued by l^'razer, they were not found when I left 
 Cariboo. Water was the greatest enemy we had to contend 
 within njostplaces we pros)n.eted; veweredriven out with water, 
 wc cmdd not reach the bedrocl;, even with jnimps, we were 
 defeated, and the water v.r.s fearfelly cold. 'I'he general cry 
 vas, " We can't get down for watc i." 
 
 W'c workc,' on till the UUli of duly, but never made a cent; 
 the CO: t of living was awfully high, ]irovl-ious cost nie for thiee 
 of us, nine dolh.rs jier day ("thirly-six shillings.) I'lmn-, four 
 shilling.s per ])0Und, soinetiinrs fjve shillings, niany times for 
 clay? logellici there was none to bv had ; llacon from fo\n' to 
 five shillings ])cr pound ; ]!;ans, four shillings ; Sug.-ir, four 
 
 shilli: 
 
 'i'ea and Ci'flee, twelve ihilling s ; D.ef, two shilli 
 
 y 
 
i! 
 
 34 
 
 R* fnr Salt, it \vn? a luxury to gof it; if you got wluil served a 
 laeul, it cost a fliilliiij;. Kvciy ollpjr tliiii;; was equally dear, 
 if you went to a Ko.-tauniiil you IkkI to jiay two and u half 
 dollars (ten tliilliiiys) for a diumr. 
 
 Kiiic country tliis to conic to. As for tlie \veatl:er, ve 
 liad rain eiil r tlirouyli the day or night, all the time \vc flay- 
 ed ; and the last day wc \\eri- working, we Ciinie upon j;H)Und 
 80 haul frozen, thai it was with dilliculty wc hrokc it uj). 
 
 Quite salisfied. and siel; of the place, wc paeked up our 
 traji-stichs, and walked ofl' on the I'dlh of July. All the 
 gn und was while willi hoar frost, and the mcrninj; wai> 
 co! 1 a? Chrislnias, 1 fell a glow of pleasure, when I pot 
 my Lack turned iif one of the iiioit di;ai;reeahlc und inhospit- 
 ahle placi ^ man evxr lived in. • ' 
 
 M'c reniauu d in the country helo'.v tonielinie, hut before I 
 Icfl I'oit I'enibirton in OcUdji.'r, Cariboo was b'jiied deip iu 
 snow, and repiut said that .seventeen huuihid jMck animal, 
 had j)erished in the f loini, and a va>t nundur of men were 
 misbiug, A fine sjieeiiMen lliks of n yreal ayiicultural Ci>unlry, 
 pO!-se;.sing a first-rate climate. 1 fed ti^tonished above all 
 thinj,'s, that Donald I'r.izer does not at onec go out, and take 
 up his abode Iheie. 
 
 I sailed froin \'ieluiiaon the ll'lhi. N'oveluhcr; and airiv- 
 ed iu England on the Ith of Fibruaiy, 1SC3. 
 
 
 // 
 
 
 I'fiuted by \\'. J!. Wi'.ioiiT, Stockton.