IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) /. ^ Photographic Sciences Corporation "% V ^1.^ r^^ "^ w 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series, CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for fiimSng. Features off this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any off the images in the reproduction, or which may signifficantly change the usual method of ffilming, are checked below. D Colcured covers/ Couverture de couleur I I Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagde □ Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaurie et/ou pellicul6e □ Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque □ Coloured maps/ Cartes gAographiques en couleur D Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or b!ick)/ Encre do couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) □ Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur □ Bound with other material/ Reli6 avec d'autres documents D □ D Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La reliure serrie peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion Ifl long de la marge intirieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajouties lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais. iorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas 6t6 filmies. Additional comments:/ Commentaires suppl^mentaires: L'instit»:; d microffilm4 le meiileur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t« possible de se procurer. Les ddtaiis de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-Atre uniques du point de vue bibliographiqua, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la methods normale de filmage sont indiqu6s ci-dessous. □ Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur Pages iJamaged/ I I Pages endommag6es Pages restored and/oi Pages restaurdes et/ou peliicuiies Pages discoloured, stained or foxei Pages d6color6es, tachetdes ou piqu6es Pages detached/ Pages d6tach6es I — I Pages restored and/or laminated/ jT7] Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ I I Pages detached/ rrTj Showthrough/ D Transparence □ Quality of print varies/ Quality indgaie de I'impression □ Includes supplementary material/ Comprend du materiel suppi^mentaire □ Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been rnf limed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcief par un ffeuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont 6t6 fiim^es A nouveau de fa^on d obtenir la meilleure image possible. This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est fllmi au taux de reduction indiquA ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X 7 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X ills iu iifier me age The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: National Library of Canada The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. L'exemplaire film6 fut reproduit grdce d la g6n6rosit6 de: Bibliothdque nationale du Canada Les images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de ia nettetii de I'exempiaire film^, et en conformit6 avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printeo or illustrated impression. The last recorded framn on each microfiche shall contain the syn^jol -^(meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Map?, plates, c;>arts, etc., may be filmed at different reducti >n ratios. Those too large to be entirely includ^^d in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprim^e sont film6s en commenpant par le premier plat et en terminant scit par la dernidre pat, ■« qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Toiis les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmdsi en commenpant par la premidre oage 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 1) II CIIATTKR V. Indian Servants — ^Mode of Dealing' with Indians — Misconduet of the llydalus — They tire on the "Uuh Koy" — Prompt Measures taken by till' Authorities to lledress the Outrage — The Ilyduhs are lirought to Reastm — Captain John — His Capture and Death — Adventure of the Cuwicliiii Indian — i\ortliern Marauders — Lieutenant Hohson sets out in Pursuit — TiisoliMit Dctianee of the Jndians — Etfect of the (Ireat (inns — The Ueultius — Fort Ivupert — F^xeellent Garden — Kindness of the Chief Faetor — We leave Fort Rupert — Round the North-west I'oint of the Island — Carried by the Tide past our Destination — (iuafsinough Harbour — Koslikeenio Village — Our Indian Host — The Interior of a Hut — Domestic Life — Indian Apathy ..... 59 CHAPTER VI. Weather changes for the worse — Heavy Rains — Time consumcil by Indians in striking a Bargain — Religious (Chants — Ancient Carvings — Salmon Weir — We leave our Anchorage — Heavy Swell at Sea — Dangerous Hocks — Ditlicult and Hazardous Navigation — Bay of Klaskeeno — Cogwell Trader — W^ant of Fresh Food — Klaskeeno River — Contrary Winds — Critical Position of our Yacht — Assistance rendered by Indians — Fresh Ballast on Board — Improvement in the Weather — We again put to Sea 78 CDNTKNTS. CIIAI'lEU VI I. IX ',^ Heavy Sc.'LSfiftcf Hecciit (l.ilc.-t — Ki'tsliMots from tho Coant — Mitciiina I'diut — Ksciiliiiitc Utrf — \Vi( ilrift uiit to Sea — Tliick Fog — Make I'linnlly Cove — Xootka Sournl — Straiigi- Sail on thu Horizon — Indians conit' alon;.'si(le — Cooptfc, Winter Qiuirtera of the Mowichats — Xoiso inaili' over a Klii([ii()lla — Mocoola, Cliiof of tlio Mowichats — Takes a Fancy to our Doy — Imlian Ojiinion of Kuropoan (Jarinonts — I'eSlia-Klini, Spoiiter of the Mowichats — imlian Presents — Tomahawk and other Arms — Narrative of an Adventure on our Former Visit — We ascend (iuar[uina Arm — Hostility of the .Matchelats — Indian >Var- wlioop — They lire on us — We parley with tiiem — IV'ace Itestored — We go on Shore with tho Chi'.'f — Kncanipnient — Fresh Symptoms of Hostility — Satisfactory Explanations— Fail to reach the Oliject of our Expedition — Arrival of l*e-!jha- Klim 'Jl CHArrEii viir. 'Iho Wreck of the " Florentia "' — Sufferings of the Crew — Resolution Cove— rerilous Adventure in an Open IJoat — 15occa del Inferno — Misunderstanding between the Shijiwreeked Crew and the Indians — Dress of an Indian Woman — The Use of I'aint — Primitive /'o.v/«;-7ic'.sY««.. »'' I < f \ ;•■ ' »■ , X. i- • ■"''-'/.//■ ^y.\7i ■^t- ♦ c.- f«« •| I,.' t I >! 1 '?' 1 M ij,| ■i m ! i ■it i' jJi G TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. about five miles, we were compelled to run flown as far to southward as latitude (JO", to enable us to beat sufficiently to the westward to clear the southernmost extrenuty of the great American continent. AV^e experienced the usual gales which fall to the lot of all voyagers outward-bound who attempt to double this " Cape of Storms," a narie it deserves certainly in a greater degree than even the Cape of Good Hope itself. As far as our experience goes, there is no part of the world in which heavier seas may be expected than in these latitudes ; and the aspect presented on one or two occasions by the ocean, as we beheld it from the deck of our vessel, was such as no landsman who saw it would ever be likely to forget. There is something exceedingly wild and desolate in the appearance of both sky and sea during a gale of wind in these latituf^es — a driving rain or sleet beat unceasingly in our faces, as our vessel plunged and rolled among the monstrous waves, till she showed the whole of her copper sheathing on one side, or dipped the end of her yard-arm into the boiling ocean on the other ; now buried in the hollow between two rolling ridges of water, now rising with a sudden heave to the giant swell as it swept beneath her, while its bursting crest of foam deluged our decks with water, and sent the spray flying in clouds through our rigging. W IXCLEMKNC'Y OV TIIK WEATHEH. 7 When in latitude (50° south, the region of keen winds and icebergs, of fur coats, warm wraps, and red noses, we found the cold sufficiently severe, nlthough near Midsummer, to be very unpleasant — what it may be in winter, wdien innumerable ice- bergs add to the terrors of the scene, we have no desire to experience. We contrived, however, to amuse ourselves on one or two occasions by knock- ing over an albatross or ji Cape fowl, both of which are sufficiently difficult shooting. After being baffied for some time by contrary winds and thick foijgy weather — with driving rain and sudden squalls, to whi::h these regions are very subject — during which time we never caught sight of the sun, and were, therefore, unable to form a correct idea of our whereabouts, we at length got a glimpse of the luminary of day, which enabled us to verify both our latitude and longitude, and led us to hope that the worst of our voyage was over. At the same time I repeat that we have no reason to complain of having experienced un- usually harsh treatment in these inhosj^itable seas, and future travellers may thank their stars if they escape as well as we did. After having fairly doubled Cape Horn, favourable winds soon carried us into warmer latitudes, and our winter clothing was exchanoed for li":ht summer ";arments ere we reached Valparaiso, the chief port of entry on >»•.' i.-. " /h--* t* f ♦ \. t ■- .- //' 1 ' rt :i ■ , hi y|'' J'/'i 10 ti{avi:f,s in luiiTisir cohimiua. to the Ilarhour of N'ictoi'iji itself, however, only revealed itself at the very last moment. J5efore aetually settin;i]f foot on shoi'e, and intro- ducin<^ my readers to the little wcxiden town of Viet oria as 1 t tl len a|)[)eai"e(l I proposer »^ivin;^ them some idea of the forests arc liko jmythinj^ which he inay have sccii ill till! Old World. With the exception of nii occiisloiiiil Iiidiiiii trail, these woods arc, owiii;^- to the t::ick, jiiii^rlcdike iiii(lci';^rowth, wholly iinpeiic- trahlc. 'i'hc trees coniposiiii^ them are I'orccd up to an iiiiiiieiise heif^ht, and are, as a natural eonse- (|iien('e, reniarkahly strai^^ht and ui)ri«!;ht in their <^i'owth, even when of ;j:i^,antie ^irtli, furnisiiing, in fact, some of the noblest s[)ars in tlu; universe. I am glad to find that the; Jh'itish j)ul)lic an; likely to have an opportunity of forming somc! idea of themag- nitude of these vegetable (loliaths from an actual specimen proposed to be set up, as I am given to understand, at Kensington Gore. A section of one of the stems may also be seen in the part of the International Exhibition appropriated to the pro- ductions of Vancouver's Island. I may here take occasion to observe, in connec- tion with these forests, that a vast conflagration will from time to time break out in the midst of their very densest portions, arising, it has been conjectured, from the spontaneous combustion of • accumulated masses of decayed vegetation. What- ever be the cause of them, certain it is that these fires are continually occurring. I have frc(iuently beheld them myself, and their result is to give a most desolate and even frightful appearance to the district in which they occur. I have seen, whilst sailing near the shore, vast spaces, many s(|uare m i. I ( '' i •i h ^i!i 12 TRAVELS IN r.IUTISII ('(>H':\II?FA. inil(>s ill extent, entirely denuded of nnytliin*: like ve^i»;etjition — converted, in fact, into a ^vilderness of scorched and blackened ashes, in the midst of whicli the gaunt, charred steins of the former monarchs of the forest stand, at intervals, like sen- tinel mourners over the graves of their kindred. Tn speaking of Vancouver as one vast forest of })ine, I give the result of my own observation — such, with the occasional patches of cleared and cultivated land, it has always appeared to me, from whatever point of view it has been my lot to behold it. At the same time 1 feel bound to men- tion that the Indians persist in stating that exten- sive open plains exist in the interior, and that tlierc is ii water communication, by means of n chain of lake and river, from Nittinat, Barclay Sound, on the south-west coast, to the village of the Nimkish Indians, at the mouth of the Nimkish river, flowing into »Iohnson's Straits, on the north- east side of the island, within thirty miles, 1)3^ sea, of Fort Rupert. How far this assertion of the Indians will ho verified by future research, remains to be proved ; that a communication, also chiefly bv Avater, does actuallv exist between the village of the Nimkish Indians and Nootka Sound is a well-known fact — this runs through the centre of the island, and has probably been used by the Hudson's Bay traders. One other means of com- munication across the island exists between Nana (u'or: Hare Fr( reade the c( more nam coast, meet exten As •18° ai of C Amei pared i •:,ritish Islands may here be successfully cultivated, ihe wild srrowth of tlie island is prolific in berries of every description. Among these we shall recognize several old ac- quaintances, and none with more pleasure than the fragrant strawberry of our native woodlands. The fauna of this region is varied and important, at the same time I cannot promise the sportsman so abundant a field for the exercise of his skill as might be anticipated, on account of the impene- trable nature of the woods. Birds, however, of all descriptions, are everywhere to be met witli on the coasts. Among the larger and more formidable of the wild animals, I may mention the bear, the panther, and the wolf. The former is the well- known black bear of the North American conti- nent ; usual size, The v\ migra to an( il Pi WILD ANIMALS. — FISH. 15 ,\ as ne- of on Ae the nent ; both the latter are animals possessing the usual characteristics of their tribe Deer, of large size, and graced with noble antlers, are common. The way in which they take tlie water in their migrations from the mainl'^^nl, or from one island to another, is very noticeable ; they think nothing of crossing an arm of the sea, and we have been crediV^y informed that they have been met with several miles from land. Tneir flesh is capital venison. Many of tlie more valued furs are the produce of animals abounding in Vancouver, while, as I before remarked, birds of all descriptions are very plentiful ; among them we may enumerate the wild goose, ducks of various species, the blue grouse, the heron, and innumerable flocks of sea birds. Most of the rivers and streams are full of fish, among whicli we shall meet with many old favourites. Both trout and salmon are abundant, and of excellent quality, and I can speak in the highest terms of the flavour of the native prawn ; the oysters also are said to be good. Neither the lol)ster nor the crab is, however, to be met with ; nor do I consider their absence compensated for by the existing kinds of shell-fish. The noted clam, so highly prized in America, is here very abundant. I have already had occasion to speak several times of the channel separating the island of Van- couver from the mainland. This possesses natural ,- ^ % 1 ■■ t ' , •' m \- .(!'■ m t 1' i, V i ■ \ :- ■ i; 1 i'i, \ t >:■' . vi ] r i ' 11 t « ■' ■• '.u^ '02k>i 16 TRAVELS TN URITISII COLUMIUA. features of a suificieiitly marked and intorestin/r cliaracter to merit a special notice. Its length is about 340 miles, while its width varies from two or three to thirty miles ; a great portion of it is filled with islands of all sizes, as I have already stated, together with sunken rocks. As might be supposed, in a sea of this description, the results obtained by sovmding are very vju'ious, but the reader will probably hardly be prepared to hear that the extraordinary depth of seventy or eighty fathoms is frequently met with, and this, in many cases, under the very shadow of the rocky coast of the island itself. I remember on one occasion a sounding, taken at our bow, gave a depth of eighi fatlioms, while that at our stern gave fifteen ; and on another we obtained eight, and sixty fathoms, as the result of two successive throws of our line. Again, no reliable theory has yet been arrived at, with regard to the ebb and flow of the tides, in this singular and capricious sea. I do not over- state their fitful character, when I say they are as little to be depended on as the winds themselves, seeming, indeed, to be governed by none of the known and recognized laws of tidal action. It is no uncommon thing for the tide to ebb for three hours, and flow for eighteen. Tliese wild and law- less currents, setting in from the ocean, through the opposite extremities of the chaimel, meet in its narrowest portion, called Johnson's Straits, cha- IMPEDIMENTS TO NAVIGATION. 17 ill' I racteristically known as the Rapids. The absolute point of meeting is, as far as I was able to form an opinion, opposite Cape Muclge, at the southern ex- tremity of Valdez Island, forming a series of eddies and whirlpools, locally known as tide-rips, in which a vessel is carried helplessly along, unless a very strong breeze is blowing. The navigation of these narrow seas is, moreover, much impeded by float- ing timber, of gigantic proportions, and also by enormous beds of that extraordinary marine plant, the kelp. I have seen a vessel of forty or fifty tons, with a fair breeze, brought up dead, as if at anchor, by coming suddenly on a bed of kelp, and Avoe betide the hapless wight whose fate it may be to get entangled, while bathing, among the treach- erous rope-like stems, and long, leathery leaves of tliis Brobdignag, submarine growth : he is caught, like a fly, in the meshes of a spider, and with as little chance of escape. To this fact I can testify, from several painful cases of brave fellows and capital swimmers who thus lost their lives (luring my stay in the colony. (.)ne other natural peculiarity is noticeable in the waters of this channel. I allude to their extreme coldness. So great indeed did I find this, that in loathing 1 seldom had courage to venture beyond my depth. The description I have given of the shores of the island applies equally, in its leading characteristics, to the general appearance of the C *■'■' -I ' ; M 18 TPaVKLS in BRITISH COLUMBIA. mainland ; here also the shores are covered down to the water's ed^ue with dense forests of pine ; the open spaces, whether natural or artificially cleared, being only met with at rare intervals, during clear weatlier, a range of lofty mountains may be distin- guished in the distance, many of them rising to the altitude of snow-covered Alps. •i I 'r I 11) i ; I- r CHAPTER II. Uritisli Columitia — Frasor lliver — First Discoverers — Drake— Captain Cook — Vancouver — Tdwii of Victoria — When Founded — Clover- nor Douglas — Harbour of Victoria — Es(|uinialt — Mail Steamers — I'dst Oilice — Wells, Fargo, and Co. — llajjid Ini})rovenient of N'ictoria — First Impressions — Indian Village and JJurial (Iri)und^-Cliaracter of Surrounding Country — I'icturesrixie Scenery. The town of Victoria, capital of Vancouver's fsland, was originally a station or port of the [[udson's l>ay C'ompany, founded in 1843, and, like everything else in this part of the world, is of recent date. It was in pursuit of their arduous and venturesome calling that the Hudson's Bay fiu' traders first visited this " lltima Thule " of the West, crossing the channel that separates it from the mainland. The name Ijritish Columbia is ([uite a modern term; the original appellation Itestowed upon it hy Cnptain Cook being New c 2 ''.' I ' ; '.! !|i/ iii^/l 22 TKAVKLS IN I5I!ITIS1I C()LUM1!IA. Vsim;ouvcT was first (leinoiistratcd by tlic luiviu'iitor whose iKiiiici it bears, and who sailed round it in 1792. The town of Victoria may, in its origin, l)e re- gai'ded as tlie last link in that wondrrtul cliain ol" .stations or forts extendin;^ eoni[»letely aeross the Anicriean continent, whicli owe tlieir existence to the undaunted energy, enterprise, and perseverance of the gallant traders of tlie Hudson's l>ay Company, ii body of men of wliom any country might l)e proud, who, in the teeth of lu; 'Iships and dangers of every description have tlnis been the })ioneers of civilization, throng] i the heart of this mighty con- tinent. The old Hudson's IJay Fort of Victoria was situated in the district occupied by the abori- ginal tribe of the Songees. They, however, parted with their claim to the compan}', and migrated to the other side of the li«arbour. The island of Van- couver was granted to the Hudson's Bay Company, on condition of their colonizing it in 1848. James Douglas, the present Governor, was the chief factor of this company at Fort Victoriii, and when the natural resources of the country, developed by in- creased immigration, entitled it to be erected into one of the colonies of the British Fmpire, he was, on account of his extensive experience and know- ledge of the country, as well as the iniluence he wielded in the colony, selected for the post of Governor. age. i '.1' ESQUIMALT. 23 The liui'boiir of \'ictoi'iu is of iiTc^i'ular form, consisting of two basins, of wIia'U the inner one con- stitutes the reul harbour, Tiis may be entered at hiiili water bv vessels of considerable tonnaue, wliich can tlien lie alongside tlie wharves of N'ietoria. The rocks in the outer harbour form some impedi- ment to navigation, wliich is nevertheless readily overcome by a skilful pilot. To state my real con- victions, however, I believe that the liarbour of A'ictoria will not be found to meet the re<|uirements of a very much increased immigration, but will have to yield to tlie superior claims of Esquimalt, situated about three miles to the south-east. These places were connected by a road of the very worst descrip- tion, a defect which I hoj)e may, by this time, have been remedied. As far as I can remeniber, no great difficulties exist in the way of laying down a tram- road along this route. Esquimalt possesses a splendid harbour, consisting, properly speaking, of two harbours, each capable of receiving vessels of tlie largest tonnage, even to the "Great Eastern" her- self. A whole fleet might here find secure anchor- age. The town itself consists of little more than an asseniblago of wooden liuts, but is destininl, even- tually, I think, to become a place of importance. At the present moment, howevei*, it owes its very existence to the facts of its beini2:the chosen station of the men-of-war on this coast, as well as the port whence the mail steamer sails twice a month to San 1^ i1: !i'> 1 ',1 i ' ( ' sy I. ■ i i \' \ i t . i 1 'i 1 ■ ' . . \m ^'/! 24 TRAVELS IN BIMTISII roLUMHIA. Francisco. The {irrival of this steamer creates no small stir and sensation in the colony, and ^reat is the rush for letters at the Post Otliee in N'ictoria, as the very brief delay of the mail steamer at Kscjui- malt, seldom exceeding two or three honrs, leaves but little time for answerinii' correspondence. I cannot speak of the Postal arrangements of the colony without alluding to "AVells, Fargo, iSi. Co., Express and Forwarding Agents." They are mnch in re0 a communica- tion was forwarded to the Colonial Secretary of State from Governor Douglas to the effect that her subjects in the cohmy were desirous that Her jSrajesty should name the metropolis they were; about to found. The desire was at once graciously comp capitn New ^ I NEW WESTMINSTER. .31 1. A complied with, Her Majesty deciding that the cnpital of l^>ritish Columbia should be called Xew Westminster. The growth of this town has been very rapid, and it is likely speedily to become a place of no small importance, in conse- quence of the recent discovery of gold. Up to tlie period of my departure from the colony, most of the houses were still of Avood — nor had the Governor any official residence here. New Westminster is well situated for commerce ; the Fraser River is here some 2,000 yards wide, and vessels of considerable size can anchor off the town. Al)out a mile higher up the river are the (piarters of the Royal Engineers, situated on a steep incline, presenting a most pif^turesque coup (Tfi'il from whichever side it is a[)proached, both on account of the graceful, high-pitched roofs of the buildings themselves, as Avell as the romantic character of the site they occupy. The choice of this situation certainlv reflects rn^eat credit, at least, on the taste of Colonel ^/loudj^ as, the river here forming an angle, a most extensive prospect may, in fine weather, be enjoyed — not only of its richly- wooded banks, but of the blue ranges of lofty mountains that shut in the distant horizon. The ])runette, a most charming little river, forms a junction with the Fraser a short distance iiighcr up. AVe frequently ascended this stream — a task, however, of no small difficulty, as its i ■ i j ■ , i it i 'Ml ^:, ^^i1,;.; ii #!'/'/ '' jil • I •' 'I'- I., 1; 32 TRAVELS TN BRITISH COLUMBIA. course is inucli impeded by fallen trees, some partially submerged, some forming a natural bridge aeross its narrower portions, and often so close to tlie surface of the water, that we had to stoop in our little boat to pass under them. We amused ourselves occasionally with shooting the bird here called grouse on its banks, and also succeeded in knocking over a partridge or two ; but the dense nature of the undergrowth renders the pursuit of game a matter of no small personal injury and inconvenience, if not of absolute im- possibility. A little below Xew Westminster an extensive steam saw-mill has been established, which deals in a very summary way with the gigantic timber of these regions. I have already alluded to the size attained by the fir in this part of the world. My readers will, however, hardly be prepared to hear that a novice, having laid a wnwer to cut through a selected specimen with an axe, in threes week's time, actually found himself, in spite of his most strenuous efforts, unable to accomplish his task. However incredible this may appear, it is an undoubted fact. On descending the Fraser River we were again detained for a short time by a turn of tide, there being no wind whatever ; we therefore availed ourselves of the opportunity to try and knock over a few wild-fowl among the swamps and shallows. wliich, iiuiner very I over ows, FORCE OF THE CUURKNT. 83 ■ J •• wliich, at this time of year, aifonl shelter to in- numerable flocks of (lucks aud geese. We were very successful ; and, in addition to enjoying a good day's sport, managed to replenish our larder for some days to come. At length, the wind freshening, we were obliged to rejoin our little craft, and dropped d(jwn the stream. On reaching tlie mouth of the river at nightfall, we naturally anchored to await daylight, and, as we lay during the silent hours of the night with two anchors out, we could not fail to be struck with the tremendous force of the current, which, parting with a roaring sound under our bow, rushed along the sides of our little vessel with the impetuosity of a mill- stream. The uneasiness we naturally felt lest she sliould part from her anchors under this tremen- dous strain was not diminished by the very dense fog, which shrouded jdl ol)jects in impenetrable darkness. We had hoped that morning might have dispelled the fog ; instead of this being the case, however, it continued unabated all day, and we had to make up our u)iuds to spend another night ol' anxiety and discomfort ; for not only were we kept awake by the uneasy feeling that our cutter miglit drag her anchors, but the noise of tlie \vater under our bows was sufficiently great to render comfortable repose very difficult of Mttaimnent. The succeeding day being clear and fine, we -were enabled to cross the bar, and once D i j' 1 ■m w "T ^ ■ >■[•' TJ.! ! iff . i i !l 1 \< #/'/ H- i: li 1 1' , If u TIIAVF-LS IN RIMTISII COLUMr.IA. fiiirly at sea again, a fine breeze carried us across tlie Gulf of (Jeorii'ia to Nanaiino. I uuiy mention that Vancouver, to whom is due the lionour of having first explored this channel, strangely enough overlooked the mouth of the Fraser River, although he did uot fail to notice the discolora- tion of the waters of the Gulf o^ Georgia caused by its influx. Nanaimo is a Hudson's Bay Fort, on the coast of Vancouver's Island. The small settlement which has recently sprung up bearing the same nauie, probably owes its existence entirely to the fact of its being a coaling station. It occupies the centre of the coaling district, that is to say, the only part of the Island of Vancouver in which coal is actually worked. This important mineral is, however, known to exist in various other portions of the colony. I am bound to confess that the so-called "Nanaimo coal" is not of the very finest description, although by no means despicable. It is used by the steamers of the Royal Navy, as wxdl as by the vessels of the Pacific Steam Packet Company, and also finds a market in San Francisco ; the line of steamers pl\ing between the latter place and Panama prefer using the coal brought from Cardiff, of which a store exists at Acapulco, in Mexico. During our stay at Nanaimo we organized a hunting expedition in the neighbourhood, Avith the view of ])roviding ourselves with a little venison. ■i I 1 I ' 'III. ■•< A HUNTING EXrEDITION. 35 misoii. ; We set ofF one afternoon in a conplo of small boats, a party of seven — six white men and an Indian, wlio enjoyed the reputation of being a crack sliot. After a pnll of some two hours we readied our destination on the sliores of a bay, higlier up :he coast. Before landing Ave observed some lights on shore, it being at that time quite dark ; these, we naturally conjectured, must ])elong to a party of Indians on their way from the North to Victoria, and Ave were for some time dubious whether it Avould l)e quite prudent to set foot on shore under the. circumstances. Having, at length, overcome our scruples on this score, Ave discovered that the lights were those of a party of Avhite men — American grasscutters and haymaker'? — Avho Avere collecting forage in a couple of ca^ioes. After fraternizing avc proceeded to bivouac^ lit our fires, pitched our tents, and prepared our evening meal. "While sitting round our camp-fire, before retiring to our couch for the night, Ave could not help observing the amount of labour bestowed by our Indian comrade on the Avcapon he carried, an old- fashioned ilint-lock fowling-piece. He spent upwards of an hour cleaning most thoroughly its different parts, appearing especially solicitous that all in connection Avith the lock and pan for priming should be in first-rate order. It must be confessed, howe\Tr, that the amount of sport enjoyed by any of our party next day by no means ansAvered our d2 \' ■i ■! W:^M M . I ij ,,;i ii 1:' 1/ I'; 1 It 36 TIIAVKLS IN rrJTISIl COLUMIilA. expectiitioiis. The duiise niituru of tlie undur- growtli of brushwood, and the huge inasses of rock eoiitiiiually er()|)[)ing out, rendered the pursuit of game, or indeed progression of any kind a niattei* of no small dilHeulty. As for uiyself, 1 only succeeded in knocking over a few birds. On retur.iin;j to Nanaimo we had a refjular battle agaiiiht wind and tide, "with the unpleasant accompaniment of driving rain. I may mention that on the shores of the bay where we encamped, we o])served the remains of an Indian village, said to have belonged to a tri])e now extinct, probably extei'niinated by continued warfare. On leaving Nanaimo a few days after in company with the schooner "Langley,"a small coastingtrader, we found the navigation of the Gulf of Georgia very ticklish work, from the number of sunken rocks, on which we, more than once, were within an inch of strandiuir our little craft. After anchoring for the night, the first appearance of day revealed to us the dangers of our situation ; we had selected a spot surrounded by sunken rocks, and we also found that what we had taken for a creek was, in reality, a passage between two islands not marked in the chart. Five canoes of Stiekeeii Indians came alonii'side, thev told us a louix story of the treachery of the Ucultas, which will be found in another part of our narrative. AVe started next morninix Avitli a nice breeze, and soon left the ;! ^ "Lan sonic our }) i-ip, A\ son s TIIK UCUl/l'A INDIAN'S. 37 i,S "I.iiiiglcy" Ix'liind, The wind was jiftcrwurds tor soiiu' tinu; shitting' and variable; at length, about ten, it was round to the riiiht (juarter once more, and we found ourselves within a mile of Cap(^, kludge, the most southerly point of Valdez Island. r»efore we had time to congratulr.<-e ourselves on our progress, we were suddenly involved in a tide- rip, Avhieh, in a very short time, carried us back some six or seven miles. AVe were now abreavSt of the " Langley" again, but sh(; fared no better than we did, and after drifting about until the tide ])e- came shick, we pulled into soundings, and let go our anchors, 'j'he Uculta village is situated on John- son's Straits; they are reputed the worst Indians anywhere to be met with al)0ut here, plundering and killing those of the northern tribes, wdienever they met with them. We did not find the current as strong as we anticipated next morning. We made fast, wdien the tide failed us, in a little bay, or bight, of Valde/ Island; and going on shore to look for a deer, saw^ the traces not only of many of these animals, but also of wolf and bear. We only succeeded, howx'ver, in wounding one deer. Land- ing on Vancouver next day we were equally un- successful, as we did not discover anything to shoot. We anchored for the night oiF an island at the entrance of Knox 15ay, and started next morn- ing with a fair breeze, which had a tendency to . i (; \< i i \i . ■ ', .j )f !•' :M:if TKAVKLS IN lilHIISIi fOLIM lil A. M t '! li ; iVcslieii us the dwy adviiiiccMl. Tliu tide wilh us till about c'U'Vcii, ruuiiiug stroiip;, and lbrnrui<2; in places violent eddies — the sea was also inueh encum- bered with floating tind)er, wliich rendered naviga- tion dillicult and dangerous, as many of the trunks were of gigantic size. The wind blew very fresli, after a temporary lull, and put us down so mu<'li by the bows that we took in our gaff-topsail, and she went more easily in ('onse(|uen('e. The tide ran for some four hours against us, but the breeze was sufficiently powerful to enable us to hold on our course, as it was now blowing half a gale of wind. AVe had some difficulty in clearing the rocks in front of the Nimkish village — our vessel jibed, breakin-^ er guy, and carrying away some of her runniw^-uickle, but doing little other damage. Almost before we had time, however, to ascertain what injury we had sustained, we had loft the rocks, the cause of our late anxiety, far behind. We reached Fort Rupert about six in the evening, followed in about an hour afterwards by the " Langley," thoroughly satisfied with our day's run, having done some 90 miles in eleven hours. I ;;i) 'M' I '.. CJIAITKU I\. Iiulian Trihos iiiliiibiting ViiiiO()iiviM''.>( Tsliunl — NortlKTii Iiiiliaiis visitiiiL;- tlio Island |)i'r"K)(lii'ally — Kiniiity aiiioiiy tliL' i>ill'L'iviit Tribes Indian Warfare — ^\\•a^)ull^ — Canoes — 'rreachory df tlio Uc'ultas — General Appoaranoo of the Indians — Artifieial Flatten- ing of the Skull — Use of I'aint — Indian Women — Dress — Indian Villaj;e — Huts — Fisliinji' Season — Salmon — Artieles of Food — AVhisky — Carving— Construetion of Canoe — Indian Unrial- (i round — Mysteries of the Klu(|uolla — GaniMiiig — Indian Su[)er- stitions. So mucli has been M-rittcn on the inaiiiiers, customs, iuid natural traits of the ahori^inal in- habitants of the great Continent of the \\\'st, that it might at first sight appear superlhious on my part to devote any considerable portion of my space to their consideration ; but 1 am convinced that the general characteristics of tliis, as of all other races, are materially modified by the local circumstances of climate, soil, and the geographical V m *l li 40 TRAVELS IN BlllTISII COLUMUIA. 'i i ill i ,p?','' features of tlie country they inliabit. The Tndhiii tribes inhabiting the ishuids and seal)oard of the Pacific dili'er in many essential partieuhu's from those of the interior of the continent, and I con- sider that many of tlieir liabits and customs arc sufficiently marked and interesting to merit u special notice ; mucli of this information will, moreover, l)e f(Mnul valuable to tlie intending emigrant and settler in these colonies. It must always be a matter of no small difliculty to fix tlie number of Indians of ditfi-rent tribes who dwell permanently in tlie two colonies of British Columbia and Vancouver, nor can I regard any such estimate, at pi'csent, as being anything more than an approximative guess. In addition to the tribes here located, great munbers visit these rci^ions durinu; the summer months, often comiiiL!' from a great distance to the north, and pertbrmiiig voyages by sea of many hundred miles in their canoes. Among the more numerous and powerfid of these tribes I wonld mentit^n the Ilydahs, the Chimseeans, the Stickeens, the Skidegates, and the Bella-Bellas. They visit these shores for the purpose of disposing of the produce of their hunting expeditions, and return to their home in the far north at the approach of autumn, carrying with theiii the proceeds of their trading in the shape of money, blankets, powder, tobacco, whisky and other articles in use among them. 1 have, as a rule, m INDIAN WA15FAIJK. 41 j,s rouKirkcd tluit the pliysicjil atti"il)Utes of those tribes coniiiig from tlie north tire superior to those of the dwellers in the south. Here, as elsewhere, we shall find the e war- riors is the long, smooth-bore, flint-iock musket, in addition to which they generally carry along knife, havini>- now to a j^reat extent discarded the use of the traditional tomahawk and spear. Many of these weapons are, however, still preserved as heir- looms among them. Their general mode of fight- ins: on shore is from the ambush of the trunks of trees, seldom exposing themselves to fire in the open. Engagements on the sea in their canoes are by no means of frequent occurrence. All prisoners taken in war are, if not slaughtered on the spot, doomed to perpetual slavery. As an instance of the dastardly treachery so fre(piently practised by one tribe towards another, I may mention tlic affair of the Ucultas and Stickeen Indians, to which I before alluded, and which was related to us by a TliKACIlEUY OF THE UCULTAS. 4;^ piirt}' - IJARHAROUS AND UNSIGHTLY CUSTOMS. Af) personal acqujnntaiice. Many of the tribes inhabit- ing Vancouver and the adjacent coasts, practise the barbarous custom of flattening the skull by means of two pieces of wood bound tightly to the fore part of the head, in infancy and childhood, whereby the skull is forced into an unnatural and hideous shape, rising, in fact, to a perfect ridge on the top. Some tribes distort their skulls into a shape that has been likened to a sugar-loaf. As far as I could ascer- tain, this strange interference with the normal development of the brain is not attended by any mental deficiency. Most tribes are accustomed to pierce the ears and nose, in which rings of moderate size are worn ; to those in the ear, however, many other pendants are generally attached. I have fre- quently been amused to see an Indian, on receiving the always welcome gift of two or three English needles, carry them away with him stuck in the hole pierced through his nostril. The most un- siglitly of tliese customs is that of piercing the lower li[). This is confined entirely to the Northern Indians, and junong them is only practised by the Avonien. In the earlier stages, a small silver tube is worn tlirough the puncture ; with the la])se of years, however, the size of this article is graikially increased, until at length the lip conies to be dis- tended to a hideous extent by the insertion of a shell or wooden ornament. Tattooing is also oc- casionally seen among some of the tribes coming !!: ■! I"' ill l; ■ 1;' 1., u w # iul,l 40 TRAVELS IN BllITlSII COLUMBIA. j m til ^irn I:,. I from the north. Tlie custom of occasionally paint- ing the face is universal, and the pigments in use for this purpose constitute an important article of barter in Indian trading. Vermilion is in special 1 demand, great quantities of this colour being used m during the period of the mysteries or initiation of the Kluquolla, as it is termed, to which I shall refer H hereafter. Their black or war paint, they manu- facture themselves. This colour is an invariable indication of war ; at the same time its use is not confined to the battle-field, as it is also a siirn of 1 mourning, and is frequently employed by the fair sex to preserve their delicate complexions from the too ardent rays of the sun I Having mentioned the ladies, I am bound to acknowledge that I have sometimes seen faces which might ])e dc- % scribed as pleasing, as well as not ungraceful figures, among the younger women, but a due regard for truth obliges me to add that their charms, if any be discoverable, are very short-lived. One of the chief defects in both sexes is their very awk- ward walk, or rather waddle, caused by their legs and feet being cramped and deformed, and their toes turned in, from constantly sitting in their canoes. The dress in use among many of the more remote tribes, may be described as a sim[)le blanket, with the addition of a garment of their own manu- facture, consisting of strips of bark, fastened round the waist, and worn by tlie women. Others, more i ',1 INDIAN VILLAGE. 47 advanced in civilization, indulge in the use of shirts, in addition to their blankets. An Indian village consists of an asseml)lage of huts, arranged ill a line. It may not, however, be generally known to my readers that an Indian village is, to a certain extent, a mere temporary encampment. Every tribe has two or three villages, in various situa- tions — their locality being determined by the faci- lities it may afford for pursuing the avocations of hunting and fishing, at different periods of the year. An Indian hut consists of a framework of posts and beams, often of gigantic proportions, as in the case of a chief or head of a tribe. This frame is always left standing, but the outer plank- ing is removed every time the tribe shifts its quarters. Of course it is needless to add that all their household goods and chattels travel with them, on every occasion. The cutting out the huge planks, with which the huts are covered and roofed, with the imperfect tools and appliances at the command of the Indians, is a work at least of great labour and perseverance. Indians are skilful huntsmen, and many of them are very good shots. Tliey are not very particular as to the kind of game wherewith to stock their larder — tlie flesh of very few animals comes amiss to an Indian i)alate. The fishing season is an important period for those inhabiting the coast. Their sea-fish are always taken with a hook, the origin.'il article of native ^1 n ', 'i , 1 I 1 « 'l •' 1 1 , \ -t 48 TRAVELS IN HRTTISII COU'MIUA. n i\ manufacture being almost suporsecled l)y Englisli fish-hooks. They are very skilful fishermen, and I have often admii-ed the noiseless manner in which they steer their canoes tlirough the water, when trolling!: for salmon. This fine fish is every- where met with throughout the waters of Van- couver, and frequently attains a large growth. Those of the Fraser River are distinguished by the ])eculiarity of their nose being twisted on on(j side, which gives them a very comical appearance. I do not know whether this phenomenon can 1)l' accounted for by the force of the current these fish have to stem. In addition to this deformity, the bodies of the salmon taken out of this river, are frequently much scored, gashed, and disfigured by old wounds, the result of accident, and arir^itig from collision with the rocks and shallows of this impetuous stream. Sturgeon of gigantic size, weighing at times as much as five or six hundred pounds, are also taken in the Fraser River. Thei'e are various Indian modes of cuiing salmon, the ordinary one being to split them open, and hiuv^ them up to dry, distended with pegs, in the smoky atmosphere of their huts. This gives them much the appearance of kippered salmon, to which, how- ever, they are very inferior in flavour. In their migrations from one village to another, the Indians frequently leave a stock of this salmon behind them, packed in boxes, and deposited at some height on a fi cookiii woodei droppii have e potatoc that articles rapidly •i biscuits a speei( tion ar proscril attache: very bi Yet, so man fo risks, ai ohtain ] reeordei vile ant the poo eating £ and un^ Tlie c bone, a liave Ic The sp( Ml CAUVING I\ WOOD. 49 "T" ■ 1' la 1 ii m ' 1 r 'ijv •> , ■A hei"lit ainonart of the world is fashioned out of the trunk of a single tree; they ai'e of various sizes, and, I need hardly assure my readers that, even with the improved implements obtainable by the Indiiins in the present day, tliey are a work of no small labour. They are hollowed out l)y a slow iii'e, so disposed under the trunk to be operated upon as to con- sume the inner portion. In the war canoe the prow- ls elevated, being intended to afford slielter to its occupants; the top part is also furnished with a groove on which to rest their musket in firing. Kudelj fashioned as tlicy may appear, in the hands of an Indian crew these vessels are wonderfuhv l)uoyant and sea-worthy; at tlie same time, the Indian is by no means fond of exposing himself to bad weather at sea, and will wait for da\s before j)utting out, if it appears likely to blow. The pad- dles are, generally speaking, made of deal, and fellows whom he may meet with. It is said that they wlio are already Kluquollas esteem it rather an honour to be tlius bitten. He is now seized, bound ' with ropes, and led like a captive, by the party in charge of him, three times a day round the villag' during a period of seven days, a rattle producini' a dreadful noise being constantly agitated before • him. At this time he bites and stabs indiscriiiii nately every one he comes across, and as he certahily? ^ would not spare a white man if he happened to- meet him in the camp, I took good care to kecpf '. both my own person and that of a favourite litt d»»g out tree, ai period t howeve men dui being i food an( dually afl'et'ts g after pa re[)entai and acc( Anion to enum for gaml will stak his shoi selves, w stick, ab the appe loped fr side, in a out like not profe the gam( thing lik it possess selves, h( will sit f( t .' ?i t^ll. INDIAN OA.Min-IN(J. 5;j s, and her ail (J.)tr out of his iTiicli. At ii'iLilit Ik' is hound to a tree, aii- iiist. I give them, with certain modifications and alterations of my own, for what they aiv worth, without pledging myself to the authoi'itv of any one of them, except that relating tn the deluge, to which I have myself hoard Indians | refer. The beliijf among the Northern Indians is, first ^ that Yale (crow) made everything. Tlint mon po from the pUice of his l)irth. The Cowichin youth, from the very first moment of his capture, conceiveJ the design of escaping whenever an i^pportunity shoidd occur, which did not however present itself for years, as he was most jealously guarded by his captors. He was, of course, condemned to perpetual slavery, but was not ap[)arently badly treated in other respects. At length, after having been detained some twelve or fourteen years, as far as I could understand from his account, the riiroiir of the surveillance to which he was subjected having been to some extent relaxed, the long-desired, long watchod-for opportunity did at length occur, ami he made his escape in a small canoe, taking with him a few fishing-lines to provide himself with fo
    THE (IIJEAT (iTN'S. (ir) ninoiig hostile tribes, lu; at len;xth roiurlicd liis destinn- tion, iind ivjoincd iiis kindred in Vancouver's Island. During the period of my stay in the colony, a ('ou|»le of wliite men arrived in a canoe at Victoria, l)rin;:ing witli them the intelligence that a party of Nortiiern Indians, on their way hoine, had landed, broken into their house, and after plundering it of almost everything, proceeded on their journey. This occurred at Salt Spring Island, ,M»ine fifty or sixty mik'S from ^'ictoria. An order was at once issued to get tiie gunboat " Forward" ready for sea, and to put fortii in ])ursuit of the Indians — an order which its gallant commander, the late Lieutenant Rohson, was not long in carrying into execution. After calling at Xanaimo for an interpreter, they canu' upon the Indians, encamjx'd at Cape Mudge, A'aldcz Island. A message was foi'tliwitli sent on shore, summoning tlie chiefs to deliver up the offeiulers. Tids was ins(dently refused, the Indians adding that they cared norhiuL!: about the little " no-o-ood schooner," {is they contemptuously termed the gunl)oat, de- claring that they could take her if they pleased, and even attem[)ting to stop tlie boat that brought die nu.'ssage on shore from putting off. Having had no experience of the power of artillery, they affected to treat the "ureatguns" with disdain, thinking that it was merely intended to overawe them by their size, and that they were in reality I 'lei I i ; ^i\ I'} I ) I I I !! 'lit 1 : ^^ .. i) 06 TUAVKLH IN HKITISir COMIMIWA. 10 Tniicle ratlin* for show tbiin use, Tliey were, how ever, soon iiiKU'ccivcd by Liciitciiiiiit llol)son, wl ojM'iicd fire on sonic empty ciinoes, wliicli wen speedily sinaslicd to jitoins. 'I'lie Indiiiiis now iv- trented to tlie woods, and shots were exchanged on 1)1 >th si(h's. The rith-phites liaving been set up on hoai'd the gnnhoat to protect liis tiien, Lieuteniiiit R{)l)son sent a few cliarges of grape flying and crashing throngh the branches of the trees over tlie hciids of the Indians, with tiie humane view of sparing utuiccessar}' slaughter. While this was i;oinay Coni[)any, is situated on the noi'th- ciist coast of Vancouver's Island, and presents the usual characteristics of this class of building, which I will briefly describe for the benefit of those who have never si-en one of these forts. It consists of a (piadrangle enclosed by a lofty stockade, made of thi; tall pine-trees felled in the immediate vieiuitv, sunk some considerable distance into the ground, and kept together by cross-beams on the inside. There is a gallery running round the interior of this enclosur;', which just allows a man to walk u[)right protected from an enemy's fire. At two opposite corners of the (piadrangle are flanking bastions, mounting, in the case of Fort Rnj)ert, four l)-pounders each, sweeping the sides of the fort and the adjacent country. Some of these forts, however, mount heavier guns. The garden and outbuildings are protected by smaller stockades. Inside the fort itself are various houses for dryin"; and storinu* furs, for tradinth of October, so as not to be on the outer coast of the island after the first week in Xovembei'. We anchored on the first ni<>;ht after leaving Fort Rn[)ert in Chucartie Harbour, on the extreme north of Vancouver's Island. Jietween this place and Cape Scott, wdiere we anchored on the ensuing night, we were involved in a series of tide-ri[)s, i I ilH lb ^*l.( ' I • ' ' . 70 TllAVELS IN liUlTISII COLUMIUA. the currents hahvy very strong off this coast. Tlu iiiglit was clear and cahn, ^viUl a heavy dew. Start- ing the next inoriung, m'c fnll\' expected, after a run of an hour or two, to make Sea-Otter Ilarl)0ur. Onr ])ilot was thoroughly unacquainted ■with this part of the coast, never having been here before; the conserpiencc was that, although all on ])oard kept a sharp l')ok-out, we managed t pass the entrance to tlie hay. The rocky islets extend out from Cape Scott for a great distance to sea, and we songht in vain for any of Captain liicliards's surveying marks along this [)ortion of the coast. ]]y the time wc were fully convinced that we must have passed oni" destination, we caught sight of a canoe, to which we signalled. Alter consider- able hesitation aiid delay, the Indians, being evi- dently astonished and alai'mcd at our ini wonted aj)pcarance, came alongside. As these Indiaii> could not talk Cliiiniook, the ordinary medium el conununication with all the tril)es on the op[)osite coasts of tlie island, we were a long time before wo could understand them. At length we made out that they wert' Qnatsinoughs, and that their village lay beyond a point of land which we had deter- mined to explore. Wa were somewhat startled liy this announcement on the part of the Indians, a> it made us some 24 miles further to the south- II war dtl UUl w e had intended to iro that dav, which would lllojlg 1 1 j-ullcd and cat i.sL'Uid ; kccuio on dnri anchor had >(•( intornii .some fi Uurbou Pre [It anchor the em Ut'L'se, TIr. ; -Jj Stuit- ^t a run ™ >ur. 1 with here 1- T^ di all 1 ed to isk'ts '3 icu tu :''J iptalii oil ot' IrlH it we .sight si(k'r- ns, a> THE (^L ATSlNUUlill INDIANS. 71 would st'cni to [)rove tliiit we had been carried aloiiLi' hy a |M)\v(rf'ul current t'roiii the north. We |)ull('d I'ouiid the point indicated hy the Indians, ami came to an ancliorage und.i- the lee of a small island at the entrance of (^Kiatsinough and Kosli- keemo llarhour. There was a good deal of swell (111 during the night, and we had to let go a second ;uiclu>r. J I. the early morning the same canoe we had seen the day before again lame alongside, informing us of the exact locality of their village, ^.onie live or six ndles hlghei' u}) (^uat>inougli llurhour — they also ])ointed out a good anchorage. Preparing to get under weigh, our smaller anchor defied our utmost efforts to raise it, and in tlie end our vessel, with the assistance of the rising tide and swell, sueeeeded in freeing it lier- si'll. We then gave her her sails and ran up i^iiatsinough Harbour; passing the spot where the "Kagle" was wrecked, some years before, in a gale o[' wind, we anchored in a snug little high I. We Were soon surrmuideil bv the canoes of the (.)uatsi- noiighs, and nuide iu'veral purchases Irom them of jicese, rock-cod and other necessaries — paying thciii in paint, gunpowder, tobacco, and other ajiproved articles of barter in Indian trallic; we also made arranijcnients for some Indians to attend next day to pilot us up to the \ illage of tlit Koshkeemo Indians at the eastern extremity of the hay — intending to pass one night there and to [tuL i'ii m ( ) I I'i ''I' t I I 72 TKAVKLS IN JJIilTlSII I ULL.MIJIA. to sea i.n tlie iiioriiinu', Wc iiiso t- ok this ()[)[)ui'- tuiiity of i'c'})l('ii.isliiii;;- our sii[)[)ly of wiitcr, uii article Jinlvcrsally ()l)t;iiiiiil)l(', of ^tjod ([iiality and ill jil»iiii(laiic(', on tlic >lioi'L's of V'aiicoiivLM'. Wo had to l)L'at for some time aiiiiiiist thi' wind in cii- d«'avouriiii; to make the Kosld-ieeiiio \ ilhim'. The wiiwl iit Iciiirth fiiriiiLr, we arraiitred for t 1^1 wo ot tlie hir;iest eanoes to tow us in — an operation which the}' successfully accomplished, with the accoiiipaiiiineiit of an unceasiiiL!- chorus of shouliiiL: iind siiiLiiiiL!'. il' theii' monotonous clnintiiiLi" can he cti^ii'iiiHed l»y the latter term. J'lvery now and then they would stoj), declariuLi the\ were tirt-d, and wr could uiiK induce them to jH'oeee*! hy the threiit ^m d of rcfusiii«:; to keep to om' pnrt of the ji^urceuieiit it' they failed to perform theirs; we liaviiiLi- auri'cd te V'^y them in hiscuit and molas.el\es iiiichorcd off tin Kosl iKcemo \ illaiic Ih I) uruiu all tins time we had a vcF}' decent, civil son of an Indian on hoai'd, who j;a\i' directions :is to the eour>e wi' oULilit fe pursue — to^i^ether with his A\ife, who was prond of displayin;^' the little Kn;^Tisli she knew, which con- sisted of three words of undouhted [)i'actical iitilif) (( (iood >■ on irive On approachinu' tlic coast we hove our Iea< which wui'ds ashore \ and on t'liiii'teei nice sp( waited chief of liaviiiLi' in'j- ns \ durselve who in\ canoe (laiiLihte Indian It was a fifty in 1 was less the case family v u}>ou th( been sen t<) tluir catcliin^i jicrty of native I viceahle. pair od onr anc'lior, but it did not hold, ami on soiindiii^i; auidn we ;^ot fifteen and then t'diu'teen fatiioins, until we at len^jth eanie-to in a iiiix' spot in al)out ten fathoms water. Here we waiti'd for some time to reeeive a visit from the chief of tills tribe, but his numerous en_L'a,uements iiaviiiu', we presume, prevented him from favour- iii'j us with Ills eompaiiy, we were fain to eont'-nt ourselves with the polite attention of the sub-ehief, who in\iti'(l us to his hut, taking- us on shore in a ciiiioe paddled 1»\' himself, his wife, and his (huiiihtei". His hut was a iiood specimen of an Iiidiiiii hut of tlie laruer size, belonuiu''' to a ehief. It was about eiLi'ht oi' idne feet in height, by about fifty in leuLith and twenty in width. Tlie interior was less encumbered with boxes tlian is generally the case in Indian dwt'llinu's, as this interestinu' fuiiiily were in the act of movinu' when we called u[)Ou them, and some |)'.)rtion of tlieir luLj'.uaii'e had been sent on before them up the river, pre[»aratory to til' ii' migration for the winter or hunting (fiu*- eatcliing) seas(jn. The whole of the movable pi'o- perty of an Indian is packed in boxes, generally of native manufacture — they are very stout and ser- viceable, and cnjjable of holding from six to twelve \nM ofbliwikets. These liiffer articles are the chief e(i{iivule)jt i'or wealth in the eyes oi' un Jndian, and :|i 5 !< m Mt i : I •If' ^ f': I v'A '" '"I • t.'i i-l TKAVKLS IN IJUlTISll COLUMBIA. liis stock of bl'Uikc'ts iiiiiy bu looked upon as i't'[)iv- bentiiiii' the balance at bis bankers. The fire in an Indian hut is in an ■, the ro( )t' ill til ■ ovcr- . In lll;i\ inoi'c )!(' to Li iVr- lUtlv>' tl'JU-^. l>ul)li ;iiu'iit ibiiiii iiili(.'> sartli, IMOs! lIKtSt i'oiiMi Is, ill ;()ii<> !UI(1 lew tlULI, And. lllplt rrouiiJs tor so doinn^, tor, whi'ther in honour of our visit, or on thu scores of personal cleanliness and (•(iiiilort, he proceeded to make an inipronii)tu otF- liaiid toilet before the assend)led company. This (oiisistt'd sim[)ly in chaiiiriiii^ his shirt, the oidy i:iinncnt he wore ; before investin;^ himself with the clean one, wbicli he fished out of tlie (le[)tlis of a l)(t\, he drew our special attention to it as a curious and valuable article of attire. It was a (oMiiiioii blue man-of-war's man's sliirt, probably rt'divcd ill barter. ()iir sup[)er consisted of dried >ahnon, boiled, which would have l)een greatly iiiij)r()ved by the addition of a little salt — as it was we found it somewhat insipid; at the same time we t'clt in duty bound to eat as nmch as we could, as tlie Indians are very sensitive on this point, iiiiaiiiiiiug that you are displeased with them j>er- s.iially if you do not do justice to their cheer. It was u I'elief to us, however, to tind that we were not expected to carry off such portions as we could not cat, according to the custom universally j)reva- Kiit among the Indians. Our interpreter having ixplaiiH'd that it was not the manner of the KiiLilisli to do so, and that the omission of this act iuipfied no discourtesy on our part, our host con- M'lited to waive its observance on the [)resent occasion, pas>ing down tlie remains of »)ur meal to lliat poi'tion of the houseliold which might be held to represent the " board below the salt." We well 'm {il.i. I :'m 1 ■•111' I t; i I'M i| 70 THAVKI.S IN lUariSIl COLU.MIJIA. rc'in('nil)er, some time [)revioiis to tliis, Ijefotv wc liiid lijid iiiucli expericnee of Iiidiaii life nnd milliners, plaeing a large howl of biscuit before a couple of Indians, leaving tiiem to help tliuni- selves, which, having done, they coolly carried dti the remainder to their canoe. We could ill spiui ^ it at the time, but felt that remonstrance would liu useless. Another singular trait in Indian character is the air of apathetic indifference they think pi'o[)er at all times to assume. An Indian con- ceives it would l)e hifni dl(j. to display any emo- tion, or anything in fact amounting to interest or curiosity, even under the most exciting circum- stances. This phlegm is not a little provoking iit ^ times, and I remendjer feeling considerably nettled. on a previous occasion, at the indifference dis- played by a fellow on receiving the gift of a clasp- knife, an article of great value really in the eyes of an Indian. Perceiving that he did not manifest anv ureat dcuree of ideasure or Liratitude on inv presenting it to him, 1 asked liim if it was not " hyas klosh ookook" (very good), to which Ik replied, with well-feigned indiflerence, " wake hya> klesh — tenas klosh," meanimj; that it was verv well, but nothing to boast of. I thought this a rather cool way of receiving what was, in fact, a valued gift, but soon found that it is [)art of an Indi.in's nature to assume this studied sdiuf-frokl TJie only occasion on which we succeeded in 'ttlcd. -//■' WONDKK KXCITEI) HY A TEUUV lUILE. 77 llccitin;; aiiytliiiig like a manifestation of interest ;iii(l astoiiislinient ^vas when we exliihited the per- fonnaiice of a hi-eeehdoading rifle, one of Terry's, liiiviii;j; [)revionsly submitted its mechanism to tlieir inspection. After several shots their long pent-up woinlcr and admiraticm found vent in a deep- drawn "ha!" — at the same time we could un(K'r- >tiui(l, from certain remarks that passed among tlicin, that they felt al)solute concern and regivt tliiit a weajmn in all respects so valuable and ctHcieiit, should be disfigured by the defect of loiidiniT in so unnatural and strange a fashion. I»( tore taking leave of our host of Koshkeemo, I must not forget to mention the vast store of dried salmon, rock-cod and salmon-roe which \\o liad laid up for winter use. 'IliH' ■1 I' ! k ill |i I, 78 i 1 1 :■ t ; I ■ ) i I CIIAPTEIJ, VI. "Woatlicr (li.infica for the worso — Ilo.ivy Rains — Time consumod It Imliium ill strikin^^ a Barj^ain — Religious C'liantH — Anrient Carvings— SaluKiii Weir — We heave uur Anchorage — lli'uvy Swell at Sou — Dangerous IJni'lcs — Diflicult ami Ilazaidoiij Navigation — IJay of Klaskivno — Cogwoll 'I'railcr — Want of Fre«h l-'ood — Klaskeeno River — Contrary Winds — Critic.il Position of otw Yacht — Assistance rendered l>y Indians — l''rr>li Rallast on IJourd — Iinprovenicnt in the Weather — \\'e again put to Sen. Several strano;e canoes caino alonirs'ule us next day, attracted by tlie infbnnatioii, conveyed by ;i eniioe we bad despatcbed on our arrival, that tliere was a sliip, witli wbite men on board, lying ofJ' Kosbkeerno. AVe purebased a few skins, ami tried to engap:e some Indians to tow us down to tbe sea on tbe succeeding morning; before we required tbeir services, bowever, tbe weatber liad cbanged so mucb for tbe worse, tbat we felt it I . ,1 . ' f F J SlNfJUI-ATl INDIAN Cl'STOM. 79 1 •i W 'i UTioil It -Ancient —Heavy llZlin lulls Vaiit h e ai'iiii. §. -4 i ■,.,•■ ( i next bv a that lying s, ami WH t' 'V ^VL' .'1' had felt it udiihl !)(' imprudciiit to leave till it cleared. Inste.'ul lit' iMi|tri)vin«^, liowevor, jim the day "svore on, it only (r|(.\v worse, the f^hiss rapidly fallin;^. We cotdd M'c l>v the elouds that it was Idowiiii; hard, smd the swell rolling into the hay eonveyed the nn- |iltasaiit int(Hi;:eiK'e thsit there was a heavy .sea rinininf!^ outsi(h'. Canoes fnll of Indians kept arriviii*:, on and off, dnrinM well provided witii (clothing and hlankets as thos(» nil tlic opi)osite shores of the i.sland. Our attention was here lii'st attracted to that siui^idar Indian custom, which consists, not in flatfeuino-, bnt in cloiiMiitin'; the skull, and causing; the forehead to recede. This is known as the suay, but the continued heavy rain induc(!d us to abandon our design for the ])rcsent. We managed to pro- cure some fresh salmon — abi)ut the last of the h wiK.' 1W' Jllji' o IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) ^- 1.0 I.I 1.25 II 1.8 U ill 1.6 ' ii!!; I ■ 82 TUAVKLS IN BRITISH COLUMIUA. the entrance or mouth of this little river we always had to steer clear of a num])er of stakes ; these, being interlaced with slips of bark, f )rnied a salmon weir, which, while affording ingress to the salmon at one Darticular spot, prevent their finding their way out, utiless they happen to strike that same spot again. Salmon are also frequently taken by the Indians, in baskets of their own construction. The crows, whicli we everywhere observed feeding on the offal thrown out by the Indians on the beacli, appear to be held in some reverence by them ; \\\ least th^v never kill these birds themselves, and do not like to see a v/hite man shoot them. This re- gard for the crow may prol)ably be connected with the superstition of Yale, to Avliich we have already alluded. We had now been detained some ten da}? in Quatsinough Harbour, and we had fully made up our minds to diversify the monotony of our sojourn by walking across the island along the Indian trail to Fort Rupert. Just as we were about to carry this plan into execution, however, the weather fortunately moderated, and we at once pre- pared to (|uit our anchorage, of which we had be- come heartily weary. We vvere towed out as far as the open sea by jin Indian canoe, and took one of its crew on board as a pilot, l)eing ignorant of this part of the coast, paying the remainder in tobacco for their services. We found a very heavy swell one, as 'I 1.,^ A NTGIIT OF DANGER. 83 I weir. ng on l)eacli, cc pre- ad l)c- far lis one of of this obacco Y swell ont>i(l(', with but little wind, con^.eqnently we rolled about a good deal. After some time we were over- taken by a sqiiidl, wliicli, though it did not last, took ns alonir some distance on onr course. We had no more wind till the afternoon, but the sea ■was still very high, and our progress, consequently, flifhcnlt. Towards nightfall w^e could hear the sea hrcaking in thunder on a reef of rocks on our lee, and dark as it vv'as ^i^ettina', it bein": bv this time past live, we could distinguish the white line of breakers. Our position was evidently a critical one, as we became gradually convinced that we had rocks on all sides of us, none of which could we find marked on the chart we w^re provided with ; we were, in fact, running through a perfect areliipelago of rocks. Our Indian, though pretty confident at first, eventually declared he did not know where he was. The peculiar roll of the sea 'ioon convinced us we Avere <2:ettino: into shallow water. We sounded, and got, first ten, th«^n seven and six fathoms, and at length found ourselves in tlio midst of a dense bed of kelp, which was by no moans reassurino;. Fortunatelv, however, the moon now began to show from behind a lofty ridge of hill, and fjreat as was our dani2:er we could not forbear adniirinti- the terrible *zi"andeur of the scene her hji^ht revealed. On every one of the different reefs of rock l)y Avhich we were beset, the giant swll of the I'aciiic wns bursting in cataracts of foam, flinging n 2 irj ■! ,i 1 '•, i I'' » V- :" 'ill h M U^' It llli'l w.^> '■■ r H 'i if ^ I ,1 1 iiii'' II ■:i: i ' 1 I : '♦■J • ,1 q; ■!!! .:■'.;!!!: ■I I' - ■ 1 I ; ' ' ! ''■ i : '■■ y t. ;. •'' !■ ^ ' ■ j n 1-' ! I V I ! . 84 TRAVELS IN r.RTTTSn COLUMIUA. np colnmns of snowy spray into the midniglit nir, The hollow thunder of the breakers comhig to us from some quarter or other, was never out of our ears the whole of this night of toil and danirer. On emerging from the bed of kelp in which we wen; some time involved, we had to steer our course with the utmost care and vigilance, scarcely ever beinn; on the same tack for ten minutes ton-ether. The weather had now become very cold, and wi only contrived to keep ourselves warm and fit fur work by supplies of hot coffee at frequent intervnls throughout the night. It was only towards morn- ing that we found ourselves fairly out of danger. and making for the Bay of Klaskeeno. Daylight revealed to iis some of the dangers we had just escaped ; the entrance to this bay beiiiii approached through the midst of a number of sunken and other rocks, is very ticklish navigation, especially at night. T will not weary the reader further by describing the labyrinth of rocks we had to thread ere we could find a secure anchorage; suffice it to say we at length found a likely spot, in which we dropped our anchor. On going on shore we observed the first traee^ we had seen of frost on the grass — it was now tlie 2nd of November. We received the usual visit> from Indians in their canoes, and among others we noticed a Cogwell trader from Fort Rupert, wlii^ liad travelled overland ])v the Indian track wo !■ ji I \ ^^^ lit nir, UNSETTLED WEATHER. 85 s|u)kuof", to Qiuitsiiiough, and from tlicivj on to this ])l:i('u ill his canoe, lie agreed to take our piloc buck with him on his return ; we also entrusted him with a letter to our friend Willie Miteiiell, tiie eiiief tmder iit Fort Rupert, informing him that ^ve had heeii safely inside C^uatsinough Harbour during the recent gales. We tried to engage an Indian to pilot us to the next village, but he refused to come, (111 account of the unsettled state of the weather — promising, however, to do so as soon as it should moderate. Finding this did not take place for two 01' three days, he refused to have anything more to do with us, no doubt setting us down as unlucky. \\\i were greatly dis:ip[)ointed at finding the Indians were unable to supply us wdth anything in the way of fresh food, of which we stood greatly in need, they I'ving entirely on dried salmon, or on sea-birds of an intolerable iishy flavour. We at length suc- ceeded in [)rocuring a few domestic fowl's eggs, which proved a real luxury. The weather continued rainy, with heavy squalls, for several days longer, and we were therefore de- tained here watching the sea break on the rocks outside the harbour. Being out of coal, we were obliged to take wood on board jis fuel. On the third day the weather moderated, but there was still too uiuch sea for a canoe to venture out of the harbour. We pulled some distance up the Klaskeeno River j it is a line broad ! ii t' 'I \1 I t i fit' 1 • 1 Ii ( ' i '■ H \ ' i ■'M i - 'ill \ i-l lift! I 'y yl I ■,' •I'l il'^ :» I I ! . i;- ^i: 1 1 li ^ :! 1. •V: 8G TllAVlOLS IN I5UIT1SII CULL'MIMA. streiuii, very deep in places, mid flo\vin<2; between lofty ridges of piue-covered riouiitiiins, 1 shot II few herons, and noticed a nuniher of shag about, a bird well known on the Corni>li coast. We observed Indians using the bow and arrow in shooting birds. Going asliore on a point of the bay one morning, we saw^ the nakcil beams of the sunnner residence of the Indians; wc si lot a few stock-duck, the very best eating of aiiv description c^f duck, and from time to time procured a few wild fowl from the Indians ; but, truth to say, our supplies were falling very short, vegetables we had none left, we were therefore very anxious to get away. On the tenth day of our r.'ay here, the weather having moderated somewhat, we resolved to make a start, althouii;li entirelv auainst the ad- vice of the Indians, and got faii'ly away. An lunir saw us clear of the rocks at the entrance. Outside this we found the wind blowing from the south- east, in a contrary direction to the wind inside the bay. We tried for some time to make head against it, but the sea was so heavy that we found it hii- possible, so wore ship and ran in for the rocks once more. We now met the ^vind blowing straight out of the bay. This singular anomaly was no doubt due to the peculiar conformation of the coast, the wind drawing through the mountains and rushing down as if out of a funnel. We had therefore to I t\ :l \ ^ipp m. IIAZAllDOUS roSlTloN. S7 J'! beat up tor our fonner anclionige. At one uio- mi'iit we were placed in the most critical positiou u vessel can be in. Just as we were goinu' round, on a fresh tack, close to some rocks, on wliich a heavy sea was breaking, the wind entirely died iiway, and we were becalmed for a few seconds. In this hazardous position a sudden gust seized us, and we had the narrowest escape in the world of being capsized. At one moment we thought our late was sealed, but she righted the moment the jih-sheet was let go, and the danger passed away as ([uicklyasitcame; everything below ho weverwassent to leeward, as we were at one tinje considerably be- low our bearings. During this tempestuousweather, every one on board was accustomed to keep his boots unlaced, ready to kick off at a moment's notice, in the event of our vessel capsizing, so as to have a better chance, if any should exist, of saving his life by swimming. We had a man at each sheet, standing by to let go at once, if necessary. Our hatches were of course battened down, while we ourselves were, one and all, drenched to the skin, not merely by the occasional seas that broke over us, but by the pitiless pelting rain, which never ceased during the whole period of our struggle with the elements. Our narrow escape showed us, among other things, that we were too light in the water, and we registered a vow that, if ever we reached an anchorage again, we would put some I |! m' i -I 'I 'I iiiJ I! i 111 ■ 'J t^ i: ^'ii! 'fi t ,.■ "Pi (■'\ n\ n i ! I- ■ I? If i If ■ i i . 88 TKAVELS IN IJIMTISII COLUMHIA. more balhist on board. After much trouble aii'l labour in l)eating up against a succession of wild s(|ualls, aeconi[)aniecl Ijy a deluge of rain, and keep- ing with some dilHeulty clear of rocks where the bay narrows, we at length made com[)arativ(l\ vsmooth waters, thoroughly wet, weary, and dis- spirited at being thus bafHed in our efforts to leave II place where we had already been detained a fort- night. We were still some consider{d)le distance fi'oiii our anchoran;e ""round, when we were much CO ' pleased to see one of the largest-sized canoes ii|)- proaching us, Its crew keeping tune to the beat of their paddles with their religious chant. On coming alongside, they all declared that for sinne time they had made uj) their minds that we must be lost. They reproached us for not having followed their advice, saying that the red man un- derstood the elements better than the white man, ;it the same time offering to take us in tow, for which purpose, indeed, they had put off on seeing us return. We were only too glad to avail ourselves of their services, and taking all sail off' our craft, we threw them a couple of tow-lines, and in due time brought up at our old anchorage, when we did not fail to acknowdedge the kindness of the chief who had sent us this timely assistance, or lO reward the crew who had so ably carried out his intentions. it if! ii * (JKTTIXCi KKADY FOR SKA. SI) \\\' wcru thus compelled to lie here for three days longer, our provisions hein;;' by this time so greatly reduced, that oatmeal porridue etmstituted our hi'i'akl'ast, and Indian dried salmon the sta[)le ut' our dinner. Of course, we did not venture to touch the reserve of salt meat we ke[)t in store as a provision a;^ainst the eventuality of beiug blown out to sea at any future time. Karly the next morning Ave acted on the exi)erience for which we had nearly paid so dear the day before — we got a ton and a half, or two tons, of stone on board ; it is one thing, however, to get stoni; on IxKird, but quite another to stow ballast, especially under the [)reseut trying circumstances, and it cost us no small amount of time and hibour to (>;et everv- thing snug and shii)-shape l)elow. The next day Ijeing fine, we devoted some more time to getting our little craft in what we considered good sailing trim, and got our sails n\) to dry. Towards even- ing my aneroid barometer, in whicii I place im- plicit confidence, stood very high, from 29,1;" to 30". AVe spent some time endeavouring to get a shot at something to re[)lenisli our larder, but ordy suc- ceeded in knocking over one duck. The next day saw us once a<>'ain at sea, ridiny; the waves of the Pacific. Getting sight of the sun, I was enabled to ascertain that we were in latitude .'Af 3' north. This discovery was highly satisfactory to all on i i I m \ •' ) , 4".- i i -^ \ 1 lll'l ■ i 1 ■4 .'. H I I. ■1) Ml r 1 i! ' 5 ' i| ' Hi! I- '!| 1 i ' i it /! 90 THAVKLS IN niUTISlI COLUMHIA. board, us it proved that we were at length souk three miles to the south of the long talked-of "Woody Point," which we had hoped to reach nearly a month earlier. JJl CHAPTER Vil. Heavy Seas after Recent (lales — Fre.slisots from the C^oast — Moeiiiiiii I'oint — Escalaiite Ileef — Wo drift out to Soa — Tliick V(v^ — Make Friendly Cove — Nootka Sound —Strange Sail on the Horizon — Indians come alongside — Cooptee, Winter Quarters of the IVIowichats — Noise made over a Kluquolla — Mocoola, Chief of the Mowichats — Takes a Fancy to our Dog — Indian Opinion of European (Jarments — reSha-Ivlini, Spouter of the Mowichats —Indian Presents — Tomahawk and other Arms — Narrative of an Adventure on our Former Visit — ^Ve ascend Guaquina Arm — Hostility of the Matchelats — Indian War- Avhoop — They fire on us — We j)arley with them — Peace Restored — We go on Shore with the Chief — Encampment — Fresh Symptoms of Hostility — Satisfactory Exi)lanations — Fail to reach the Object of our Expedition — Arrival of Pc-Sha- Klim. HJ The first two days at sea we found tlie rolling swell left by the late tempestuous weatlier very troublesome, espeeially on the seeond, as the wind entirely failed us. Though by no means anxious to be too near in shore, as, in the event of a south- r' # -'i' = '!k- n W:U:. 'i ill ill li ■A?- II' '{: I i t I i ' H ill B ill* i the fog lifted, we felt sure that the Indians had '^ft their village at ^Focuina. I.; m I?!*' M t ' IMH X •' ■ i^ii ^1* Hii'U- 94 TRAVELS IN THiTTISII COLUMBIA. 'in w " i;.t i -1 1 Early in the morning we fired our swivel gun to attract the attention of any Indians who might l)e cruising about, as we were desirous of ascertaininn- where tlie Mowichats, inhabiting this shore of Nootka Sound, were then located. Proceeding on shore we rambled through the now deserted Indian village, and making our way over the rocks above, we at length reached the shores of the Pacific. Great was our astonishment, on sighting the ocean again, to behold the unAvonted spectacle of a sail on the horizon. We were lost in conjecture as to what vessel could be cruising in these waters at this season of the year, nor did our glass, Avhich we soon brought to bear upon her, nt all assist us in arriving; at anvthinii: like a satis- factory conclusion. AVe made ner out indeed tol)e a two-masted vessel, but Avere thoroughly mystified by the nondescript character of her rig, and were almost disposed, while laughing at the absurdity of the idea, to set her down as a Chinese junk of the largest size. While employed in gathering a crop of fresli greens, in the shape of turnip-tops, the Avild pro- geny of some that had been soAvn years before by the Spaniards, we were recalled to our vessel by two shots, fired from the sAvivel gun, the precon- certed signal of the approach of Indians. Hasten- ing on board, we found that our gun of the morn- ing had been heard, and that the Indians had come p r I! m THE CHIEF OF THE MOWICHATS. 95 •f:i 1 t from some distance up the Sound, fully expecting to find us in our present anchorage of Friendly Cove. Getting under weigh we managed, by dint of alternately sailing and being towed, to reach the winter quarters of the Mowichats, Cooptee. We were now no longer " en pays de connaissance," although still among tribes of whom we had had some previous acquaintance — this being our second visit to Nootka Sound. The first night we passed off the villaoje was disturbed bv the shouts and uproar of the Indians, who were engaged in the important ceremony of creating a Klu(|uolla. I have already alluded to the various rites practised on these occasions. Eiirly the next morning, the chief of the Mow- ichats and his wife came off to pay us a visit. Of course it was merely a case of renewing a former acquaintance between ourselves and Mocoola, as the chief of the Mowichats is called. Captain Cook, on the occasion of his visit to Nootka Sound, speaks of the then chief of this tribe by the same name. After an interchange of mutual civilities, Mocoola and his spouse seemed to find great pleasure in drawing my attention to a couple of gold rings, of which I had formerly made them a present, and which they still displayed on their fingers. The chief of the Mowicliats himself also again condescended to notice my little foiu'-footed companion, a thorough-bred bull-dog, of very liil:t- ^I'S k ! ' If in iiii ti '■;* )l >. 1 1 :» ; lit fi ! mi ■ _ I •i <\\ M (.: < U! 1 (■ 96 TRAVELS IN BKITTSII COLUMIUA. smnll size, which I had brought with me fVorn England, and which liad greatly taken his fancy on the occasion of my first visit. So anxious, indeed, was lie to become possessed of it, that lie had proposed to me to exchange it for an aniinnl of his own breeding, a vile mongrel, of the most worthless description. I unhesitatingly refused to do anything of the sort, at the same time, with a view of consoling him to some extent for the disap- pointment, T determined to make him a present of some article of clothing, and, on rummaging my wardrobe, found I could best spare a pair of trow- sers, which I accordingly presented to him, with all due ceremony, hoping he might be induced tn regard them as an article of state attire, to be worn on high-days and holidays. In this, how- ever, T was grievously disappointed, as my gift found no I'avour in his eyes, nor did the fact of tlioir having been cut by Hill, of Bond Street, constitiiti' any additional recommendation. He declared them to be vain and foolish inventions of the white man for impeding free locomotion, and actually returned them to me as worthless, after liaving first cut ott' all the buttons, the oidy thing about them to which he attached anv value ! It is not, however, so much lo tlie chief of the IMowichats himself, as to his herald, or spouter, that I would direct the reader's attention, and whom I forthwith beij; to introduce as a friend, M AN INDIAN HERALD. 97 ! ' 'f. , ,1 ■|i whose {icquaintance we sill hud great pleasure in i renewing, and who, we l)elieve, fully reci})i'oc'ated f our feelings. Pe Sha Klim, as he called himself^ was a thoroughly good-natured, and, in his savage fashion, good-hearted fellow. In person he was stalwart and robust, l»is expression was good- i tempered and agreeable, his countenance l)eing liiihted up by a freiiuent smile, displaying a good set of teeth. At times, however, I am bound to confess that I have seen, when engaged in an ex- cited discussion with his fellows, the true fire of the savage flash into his eye, and give animation to his gestures. The title of " Scokum tum-tum Siwash," or, " Strong-hearted Savage," which he was much given to insist upon as being one of his special designations, has often seemed to me not inaptly to describe him. Bting the herald, or spouter, of the chief of the Mowichats, whose office it is to deliver messages and proclaim orders in the loudest possible tone of voice, supplying the want of a speaking trumpet by force of lungs, he ^vas of course selected for the strength and quality of those organs. The way in which he would sing out any announcement from the chief was quite startling, when heard for the first time, and we have frequently caught the deep tones of his voice, floating over the still waters of the bay, from an almost incredible distance. He was com- monly iu the habit of shouting his orders to his 11 ■ \\4 ? *'..' m 98 TRAVELS IN liTJITISII f()LU:\IHI A. men on shore, from the deck of our cutter at a distance of at least five to six hundred yards. Wc went througli the ceremony of receivinrr presents from our various Indian acquaintance, a fine black hear skin being sent us from ]\Iocoola, which unfortunately was not dry enough for us to take away. The sub-chief of the ]\rowichats v/as a very cross-grained, churlish sort of a fellow, iiiid having on a previous occasion had experience (if his disagreeable temper, we kept studiously aloof from him, hoping he would abstain from makin^ us any present, as we should not then be called upon to make any return ; for recei , ing presents from Indians is merely another name for barter, an equivalent in return being in every case expected, Tiierc was no hel[) for it, however, as he, in turn, came off in his canoe, and deposited his gift, a land otter, on our decks. Some few hours afterwards we sent him what we deemed a suitable recompense: being, however, it would appear, of a different o])inion himself, he again came alongside, and, after l)itterlv reproach' n"' us with our niu'f2;ar(llv spirit, to our great amusement walked off with tlie present he had Litely made us, and which was still lying on the deck, keeping, at the. same time, what we had given him in return. AVe were, how- ever, glad to get rid of him even at this price. Going ashore with our friend Pe Sha Klim, wlio, })e it known to the reader, was the warlike re])re- mm VISIT TO TE SUA KLni S TENT. 99 ^'iJ'i sentative of a line of aiire^Jtor.s illustrious for deeds of arms, lie iu^dted me to his tent, and displayed a number of arms and trophies that had descended to liim as heirlooms, and of which he was not a little proud. Amon<^ tliese, my attention was especially drawn to a tomahawk of great age, which had evidently seen no inconsiderable share of ser- vice. The liandle was a massive club of hard wood, carved in the usual manner, into which the hatchet or cutting part, consisting of the pjint of an old whale harpoon, was inserted. The head of the animal it was carved to represent was decorated with a fringe or mane of human hair, taken from the heads of the different foemen who had bitten the dust before it, and in which I could plainly distinguish hair of different colours. Pe Sha Klim expressed a confident opinion that the result of his prowess in battle would be to add very considerably to tlie length of the mane. I made various offers to induce the Mowichat w^arrior to part with this trophy of savage life, on this and subsequent oc- casions, but without success. His hut was decorated with arms of various de- scriptions, old bows and arrows, knives made of files stolen from the Hudson's Bay Company, and an old blunderbuss; in addition to these he possessed the usual musket carried by Indians generally. On the occasion of my former visit to Nootka Sound during tlie summer, when the village of the H 2 vv ir • l^l^iiiii •;-?' t. I infi , F^ !ii J \\ hl !i 1 ■ M I' 111 !^> il- I • !'!.; m i 5'; - I'!. I , ; I ', u Li "'1 ^ 1 ! ,• i iUi u 100 TRAVELS TN BRITISn COLUMRTA. Mowiclints is at Friendly Cove, 1 liad (leterininod to extend my trip by a visit to the Matchelat Indians, whose village is situated at the extremity of one of the arms communicating witli the Sound. We stai'ted on this expedition one fine day in August, and T will l)riefly interrupt the course of my narra- tive wliile 1 rehite what befell us on the occasictn of this visit. The jMatehelats, to whom I am about to introduce the reader, are a tribe constantly at war with the iMowichats; the origin of the feud being, 1 believe, of recent date, arising as far as I could understand, out of the treacherous murder of the late chief of the ]\lowichats by the Matchelats, when the former, in com])any with a few youiij; warriors, was up the country exploring for gold- dust. We were much impressed during this cruise by the natural beauties of Nootka Sound. Every point we doubled would display a fresli panorama of pine-covered mountain and rock, with occasional vistas opening far up into the interior, and reveal- ing distant peaks of greater altitude still; while the blue, unruffled surface of the bay Avas dotted with innumerable islands, sometimes of naked rock, sometiuies feathered down to the water's edge witli mingled foliage of various tints. We are now speak- ing of the month of August. On entering Gua- quina arm, steep ridges of mountain, densely covered with pine, shut in the view on either hand. lilN I'lij A PKCONNOISSAXCE. 101 1 ought here to mention that we had an Indian on boiird, who had accidentally become one of our crew; the breeze having suddenly freshened so much when lie was on board our vessel some few days before, that he had cast off his canoe and left his companion to take it ashore, while he remained to barter, we having agreed to take him with us and land him among some friendly trib(;s further south. Pro- ceeding up Guaquina arm, we had to anchor the first night amidst a group of small rocky islets. Next morning we went on shore and ascenaed an eminence, commanding an extensive prospect, with the design of reconnoitring the countiy. From this point we perceived a canoe in the distance, which we eagerly hailed, as we were ignorant of the locality, and did not know how far it was to the village of the ^latchelats. Finding they did not perceive us, we fired a gun and sent on one of our crew witn the Indian in the dingy, to board the canoe. They turned out to be Mowichats, a man and his wife, who told us that the Matchelats had mistaken us for a large northern, and consequently hostile canoe, and had retreated up the sound ; we (lid not altogether credit this account, and struck a bargain to be taken up the river in the canoe, leav- ing orders for the yacht to follow. The tide being at first against us we kept in shore, and after a short time, coming on a small island, 1 landed, and as the sun was very hot, enjoyed the luxury of a bath. \ 4 1 s I" H ■.! :|'i j'i P ^l]ii'Jfi: i i* rM- mi I'! i i '1 > I \ i f 1 1 ; ? 11' 11 102 TKAVELS IN IJKITlSIl COl-UMIilA. Proceeding on our course 1 imiueutly niiidc use of a double-barrelled tield-gluss I curried witli ma. The attention of our Indian being drawn to this object, I showed him how to use it. He was undoubtedly much astonished at the result, although the remarks he nuide upon it were by no means flattering. He evidently regarded it as an uncanny, if not absolutely diabolical conti'ivanee for gettini: an unfair advantage over nature, and returned us our " lying glass," as he expressively termed it, with unmistakable marks of disapprobation. In a f hort time we perceived a canoe in the tlistance, the crew of which, on a nearer ap[)roach, treated my ears for the first time to a genuine Indian war- whoop. Our crew answered them by a friendly shout, which was at length returned. They wanted to know who we were and what we were doinii' there, and were answered that we wee a party of white men who had come in a vessel of our own to visit them, with friendly intentions. The canoe was still too far from us to distinguish the number on board. They now disa})peared for a short time round a point ; on again sighting them, however, we pulled towards them, on which they repeated their war-whoop, our party again answering with a friendly shout. They now made for the shore, and pulled round a point, we still continuing to approach them. In a few moments we saw a number of naked fiiruros ATTAC'KEI) IJV INDIANS. lO.'i with Miuskcts in their luiiids, dodging about umong tliu tn.'C's on tlie point, and on taking a survey of till ni with *>ur glass, we eould pereeive the heads of many others just showing over the roeks in every direetiou, tiieir faces and liands being painted black, in token of war. In another moment the sharp report of a nund)er of muskets awoke the echoes of the rocky shores around us. Kot know- ing what it meant, we continued to pull towarc^s diem, when they again opened fire, and this time the whistle of a number of balls about our ears ailbrded unequivocal i)roof that they meant some- thin "r more than frifditening us. Matters now looked serious; we were evidentl}' in a very critical position ; at the same time, feeling it was the best policy to put a bold face on the affair, we opened a parley with them, our Mowichut being spokesman. They declared, however, that he had deceived tliem before, and tliey would not now believe a word he said. The tide, meanwhile, luivinnj turned, was settin"; us in shore towards th.'To. They now sent a charge of swan-shot it us to make us bring up, we still continuing to parley with them, but at the same time backing water to keep out of their reach, as the shot they had just fired ploughed up the water on all sides of .us. We informed them that our in- terpreter, well known to them by name, he having been in the habit of visitinji; these coasts for the in a' 11 'Hi lit rii< I i w ,' \^m 'I Mi'; iu , f iiit i'H Ih 'li i» 1 .1 It * t 1 tt ■I ^ ;i I i,; ! h ii ii •' I, 104 TIJAVKI.S IN lUjrriSII ('C)HIMIIIA. Lust cif^lit yenrs, was on board. TI103' replied however, tluit he had been l)ril)ed by the Mowicliiits to deceive them, addiiiij, at th(^ same time, "You must not think to steal a marc;h upon us in the day time; we are fully [)re[)ai'ed for you." Mciui- while, keeping a sharp eye on them, I saw oiiu man stooj) down and, resting his musket on a stone, take deliberate aim at us. Thinking it decidedly too warm to be pleasant, i ordered the canoe to turn back. Perceiving this, the Indians said, " If the interpreter," naming him, " is really on board, let him come on shore." But our Mowi- chat replied, "No; you have too many muskets, and are firing ball — he won't come." We were not informed of this reply .at the time, but hi' was afraid that, if we landed, the Matchelats would be sure to kill our poor Ksrpiihat Indian. VVe therefore paddled away from them, tell- ing them to put off to us in a canoe if they were friendly and wished to hold further parlev with us. Continuing to increase the distance between us, we at length beheld them push off in a canoe, and a few minutes after were much gratified to see our yacht coming down witli the tide in o^ood stvle. The Indians, on perceiving oiu' vessel, evidently felt great doubt and uneasiness as to the course they ought to pursue. They probably expected us to take summary vengeance on them for having fired on THE INDIANS OVEUAWKI). ii;.') US. As wc contimu'd, liowever, to ussure thcni that our iutctitious were friendly, they at len^^th mustered siiiiieieiit coura^^e to eoine alongside, hut were thrown into a str.te of considerable con- sternation on learning from our inter[)reter that I was " Man-of-war Tyiiee," and highly indignant at being fired on, as we had done nothing to provoke a misunderstanding, and they could have hiul no reason to doubt our good faith. We insisted oil one of their warriors coming on bourd ; at the sauic time I gave orders to have the big gun loaded with grape, with ten or twelve more routuls muly for her if re([uired, and had all the small arms rant^ed on deck, with about thirtv rounds to each. Having thus completed our armament and prepnred for the worst, we ran up the ensign and stuered direct for the point from which we had heen fired on. The Indians on shore, as we couhl now perceive, had dropped their muskets, their companion on board telling them that we were prepared for them now, and would soon make it too hot for them if they ventured on any further hostile demonstration. When we were well round the point, I informed them that their chief might come on board, but that they must first give proof of their friendly intentions by firing oflf their muskets ; this they showed they had already done hy snapping the locks. The chief shortly after- wards came on board, and our interpreter de- HlitM'tl 'i "'.I : t \ 1 . m I ' j X' M 1 "^f ' v\ . I : •'> 'I ! 1 ■' i ■ :i H: 1 1 ' ; i' li :![!' II '■:i ' i I ' ■ p HI I iff. f I i^l SI fM .1^.1^ m ii' ■i ill!; ii ! I I i in V lOG TRAVELS IN HRITISU COLUMBIA. manded of him if he wanted peace : he re[)lii'(l " Yes," on which I ordered the small arms below, and gave him a present of some biscuit. IIl- afterwards sent a deer on board, wliich we found very acceptable, having had no fresh meat since we were at the Esquihat village some weeks before. Peace having been, as we hoped, thus defini- tively concluded, I went on shore with the chici'. Being desirous of carrying out my original inten- tion of visiting the Matchelat village, I requested him to lend us his aid in carrying out our design. This he promised to do, and we agreed to accom- pany him to the encampment of the Matchelats. six miles up the river, to sleep there that night, and to go up to the villuge the next mornin FRESll SYMl'TOMS OF IIOSTlLlTiT. 1U7 tered iiiid secluded spot, evidently chosen with a view to concealing themselves, as we should never have dreamt of looking for an encampment in such a ^pot. Before bivouacking for the night, I took a ramble through the woods, or rather, to si)eak more accurately, a scramble up the rocky pinii-clad ,slo[)e, at the foot of which our encampment lay, and from various points of which 1 obtained some views of the surrounding scenery, of an etjually wild character, together with occasional glimpses of the distant windings of the river. I ought not to foro;et to mention that I was accompanied by a couple of l^ndians, and having my revolver with me, a weapon in which they evidently felt great interest and curiosity, I fired four barrels in quick suc- cescion at a mark on a tree, by way of illus- trating its mechanism and mode of action. The gathering shades of evening warning us to return, 1 perceived, on again approaching our encamp- ment, fresh symptoms either of hostility or suspi- cion on the part of the Indians, several of wliom, with muskets in their hands, were lurking among the trunks of the trees. Sending one of our Indian companions forward to iiKjuire if there was anything the matter, the mystery was soon cleared up. It appears that, on hearing the different shots I fired from my revolver, they con- ceived the idea that I had inveigled their comrades into the woods and there murdered them. Find- \^-t \:$\\l I li iii. n \>'. Hi HI • • . '■ ' i t ' :y , i m ~\i. i*! 1 % h\' \i\- II' > I n ■ V \l :3 4' m 'I i 1; \ 108 TRAVELS IN JUUTISIl COLUMBIA. ing how entirely erroneous all their suspicions hail been, we were soon the best of friends again, and, to increase their good- will towards us, we distributid the whole of our stock of biscuit among them, a piece of generosity of which we repented afterward>. as we had nothing but dried fish to eat for the rest of our trip. During the night we spent with the Matchelats, it appears that a large tree fell clo>i; alongside the encampment. The noise it made, crashing through the underwood, aroused everyoiit in the camp except myself, for being very tired I slept very soundly. On returning when the danger was over, the Indians were very much surprised to see me still asleep, or at most only just aroused, and still unaware of the cause of the unusual commotion in the camp. Inquiring of the interpreter how it happened that I was so ai)parently indifferent to imminent djuiger, the former took advantage of the circumstance, wholly without my cognizance or sanction however, to impress them with a belief that I was endowed with supernatural attributes, saying that I slept in no dread of a tree falling on me, or any other danger threatening me, as I possessed the power of averting all such cata- strophes, and no tree could possibly fall on the spot I had selected for my couch without my expres> knowledge and permission. Whatever may K thought of our interpreters ruse, it certainly had the effect of wondc^rfully increasing the deference 1 . flii .1 PROJECTED VISIT ABANDONED. 109 ,.■1', ! and respect shown to me by these shnple children of nature during the remainder of my sojourn among them. Whether the chief of the MatcheLits now began to fear any possible influence so great a chief, as I had suddenly grown in their eyes, might acquire over his followers and dependents if I reached their head-quarters, or whether he was still suspicious that we were but enemies in disguise, certain it is he, from this time, persisted in throwing every possible obstacle in tlie way of our projected visit to the Matchclat village. Excuse followed excuse, and delay f )llowed deiay ; there wais declared to be too little water in the Guaquina arm or river for the canoes to ascend thus far, until at length, knowing the hopeless obstinacy of Indian character, and the impossibility of shaking their fixed and settled resolution, we reluctantly abandoned our project, and returned on board the " Templar," our yaclit. Having spent the night on board, we were informed the next mornin"; that there was a strano-e canoe in the distance. This turned out to contain a party of Mowichat warriors, under the command of our friend Pe Sha Klim, whose suspicions were aroused by the long absence of the Mowichat Indian, in whose canoe, it will be remembered, we liad originally been fired on, and they had there- fore put out in search of their missing kinsman, :»'J H \ ifi! It* m flNi !t -Hi: 110 TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. prepared to avenge his death in case of foul plav on the part of the Matchelats. In anticipation of war, therefore, they had left their women in a place of safety round a point, it heing the universal custom among Indians to put the women out of harm's way when they think danger imminent. I ; Ill mm i 1 1 !l CHAPTER VIII. Tlie Wreck of the " Florentia " — Sufferings of the Crew — Resolution Cove — Perilous Adventure in an Oiwn Boat — Bocca del Inferno — Misunderstanding between the Shipwrecked Crew and the Indians — Dress of an Indian Woman — The Use of Paint — Priniitivo Puste-Restante — Captain Cook. ■ J ■ 1 ^ We will now once more resume the thread of our present narrative, which, it will be remembered, we quitted at Cooptee, the winter quarters of the Mowichats, it being by this time the 25th of No- vember. We got under weigh on the morning of that day about half-past live. A fair breeze soon took us out abreast the Escalante Reef, on passing which, however, the wind failed us. About midday we again fancied we made out something like a sail in the distance, and eventually, with the aid of our glass, we discovered her to be the same two-inasted craft w^e had already sighted, and our ,! ij « . '6f I', Hfl If' III;?. 'Hi ^li!-' ■pjh I that the vessel whose singular appearance had caused so much interest and speculation on board our cutter was a large,' craft, water-logged, and in other res])ects a perfect wreck, and having King George's (English) men on l)oard, who were short of food and water. The additionjd stimulus of a desinj to aid our fellow-countrymen in distress being now fidded to the curiosity we had from the first felt to know what vessel she could be, we resolved to try and board her. A wind from the south-eabt springing up, avc beat our vessel in a vain endeavour to ap})roacli her until near eight in the evening, when we foiiiid we could get no nearer. A canoe now put off from her, and we sent back all the food we could spare, being unfortunately very short ourselves just now, together with a good stock of fresh water, and also a note, saying we woidd try and make her in the morning. This we endeavoured for a long ti:ni' to do, until, being at length again baffled, we were obliged to return to Friendly Cove about ten a.m. Next morning as we were going on shore to try aiul get some geese, we saw the ship herself coming up the Sound. We fired our gun and displayed a red WRECK OF THE '' KLOKENTrA." 113 ('ii.si<:'n froiri a commnndiiig point of rock to attract the iittciitioii of tliose on board lier. Failinth of November, conse- 'lucntly the very same day as that on which we were so nearly capsized ourselves on attempting to leave Klaskeeno. The captain, supercargo, and I It' I 1 It'," fill I ! W . ', M \ > . si 1 I 4 3 f ' ISP i u ill J! ; n lilt" it. t 1.(1 I Hi i, i- -: ill ^i i! ft'" 1] ! n I !i H ': I. { ill' 114 TRAVELS TN RHITrSII COLUMTUA. a Dr. Bailli(^ of Victoria, a passentanding. Tiie crew had extemporised a fore-sail out of a foretop-sail, and this, with a stay-sail, was all the canvas she carried. Some renmants of other ^ails, hanging fi'om the shrouds, were beaten by the I 2 k : if '^^^ It 116 TllAVKLS IN RRITISH rOT.UMISlA. olcrncnts into mere rags, roscinl)ling wet tow. Tlie crew were huddled togetlicr in the slied they had erected for tliemselves, and in wliich tliey l»ad con- trived constantly to keep their fire bui'ning. Being very short of food, they were very grateful, poor fellows, for the trifling assistance we were able to afford them, especially for a bag of potatoes we h:iil sent on board the day before. From tlie account given of us by the Esquihat Indians, who had been our messengers on that occasion, they expected to find our vessel one of the launches of a man-of-war, Beino: accustomed to wear the jacket of tlie Thames Yacht Club, witii its brass buttons, to which I sometimes added, when it was blowing, on account of its weight, an old cavalry cap, with its gold band, I always passed in this nondescript coj- tume for si man-of-war Tyhee, or officer, amongtlie Indians of these coasts. The blue ensign of the Thames Yacht Club, which we flew at the peak, no doubt tended to confirm them in this impression, as it differed entirely from anything they had scun in use amonij: tradin"; vessels. We ran that night into Ilesolution Cove — thus named by Captsdn Cook, after his OAvn ship, if I remember right — promising to come and see the crew of the " Florentia" again next day, if they were unable to follow us Du. injx the nio;ht it blew hiinl, and we felt no small anxiety for the fate of our friends on the " Florentia." On searching for her the :J.i ^^^■^p ^l'^ 1 I'ADDLINCi FUR LIFE. 117 next inoriiin^i; we could discover no traces of lieriri any i 1-1 ^ ■ M ii4i ■.I -id' [i '; i I '1 ■I is i lit 122 TRAVELS IN lUUTISII COLUMJilA. bag — Pe Sha Klim enjoining on nil his I'ollowers not to touch it. Our object in doing this was to give ii]fbrniation to any vessel that might arrive in search of the "Florentia," where she was to be found. Such a vessel might, in fact, be expected at any mo- ment, as 1 forgot to mention that a portion of tliu crew of the " Florentia " had left in an Esciuihat canoe for Victoria, the day before we first sightid her, conveying intelligence of her wreck. One interesting fact in connection with tlic Indians inhabiting the shores of Nootka Sound I must mention before taking leave of them. Endeavouring one wet day to elicit all the infor- mation w'e could from them, we found that they pre- served a tradition of the visit of white men in a King George's ship many years ago. From the description they gave, very little doubt was left in my mind that it referred to the visit of Captain Cook. They said the ship was in Resolution Cove, and that one of the Indians in getting on board hurt his thigh, the w^ound being dressed by the surgeon of the ship. An account of tliis very occurrence will be found in the published narrative of Cook's Voyages. :$ 123 M !l-i ]n ■ 'U I % ill w. P^ U H CHAPTER IX. Wc leave Nootka Sound — Variable Winds — Bajo Reef — We part our Cable — A Favourable ^V'ind — Our Prospects brighten — We fall to make Clayoquot Sound — Our Former Visit — Summer Village of the Clayoquot Indians — Tlieir Warlike Character — Miu'dcr of Esquihat Chief —Narrow Escape of a White jVIan — A IJattle in Canoes — ^lidnight Attack — We re-enter Juan de Fuca Straits — Return to Victoria — Christmas in Vancouver's Island — G eneral Improvements. We left Nootka Sound about 3 a.m. The wind failed us abreast of Escalante, a very dangerous reef, extending some distance from the land, and which M'e had good reason to remember on the occasion of our former visit, having had great difficulty in cliarinfj it on niahin"; Nootka Sound. The fresh- sets jigain carried us some distance out, the wind being intermittent, but the sea heavy. Being afraid of missing our anchorage, we therefore put lier round, and ran for Friendly Cove. The wind, W . i i '!^ ' v\ iUr -_iL 124 TKAVELS IN liUITI.Sil COLUMHIA. '«;t 'Si; up to this point from the south-east, now cliopped I'ound fuid blew directly out of" Nootka Sound, A\^e thus beat, all niglit through, between it and Escalante Reef, the wind always going round to the south-east if we ran out to sea to try for a fair breeze. With daylight we made sure of gettiii;; into Friendly Cove, and were, at one time, within two miles of it, but the wind proved very variable and uncertain, never blowing in one (|^uarter loni;, and as soon as we put our ship about she broke otf. The breeze would at intervals die away entirely, until there was not sufficient to keep our sails asleep. The day was foggy at times, and towards evening we found ourselves drifting to the north- ward and westward. Late at night it was re- ported to us that we had been in shoal water tor some time ; we ordered the lead to be hove, and found from seventeen 'o nineteen fathoms. This being shallower than we considered we ought to find it, we kept a sharp look-out ahead, and in a short time perceived breakers, in spite of the hazy condition of the atmosphere. We let go our anchor, and were delighted to find that she held. There was no wind, but a big swell. My readers will understand that our night's repose was by no means uninterrupted or undisturbed. We had at once conjectured that we nuist be clojse on the Bajo Reef, constant study of the chart having made us 4 .1 A FAVOURABLE WIND. 12,^ tlioroupjhly acquainted with tlie configuration of tlie coast, and especially Avitli this most formidable reef. Daylight found us still, happily, holding to our anchor. The fog, which was dense, slightly clearing away -it times, we were enabled to catch a distant sight of tlie shores of Nootka Sound. These occasional glimpses, affording us a view of two well-known points, enabled us to define our exact position by cross bearings, which verified our original con- jecture as to our proximity to Bajo Reef Symptoms of the wind coming from the westward in light puffs led us to hope that it would eventually go round to this most favourable quarter. A])out three in the afternoon, to our great surprise, we found we must be drifting, as the Bajo Reef was evidently receding. We at once hauled in a few fathoms of rope, which soon revealed the fact that we had parted our anchor. AVe found, when we had hauled it all in, that our cable had been fairly cut in two by friction on the rocks below. After drifting a very short distance, the breeze sprang up and gradually increased from the west- ward, and we were devoutly thankful to leave the dreaded Bajo Reef behind, and also to find that we had at length o:ot what we had so lonn* wished for, a fair wind for Victoria. I'^p to this time we had been apprehensive of having to spend our Christmas at sea, with probably no better fare than unsavoury Hfi iJil ■ r r • :!|lif I' t ■ 1 <1V Ui WW ' I ;;«; j, • 1^ ?! ■ ill: 1 i li 11 :|!. it! 1 .; :;' iJ 1 i ;m , ,1 gii. ^hfi . ; 120 TRAVELS IN BHITTSII COLUMRIA. dried salmon and biscuit, and we could not help smiling wlien we reflected how differently most of our brother members of the I'hames Yacht Chil) would probably be engaged at that festive season. From this period, however, we plucked up a new heart of courage; at six -we passed the reef at Estevan Point, sixteen miles distant, showing that our vessel could travel if she only had a fair chance, and stand well up to her canvjis too. ^\'hat eloquent language did she discourse to our ears as she cleft her way through the bright green waves, and what pleasure was it to feel her as obedient withal to her helm as the most sensitive horse to the slightest motion of the rein, seeniinp; to delight in her escape from the thraldom of adverse winds to which she had been subjected ivernment would a[)pear to differ from that generally met with among Indians. In most cases, as far as we roulJ understand, there ^vould seem to be two chiefs — one hereditiu'\', and another who leads the warriors to battle, and who is ])robaljly chosen for his valiant deeds of arms. These fuiu'tions are united in the chief of the Clayoquots, who is, in fact, a military despot, and the present chief, Seta Kanim, rules in virtue of his prowess in the field. His reputation as a warrior is very great, anel I have heard his deeds of arms referred to by all the Iiulian tribes inhabiting the entire western coast of Vancouver's Island ; at the same time I am hound to confess that amonfi; the white men he is not generally well-spoken of, being regarded as un- jcrupulous and overreaching, as well as insolent '^nd quarrelsome. The influence he exercises over K M if. 11:!:'''- m my^ ;|li! 'is* 'I ! 11 ''f. I '•I,'. 1 •: \ if" l?'^! :|f)l m h'' 111 a**' ■ '■ Si, '1 If* [I .,1 ij , S 1 i. M : ; •■ Ii i g I !' ■ '. . (■ ■ ; ■^■■ no TRAVELS IN niUTISII COLUMBIA. his own people is considered as being adversi to friendly commercial relations between them imd the Colonists. Whatever others may, however, think of tlii> interesting savaue, there can be no doubt that iii his own estimation Seta Kanim unites in his (uvn dusky, unkempt, and not over savoury indiv'ul'iilitv the attributes and di^j^nity of an Indian Alexaiider, Charlema;;ne, and Ilaroun-al-Raschid. As regards my own personal intercourse with tin famous chief of the Clayocpiots, I remendjer tliiu the first time he favoured us with a visit on hoanl my yacht, he was very ea_i^*er that I should examiiit credentials v'ith whicli he had been furnished bv Avhite men wlio had visited this part of the islaml. and to Avhicli he evidently attached no small im- portance. Of course I was h!i[)py to com[)ly "with his re([uest, but must acknowledge that the rf:>ult of my scrutiny was, to say the least of it, perplexinir, as the testimony produced was of a very contradic- tory character. For instance, some of the testi- monials Avould be worded somewhat after tlii^ fashion : — " This is Seta Kanim, chief of the Chivo- quots, he has been on board our vessel, and we have found him honest and trustworthy ;" while otlur^ set forth his merits in the following style : — " Tlii* is Seta Kanim, as great a rascal as is to be met with among the redskins ; " or, " This is Seta Kanim, a villain that would murder his own father for a TRAGIC OCCUHRKNCE. 131 rrront, if we mny judrre from the lyin/^, deceit, and tirachery lie has practised in his dcidiii^^s with our- selves." However, we know that where i;2:norance is l)liss the proverb «i;oes on to show tlie folly of en- liiihtenincnt, and this certainly was the case with Sotii Kanim, who evidently attached the greatest value and importance to these precious documents, and we cannot say that we felt it any business of ours to undeceive him. Having thus, as he conceived, enhanced his dig- nity iuid greatness in our eyes, he no doubt thought it right that we should, in turn, submit our creden- tials to his inspection, and therefore asked to see my papers. This unexpected demand I ut first felt to be somewhat embarrassing-, until a briuht idea flashing across my mind. 1 dived below and l)rought up the diploma of a Royal Arch-Mason, with its showy emblematic device, and its important lookiniT, larixe red seals. This, with the certificate of a master mason, evidently produced the desired effect, and impressed Seta Ivanim with the idea that I really must be a Tyhee of no inconsiderable importance. The ferocity of these lawless and blood-thirsty savau'cs will be l)est illustrated bv the followinii' incident, which fell under the observation of our interpreter during a former sojourn in this dis- trict. He was, at the time we refer to, trading between Victoria and the different Indian villai^es k2 li m ■m ^ l!ii « 1! . if; I' I mm !:#:J i i\Hn\ •MU'i „..„:il :::|r iiji ! ^ iff 1 Mr ^ if 'I'l U' I I k ^i W-^^. .:,' I ! HI 132 TRAVELS IN nUITISII COLUMBIA. on this const, liaviiif^ a sinall depot or store in Cljiyoquot Sound, close to the village. Beiii<;, on one occasion, a])out to start for Victoria, from tlie village of the Acliazats (a tril)e whicli must notlu' confounded, on account of the similarity of tlnir name, with Achuzats, inhabiting Clayo(|uot Sound), the sub-chief asked him if he would, as n favour, take him with hhn to Victoi'ia, as he liad never been there, and was very desirous of visitiii:.^ that place. Having complied with the wish of tliu sub-chief, and given liim a berth on board his • scliooner, he had occasion, on his way down the coast, to put into Clayoquot Sound, and avcH knowing that the bitterest animosity existed between the Indians there and the Acliazats, ln' enjoined on his travelling companion not to sliow himself if he valued his life. Some strange instinct seems however to guide an Indian in tracking and discovering a foe, wherever he may be con- cealed. They are very bloodhounds in scentiii;: their prey. The unfortunate Achazat cliiif, although he never showed himself on deck, wiis nevertheless discovered, and dragged forth by his terrible and remorseless foes. And, in spite of all the efforts made by the white man to prevent in in spite of his most urgent remonstrances, and even threats, the head of this unhappy Indian was severed from his body before his eyes, the ghastly trophy being afterwards fixed on a pole, in coni[)aiiy CKITICAL rOSITION OF AN INTKHl'IlETEU. 133 with the heads of four others of his tribe, ^ho luid previously suftcred the Siiine fate. After this tragic occurrence our friend dared not for some time revisit the district inhabited hv tlie Aehazats, as they would infallibly have vi>itL'(l the murder of their kinsman on his head — ■.uch being the Indian code of justice. After the space of about two years, however — thinking, perhaps, that this desire for vengeance had passed invny, or relying on his own tact and talent in managing Indians — he resolved on trusting himsel" once more among them, notwithstanding that the Clayo(iUots assured him that it would be courting certain death for him to do so, the law of blood for blood is irrevo- w. ,.o among all Indians. On arriving in the Sound, on which the village of the Aehazats is situated, as soon as the Indians recognized his schooner, they put off in shoals, with blackened faces and arms, and, boarding his little vessel, carried him off a prisoner. According to all the precedents of Indian warfare, his fate would now appear certain, and had he not been a white man, no doubt his head would have been cut off on the spot. Meanwhile, he assumed an air of passive indifference, which, although Ave can hardly sup- pose he felt it, yet served, no doubt, to impress the Indians in his favour. While he was lying thus bound in the midst of the village he could hear Nil !li M !,i|)jii| h' 1 i ' •il it' !! - . T ' 134 TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. ^■: I'M if I' 1 the chiefs taking counsel among themselves as to what should be his fate. The women, from the first, had pleaded in his favour, and they now urged, fairly enough, that it was through no fault of his that their kinsman was murdered ; that, as a wliite man, he could never have desired the blood of a red skin, and that they had, therefore. no right to take his. Whether the chiefs dreaded the possible ven- geance of the white men if they put one of their number to death, or whethei they were induced to listen to reason by the women, certain it is their gentler coimsels prevailed, and he was re- stored to liberty ; nor was this all — feeling that, if he were innocent, they must have been guilty of an act of injustice in detaining him a prisoner, they made him a present of several hun- dred gallons of oil as an indemnilication. He also related to us how, at a subsecjuent period, he chanced to be spectator of a battl fought in canoes. The Achazats, coming in strength, challenged the Clayocpiots to fight theui in their harbours. Seta Kanim, nothing loath, forth- with e(piipped his rude galleys for war, and a veritable naval engagement was the result. Shortly after the execution of the Achazat chief above referred to, a midnight attack on the Clayoquots was organized by the former tribe to avenge his death. The favourite moment for i m m INDIAN VENGEANCE. 135 these murderoiis night-attacks is a few minutes after midnight, when, according to their theory, sleep is most profound. Everything being in readiness, they stole noiselessly on the village of their enemies, and each warrior having reached the foot of the couch of his sleeping foeinan, with drawn knife in hand, at a pre-concerted signal, and with a deafening war-whoop, tlie work of slaughter commenced — n\\ arms having been previously secured, and every way of escape cut off. A party of the Clayo(|Uots — scouts — liappening, however, to return just at this juncture, a fierce hand-to-hand encounter ensued on the 1)cach, in which many were killed on l)oth sides. But I daresay my readers are tired of the horrors of Indian warfare ; we will therefore take leave of the red man and his doings for the present, and make the best of our way back to Victoria. About midnight on the (Ith of December we passed Bonilla Point, and about four in the niorn- in_, Ave once more sighted the light oi: Cape Classet, the wind still favourable, though hauling a little more off shore. On entering Juan de Fiica Straits, the wind failed us altogether, and a nast}' chop})ing sea delayed our course for some time. In the afternoon, fearing we were losing ground, we ran into ten fathoms water and anchored. A canoe came off and told us, among rirl ; l!l;i u m 'il i i; • lii: 1 1 1; fi I' 1: i :< '. 1 1 ; ! . 1 :! V rt ■ K ■ '. . )■ . I ' ( I liii ^ M m r 136 TRAVELS IN BKITISII COLUMBIA. I*,i i'lHi^ \'M-^- i\\i' j?i I ■1 ^' other things, that there had been two ships wrecked here during the Lite gales. The tide turning about six, we onee more got under weigli, the wind springing up Liter in the night. It was somewhat dislieartening next morning, how- ever, to find that we could still see Bonilla Point, showing we had not made much wny during the night. The sea still troublesonic but, a fair wind springing up, we succeeded in making Port St. Juan this day, to the great satisfaction of all on board, as it was only now that we could fairly say our chief difficulties and dangirs were over. Up to the moment of making Pon St. Juan, we could not feel sure that we might not have to run for l^arclay Sound, that being tlie nearest harbour, in the event of an adverse gide of wind springing up. AVe saw several canoes o{ Indians gatherinix mussels — one came off and offered us some for sale. This was the first time we had been asked for money by an Indian since leaving Nanaimo, October 11. After being baffled by shifting, uncertain winds and adverse currents, with occasional nasty seas, for a couple of days longer, by which time our pro- visions were abnost gone, and we were reduced to the expedient of boiling our coffee four successive times, to eke out our scanty allowance, and to live almost entirely on Indian dried fish, we at len2;th passed the well-known Kace-Rocks, round which the RETURN TO VICTORIA. 137 tide was running with its usual velocity. AVe now cau,i2;ht sight for the first time of the new liglit at Esiiuiinalt, and finally reached Victoria on the morning of the li^th of December, after an al)sence of two months and a half Our return created quite a sensation in the colony, as at one time considerable doubt and ap- prehension was felt concerning our fate. On enter- ing tiie harbour several boats put off to welcome us, and to inquire if we could give any information concerning several wrecks which were supposed to have occurred during our trip. We must confess we were not sorry to exchange the toils and hardships of our hite node of life for the ease and comforts of civilization. The first few days on shore we spent in looking up our old friends and acquaintances, in whose houses we found pre- parations everywhere going on to celebrate the forthcoming festivity of Christmas in suitable style. The rooms were decorated with green, and every- tliing was done so nuich in the fashion of Old England, that we could almost fancy ourselves at home once more, the weather also bein-. The southern branch of the Fraser, rising in these mountains, after a course of near three hundred miles, receives its northern tributary, which is fed by a chain of lakes at Fort George, 1' .1 'f 'i , t'l 1^1 r;-'')* r : " 1 iii : [ \ ; , \ . ! 1 ' ' , !l ^' i ■ i ;|j i .ill r'li ; *P 'S li vh ..• * ;:;* 1 1 i fl^'iii 4w\\ i^Vi 1: ill ■ill t i , I' '.•■', ,< .^ (1 ^ t f tW "M fMj 140 travp:ls in British columijia. from which point the junction of the two forms the Fraser River proper. I may here pause to remark til at the whole of the tributaries of the Frasir fhnving from the east, that is to say, those whicli have their source in tlie Rocky Mountains, are found to be auriferous, while those from the Avest are, generally speaking, not so. This would seem to indicate that these mountains are the true source of all the gold met with as deposits in the bed and banks of these streams, a theory which is, moreover, supj)orted ])y the fact that gold is also found on the opposite or eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains — as, for instance, in the Saskatchewan and other streams. It must not be supposed, however, that even the vast extent of territory drained l^y tlie Fraser and its tributaries comprises the whole of the gold pro- ducing portion of British Columbia, which probably extends completely across the country from its southern to its northern boundary. At the entrance to the Fraser River we meet with a sand-bank or bar, which — although not presenting any serious obstacle to navigation — is, nevertheless, troublesome, as the channel through it is narrow, and the depth of water never very great. The country near the mouth is low and swampy, overgrown with reeds. and producing a quantity of coarse grass, which is, however, both here and at Langley converted into hay. NEW ^yESTMINSTER. Ul The Fniser is not navi,ii:able for sea-goin;:^ vessels fur above New WestminsttT, tlie capital, which there- fore dischari^e their cargoes generally into the flat- liottouied steamers, worked by a single wheel in tho stern, which are employed in the navigation of the river above this point. On passing Fort Langley the river narrows and hecoines still shallower, bnt continues navigable fi)r the steamers I have spoken of, as far as Fort Hope and Yale. Here the mountains close in upon the river, formino; a gorge through which it flows in pliic(.'s with great impetuosity, and further navi- gation becomes impossible. AVe have now, how- ever, reached the auriferous portion of its course. Xew Westminster, the capital of British Colum- bia, is situated, as I have already mentioned, in a clearinii: on the ri^-ht bank of the river. The growth of timber is here very dense, but the pro- cess of clearing the land in its neighl)ourhood is rapidly going on, and the sharp ring of the back- woodsman's axe is continually heard ; while, ever and anon, the sound of crashing boughs proclaims that one of the giants of the forest has yielded to the vigour and dexterity with which this hardy race of men ply their toilsome vocation. The most difficult and troublesome portion of their work remains, however, to be done, after the trao is felled, where it is necessary to clear the ground, and consists in grubbing up the stump and roots of fili.i ili.Ul;hi .' it 11' I iv! I'M * Mi! M Si w^^^-r- 1:1 !'• ^1? I 1,1, :hh*^ m:\ I' ' m\^ ;?, ', I 'I' !' 1! , i ^ % V'\m MtW 142 TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. the tree, or more generally destroying them bv fire, or blasting. Some distance above Lan^jley the Fraser rccoivcs the waters of the Harrison River, whose briiilit. clear blue stream contrasts with the muddy waters of the former. We have now reached the point at which the two principal routes to the diiigini:, diverge, the one lying up the Harrison, t]irou l^i N in I'liii i 4' ' Nl. 144 TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMRIA. ovorliangifi;;- the ronriiif^ waters of this impetuoiis stream as it ruslied between its roeky and precipiton, banks — a ])i('turesque, but it a])[)eare(l to im (lan^ierous mode of anglin;^, as had the fislieniiiiii been preeipitated by any aeeident into the torrent beneath, I think his chances of escape Avouhl liavo been small indeed. He did not jippear liinisilf, however, to be troubled by any ap[)rehensions df the sort, but pursued his employment as uncon. cernedly as if in a place of perfect safety. In ascending the Harrison I found the scciierv very picturescpie. The river was now luir- rowed to a mountain torrent in some rnckv gorge, now spread into a charming lake in tin open countr}', the water itself being of the uuh beautiful ultramarine blue. The general characti r of the scenery on these small lakes is thought by some travellers greatly to resemble certain districts in the Highlands of Scotland, and may fairly vie with the noble scenery in the vicinity of Fort Hope on the Fraser River. Port Douglas, some eight or ten miles from the mouth, is situated on tlie Harrison Lake, and a very beautiful and roniaiitic little lake it appeared to me the first time I beliekl it, its intensely blue waters rippled by a fresh breeze and flecked with the white ibam of its mimic billows, the various little islands scattered over its surface, and the surrounding panorama of mountain and rock, on which the mingled foliage of a variety nmT DOUGLAS. 14.3 of forest trees relieved the sombre hues of the pine, coiuhlned to form u picture of no ordinary beauty 1111(1 freshness. At the same time I must confess that, beautiful as it is, we must beware how we trust, ourselves at all times on its treacherous surface, as the lake is subject to sudden and viohnit squalls very dan;i;erous to the smaller kinds of sailing VL'SSL'ls. Its waters are also nuich eueumbcred with lioathiLi' timber, whi(.'h, both here and on the Fraser 'i'iver, is a frequent source of injury to the steamers. Tlic'se vessels, consequently, always carry with them ilie means of repairing any injury that may befall them on the spot ; the snags in the Fraser River are especially dangerous. These steamer.-; are all of the type of the Aniei'^can river-boat, and are, as a matter of necessity, provided with very powerful iiigines to enable them to stem the ra})id current. Tlicy all work by high pressure. The way in which any canoes we chanced to meet shot past us as we were as"ending this stream, was quite sutHcient to Liive us an idea of its force and rapidity. Fort Douglas, at the head of Harrison Lake, consists of two or three stores, a church, several whisky shops, and a Customs oiiice. In summer it is hardly habitable on account of niosipiitoes, the phigue of British Columbia. These troublesome insects are found to be diminishing in proportion to the amount of timber felled. The general appearance of Fort Douglas, situated as it is in a I- f I' ^^i!; 'ii;! \ m V m\ !. 4 in I . I ii' m. )^. u it ': ■ ' : I I' I , 1 liili :dt In! I : 1*1 ill' .r'f:.' ^F il' i .. - I ill m i Li 140 TllAVKLS IN BIIITISII COLUMIIIA. wild inoiintfiiiKMis district, quite Alpine in \\ clinnu'tcr, f'orcihly recalled some of the little Swix. or Tyrolese villages one meets with among tin. Al])s. I rode out fi-om Douglas to visit some frieiKK, at the cani[) of the Royal Engineers, who wcr. engaged here in making a road to oi)en a coiniiin. nieation with the interior. The road, as fur iis it was then finished, lay through a wild, rockv district ; on the left hand of it flowed the Harrison, sometimes hroad and shallow, bi'awling over stones, sometimes deep and narrow, and rushing thronuli a gorge. ]\Iy friends at the camp gave me aheartv welcome, entertaining^ me in ast^•le of rouuh hoisin- tality, such as was alone compatible with surroniid- ing circumstances. IJum or whisky, mingled ^itli the water of the river, was set before ns on a rud- deal table, under a shed of new pine planks, wliic!! was both thatched and carpeted with fresh piii' branches ; those above being placed to keep otf the too ardent rays of the sun, while those undtr foot both served as a carpet and filled the air A\irli a pungent aromatic fragrance when trodden on. AVe spent some hours very pleasantly discnssiii: old scenes, old friends, and old adventures, and I did not start until after nightfall on my ride hiuk. -which was consequently of a very Avild and solitary character. AVe will now retrace our steps, and ascend the CIIIN'KSE GOr.D-SEEKEHS. 147 Ki'a-tT RivcT to Fort Hope. Tlie oiirrtMit in this ].;ii't of its course is tremendous, jmd tlu' difficulty (.t'st('iniiiiuist in stennning the current. This broke, how- ever, but some of our party happening to be on shore, were lucky enougli to catch the broken end, iiiid make it fast to another tree. I, in company with several others, performed the remainder of the distance to Fort Hope on foot, leaving the steamer to battle with the current as best she could. We passed several parties of Chinamen, washing the sands of the river for crold, the rockers beinjr pnerally worked by parties of from three to four. The nund)er of Chinese to be met with all over the ^vorld, wherever gold has been discovered, is a snigular and characteristic fact. They are to be found in Australia, California, and now here, and ill great numbers. Being frugal, persevering, and abstemious, they generally succeed, not only in purchasing their enfranchisement of the agent who has shipped them from their own country and supplied them with the few necessaries they required on arriving, but also in taking back with them a competence on their return home. One whole l2 n ! Hi IN i! i ^ It • « 1 ; J i ' ii h mW: li "fT ■Iff ll I 'l ,m '■I.!i ^ ■1^ 148 TRAVELS IN BIUTISII COLUMHIA. street in A'^ietoria is filled with them — it is called Pi'.ndora Street ; walkirin; through it, one niiirlit almost fancy oneself in Canton. This is also the head-quaiters of the merchants, who have their stores here, and many of whom do a very considir- ahle trade. On reaching Fort Hope we got some Tndiiui>; ti^ feVry us across in a canoe, we heinu' on the riolit hank of the river, while the Fort is situated on the left hank. Having effected the passage with souk diHicultv, the current heini; still verv strou'^ Avr landed in the little town which Inis recently grown up around the original Hudson's l^ay l^'ort. The old fort, which I remend)ered in its primitive stiifc. has been done away witli, and the town, as it now stands, consists of two or three streets, and a tow stores or shops. Soon after landing, the slivill whistle of tlie steamer coming up showed slie wa> not far behind us. Fort Hope is situated at an nngle or bend of the Fraser River, and at its junction with the Co- (juiklum. Tiie latter is a very picturesque littli' mountain stream, the waters of which being led by melting snows, are intensely cold, and are siiid to abound in excellent trout. Fort Hope occupies the centre of a j^anorania df mountain scenery, of the most grand and beautiful description, forming a fitting ])relude to the wild and terrible character of that to be met with abovr VILLAGE OF THE TUM SIOUX INDIANS. 149 Yule, where the Fraser River flows hetween two iiliiiost perpeiidicuhir walls of naked rocks of dizzy height. Ailjoinin;;' Fort Hope is the village of the Turn Sioux Indians. It presents the Uf^ual eharaeter- istiis of an Indian village, but we must not omit to mention that, in addition to these their ordinary li;il)itations, this tribe have a number of holes dug in the earth, whieii, when roofed over, are in- tended to form their dwelling-places in very severe weather. Oil the occasion of one of my visits to this village, I lieard sounds of chanting, in which many voices were minified, issu'ii;r from one of the larjrer huts, and b('arin; resemblance in their general character to a Roman Catholic service. My curiosity being aroused, I essayed to enter, but was arrested on the threshold by a functionary in abhinket, who evidentlv idled the olHce of a Tum Sioux " liumble." After a time, however, I was admitted, and before the service was entirely con- L'hided. 1 found a party of Indians, to thenund)er of thirty or forty, engaged in bowing and crossing themselves in the intervals of chanting. I did not ol).scrve that they made use of any of the emblems of the Romish Church, but feel sure that the atmosphere of the place in which they were assembled would, at any rate, have been greatly improved by the introduction of a little incense. 11. I m i (! ■|y m\- I r 1^ 11. #[i|ir|,:, i4 T!^7 150 TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. I doubt whether these poor savnges attached anv particuhir meaning or significance to any of the rites and ceremonies in the performance of wliiih they were engaged. They had, no doubt, Ijccu told by the Itoman Catholic missionaries, who had been their instructors, that it was klosli (good) for them to act after this fashion, and therefore diil their best in their rude way to carry out the inj mic- tions of their teachers. Before taking leave of our Indian friends, of whom I hope the reader is not yet wearied, I nnist say a few words about that imj>ortant functionary the " Tumanas," as he is called on the wcsti ru shores of Vancouver, or ^ledicine Man. His post is, I believe, a lucrative one, but at the same tiiiit.', as a set off against its advantages, should a [jatient happen to expire under his treatment — a consuniina- tion by no means improbable, considering tl nature of the curative process — it is ([uite withi the limits of possibility that the friends an relatives of the deceased may take it into tlnir heads to sacrifice the unfortunate "Tunuuias" to the manes of their relatives. Tlie mode of treatment adoi)ted bv the " Mrdi- cine Man" consists generally in creating a friglitfiil uproar in the chamber of the sick person, whethor with the design of arousing the drooping facnlties of the patient or of scaring away evil spii'its, I never could rightly ascertain, but know that I have • I : 1 ill THE TUMANAS, OR MEDICINE MEN. 151 I' > ,iften felt the greatest coiniiiiseration for the uiifor- tuiuite sick who luive to uiulergo the suffering of siuli an ordeal, at a time when quiet and repose are more than ever desirable. I have seen the unha[)py victims of perhaps a hilious attaeu, accompanied by viulcnt headache, or the weakened and debilitated vuUcrers from recent fever, tortured bv the insensate iiiL'tliod of cure adopted by the Tunianas, who persists in dancing about the apartment and yelling at the top of his voice, and, as if this were not noise enough, accompanying himself meanwhile by the horrid uproar of a couple of Indian rattles, one in dtlier hand. AVhen 1 inform the reader that the latter instruments consist of two hollow i)ieces of wood, bound together by cords, and filled with loose stones, he will be able to realize at once the delect- able sounds they may be made to produce, and the \iry great probability of their being conducive to the comfort of a sick-room. To crown all, the Mi'diciiie ^Faii will occasionally vary his perform- ances by administering smart l)l()ws to the [)atient in various parts of his body — in plain Knglish, boxing his ears and thumping his chest. I remember that on one of the lirst occasions of iiiy witnessing the extraordinary performances of the Tumanas, they ap[)eared to me so extremely hidicrous that, in spite of my utmost efforts, I could not forbear laughing outright. One of the ivliitives of the isick person, who was looking on in 1. 1 IHlli k ni k ;' "1 y . • !!lt 1 1 i\r \ . »l ' ■ h !. i; & 152 TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. a state of silence and composure, probably not unmixed ^vitli awe, bent on me from time to time looks of reproving- gravity, until at length, findiiiL^ that these failed to clieck mv irresistible inclination to laugh, he abruptly exclaimed, with mingled indignation and astonishment, " Kopa kha mika hee hee?" — " What are you laughing at?" The journey from Fort Hope to Yale is performed by steamer, at •which point Ave reach the limit of navigation on the Fraser Kiver. Above this, it is practicable, occasionally, only for canoes. Tiie re- mainder of the route from Yale to Lillooett, bv wav of Lytton, is performed b}' means of horses or mules, or on loot. A^'e have now once more reached the starting point for the gold fields to which I had already condncted our readers, by the Harrison Lillooett route. 1 may mention that a waggon road has been completed, Avhich opens a communication between Fort Hope and the Sinnlkameen country, a district lying to the east of Fort Hope, and to the south of Cariljoo, and the gold fields of the Fraser Kiver. 153 I'-, ,; . 1,1 3; i I- It JMdIi ii ciiapti<:r XL General Remarks on British Columbia — Tts Soil ami Climate — Agricul- tural I'rospt'cts — Its Natural Productions — Mineral, Venctable, ami Animal — Suitaliility of its Climate to rearing' English Stock — Encouragement to Farmei-s to settle here— Tiie (joM EieMs — Prospects of ^Miners — Ailvic.e to (JoW Seekers — A Miner's Narra- tive — Different Methoils of seeking for GoM — Other I'ranches of Inilustry — Packers — Etl'ect of the Discovery of (J M on British Columliia — Cleographical Features of the Country — Its Moun- tains, Rivers, and Lukes. The rapid groAvth into important and flourishing colonies of wild and inlios[)itable regions on the distant sea-board of the Pacific, is among those i)he- noincna of our age, which, from time to time, arise to startle us into the belief that the world really does move faster than of yore. Casting our eyes in ^vhatsoever direction we may, we cannot fail to realize the fact that events are daily passing around us which must be fraught with the deepest interest to die future history of our race. The recent im- il ;■■!* (I M m ' » ' til ■ i lli: il I f I * i ''■ I I' 1.j4 THAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMP.IA. \\l l!li*i I ¥ \. \ ' ^ -i « •: ])etus wliicli has boon given to tliose colonies wliich it is our province specially to consider, is, no doubt, due to the artificial stimulus imparted by the discovery of gold. Xow this, though useful as i'.:i adjinict, is not sutHcient in itseU' even to create a new colony, nnich less ensure its future [)rosj)eritv. (lold cannot effect im[)ossil>ilities, it cannot clothe the surface of the nuked rock, or the sandy desert with verdure ; nor can it develo[)e a [)rosper()us connnercial community in a region destitute (if natural harbours and rivers. It behoves us therefore to consider whether, iii- de[)endently of the accident of their mineral weaUli, they possess within themselves the essential elements of true prosperity. This is a (question which we think can be satisfactorily answered in the alliniia- tive, and we believe that these colonies will be found to present as attractive a field for endgratioii to the farmer and capitalist, as to the gold-digger, the artisan, and the labourer. In the interior of ]>ritish Columbia are vast tracts of great fertility, cai)able of conversion into the finest agricultural and pastoral lands. The supply of the mining districts, and the dilfereiit towns and settlements in their vicinity, with fresh meat and vegetables, will, no doubt, fov the present, engage the attention of the stock-keepers and agri- culturist, and prove a lucrative speculation ; we hope it may ultimately be the means of introdnc- SOIL AND CLIMATE. 15') iiiir fai'iiung' on an extensive scnle into tlii.s country. Mvould strongly reeonmiend anv wlio luive the means of doiii-; so. and are inclined to turn their attention to tliis 1)rancli of industry, to take stock into tiie intei'ior, where tlie rearing- of cattle, «liLi'i), and ])i^Li,s cainiot fail ani[)ly to indemnify thcni for tiieir trouhle and outlay. With re;2;ar(l to the last-mentioned animals, it may be observed that the Chinese — of which race there are so many to be found in the gold districts — scarcely ever eat any other kind of meat than pork. There are ex- tensive open districts in the interior of the linest grazinu' land imaginable, capable of supporting innumerable herds of cattle and flocks of sheep, King contiguous tQ^the rojcntly constructed high roads and inland water communication, to which I have already drawn the reader's attention. The mnles and })ack-horses traversing these districts funl amply sutftcient grazing wherever they are tnrned out, so as to be entirely independent of any other kind of provender. riie climate is remarkably healthy and bracing, and the air pure. As w^e advance into the in- terior, we shall find the cold, during winter, in- troasein intensity; at the same time the climate is less uioist, and less subject to sudden and t'rL'([uent changes than on the coast.* This l^eing * Since writing the above, accounts have reached us of the very >everc character of the past winter in British Columbia. The , •» -■ilii^ \ I '. i ! if« till m. . ;;, , ■ -it I m r i! '•J 156 TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. tlie case, it will naturally be inferred that, w\t\\ a corresponding excellence of soil, any of the ordinary household vegetables grown in England may also be raised here. That this is the actual fact I can testify from personal experience, luiviii"- eaten turnips, carrots, potatoes, greens, and other vegetables in British Coluni1)iaof a size and quality tluit Avould entitle them to admiration anvwhere. Of its suitability for the production of our English ce- real crops, I cjuinot speak so positively, as but vcrv small (piantities of grain have as yet been raised here ; at the same time I thirdv that we are fiillv 'I: 1i / Fniscr Kivi r was frozen throughout a j;iviit portion of its crmrso. with tlic exception of a fow rapids — the journey from Yale to .\\\v Westminster haviii^i been performeil on foot on tlic iee. Tlie (pun- tity of snow tiiat had fallen was everywliere very groat, reat'liinj.' tu the tops (if the h(jnses in Yale. A tiicrmoineter at the Forks of i) J ■ • /^'^•'' (iuesnulle, Carilioo country, stooil at IH^ below zero, and at IVaver * Lake, on the following day, at 'J')'"' below zero. A winter of tiiis degree of severity is, however, quite exceptional. TIk' Victniin liritisli ^'()/(*;(/.n7, commenting on this fact, draws the following dis- tinction between the past season and the presiMit : — " From the Ut of February to the 1st of .March, 18(il, (i:].') passengers left this port on steaniei-s for British Columbia. Fraser River was ojjened fruiii Alexandria to its mouth, ami miners c;)iiiinenccd work on tiie North Fork of the (iuesnelle on the 22\n\ of February. 'J"he trails from Lytton and Cayoosh were in toh-rable travelling order during the same period, and scores of minere and animals were wending tlioir •way towards the golden land. This year the Fraser, from source to mouth, is lildckadeil with ice; hanlly fifty miners have left this i>lia'o for British Columbia, and from late and reliable accounts rcceivid of tlie weather and the state of the roads, it would seem to be as nnteh as a man's life were M'orth to attemjtt the journey to (iuesnelle from either Lyttou or Cayoosh before the 1st of June." ^w, >♦*, ■^/ . r,r / / c r ■ ■ /: t Yt ! /-^ f /f* f C'-^ ';// A > /(t- -f ' /* >- VEdETABLE AND MINERAL PRODUCTIONS. L57 jiiistificd, ^vom its known qualities of soil and climate, in assuming that al)un'lant and excellent crops of every s^»ecies of Uritisli cereal will cven- tualiv be ;:rown in British Coluinl)ia. The vegetable productions indigenous to these rc'2i»ins are wholly unimportant, with the excej)- tioii, perhaps, of cranberries and wild hemp. Of course, this statement does not include the vast forests of pine and other timl)er, with which so large ii p )rti()n of the surface of the country is (covered, iiiul which must, for ages to come, form an ini- liortant article of export. The oak here met with is of stunted growth, and its tind)er is inferior. )Iapl('-wood, so valuable in cabinet-making, is toiiiid in some places, together with cy[)ress, juniper, yew, birch, aiul poplar. Of the mineral productions of Bi'itish C()lund)ia, it istlifficult as yet to speak with perfect conlidence, save as regards the now world-notorious fact of its auriferous wealth. !>oth silver and eop[)erare known to exist in considerable quantities, and mines of l)Otli metals have recently been opene H ^;i-|;(i it. HI 'If I' iil II ll i^ ll- fc, I J 1 158 TRAVELS IN BUITISII COLUMHIA. arc every wIrto abundant. ^FarMe, of various kiiid;. is found in the coast range of mountains. Suit exists ill manv localities, and is obtained in "Nvhich are met wi*h in abundance along tlus' coasts, as well as those of A'ancouvcr's IsImikI, Indeed, as I have already mentioned, it was in pur- suit of furs that the attention of the white man lirst came to be directed to these wild and inhos[ii- table regions, as they were at one time considered, and the forts of the Hudson's l)ay (^ompaiiy luivr formed the nuclei of some of the principal towns in these colonies. Among the principal furd)earing animals found here are the bear, the marten, the mink, the silver fox, the racoon, the otter, the beaver and the seal. The ermine is only met with further north. The sportsman may be interested to know that wild sheep are found in the mountains, but are very difficult to nn WILD ANIMALS. 1.59 n]ipro:u'li. TTe will, however, have a p^lorioiis (|iiari'yin thi'iiohle elk. This is an entirely difrcrcnt animal from the stair wl' have alreadv alluded to on Van- couver's Island, and whieh is also found here. The head of the elk is adorned with noble antlers, frequently weighin;:!; upwards of thirty pounds, and its flesh is excellent eatinritish CoUunbia —the black bear, luid the ffri/xly or brown bear./^'^!'^' '// Ainons; the more destructive and troublesome of M*^*^'^^ > the other -wild animals, may be enumerated the ^f"'' > r wolf and the puma. The latter is an aidmal of the n / ^ ''5*^-3 cat kind, of a liirht brown colour, turninij to a^ * ^*'*'^y- ^>(/ \vhitish grey underneath. It varies in size, some' f"*/ ._^/i of tlie larger among them attaining- to the size of,'?//i/*'' '• a Xewfoundland dog. The puma is a cowai'dly (^\ u^' '' animal, but very destructive to sheej). I must not .■; / ^. ' forget, iinally, to mention that in Iiritish Colum- hia we find the dreaded rattlesnake of the Ame- rican continent. This formidable reptile is much iiiore plentiful in some disti'icts than in others. Among the feathered tribes indigenous to this ^ I) I 1 i '■ I !■ • ( • 'i I I' it i 1 i 'i m f III • • jit § 160 TIJAVELS IN nUITISII COLUMBIA. colony, nre tlie white; swjin — wliicli is very difHeiilt shootinii' — several kinds of ^^cese. and :i great varictv of ducks. Sea-1»irdsare [dcntifnl on the coast, hi achlition to these, the heron, tlie bhie grouse, aiiil the willow grouse and the snipe are found in tli' interior. N'ast flocks of wild pigeons are occa- sionally seen ; and, finally, among the birds ot prey, we may enumerate the v'jagle, the hawk, and the kite. I have already alluded to the different kinds ut fish taken in the waters of British Cohnnbia ainl Vancouver, both fresh and salt. These conipriN' several known varieties of excellent ((uality, such as rockeod, herrings, skate, flounders, and rivcr trout. The most important is, undoubtedly, tin salmon, which — both fresh and preserved — is excel- lent eating, and is everywhere very abundant. Every kind of stock that has been introduced from our own country into British Columbia, lia-i been found to flourish equally well. Sheep, cattle. l)igs, and poultry, all seem to thrive and increase. The native horses arc small but serviceable. Tlu American cattle in California are fine animak The Spanish breed, which are numerous, are smaller, but are at the same time valuable stock. On one very important point we can set at rest any misgivings that may be felt by the fanner who settles in British Columbia. Independently of the protection afforded by the law, we can as- 11 WANT OF AGUICULTUHAL INDUSTRY. 161 Mire liiin that lie neetl not fed tlic least ap[trelien- .i.n of successi'iil coinpc titioii in any other (juarter. Ill s[)ite of the ahiindaiice of a;:ricultural produce, ;;iiil its conse(|uent chea[)ne-is in the markets of I'alifoniia and Oregon, the distance it will have to 'c hronght will effectually protect the farmer in British Columlia. If sent from California, it will Imvg to traverse Ji distance of from one thousand one thousand five hundred miles ; if from Ore- m. five hundred to ei;:ht hnndred; ii" from Van- diver's Island, one hundred and fifty to five hun- '!:•('(!. In every case the expense of transport is ^1) j:Teat that nothing hut the entire absence of agriculture in central and northern P»ritish Coluni- liiii, allows a sinirle ounce of Californian or Orei»'on profhicc to reach the mines, juid is in itself a bet- ter protection to agricultural industry than the pro- tective tariff of ten per cent, levied at Xew AVest- minster. The moment that domestic produce is raided in sufficient quantities to sujiply the dennuid, the importation of foreign produce will that mo- ment cease. It is impossible to estimate the loss that British Columbia sustained last season, in consecjuence of her want of agricultural industry. It has been computed at upwards of half a million of dollars. Here is, in itself, a sum that would provide five hundred farmers with an annual profit of one thou- sand dollars, certainly greater than the average '^Mf "^'VS ; ■ I w I 'I'' \ & \ WW ' 111 J 1G2 TRAVELS \.< IIRITISII COLUMRIA. I!; ni if gains realized by (lign:ors. Thus, we see we linvfa source of wealth capable of yielding higlier profit^ than the gold fields, lying al)solutely fallow. What u stinudiis ought this refleetion to impart to n^svl- cultural enterprise and industry! The prospect is ('(juiilly encouraging to fanners of every desniji. tion, small as well Jis great ; all may do ecpially well, I'or the beni'fit of those who may be curious to know what prospects the markets at present airoi], 1 will (piote the following current })rices of producr at rhe mines. Vegetables can be supplied, at a ])()int distant about eighty miles from the Forks df (^)uesiielle, at -S cents per lb.; h.ay, at 10 ceiit^; baidty and oats, at ^^) cents. If carried to tin mines in the Cariboo countr\', a distance of from eighty to onehundre(l miles, vegetables will realiz<' 2'") cents per lb. ; barley and oats, 50 cents ; butttr. 1 dollar r)0 cents; bacon, 7') cents. I think the-' are facts that nt'cd no comment. or course the gold fields u\n>t be expected, fir some time to come, to form the real attraction fnr the great nuiss of inunigrants to liritlsh (\duiii1»iii. No doubt a great proportion of these will come t'iMM California and Australia; at the same tiuje, if w- may judge by the advi'rtisements in the pajxTs 't ships to sail for these colonies, thousaiuls nuist !"■ lloid\ini»' tliither from this country also. I fullvcx- pect to hear that there has been a rush to the di.i:- gings this sunnner, and that provisions of all descrli- ^■ if i . ^^^^^ff^pl ADVICE TO GOLD- SEEKERS. 1G3 tinns are nt very high prices ; and am therefore further prepared to hear that there has been a cer- tain amount of privation and suffering. At the siimo time 1 liave no doubt that the packers — a class to wliich I sliall liave ocrnsion again to alliuk' — will do their best to meet the demand, lio\vev(T great, by an adequate sup{)ly of the necessaries of life ; their vocation being, as !nay be supposed, a very lucrative one. A\^ith every desire to see the mineral wi-alth and iiiateriid resources of Ib'itish Columbia developed to their fullest extent, I tliink it right to forewarn 'lie intending digger of eertiiin diflicidties anly to abstain from purchasing tl»es[)irits retailed at the " Whiskv Stores," as they are termed. These are all of tlif very vilest description, partaking more or less (jf the character of the stuff called \iy the Amcviciius "Tangleleg." Ahominable as are these drinks, ili,j pi ice charged for them is nevertheless exorbitant; and there can be no doubt that a whisky store at the diggings generally proves a very lucrativt; speculation to those that are unscrupulous en()u;rli to end)ark in it. The unfortunate digg(*r, there- fore, who takes to drinking, not only parts with a large proportion of the hardly-earned results ul his labour, but is, at the same time, undermiiiiii;: his constitution, and rendering himself more and moi'e unlit for future exertions. 1 have seen aini heard of so many instances of the prrnicioii> — tiir ruinous etfeet of drink at the diggings, that I can- not refrain from insisting thus strongly on tln' necessity of total abstinei.ee. Gambling is anotlur vice the gold-digger should scrupulously avoid. I have known cases in which diggers, after partini.' with the whole of their stock of gold, were iiaul enough, in the exciteiiient of the moment, to stake their claim, and having lost it, and with it lh«' means of further gain, were reduced to hire tliom- selves out as daydabourers to others. The intending gold-digger should, in the next place, bear in mind that genuine digging for gold A MTNEn S NARRATIVE. 165 ' Ifi ^ is very hard work ; is, in fact, tlio work of a navvy, niul requires the exercise of a very considerable ajiiount of physical strength and endurance. (iold-findinir in British Columbia has hitherto been confined, in the first instance, to washing: for nold on the rivers, and latterly to surface-difrpfinrr. The real liard work of di*rgin_2f, sinkiiif]^ sliafts, and tiiniR'llin;^, '.nch as we hear of in Australia, has vet to come. The cradle or rockers I have seeii ill use on the rivers consist of a couple of sieves, of different degrees of fineness, fixed one above anotlier ; the ])articles of gold, being separated by (]i'h and rocky. Tl»e tops of the liilK are covered with snow all the sunnner ; the uixd m'owin;; on the sides is shrubbv and dwarfed. In some places these liills are bald and peaky, wIrk, apparently, man never trod. Farming is our ot the (juestion in these parts. We j)rosp('cteil a shuri time on some of the bars on our way up, but with very [)Oor success. These bars lie like steps nr terraces along the river, the first a few feet abo\i' high water mai'k, from one to tlir';e hundred feci — then a level. Scjnietimes for four or five step^ higli they are covered with soit sand, from two to ten feet dee}?, tiien a hiyer of gravel from six inches to three feet deep. Below these the gold • 1 A MIXEll S NARRATIVE. 1G7 is deposited, so you see we have a great deal of trouble to remove them before we can reaeh it. " Oil reaching the head of the Lower Fraser, we hired three Indians to assist us in carrying our provisions, and instructed them to conduct us to Swift Uiver. On arriving there we sent back tlie Iiuliaiis, luid began i)rospccting up the river. A\'c \VL*rc three weeks before we found anything. At last we hit ui)on a spot which paid twenty-five diillars per day each. We were the lirst wliite men <>u that part of the river. An accident occurred here, i>y which one of our party (a I'renchman) lu>t his life. When we were moving our camp, he was lifting his gun from behind a stump, when the trigger caught some of the branches and ex- lih)ded, tlie charge entering his ai'm aneems, liad toiiie sliortly after we left, and liad tlien nearly worked out. We shouldered our bui'dens and travelled for eight days further up the r-iver, when we found another piece of ground, wliich vJeMerl from twenty-five dollars to a liundred dollars per day, • '■M ' u n 1G8 TRAVELS IN DRITISII COLUMBIA. tt 'i Those (liggin;,^^ lasted till the iniddle of Octohor ; Ijv this time we i.:'d a coiisideraltle umount of gokl. Tlie life is hard enou^ih at the diguings. ()(ir bed was of hendoek brusli, but the weary uiinei' sU'ops sounder ou it than many in more comlbrtaljle cir- cumstances. With triHing exceptions, such is tin- life of the miner in all new gold countries." AVe must, in conclusion, ivmendjer that gold- digging is only practicable in British Colunilila during a cei'tain portion of the year, the distrirt> in which the mines are situated being covered many feet deep in snow during the wiiit.r months. That many who leave this country in tin. sanguine hope of realizing a rapid fortune in tin new " El-Dorado" of the West will be disa})[)oiiitcd, there can be no doubt ; at the same time there arc many other ways besides gold-digging of earning a livelihood in new and thriving colonies, like Ih'iti^li Columbia and Vancouver's Island, if the emigrant be only willing to work and [)repared to turn lii>; hand to anythinn' in which he can be useful, licullv skilled artisans may command a very high rate of wages. I have myself paid a carpenter as mueli as five dollars a da v. The so-called packers are a class employed in supplying the gold-fields with the different neces- saries of life ; food, clothing, mining-tools, ami otlici' indispensable articles being packed in the smallest ', > > '4-i EFFECT OF THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD. 1G9 ::^i possible compass on tlio backs of borsos or mules, and disposed of in (quarters wbere tbcy arc sure to iiK'ct witb a ready sale, at prices realizinii- an iimiiense per-contage. It will be seen from tbe general tenor of mv I'uregoiiig remarks, tbat I look upon ])ritisb Colmnbia as possessing, independently of bcr gcdd- fiilds, no inconsiderable sbare of tbe essential ek'inents of success and future prosperity. Of course tbe discovery of gold is an incalculable 1)0011 to a country already possessing so many lulviuitafTes of soil and climnte, and will give an impulse to its material progress in wbicb niontbs will see tbe work of years accomplisbed. In direct- iii": a tide of immigration to its sliores, it will be the means of supplying it witb tbe very element of prosperity of wbi(di it stands most in need — jftrong bands to till its soil and develop tbose material resources wbicb must ever constitute tlie true wealtb of a country. Tlie prosperity of a new colnn\' like Britisb Columbia is to be guaged 1)V its agricultural produce. If it be not self-support- iii^r, its gold, bowever a1)uiidant, must go to piiivbase provisions for tbe buiigrv moutbs of its l'0[iulMtion, and tbus enricli otber lands ratber iiiiui itself; nor do I doubt tbat, in tbe main, aLirieultural pursuits will prove a surer road to weahb tban even gtdd-digging. T'.icre can be no (loidjt, bowever, tbat tbe latter pursuit, in tbe very ■} I ! ' ■ I 170 TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. 1 m\ I;? [^ I uncertainty of its results, exercises over men's minds much of the fascination of the gamljling- tabic, and, of course, the great mass of inunigrants. animated by the accounts of the really fabulous sums that were in many cases realized by gold- diggers last season, will rush at once to the gold- fields. In my opinion the wisest and safest i»laii for those who intend to become gold-seekers would be, where it is practicable, to unite in parties eight ur ten strong, on the principle of mutual benefit. Sueli a party could hardly fail to realize something at tin end of the season, as the non-success of some would be compensated for by the gains of others. They would be strong to resist aggression, and in the case of sickness any member would be sure to be caret'ally tended. 1 am ha[)py to say that a much greater respect for law and order seems to exist among the ";old-di;:m'rs of British Columbia than has hitherto characterized this class in other parts of the world, even in our own colonies. No doubt by this tinie a very considerable si)rinkling of Calit'oriiiaii rowdies will have been attracted hither ; but I hope that the influence of the general good conduct of the mass will be found suilieieiit to enforce in them a respect for the great principk^ of order and honesty. The history of J3ritish Colunjbia for the last i<:y<' years is a proof of the difhculty of foreseeing tli' HESOURCES OF THE COUNTRY. 171 Ulture of a new and, cornpamtivcly speaking, unknown region such as this ; it also shows how little reliance can be phiced in the judgment of those wlio may he supposed to liave tiie best opportunity of forming a correct o[)inion. After the settlement of the h)ng-disputed question of buiuidary between the British Government and tlie United States, known as the Oregon (Question, it was generally supi)Osed that we had been over- reaehed by the " 'cute Yankee," who had taken care tti reserve for himself all that was worth having, kaving us a l)arren and useless tract of swiimp, iiioiintain, and forest. How signally have recent vvents proved the fallacy of such conclusions ! Hire we lind, not only one of the richest — if not the very richest — auriferous region that Inis yet iK'eii discovered, but a country possessing a climate iiiid soil that leave little or nothing to be desired, and abounding in natural advantages that only iv(|uire to be developed to minister to all the wants :iiid comforts of mankind. In a region equalling Frauee in extent, we shall be prepared to lind con- >iderable diiference of soil and climate, — the liinuntain districts beiuLi" the most barren as well as the coldest in winter. The whole of British Columbia lies between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific, and, conse- quently, on the western water-shed of the great !:i;: ■s 'I f r •». 'til I 1 \ I \ I ■ ' u r .;. T: I ;*( '. ! I ! J K, !. .1 'Liitt . IM 172 TRAVELS IN nniTISII COLUMBIA. North American Continent. It is travomil tliroughout its entire length, from tlic Simpson's liiver to its southern houndury, by several cliains of mountains, running in a direction from the north-west to the south-east, more or less parallel to th(! Rocky ^lountains, and following, to some extent, the coast-line which the range of mountitiiK known as the "Coast llange " a])proa('h iiKtre closely in the southernmost part of their course; these, towther with the Cascade and other nuitres, are prolonged into the Oregon territory. These mountain ranges form a very picturesque object in the distance, as seen from thescainsniliriff from Mctoria to Fraser Iliver or any other point on the coast of 15ritish Columbia. Several of the peaks attain to a very considerable altitude, l)eiiiL' covered with snow in summer. Mount Haker in the south is upwards of 1(1,000 feet in height. It is throu«xh a «ior;xe in these mountains, above Fort TIo])e, to which I have already alluded, that the principal river of British Cohnnbia — the Fraser — finds its way t(^ the sea. The scenery of tluse mountain districts wherever I have traversed tlieiii — whether on the Harrison River or on the Fraser above Fort Hope — is of the most romantic and picturescjue character, in some parts resembling the Highlands of Scotland, while in otliers I could fancy myself in Sv.itzerland, the lofty and snow- 1 ' UEOCiUArUICAL FEATUUES. 17.i covirt'il inouiituiiis being (|uite Alpine in their ihara(;ter, and tlie train ol'niuk's earryin;;' Itau'uage lliroii;:li their ruistin;;' to eomplete tlie ilUision. iJeytjnd tiiese, at a eonsiderable libtanee, iind also nearly parallel to the lloeky )louMtains, is another range of nionntains, forming ilio water-shed of the Fi'aser and Thmn[»son Uivers n the west, and of the Columbia River on the cast. The coast is indented with a number of creeks 111' inlets, nnmy of them i>enetrating iar into the interior. Islands are also thickly scattered along the coast — many of them lying between British I'uhnnbia and \^incouvers Island — the largest of which is Queen Charlotte's Island, in the Paeilic. This lias recently been discovei'ed to consist of two huger islands, Graham and Moresby, and one Miiall one, Prevost This group of islands is the hal)itat of the Ilydah Indians, to whom we have so often alluded, and the principal channel which divides them takes its name of " Skittegat " troiii the chief of this Indian tribe. The iiold regions of British Columbia lie be- tween these ranges of mountains and the great central chain of the North American conti- nent, the Rocky Mountains. In the more level districts between these various mountain ranges we meet with vast areas of fertile land, destined here- :l: IR lH:i i\ ii 'f-' ^i :' i h I ■t i • I 1-^ ii »•' 111 f; 5 If in' ,1 , s \-^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) / if i'iNii m r- ! 174 TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMRIA. after to become important agricultural and pas- toral countries. The whole of this part of British Columl)ia abounds in rivers and lakes. Among the latter the principal are, Lake Kamloops, liake Shuslnvap. and Lake Okanagan. They are all situated in the midst of a country abounding in gold, nM which may be termed the Lake District. Thee lakes, all of which receive a number of tributarv streams, are fine sheets of water. Shuslnvap is about forty-five miles in length, and from five to ten in width. It is studded with islands, and situated in the midst of a rich pastoral country. Lake Okanagan, in an equnll}' fine district, is a long, narrow sheet of water, running' nearly due nortli and south ; it is a1)out eiglitv oi' ninetv miles in lenL>'th, l)y eicrlit to ten in width. Its waters are deep, and well suited for navi- gation. The iiTcater number of the streams flowiiiQ' tln'ongli this part of Ib'itish Coliunbia arc tribu- taries of tlie Fraser. This celebrated river rises in the Ikocky ^Fountains, and after flowing in a north- westerlv direction for the first part of its course be- tween two ranges of mountains, it gradually finds its way round to the south after passing Fort Gcovl^c in latitude 54"" North. It now flows in a south- erly direction for many hundred miles, the whole w t ■ ;. THE FRASER RIVER. 1<0 of which portion of its course is auriferous, until it reaches Fort Hope, when it makes a final bend to the westward, and falls into the Gulf of Georgia, close to the boundary line of the United States ter- litorv, to the north of the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude. A little below latitude 54^ North it receives its northern branch, sometimes called Stuart's River, flowing' into it from thenorth-e ast, utter drawing its wjiters from a chain of lakes. The union of the two forms the Fraser River pro- per. Just l)elo\v latitude 03' North it receives the iluesnelle River from the east. This river consists of two branches, one of which drains the Quesnelle Lake, fifty miles in length, wliile the more northerly receives the surplus waters of the Upper and Lower Cariboo Lakes, one of which receives the Swamp River, and the other Keithley's Creek. The junction of tlio two brandies of this river form the Quesnelle Forks, where a de- [)ut for the supply of the Caril)oo diggings has been established. The Fraser River now flows past Fort Alexandria, to wliieh T have already alluded ; in that part of its course which lies between this point and its junction with the Thompson at Lytton, it receives a nnni1)er of tributaries, none of which are of sufficient impor- tance to merit a special notice, except the Chilco- teen and the Bridge River, l)otli of which flow into ■in 1:1^ i I i V i ■ [ 1^ ■}■■)] , I'll' i^« l4 k , liirl if ii ill ■ 11 ( U Ml ■, ( i, : 17G TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. If. si ■ I ;[l|«!];li::! 'Mlm\ it from the west. The latter river is rich in o-oLl and is therefore an exee))tion to tlie rule that those rive'*s flowing into the Fraser from the east are alone auriferous. Xodules of [hu'c copper liave also been found in the bed of this river. The Thompson Tiiver is formed b^^ the junction of two principal streams. The one flowing tVoiu the north rises in that chain of mountains wIi^m' opposite slopes form i:lie water-shed of the SMaiiip liiver, and flowing in a southerly direction I'u- ceives the waters of a variet}' of tributaries, sonic fed by chains of lakes, until it forms a junction at Fort Kandoops with the main branch of the Thoiuji- son, which flows out of Lake Shushwap, for whns^' suri)lus waters it forms an outlet. The river nm- flows through Lake Kandoops, which lake receives the Tran([uille and Copper River, and finally falls into the Fraser at Lytton. Xear the mouth the current is deep and rapid, and fi "ing between steep rocky banks. Before its junction witli the Tiiver Fraser it receives the Nicaomen and the Kicola from the south, and the Bonaparte from the north, all of which drain the waters of a num- ber of small lakes. The Boviaparte is a stream rich in gold, and flow- ing thrr ugh a fine arable country. The chief of the lakes whose waters flow into this river arc Lakes Loon and Vert, both about twelve miles long. The Columbia River also rises in the British do- TRIBUTAIMES (^F THE l^KASEU RIVER 177 !iriniori«j, {111(1, iiftcr flowiiipftliroiiLili a clijiiii of lakes, rrnssc'S the soutliern boundary and enters tlie I'nited States territory. It receives the iiiiitetl waters of tlie ( )kanaii"an and Siniilkanieen, botli ilo'.viiiii' into it from British Colunil)ia. N II i; ■:|1 1 ,!l i ! I i 'k i' !' :ii- ill ■I ! 5! li: •I •I I* •• : .1. 1 w ■. f 1 liii; 4 If' i! 1,11: ill} 1 178 I'i '.' ,, i ^i I s 'S '■ 'l i n. ^: Pi 1:1 ii '.'I ill- Si -ft '■ , U It; i if .'W i . ■ CHAPTER XII. Idea of an Inter-Oceaiiic Line of Ilailway — I'nited States Liin- Inipdi'tanee of sucli a Line of IJailroail on I'ritisli Tenitinv— Ci'viinistance?! fivourint,' its Ailoption — Great Ailvaiit;i'.'i< attemling it — The Splendid Fntnre it would ojien to liiiti.-ii Coliunliia aud Vancouver's Isla. id — The Overland IJoiite fmiii St. l'aid"s. ]\Iiniiesota, to liritish Coluniliia, bj' the lied Rivci and Saskiitchewan — Its Practical lility discussed — T';e ('(HintiT through which it jKUsses — Probable Expense of the Joiiiiioy— Koutes followed by Mr. jNPLauriu, in 1S.>8 and iNiKj — lurcii; Accounts of Canadians about to uuilertake the diuninv— Pifficulties of crossing' the Hocky Mounlilains — Letters in tli:' "Times" — Company recently starteilfor conveying Eniiuraiits by this Route. TiiK fratricidiil war now rairin^i: in the Uiiitci! States, Avhatever be its issue, as repirds the futiiiv political relations of the contending parties, viuwi fail to exercise a most depressing influence on tli' commercial energy and enterprise of the coiuitrv, and must, I fear, delay the completion of the iiitei- oceanic raihva}' beyond the end of the present cen- UNITED STATES LINE OF RAILWAY. 179 tury. Sucli, at least, is my own opinion ; at the same time we have seen that the House of Re- presentatives has passed a bill, l)y a majority of thirty-two, to extend the railway and telegrapli systems from the Atlantic to tlie PaciHc, "The1)ill incorporates a company, with seventy- five corporations, to construct a railroad froni tlie one hundred and second degree of west longitude to the western boundary of Nevada ; and grants to the company every alternate section of land on the line of the road, and also bonds of the United States to the amount of 1^,000 dollars a mile. The Federal Government is to be represented in tlie company 1)y five commissioners; ])ublic lands arc granted, and the public credit loaned to the enterprise, the latter taking the sha[)e of six per cent, bonds, of l,(>0O dollars eacli, nmning thirty years. The route chosen is known as tlie " middle '' route, namely, from Western Kansas to AW'stern Nevada, and the Government en2:a2:es to oncede the railroads, now in course of construction tlirouuh Kansas and California, such aid as may 1)e neces- sary to their completion. And, as a return for such subsidies and grants, the usual preference is to he o;iven to the Government in the transmission of troops and material, and in the use of the tele- graph, which the company is also required to con- struct collateral with its road. Two years are 2'iven for the location of the track." 1 ! ^1 !■ ! i ! i M I. i'' n2 ! . il' 180 TPwVVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. I Hi It H 1 1 , I 31 'Hi; As I before remarked, however, I iear tliat thr present inomeiit is liardly likely to ])i*ove liivoui-. al)l(' to the execution of such a sehetne ; nuv, I dou])t imich whether tlie present generation will witness its accomplislinient ; it is therefore niirural tluit our thoughts should revert to the possihilitv of seein?'v'. ti'fi'' i*^f >■■:.■ The line of rail in the United States is at present oj'jn from Xew York, as far as St. Josepli's, .Mi>- souri. The* remainder of the journey is performed in coaches, ])assing throiigli the ]\[ormon settk'mciit of Utah, and so on to Sacramento and thence jjy warci- to San Francisco, on the Pac'ihc. The l)ony expre>s, whose arrival I wlcnessed at San Francisco, travels througli the same tract of country. There is also a line of electric telegraph, extending the whole uf the distance from one ocean to the other. If the Americans were in a position to employ their resources in conip;leting the inter-oceanic line of railway, the great stream of passengers and trafhc would naturally flow ui the channel that had l)een ])repared for it, and it is doul)tiul whether any attenipt to compete with it in Canadii would he deemed likely to prove a remunerative speculation. As matters at [)resent stand, however, I should like to see our own Government take the initiative in the matter, and, by completing this great work on British soil, confer an incalculable M 'WA IDEA OF A CAXADIAN IXTEK-OCEANIC LINE. 181 lienefit on the whole of its colonies in Nortli America. Tlie sitniition of IJrirish Columbia and \'aii- coiivcr's Island, on the Pacitic, is adniii"al)lv luliiptcd for carryiiiL!- on a trade .vith China, J;i[)an, India, and Australia, and it is not too much t(i sujtpose that these colonies must become the ::TC';it hiiihway for traltic l)etw<'en the abovc- iiR'iitioned countries and Enuhiiid, in the event of the completion of this line of railroad. Tiie dis- taiuH' between London and Pekin would \)y this iiieaiis be reduced some ten thousand nules, and the entire journey would probably not occupy more than a month or five weeks — while Vancouver itself would be brought some five or six thousand miles nearer to this country than even by the short overland route of Panama. Lastlv, a considerable savinu' of time and distance Avould be effected, in the transmission of even the Australian mails, by this route over that of Panama. May we not therefore hope that the railway, now in progress hi'tween Halifax and (Quebec, may be the first ])ortion of a Canadian inter-oceanic railway, which shall, for ages to come, prove the great highway of communication between the east and the west. I have more than once discussed the feasibilitv of this grand scheme with Colonel Moody, of the lioynl Engineers — a question in which he felt , I, ! I: !■! f;i "I '^ 1 1 1' 1; ! \ i I ■i. C I- \ ''■'■ ' •i \ l\ ■; « I 1 : (' |:" ■\ .v \i\ H ! !" '. ji ; ■■\\ •:t I '* 1. ?i !; ! \. i| V ! i! ■i I: mM. -ry^r 182 TliAVELS IN BIIITISII COLUMIJIA. v\ i ' i{ •J .■■<"■ J III &i 'ill t ■'■>' , I J ■^•^Klsiri ■h.- great inteTcst. ITis fixed idea always was that IJurrard's Inlet, from its situation, (le[)tli of wutup. and other natural advantages, was destined to he the great eniporiuui of coninieree on the Pacilic, tit the western terminus of the railway. The natural 'larbour known as Biu'nu'd's Inlet is situated some lew miles to tiie north of the mouth of I'msui' 1 liver. Whether sueh a destiny l)e reserved for it or ]iot, I think there ean be little doubt that Escjuimalt, with its noble and ea[)aeious harbour, will attraet the attention it deserves, in the event of any such scheme being carried out. AVhat a grand future would the construction of such a line of railroad open for these remote de[)endencies of the British Crown on the Pacific I AVhat a glorious day would that be for BritUli Columbia when, vessels sailing from India, Chitui, and Australia should meet at some point on licr coasts, to land their passengers and discharge thcii' cargoes, returninii: afjjain laden with articles of oui' own manufacture ! Numbers of those jjassengers to India, China, and Australia, who now tablishment of a line of eonunnnication between the Atlantic and l^acilic through Ui'itish territory, would be the facilities it would aiford for the transport of troops, stores, and artillery to any point along the frontier line, or on the coast of the Paciiic, in the event of a war with the United States. The great natural difficulty that would op[)ose itself to the execution of such a scheme would, no doubt, have to I)e overcome in the l^)ck^• ^lonn- tains. At the same time I do not apprehend that this woidd prove an insujierable barrier to the engineering genius of our age. The ivsults of the recent survey of Cjiptuin Palliser would seem to indicate that the difficulty is not so great as lu.s been imagined, as a tunnel, at a certain spot, woidd •it1;, 184 TRAVELS IX HKITISII Cnl.L-MMIA. II 1 It I i ^ reduce tlie extreme height to l)e crossed to .'),()li skill and enterprise, after the example of the Scrmmeriiig in Austria, aud tlu; AUeghuiiies in America, U.S. An al)l(,' correspondent of the 'I'niics eonuuciit- in the lollowing terms on the [iroposed line (jf iniei'- oceanic rail\va\' : — "The advantages that would accrue to (lirut liritain from the entire service being performed through British tei'ritorv are incalculable. The co::struction of the railway would not mereh' ()[)eii to civilization a large territory in British Xnrth America, hitherto almost unex[)lored, but it would open up to the cultivators of the soil, in that terri- tory and in Canada, a means of transit to all tin- markets of the Pac ific, and an 0[)en passage to the China Seas, and to our possessions in the Must Indies ; in every aspect, whether viewed politicalh , socially, or commercially, the establishment of the proposed railway would give a progressive imt)ulse to the affairs of the world, Avhicli, in its results, would eclipse anything that has been witnessed even amid the extraordinary achievements of the present centur}'. That the railway will infallibly fm\ m (iHKAT ADVANTACIKS ATTI:NI)ING IT. 18. lie iniick' is as ct'i'tniii as that now is tlic time to undertake it ; one does not re([uii*e to l)e a ]»ro|)lict to i>i"(lict that when tlie resonrees of liritish Cohnnbia arc Inll}' oju'iicd n[>, and a coimiuiiiica- tioii established l)er\\een the Atlantic and the Pacific, there will be enonu'h tratlic- i'or a do/'ii •ti'iuuei's as large as the ' (Jivat Eastern ' on both (iceans. The JJritish I'hiipire has now an oppor- ninit}' of secnring that [)osition which it has hitherto ucru[>ied withont dispute, as the greatest coni- lucrcial nation in the world." One other inipoi'tant fact must I point out in loiuiection with this interesting subject ere we take Kavc of it. .\ssuniing that JIalifax is to be the Atlantic station of the line of raihva}', and some [loiut on the coast of IJritish Columbia the otlier RTiniiuis, on the Pacific, the neighbourhood of both tliL'>e })laces abounds in coals — Nova Scotia on the one coast, and Xanaimo, ^^lncouver, on the other lieiiig the great coal-^iroducing districts. This higlily signiiicant fact seems in itself to indicate the two points between which the inter-oceanic line of rail- way is destined to run. Whatever be the case as regards the execution of tlii?< great scheme of an unbroken line of railroad fmiu ocean to ocean, there can be no doubt that an attempt will be made to carry out the long- projected idea of an overland communication from Lake Superior by the Red liiver, Lake Winnipeg, '-f-ti'- ./v...^ "•c-. U.. / A-<. I 1 1 i I I I V'l ;1 1 y M :ip;:' I r, .1 1 I' ^■■ i ■• .: ';. I 'li i i . t . t ' i I ■I -^ • ■PP9^^ I'J- !i;i' ■fi ,5 f !;;!"i; if til X5 ,v i^^^'*^^ TKAVKLS m BKITISII COLUMBIA. '^^'^ /■ ... ,J''/2'*,, ^11(1 the Saskatchewan, to the foot of the liocky ^ ^ 5*i^I()Uiitains, and finally, across them into British - : ^^ "':^ i(>s(luni])ia. Tlie opening- up of this route woiiLl ^y-^^ .'inot only confer an immense benefit on the lust- \ * Ni s,^nentioned place, but would tend m*eatly to develoi) ^ '^ S n\^^'" ^^'^tural resources of the country through which \X^'^* A -^Jit passes, which are evidently very great. The ^ ,^ ri^^. /<^climate is by no means so severe as miglit be ^ Q^ Z ^^^^^^^^ '^s far north as parallel G0°. Indian corn \1^ > Hrijjens on t.'i Saskatchewan. The rivers are free C f^ . ;t 5 from ice in the l)eiiinninii; of ]May : wheat sown ,"*. y^ "X i^hortly after in the valley of the Red River may be ■•J X X %; gathered in the month of August. In addition to ^'these natund advantages of soil and climate, irold ■ : i - ■ i't ': [,.: '^ I ! ^Vi r n.' \ •^ : , * I is known to exist in the valley of the Saskatclu'wan, \^ v" N^ f^s^ as well as in thot of the Athabasca. > -,^'''' \-« '55 The overland route, via Canada and the lied '■*.*- V > Tliver, can, according to the Toronto papers, be ' C^ -v "^ performed in al)0ut twenty days from that city, and "• '* 3 at a cost of about 2()/. All the necessary arraiii-e- ^ v^- >^* ii ments are now being perfected by a committee of ! ' N ^ vv\i^i gentlemen in Toronto, so that inunigrants to the i '♦ \ -^^ N^ ^\^ °^ , , ; . '^ . iiii ! l*^ ! ^r'Fraser River and British Columbia may avoid the 111 ■V ^ ''^ t5 ^ dangerous Panama route. From Toronto Iff ^Ci^ passengers will proceed to St. Paul and .Minnesota K^r *!! *,? by rail; thence to Red River by stage and steam- '"^^X^ ^^ boat. At that settlement they will be able to pro- cure Indian guides and all other necessaries for r i ^^1 THE OVE.ILAND ROUTE. 187 making their way across the Rocky Mountains. This is no doubt the quickest and clieapest, and for those fond of adventure with a spice of danger, and who are not afraid to rougli it the pleasantest route to the dig_i;ings, if it be only practical)le. A correspondent writing to the St. I'duFs Piw-^s ill respect to the overhmd rout<^, says that, with a propeller on Lake Wii'.nipeg, and a river steaui-boat on the Saskatchewan, the traveller could reach a point at the eastern base of the IiOL'ky Mountains, not more than 100 miles distant from the eastern border of the Cariboo dis- trict, i^ritish Colund)ia, with every i probability tha:; the Saskatchewan gold-fields on the eastern sloj)e of the Rocky ^lountains' will jirove a counterpart to the diggings which have hivn opened on the otlier side. This would nudvc the Fraser River diggings not n)ore than five days' journey from the navigable waters of the Saskat- chewan and Athabaska Rivers. The St. Paul's Pioneer., of the 29th of April, announces the arrival there of a [)arty of seventy Canadians, from Toronto and Hamilton, cii j-oute for British Columbia, by Fort Gnrry on the Red liiver and the Saskatchewan. It says: " We under- ."tand it is the intention of the party to go to (Jeorge Town by Rurbank's stages, then down the Red iiiver on the steamer ' Fort Garry,' from thence to t' . Saskatchewan, and up that river to its head i , 1,1 • r > I i i '■ i ~ I ; I :, i:F ! it M .1 ! : It ( If fi3 . 1 .1 ' ' ;•! .'Hi '■' l#r ' :l, mr I ■I- 1,1 i^i:i i\ IJl mm 1,1;!' i 1' I II i. r '■ I ■ )•; ■>'(■-: ,1 i •Hi 1 . V .1 ( ■ '] ■*; M i i si; n I I . J .1 i ■ '. ! I- ' 'M ■ 188 TRAVELS IN BIUTISII COLUMBIA. watei'^i, whence they ''vill continue their journev in ox-carts. If they find tlie diggings tit tlie head of tlie Saskatchewan profitahle, they MJli reniain during the winter, otlierwise they will push forward across the mountains |-o Cariboo mines, tlircc hundred miles west of Foit Edmonton. "These golddinnters are a hai'dy and intelliircnt set of men, and go with a determination to succeed. They represent that other parties, to the nunil)er, prol)ably of 150, will emigrate during the season to the Cariboo mines, taking the same route that they have map[>ed out. "The emiirrants now here had a meetinir vester- day at the American House, and divided into })arties of ten persons, the first detachment goin^:' off to-day, the others to follow daily by stage until they reach Red Jviver." A corres[)ondent of the Toronto Leader, speaking of the overland route, and of the outfit and pro- visions necessiuy to be takcji by travellers across the Rocky Mountains, writes : — " I'he provisions should consist of flour, l)acon, beans, tea, sugar, salt, pepper, ^oda, hard bread, and vinegar. As to the quantity of the al)ovc. each person may judge for himself. Cookinii- utensils may consist of camp-kettle made of sheet iron, straight up and down ; the si/e will depend on the number of the party in one gang. Tea-})ot, frying-pan, tin plates and knives, a tin dish to mix OUTFIT OF TRAVELLERS. 189 ilou,ii'li tor l)akiiig, and tin cups. The diseases most jirevaknt are the scurvy and prairie itch. These may be prevented or cured by the frequent use of vlncLiar, and also black pep})er. Many parties lioiug are not aware of this, and in consequence >utrL'r much from these maladies. The best kind lit' lire-arms are rifles; sliot-<2;uns are [)erfectly use- less. Revolvers are also of little use, as you must not make too free in shooting an Indian by *he way, iwu if you do get a chance ; better bear with an insult tluui to stir up the ire of these savages. Al>o i)rovide a tent, made of twilled cotton, and a stroll": shovel to dii>' a trench round the tent, to carry off the water in time of rain. Take one "'old jiiiii for prospecting, size twelve inches across the liottom, sixteen across the top, and five inches deep, made of sheet iron. Prairie matches, which can be always purchased in any store in Canada ; they are much Ijetter than connnon matches. ^lulesare the k'st for packing, as they stand the heat nnich ])etter and travel further than Indian ponies, and are not so apt to be stolen by the Indians, but are nnich more expensive on account of their having to be pur- aliased from the whites. Oxen are the best for travellinu' witli wao;<>;ons. An ox-team can travel twcint}'-{ive miles per day, and are good to eat at tlio end of the journey. Whatever kind of beast you. travel with should be shod i)efor(; starting out, or iljc they will get foot-sore, which may cause a good Sli I. 'i ^ ■ !■; if ^ if ^|: '. (*• 1- <'■ i s r u I .!l . f o-';i|., ■ ■A ■I ^ii^il • ! ■ I •■ Hi,. I |p ir I I ril ifli 1 *. 'K ■' ' fiw' .1';, ■'' 190 TRAVAILS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. deal of delay. You will require pack-saddles if you take mules ; take lasso and pins to drive in the ground, to which the animals are to be tied ut niglit. If you suspect Indians to be around your tent, you should keep sentr}' at night, to keeptliem from stealing your animals. If travelling with canoes, you sliould take oil-cloth to cover tlic pro- visions, to keep off water. As for clotliing, coiumon coarse clothes are most serviceable, strong boots, heavy^-solcd and well-nailed ; light boots or mocassins arc of no use. If you intend to Ihiv ])onies, buy from the Indians; you must take half- dollar pieces of silver as payment, as they use them for ornaments. Sugar is also much esteemed bv t!ie Indians ; the}' will give a buffalo skin for a pint of sniiar, which would be wod for the bovs to slet'i) on, as the niij-hts are verv cold on the mountains. Iliiih winds are v^ery prevalent on the mountains, and if your tents are not ])roperly secured, }'ou may not think it strange to get it turned into an unibrell;: revci'scd, or balloon. The game r.re buffalo ami antelope. Buffalo will be scarce in the spring, as it is far north, but should you shoot any, and wi-h to save the meat and make it liiilit for carriage. 3'ou must jerk it over the coals, which is doiK' in the following manner- -drive four crotchet stake-; in the ground, about eighteen inches high, put sticks across the crotches and cover over with green willows, then lay your meat on, and keep I'KOBABLE EXPENSE OF OVERLAND JOURNEY. 191 turning it over and over until it is pretty well cooked, and after being so treated it will keep any reasonable length of time. The antelope is a very >hy animal, and hard to shoot ; the only method is to tie a red handkerchief to the end of your ram- rod and lie flat down in the grass yourself; hold- ing up the handkerchief with the end of your ram- rod, wave it slowly to and fro, at the same time not allowiu"; vour bodv to l)e seen above the jrrass. They seem to be attracted by the red handkerchief, find will coine up within range, and by being ex- pert you may chance to get a shot at them. "TliefoUowinii: seems to be a fair and liberal esti- mate of the expenses of the overland journey : — Dollars From Toronto to St. Paul's (second class^, with provi- sions, at leas; - - - - - - -21 St. Paul's to (Jeorge Town, Purbank's stage - - 2.5 (ieorgo Town to Fort (iarry, steamer - - - - 10 Mt'al:< and lodgings, St. Paul's to (ieorge Town - - 4 Cunoo, to hold eight persons, 32 dollar? ; for each - t llorso, an inferior animal ------ 40 Pack-saddle and bridle - - - - - 1 Provisions, &c. -------20 Incidental charges -------5 Total - l;JO "]n the above I do not include expenses during detention at Fort Garry, nor payment for a guide, which would be requisite in ascending the Saskat- chewan." !: I ! M ii "^ ''.hi \- i ii l'^ Ml 'irfiii I i! 1 w m m .ii:v; »!f il ■•- ' mMh 1, 'ugh British Ter- ritory — Captain Venablos on the Bill-Whoalla Route — Route tlirough American Territory — I'robable Rush to the Gold Fields of British Columbia from California— Diggings on the Salmon River — A Sketch of the Joiu-ney across North America, as formerly accomplished. ) I The question of opening up the interior of British Columbia is one of such paramount importance at the present moment, in consequence of the vast influx of immigrants which may be expected, not only this season, but for years to come, that I trust my readers will allow me once more to bring the subject under their notice, I have been at great pains to collect the latest information in connection with any new routes that may be pro- ^Vhl ■^: '!? 206 TRAVELS IN BRITISII COLUMBIA. jected, or are actually in the course of construc- tion through British Columbia, being well aware that all such information cannot fail to be of the greatest value to the intending immigrant or gold- seeker. The result of my inquiries has convinced me that in no country on the Pacific coast is so great an amount of public enterprise shown at the present moment as in British Columbia. I have already described the two principal routes into the interior — the Harrison Lillooett route, throujrh Douglas, and the route up the Fraser River, through Fort Hope, Yale, and Lytton, both load- ing to Fort Alexandria and the Cariboo countr}-. I have also drawn attention to the line of road in the course of construction from Fort Hope into the Similkameen country. In addition to these, two fresh routes are about to be opened, the northern- most from the Bentinck Arm — an arm of the sea penetrating the coast fi'om the Pacific, considerably to the north of Vancouver's Island- to some point on the Fraser, either at Alexandria or where the Quesnelle falls into it from the Cariboo country. The Bentinck Arm Company have obtained the right to construct a pack-trail and waggon-road between these points, with the privilege of collecting tolls for five years, at H cents per lb., and 50 cents per head for stock. The Company expects to push a trail through forthwith, and from the numerous parties that NEW ROUTES THROUGH THE INTERIOll. 207 have crossed by the route, I believe it is entirely practicable, and will jjrove an able auxiliary in opening up to civilization the whole region west [)i Alexandria. It promises to become the means of reducing the price of goods in the northern mines, and I feel sure it will become an important route as soon as the interior fills witli popula- tion. I shall not be surprised to find stages esta- lillshed winter and summer, with inns scattered along it at frequent intervals. Another route has been projected^ more to the southward, from Bute Inlet to Alexandria and Cariboo, by Mr. Waddington. It is said to be nearly twenty miles shorter than by the Bentinck route to Alexandria, and it is intended to strike the Fraser at a poi^it where it is in contemplation to put on steamers to ply on the upper portion o f its course. A flat-bottomed, stern-wheel steam-boat is now being constructed at Fort Alexandria, for the Upper Fraser carrying trade. She will be 90 feet long, 17 feet beam, and 3^ feet hold. The engines will have 12-inch cylinders and 3i feet stroke. It was expected slie would be in running order in July this year. The name of the new boat will be the " Enter- prise." Mr. Waddington has obtained the exclusive right to collect tolls on the Bute Inlet pack-trail for five years, at li cents per lb., and 50 cents f i I :» I I t' ! ■! ! '.I i ■^: t t i I. i Hi I If ill I, ■? \} .ii '■ rii:, i I pu 1 it I ' I I 1 ''!• :i •iHi 208 ^ii ^ t ' ■ r ft ■il TRAVELS IN IJRITISII COLUxMBIA. for animals ; and if a waggon-road be constructed the right to collect as high as five cents per lb. tolls. The distance to be traversed on the Bute Inlet route is set down in the prospectuses of the Company at 241 miles, of which 83 are river and lake navigation, with only 158 miles of laud- carriage, whilst the Bentinck Ann route is said to be 232 miles in length, of which o3 only are by river, with 178 miles of land travel. So far as reaching the Fraser from the coast is concerned, the Bute Inlet route has the advanta^i-e of beinjr the shorter by twenty miles, while it is much mpre accessible from Victoria than Bentinck Ann. No doubt the practicability of both routes will be tested this season, and the competition between them will facilitate the cheap transmission of goods to the northern mines, for as soon as both routes are in full operation, no doubt the rate of tolls will be diminished. It is intended to open another route via Yale Lytton, and Bonaparte, to a point where it is in- tended to intersect the waggon-road from Lillooett to Alexandria. This route will connect the Cariboo country with the vast area watered by the Thompson and its tributaries, one of the richest agricultural and pastoral districts in British Columbia. The moment that the interior and coast lines of ANTICirATED DISCOVERIES. 209 road arc fully o^xMieJ to stn^es and wnu'gons an en- tire rc'volntion willl)e wrought in British Colum1)ia. The long distance to Carihoo, sliort supidies nnd high prices, will no more be heard of, and an era of [iposperity and wealth will dawn on Iji'itish Colum- bia such as the original trappers of the Hudson's Bay Company when they first followed an Indian trail through the den: c forests of this unexplori^d region would hav(! looked upon as a wild dream, whose realization could never be hoped for. It will be seen that all thesti diM'ereiit lines of road tend to the great centre of attraction, the ''El Dorado" of Cari!)i)o; at tlie same time I en- tertain no doul.it but that sooner oi* later, other districts will be discovered as rich or richer in their vield of the precious metal, liauds of prospectors have this spring started for tlie north with the view of exploring the Stickeen River, and from former accounts we have received, I anticipate rich discoveries in that region. I am persuaded, more- over, that there ai'c other portions of British Co- hinibia, not so distant as Stickeen, or even Cariboo, that are worthy the attention of the hardy and ad- venturous miner. There is a vast district drained hy the North River and its tributaries, illing into the Thompson, a district, from all we (;an learn, that promises to be another Cariboo. This im[)or- tant stream to which I have already alluded, is the principal trilmtary of the Thompson, uniting 1% it f' 1i I ■i d V 1 - : l; «... 1 «: Hi i 1 > ! ■ ! 1 if'! I ! iif f 1 » . ; i ^ '-} •"" '-'^''f ii ml .; t 210 TRAVELS IX BRITISH COLUMBIA. with that river in its course between Lake Shush- wap and I^ake Kamloop.s at the Hudson's Vnxy Fort of Kaniloops. There can be no doubt that this river and all its tril)utaries are more or less aurife- rous, especially those flowing from the east, risinnr in the same range of mountains as the Cariboo streams; gold having alread}' l)een found on various portions of the Xorth River. On Tran({uille liiver, which falls into Lake Kniii- loops near North liiver, gold in considerable qiiiui- tities has been found ; consecpiently, it is (|uite natural to infer that the whole countrv is auriferous. The accessibility of this section of country at auv season of the vear, and the advanta^'e of Avorkiui: claims at the di^-ii-ino-s lonnfer than at the northern mines, renders the whole of this country one of the most promising in British Columbia. Supplies can be sent by boat from Lo.ke Kandoops up the river for one hundred miles, as far as the district in which a ver}' fine specimen of coarse gold Avas found last summer in the bed of the river. The country in the immediate neighbourhood, more- over, contauis some of the finest grazing and agri- cultural land in British Columbia, which I have already pointed out as lying in the innnediate neighbourhood of the Lake district, as I termed it. The cost of living would not, in consequence, be anything like so high as it is in Cariboo. From the northern tributaries of the Xortli ji BRITISH ROUTE TO THE GOLD REGIONS. 211 River it is but a sliort distance to the Columbia River and Canoe Creek, which falls into tlie Co- Imnbiji at the head of boat navigation. I have already in the preceding chapter alhided to the auriferous wealth of that portion of tlie Columbia River Avhich flows through British territory. There can be no doubt it flows through a district ricli in iiiiiicral deposits, and, if my information be correct, companies of pros])ectors will leave Colville and as- cend the Colund)ia in boats, as the Hudson's Bay Co .pany's voi/m/eiirs have been in the habit of doing. They will, in all probability, be the pioneers ill the discovery of the rich and extensive gold fields drained by tlie north branch of the Columbia. It is desirable, for every reason, that the route to this country should lie through British Columbia, and not vid Colville, or via the Dalles and WaUa- Walla in American territory. From the best sources of information at our command, we learn that there is a practicable trail to the gold regions of Columbia v/rt Thompson's River. Parties going there may either ascend North River and strike up one of its tributaries to cross the range dividing it troni the Columbia, or may ascend the Tliompson at the east end of Shushwap Lake and cross over from one of the streams that debouch into the lake. It is a matter of considerable importance not only to Victoria and the towns on the Fraser as V 2 .; I h II •M I:, i' > !) •t it if , .r •1 ,' i «;ii' ill :.!!; r .ill ; h Ml 'I : i i.ii'-ii.ilf' I. I ! I 212 TRAVELS IN HKITISII COLUMBIA. far as Lytton, tlmt the country should be cxjjlorcd for a fjood ))ractic'a])le trail from tlie Thompson to the Columl)iii, as the travel and traffic; would he kept ill our colony inst<*ad of fanin*^; into the luuids of our territorial nei;ihl)ours. I understand that Mr. ('ox, Gold Commissioner at Rock Creek, has l)een instructed to supplv tin.- prospectors with provisions at Government expense for exploring the Okanagan country as far ii< Shush wap Lake, as well as the country west of Itock Creek. If the Government will not oiler liiro-c rewards for the discovery of gold on the North River, or on the Cohunbin, the course tiikuii by ]\Ir. Cox will no doubt have a good eftuct. Every inducenicnt ought to be held out to j)ros])ec- toi's to open up the regions referred to, ns the dis- covery that they were ritdi in precious metals, would tend greatly to ndvance the material pros- perity of the colonv, and I think there can be no doubt, from all the information we have receivid respecting them, that these regions will be fonml to possess auriferous deposits as rich or richer than any other, oven in the land of gold — British Co- lumbia. The followinir conniiunication from a friend of mine, Captain Yenables, with whom I have oftuii discussed the future prospects of l^ritish Cohnnbia, and addressed by him to the Victoria JJrltd Colonist, I have taken the liberty of quoting, as TIIK lULL-WIlOALLA KOUTK. 213 it throws additional ll;^lit on tlie project, already adverted to, of open in^,^ a route through the colony from Hentinck Ann : — "Astlietinie a[)[)i'oa('he.s when niiriers will be tliiiikin;j; of startin*^ a;^^ain for Carilxjo and the ['[jptT Frascr, a few remarks and suggestions oil a route to those phices whieh nuist eventually, \\\m\ known, l)L'conie one of great importance, iiiiiy not be considered out of place. Should any at tliis time ni'.'ditate trying the Bill-Wlioalla trail liy way of experiment, the little infornuition I have Ijt'LMi able to })ick up during four months' residence there nuiy be of use to them ; and if others should be induced, from motives of economy in either time or money, to make a similar attempt, a little information would be to them perhaps e(iually> acceptable. "The road becomes open and practicable for iiniinals in the beginning of April ; in fact, some who propose to reach the Fraser by that route intend to start in March. The snow, at Bill- Whoalla itself, fell on the 28th of November, and liassince averaged sixteen inches. Tlie snow on the main plateau, fifty miles above Bill-Whoalla (by Xareoontloon and Chilcoten), is from six inches to a toot in depth, and disappears early. This I learn from Indians, who are constantly coming down and returning without snow-shoes. A large party of the Aunghim Indians, one of whom acted as my guide ■ \ " \ Va ^ K' ^' .^ . ^ *• ,^> -*[ V ), N- 'i \ V . \ , w*' \\ V. >, ■i* ' V V \, •N s^ » v\ N \^ ' .-' >'-^ - ^ ^\ ;l ■ ■ i ■I: ' i^ M :! '.'}' I;( ii;: 11 ;«; 11 ■M it i I* ■hi f immr 214 TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. I , I M on every expedition, came down a week before Christmas, and returned on the 2nd or 3rd of January. The only place where snow may be expected will be near the banks of the Fraser. "The absence of any houses of entertainment on the road will at first necessarily be considered a great drawback ; l)ut considering the short time, comparatively speaking, the jour.iey takes, together with wdiat might be done to mitigate this evil at the outstart, I think the advantages would outweigh the inconvenience. The Bill-Whoalhi Indians are very friendly, and so are the other tribes round about. They are only too anxious for white men to come amongst them. They are mostly fine strong men, and are ready and eager to be employed in jmcking to the mines. I have been constantlv amoiif*; the Indians of the different tribes, and they are continujdly asking if the Boston and King George men are coming. They would gladly pack, 1 imagine, to the mouth of Quesnelle River or Alexandria for ten or twelve cents, and be then well paid. At the outside the journey would be ten days ; a man could easily walk it "without a pack in seven days. " My suggestion would be — let a man take up sufficient provisions for the road, or if he wishes to avoid the heavy outlay which a poor miner must experience before he has struck a claim, let him take sufficient to last him three or four DIRECTIONS FOR THE JOURNEY. 215 weks, jind pack one, two, or three Indians as the case may be. I assure him he will find no difficult}' in procuring Indians. Nootlioch (Indian ranch) is thirty miles up tlie river; for fifteen miles above this goods can be taken in small canoos. Xareoontloon is thirty miles — a jj-ood ro'ul, with the exception of onn bad hill (the slide). Here there is another Indian ranch, from which it is fifty miles to Cliilcoten (Indian rancherie), good trail, perfectly level. From there it is sixty miles to Alexandria, or about seventy miles to the mouth of Quesnelle River. The trail from the top of the Xootlioeh hill is, for foot passengers, as good the whole way as any part of the Brigade trail, with the exception of one or two places where there is a little fallen timber. The trail follows a chain of hds;es, and could, consequently, if taken straight, be made much shorter, and also avoid much soft ground. Game and fish are abundant on the road. I caught several trout with a string, a small hook, and a grasshopper on my way down. The Aunghini and Chileoten Indians have a good many horses, which might be turned to use for packing. " My remarks only refer to this road as it is; and as I think it may be made useful tliis }'ear, I wish to say nothing as to what might be made of it. If it is of any value, the miners will themselves discover it to be so, and in that case it mt'M even- 'I* iff 1i ! t ill i H 1' 3 t 1 r i i^l 'i i :!i f, r ■ a n f!^ i't i ( I 'I iii nil 210 TRAVELS IN BltlTISH C(JLUMBIA. tually beconiti of importance. I can only say tliat ■\vu brouglit our horses down packed, and that tliere are now four horses at Dill-WhoaUa. At tlie same time numerous animals travelling on tlit* trail iu its present state would soon render it im- passable in some places. " I must say a fcAV words of the Bill-Whoalla Indians. Since I have been there, they have in every way been kind and friendly. Although we often have nothing to give in exchange, tliev aluays sup[)lied us with fish and game when tliev found we were really pressed for provisions. The old chief Pocklass went out purposely to shoot for us, and brought back twenty deer. When we left to get provisions he made us promise to return, and so to the last they v;ere ready in every way to oblige us. They have seen less of wliite men than the other tribes, and it is a great pity that they should, like the others, be spoiled by the poison which is continually sold on that coast. About every fortnight small schooners pass up that way, calling at most of the; Indian villages, and leave their mark behind. In idmost every instance from 3t)0 to 400 gallons of licpior is part of the cargo ; not even wholesojne licjuors, but large five-gallon tins of alcohol — sometimes even mixed with camphine. In one instance the master of the craft was going to trade the pure lic^uor in the unbroken tin to the Bill-Whoalla Indians, i* , PROBABLE NEW GOLD-MINIXG DISTRICTS. 217 but was prevented. They have very little liquor, and would have drunk it off pure as it was. I liave been informed at Fort liupert that the sale of alcoliol is tliis year carried on to a greater extent than ever before, and it certainly is ruining any good qualities the Indians may possess. You generallj' find them at the ranches lialf-drunk. AVlien I arrived at Fort Ivupert some three weeks ago, I do not believe tliere were tw(3nty sober men in the whole camp. This is an evil that might, I should think, be easily put a stoj) to." It will be seen from the tenor of my [)receding remarks on the gold-fields of the North River, the Lake District, Rock Creek, and the Upper Columbin, that I regard it as moi-e tlian probal)le that new gold- mining districts are likely to be discovered in these parts of British Columbia, that may very probably prove a formidable rival to the celebrated disc'nnus of Cariboo. All the accounts we have received from these rejxions seem to warrant that conclusion. As I before men- tioned, the upper part of the course of the Columljia River mav be reached throuiLj::!! American territory, via Portland, the Dalles, Fort \'<\\\- couver, and Fort Colville, partly l)y water and partly by land ; at the same time I liope our own Government will see the necessity of opening a route to this fine country through British territory. AVhile on the subject of routes, British and s. ir ( !» ' w w H': \S U I 1 ■ '4 < |. 14 M M Hi' I i WW 218 TRAVELS IN BllITISH COLUMBIA. iii I I ) American, I must not omit to mention that the I\t(/('t Sound Herald has an article in favour of the Puget Sound and Columbia River Railroad. The cost of constructing the road is estimated at 30,000 dollars a mile, making a capital of 2,40u,000 dollars for the estimated distance of eighty miles. The Vancouver hland Colonist, in remarking upon this article, says : — ^^The Herald favours Fort Vancouver just above the mouth of the AVillamette as the best terminus on Columbia River, although Monticello, some distance below, is nearer to Olympia. Whatever may be the primary object of the projectors of this line of road, whether to secure a light in advance of the times on which to realise — whether to help the town of Vancouver, the ambitious rival of Portland, or whether to make Olympia the entrepot for AYashington and Oregon — whatever may he the object of the projectors, there can be no doubt that a railroad will ultimately be constructed con- necting Puget Sound with Columbia River. We have lono; regarded its construction as a mere matter of time. The difficulties in crossing Columbia River Bar are such as can never be removed in die present state of engineering science. The freezing up of the river in wdiiter is another very serious objection to its being the sole entrance to the great country drained by the Columbia. The Straits of Fuca and Puget Sound, with a railroad to the PROBABLE RUSH FROM CALIFORNIA. 219 Columbia, offer the safest and most certain means of entering the heart of what must ere long become a very populous country." A letter from Victoria, Vancouver, in the Toronto Leader^ after commenting on the severity of the past winter, and describing tlie damage done by the floods in Oregon and California, goes on to speak in the following terms of the probable rush to the diggings of British Columbia from the United States territory : — " All this is not without its effect on us here, for last summer it was almost fabulous to see the amount of gold taken out of the mines by some men in the space of a few weeks. These men have been in California this winter, spending their money, aid have created such an excitement among those injured by the floods, that an emigra- tion of forty thousand to our mines is already commencing, and, if the excitement should con- tinue, a much larger number than I have men- tioned will come. Every individual arriving on these shores assists in developing the resources of the country, and to facilitate immigration, our Legislature have this year subsidized a steam-boat company to make one trip a week from San Fran- cisco to this port. The last three boats have each brought up about 500 men. " Now that we have opened mines of copper, coal, and silver, these men need no longer leave the ■wmm- 1 I ■ i 1 ■ r. : • 1 ! 220 TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. country immediately on the termination of the gold-washing season, but can find profitable employment in the mines of the baser metals. "This dreadful American war is not without its effects on this coast, for many wealthy Americans are quietly retiring their means from California and Oreuon, and investino; in these colonies. Our trade with China is also becoming daily more developed, as well as general business, in conse- quence of tlie operations of the Morrill tariff, and the three months' bonded system of the United States. The recent developments on the Anioor and Japan are also conunencing to show the impor- tance of this point to Great Britain, as an empo- rium for her manufactures to supply this coast and the North PaciKc countries generally." At the same time, I think it riuht to inform niy readers that the Americans say they have found a rival for Cariboo in the Salmon River, on their own side the boundary line, in Washington terri- tory, where, according to the accounts they give, immense gains have been realized. If this really be the case, as these nunes open up earlier in the season, it is probable that most of the Californians may be induced to tarry here while they try their luck. This will, perhaps, be rather beneticial than not, as, if they crowd up en masse to Ciiriboo, it is doubtful whether there will be pack-animals suffi- cient to supply them with provisions. ])ert THE JOURNEY IN FORMER DAYS. 221 I fear those of my readers who may not l)e si)ecially interested in the qnestion will be some- what wearied of my descri[)tion of routes, possil)le and impossible, across British Columbia and the American continent. Before taking leave of the subject, however, for good, I will give a brief sketch of the manner in which this journey was performed — in days which may now almost be ret ■ ^; I.' (., If 't: ! ' I ft! If IS '1 ' • i m I', s 't f til ■,; f J-' ' ■'"■'77 221 h CITArTEn XIV. I ■•;;■ f k Wo lonvc A'iclovia for San Francisco — Wolls Far;:o"s AiiOiiey— Tlie MirafiO — A^Iodorn " Itohinsoii Crusno" — Yankee Ilaliits — Cohnnliia River — I'ui'tlaiid — We strike on a lunk— The Water gains on us in spile of all our Kil'oi'ts — Critica! Situation of the Steamer 'M'aeific'' — Wo run lier ashore— Portland — IMeturosciue Scenery on the Columbia Kivor — Sau Franeiseo — Its Harbour — Description of the Town — Mexicaa Drovers — The Firemen of San Franeiseo— Ellect of the liuld- Fevei' — Japanese Endiapsy — American Driving — IJaoe-conrso — American Ojiinion of a Fox-IInnt — The "General" Drink- ing Bars — Theatres — Union Club — The "Tony Express ■'— The Chinese in San Francisco — The Vigilance Committee. Ox the occasion of my iinjil departure from the coloiij^ of A'aucouver's Island, I took passage on board the mail-steamer that calls twice a montli at Esquimalt for San Francisco. AVells Fargo's agent, as usual, formed one of the number of pas- sengers, and he might be seen sorting his pile of letters and parcels, preparatory to his arrival at ;' : I THE MIRAGK. 225 San Francisco. The object of AVells Fargo's Agency is the safe and speedy transmission of letters and small packages throughout all the countries lying on tlie Pacific seaboard of the North American continent, consequently, they have their agents travelling along all the principal routes into the interior, and they have also established depots or post-offices, as well as banking offices in all the principal towns. The travelling agent for British Columbia, Mr. Bellew, is a man of grejit courage and resolution. Tt is his habit, at inter- vals, so completely to disguise his personal appear- ance as almost to defy recognition. I have seen liim at one time bearded like a Turk, at another close-shaven as a Puritan divine, now adorned with long flowing locks, now close cropped as a round- head. His object in so doing is to render his identification as difficult as possible, as, being frequently entrusted with large quantities of gold, lie thinks it desirable that his person should not be too well or too generally known. I remember on the present occasion, in running throufrh the Straits of Fuca, beinn; struck with the singular effects produced by a natural phenomenon we had often observed previously. I mean the mirage. I have seen perfect and unbroken reflec- tions, in the atmosphere, of such objects as churches, houses, ships, and trees, which were themselves distinctly visible as well as their reflected images. 'I ., (, vl Tr m' ^f 1 1 ,. I' I ■ ! 226 TRAVKLS IN DHITLSII COLUMIUA. The effect of the double picture — the ivahty and its simulaci'uui — the upper one being, of course inverted — was exceedingly singular and strikin^r. AVe saw the Race rocks and their lighthouse under this aspect. The image of the reflected lightlionsu feeeuiing to [)oint downwards, and to rest on the suuinut or apex of the real oue. To one other atmospheric phenomenon of very frequent occur- rence in these regions I will allude before takin" leave of them. I refer to the brilliant meteors so commonly observed on fine nights, especially durin;^- the summer months. An old friend of mine in the colony happened to be a fellow-traveller with us on the present trip, and we contrived to while away a c 'isiderable portion of time in discussing the d < of an adventure that befell him, on the occasion of a former voyage in the year 1857, when on hi:! passiige from San Francisco to Australia. The vessel in which he sailed happened to put into one of the Navigator Islands, for yams, fresh vegetables, and fruits ; the crew of one of the native canoes engaged in supplying them offered to take any of the passengers on shore who might like to see something of the island, while the ship lay off. My friend was the only person on board who availed himself of the offer ; he, however, at once leaped into the canoe and was paddled ashore- having, at the same time, nothing on but a shirt T^iP A MODKUN "kiUMNSOX CUUSOE." 227 1111(1 ti pair of cotton trousers. Soon afttT lie landed, a tro[)ical scmall ha[)j)('ning to spring up, lie was not stu'prised to see the ship put ahout and stand out to sea. This did not cause Inni any stu'prise or uneasiness, as he felt sure that, as soon as the s(piall had sul)si(led, she "vvould return and feteli him. In this expectation he was however doomed to be disappointed, as the wind carried the vessel so fur out to sea that she was wholly unable to unilm the island again, at least he concludes this must have been tlie case, as he certainly never set eyes on her again. He was thus le/t like a second Robinson Crusoe, a solitary man on the island of Toutouila, one of the Navigator group, in the midst of the Pacific. Assuming the practical wisdom of the maxim which sets forth the expe- diency of doing at Rome as the Romans do, he proceeded to act upon it by making himself as much at home and as comfortable as circumstances would permit, among the fortunately friendly savages with whom his lot had been so strangely cast, endeavour- ing, as far as possible, to conform to their habits and mode of life. He had no reason to complain, from the very first, of the treatment he experienced at their hands, and the very high esteem in which he soon came to be held, was shown by his being elected a chief. Fortunately one of the natives had served for some time on board a whaler, and had managed to pick <12 111 lit 5 I i * M i v i ■ ■ k I ■ [■^ I 1 ■'HI 228 TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. up a few words of English; he was therefore enabled to use him as an interpreter. He spoke of the climate as being delightful, while delicious tropical fruits were produced in abundance. His health, he declared, was never better than duriiif^ this compulsory sojourn on the island of Toutoiiila, a circumstance he ascribed in great measure to the regular life he k- 1, and the simple vdiolesome food that formed his daily sustenance ; not that this con- sisted solel}^ of a vegetable diet however, the bill of fare wus agreeably diversified by chicken and pork, both fowls and ])ig8 — the progeny of a stork left here by Captain Cook — being found in abun- dance on the island. After a sojourn of fully nine months another vessel, also bound for Australia, happened to put in, and, as may be supposed, he lost no time in claiming acquaintance with his kindred ; the thoroughly savage guise, however, in which he went on board would almost seem to render any attempt at so doing an unwarrantable act of presumption on his part. Unkempt, unshaven, and chid in gar- ments of primeval simplicity — his original clotlies luivin": loi.