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TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

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TPiAYELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA,

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VANCOUVER'S ISLAND.

CAPT. C. E. BARRETT-LEXKARD.

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IN ONE VOLmrE.

LONDON:
HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS

SUCCESSORS TO HENRY COLBURN? '

13, GKEAT MVRLBOliOUGH STllEET.

1862.

Jl,e ri'jhtof Tru. station h renert-eU.

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LONDON :

I'KINIKD IJV I!. HOliN, (Jl.OlCKSTKR STKKET,

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sions.

PREFACE.

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TiiK iiitcrest whicli at the present moment
attaches to everytbinfr connected with liritish
Cohimbia and Vancouver's Ishmd, has induced
me to believe that a narrative of personal
adventure and experience in these still compara-
tively unknown but highly important colonies
might prove not only acceptable to the general
reader, l)ut of practical utility to the intend-
ing emioTant.

Having spent two years on the Pacific
coast ot the North American continent, and
having, in addition to numerous land excur-
sions, passed a considera1)le time cruising in a
yacht round the Island of Vancouver, I have
enjoyed unusual opportimities of becoming ac-
quainted not only with the general physical
character and geographical features of the
country, but also with the habits and customs

M'k

I'KEFACK.

of the dillercnt rndian triljcs Irtu locutcd. I
can, moreover, nssure my rcudci's that sucli
iiitbrmatioii as I have to offer is of the most
recent date ; a fact of no small im[)ortance in
connection \vith colonies ^vhel'e everything is
undergoing ii most rapid transformation, where
flonrishing townships and settlements Jire daily
springing up in districts which a few years
back were covered with foi'csts of primeval
})ine.

R'lijul Thaiiie.^ Yuclit Cluh, London^

CONTENTS.

mikv

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CIIAl'TER I.

riiiu;i}ial Route?' from Enj,fliui(l to Briti.sh CoUimltiii iind Vance mvurd
Isluiiil — I'umuiia llouto. Capo Horn iMiiite — Voyage; out — DilPi-
oulty ofri)miiliug Cap;' Horn — Contrary Winds ami Heavy Soas
— I'lfloniency of the Weatlier — We sight Cape Horn — Valpa-
raiso — Change from Cold to Heat — Fine Ilun on leaving ^'aIpa-
raiso — Termination of the Voyage — Straits of ,ruan de Fuca —
Size of N'aneouver's Fsland — (ieneral Deseription — IMne Woods —
Indian Paths or Trails through the Interior — Appearance of the
Coast — Climate of Vancouver's Island and British Columbia —
Xatural Productions — Wild Animals — Fish — Channel between
Vancouver's Island and the Mainland — Varying Depth of
Wiiter — Tides — Floating Timber— Kelp .... 1

CHAPTER IT.

liritish Columbia — Eraser River — First Discoverers— Drake — Captain
Cook — Vancouver — Town of Victoria — When Founded — Cover ••
nor Douglas — Harbour of Victoria — Esrjuimalt — !Mail Steamei-s —
Post OlHce — Wells, Fargo, and Co. — Rajjid Improvement of
Victoria — First Imjuessious — Indian Village and Burial
Ground' — Character of Surrounding Country — Picturesque
Scenery . . . . . . . . . .19

CHAPTER III.

Departure on our Cruise — A Night on the Island of San Juan —
Depth of Water — Point Roberts — Eraser River— New W\'Stmin-
ster. Capital of British Columbia — Head-quarters of tlu; Royal
Engineers — '' The Brunette " — Enormous Timber — Strong Cur-
rent — Nanaimo — Coal on Vancouver's Island — A Hunting Exjte-
dition — Leave Nanaimo — Uculta Village — Valdez Island — Stiff
Breeze — Dangerous Reef of Rocks — Fort Rujx'rt . . 27

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CONTKNTS.

CIIAP'IKIl IV.

Iniliiiii Tiilics iiiliabitiii;,' \'fiiic(nivt'r's Islaiid — Xoitliorii Tiidiniis
visiting tlio Isljiml iH'riudically — Kimiity anion;,' tlic Ditrcnnt
TiibcH — Indian Warfare— VVcapon.s — Canoi's— 'rrcaclicry of the
I'cultaH — (icncral Apjiwirancp of tlie Indians — Aitilicial Flatten-
ing' of the Skull — I'scof Taint— Indian Women — Dress— Indian
Villa,L(e — Huts — Fisliin;,' Season — Siklnion — Articles of Food —
Wliisky — (.'arvin;,'- Const met ion of Canoi — Indian Unrial-
(Irouiid — IMystoriea of the Kln(|iiolla — (ianihling — Indian Super-
stitions ;'>1)

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.

',^

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;—Caiitaiu Cook . . . .111

CII ALTER IX.

AVe leave Xootka Sound — Variable ^N'iuds — Bajo Reef — We part our
Cable — A Favcnirable A\'ind — Onr Prospects brighten — "We
fail to make Clayoquot Sound — Our Fcjrmer A'isit — Suunner
Village of the (Jlayoquot Indians — Their Warlike Character —
Murder of Esquihat Chief — Narrow Escape of a White IMan —
A Battle iu Canoes — Midnight Attack — We re-enter Juan de
Fuca Straits — Return to \'ictoria — Christmas iu Vaucouver's
Island — General Improvements ..... 123

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CONTENTS.

CHAPTER X.

We revisit British Coluinljia — The Frasor River and Gold-Fiolds —
New Westiniii:;'.c;r — Tlie Harrison Lillooott Route described —
Skaholet Indians— Harrison River and Lake — Port Dou<'las —
Encampment of Royal Engineers — Strong Current — Chinese
Gold-Seekers — Foi't Hope —Romantic Scenery — Tuin Sioux
Indians — Religious Ceremony — " Tumanas," or " Medicine
JVIan " — Route from Fort Hope to Lillooett, on the way to
Cariboo 139

CHAPTER XI.

General Remarks on British Columbia — Its Soil and Climate — Agricul-
tural Prospects — Its Natural Productions — IMinoral, Vegetable,
and Animal— Suitability of its Climate to rearing English Stock
— Encouragetnent to Farmers to settle here— The Gold Fields —
Prospects of Miners — Advice to Gold Seekers — A Miner's Narra-
tive — Different Methods of seeking for Gold — Other Branches of
Industry — Packers — Etfect of the Discovery of Gold on British
Columbia — Geographical Features of the Country — Its ^loun-
tains, Rivers, and Lakes 153

CHAPTER XII.

Idea of an luter-Oceanic Line of Railway — United States Line —
Importance of such a Line of Railroad on British Territory —
Circumstances favouring its Adoption — (ireut Advantages
attending it —The Splendid Future it would ojien to British
Columliia and Vancouver's Island — The Overland Route from
St. Paul's, Minnesota, to British Columbia, by the Red River
and Saskatchewan — Its Practicability discussed — The Country
through which it jiasscs — Probable Expense of the Journey —
Routes followed by Mr. M'Laurin, in 1858 and ISGiJ — Recent
Accounts of Canadians about to undertake the Journey —
Difficulties of crossing the Rocky Mountains — Letters in the
"Times" — Company recently started for conveying Emigrants
by this Route 178

CONTENTS. XI

CHArXER XIII.

New Routes through the Interior of British CoUiinbia — The Bon -
tinck Arm Route — The Bute Inlet Route — EtJeet of opening;' uj)
New Routes to Caril)00 — (JoM on the Stiekeen River — Gold on
the North and 'iVanquille Rivers — Gold on the Upper Columbia
River — Importance of opening a Route through British Ter-
ritory — Captain Venables on the Bill-\\'houlla Route — Route
through American Territory — I'robable Rush to the G(;ld Fields
of British Columbia from California— Diggings on the Salmon
River — A Sketch of the Journey across North America, as
formerly accomplished . 205

CHAPTER XIV.

We leave Victoria for San Francisco — "Wells Fargo's Agency —
The Mirage — A Modern "Robinson Crusoe" — Yankee Ilabics —
Columl)ia River — Portland — We strike on a Rock —
The Water gains on us in spite of all our Efforts — Critical
Situation of the Steamer "Pacific" — AVe run her ashore —
Portland — Picturesque Scenery on the Columbia River — San
Francisco — Its Harbour — Description of the Town — Mexican
Drovers — The Firemen of San Francisco — Effect of tlu' Gnhl-
Fever — Japanese Embassy — American Driving — Race-course
— American Opinion of a Fox-IIunt — Thij "General" Drink-
ing Bars — Theatres — Union Club — 1 he " Pony Express " — The
Chinese in San Francisco — The Vigilance Committee . 224

CHAPTER XV.

Departure from San Francisco — Benicia — Sacramento City — Its
Situation — Natural Productions of California — Row in the
House of Assembly — Use of the Revolver and Knife — Opinion
of an American on American Institutions — Probal "e Etfects
of the Present War in the United States — Its Causes- -Tariff to
protect the Manufacturing Interests— Hatred between the
Nortii and South — Results to be anticipated at the Close of the

lI'Mil

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CONTENTS.

War — Pr-oscnt Evils attending it — Necessity of taking Measures
for the Protection of Canada — Bad Feeling shown by America
towards England — Honourable Conduct of this Country —
Defence of American Shores of the Lakes — The Canadian
Militia — Speech of the Hon. John A. Macdonald at (Quebec. 247

CHAPTER XVI.

General Remarks on the Origin and Present Condition of the
Colonies of British Columbia and Vancouver's Island — Influence
of the Gold Discovery— XegU'ot of many Important Branches
of Industry — Discovery of Copper Klines— Prospects of Im--
niignints — State of Industry — High Rate of Wages — In-
convenience caused by a Former Want of a Circulating
Medium — Despatch of (iovernor Dougl.us — EstabUshment of a
]\Iint and Assay Ollice — Baid<s in Victoria — Import Duty and
TaritFs in British Columbia — Protection claimed by the Farmers
of ^'ancouver■s Island — The Charter of the Hudson's Bay
Company — Debate in the House of Lords on the Subject —
Speech of the Duke of Newcastle 2(18

Ai'i'KNDix 289

TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

CHAPTER T.

Principal Routes from England to Britisli Columbia and Vancouver's
Island — i'auama Route. Cape Horn Route — Voyage out — Dilli-
culty of Rounding Cape Horn — Contrary AVinds and Heavy Seas
— Inclemency of tlie Weather — We sight Cape Ilorn — Valpa-
raiso — Change from Cold to Heat — Fine Run on leaving Valpa-
raiso — Termination of the Voyage — Straits of Juan de Fuca —
Size of Vancouver's Island — General Description — Fine WoolIs —
Indian Paths or Trails through the [nterior — Appearance of the
Coast — Climate of Vancouver's Island and British Columbia —
Natural Productions — Wild Animals — Fish — Channel between
Vancouver's Island and the Mainland — Varying Depth of
Water — Tides — Floating Timber— Kelp.

i;
- 1

Intending emigrants and visitors to British
Columbia and Vancouver's Island have at i)resent
the choice of two routes, the ordinary one by sea,
viii Cape Horn, which involves a sea voyage of
some 20,000 miles, and the so-called overland
route, via Panama, Avhereby the distance and dura-
tion of the voyage are greatly abr'dged. Of the
true overland route from New York to St. Joseph's,

:;.V

iill . I

TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

Missouri, by rail, and thence to California and the
Pacific, by stage coaches, passing the Mormon city
of Utah, I shall have occasion to speak hereafter.
One of the chief objections to the Panama route,
however, consists in the possible delay which may
occur at Panama through waiting for the arrival of
the steamer from San Francisco, which, in a cli-
mate so extremely unhealthy, may be attended with
serious consequences. I would impress on any one
whose fate it may be to be thus detained, never to
expose himself to the poisonous exhalations of the
district after nightfall.

The Panama route may be diversified by going
in the first instance direct to New York, whence
steamers sail twice a week to the former place.

The railroad across the Isthmus of Panama, con-
nectino; the Pacific with the Gulf of Mexico and the
Atlantic, is a Yankee speculation which has been
justly characterized as a work resting on a founda-
tion of human bones, having cost the lives of
thousands of the Irish navvies employed in its con-
struction. The transit occupies about three hours
from Aspinwall to the old Spanish port of Panama,
and the line of rail runs through a dense tropical
growth of luxuriant vegetation.

The other route round Cape Horn, the so-called
sea-route, involves a journey of some five or six
months' duration ; consequently, every requisite foi
a long voyage should be provided by those who

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(^\l'E HORN ROUTE.

Mtlopt it; they should, moreover, bear in mind
that the extremes of latitude thev will have to
traverse are suiiiciently great to oause a double alter-
nation of winter and summer durino- the voyage.
Kre they reach Cape Horn they will have ex-
chansfed the North Star for the Southern Cross, and
long before they arrive at their destination, after
liaving doubled that Cape of Storms, the Southern
Cross will have disappeared below the horizon, and
their old acquaintance the North Star will again be
liifrh in the heavens. We would therefore advise
every one, intending to take this route, to provide
liiniself with a wardrobe sufficiently varied to meet
the exigencies of tropical heat and almost Arctic
cold.

I see that steamers have recently been advertised to
sail from England by this route to British Columbia.
This will prove a great boon to intending emigrants,
as not onlv will the duration of the vovao;e be
al I'idged by the increased speed of the mode of con-
veyance, but its actual length will ho. considerably
diminished by enabling them to make their passage
tlu'ough the Straits of ^Magellan, thereby also
avoiding the dangerous storms and icebergs round
Cape Horn.

That the reader mav be able to form some idea of

ft/

the experiences of a long sea voyage, I will briefly
detain him while I give him a sketch of our own.
We left the Downs in the month of September,

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TRAVELS IN BUITISII COLUMBIA.

1 859, and, after a fine run, found ourselves off the
Island of Madeir.'i — the v/e.'ither deliciously l)almy.
We crossed the line on the 20th October, with the
therniorneter, ])erhaps, 120'' on deck, one day, fol-
lowed by a [)erfect deluge of rain on the next, when
it was quite a luxury to get thoroughly wet through.
Shortly after crossing the line the monotony of our
voyage was agreeably diversified by speaking a ves-
sel bound for London, thus giving us an opportu.
nity of sending our friends at home some tidings of
our whereabouts in tlie realms of old Neptune.

We lay-to for a couple of days, off the river Plate,
in something very like a gale of wind — the first
really bad weather we had hith ;rto experienced.

In a short time, however, the skies were again pro-
pitious, and we remember, about this time, running
through the midst of a fleet of whalers, while a few
days later we first smelt the land, as it is technically
termed, some considerable time, however, before it
was actually visibh^ This singular phenomenon
is well known to seamen, and even anim[,ls on
board ship testify to their consciousness of it by
unusual excitement. A favourable breeze spring-
ing up from the E. and X.E. sent us on our way
rejoicing, through the Straits of Lemaire, between
the Falkland Islands and the maiidand of South
America. Some vessels toucli at this group of
islands on their passage out. Indeed, their so do-
ing may happen to be com[)ulsory, through stress

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sight

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]{<)UNDING CATE HORN. 5

of weatlicr, and it is not unfrequontly the I'lite of
the unhappy voyager in the.'^e tempestuous seas to
sight these ishmds ])eriodi(.'ally, for weeks together,
■when detained by adverse winds. One of tlie chief
objections against the route round Cape Horn lies
in the fact that the winds blow constantly, for nine
months in the year, from the westward, directly in
tlie teeth therefore of outward-bound vessels, but
rendering it, at the same time, a very desirable route
for the passage home. This is the reason why ves-
sels from Australia to England return round Cape
IToin. As for ourselves, we must confess that we
had no special grounds for dissatisfaction, as we
were not detained more than three weeks on tliis
part of our passage. It was also our fate to pass
nLUch closer to the actual shore of the ishmd than is
usually the case, so close, indeed, that we were
enabled to obtain ti distinct view of Cape Hoi-n
itself, the most southernly point of these wild,
rugged, and inclement regions.

To continue my narrative, however, we found
ourselves, after runninn; through the Straits of
Lemaire, off Statten Island, one Sunday morning,
the weather growing rapidly colder. Steering in
a westernly direction, Ave dou])led Cape St. John,
with its castle-like rocks, the home of innumerable
sea-birds of every description.

After sighting the extreme point of Cape Horn,
in the middle of November, distant at the time

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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.

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

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TUAVKLS IN JJKI'IISII COLUMIJIA.

the Const of Chile. ITcrc we were as })k'iis('(l us
a parcel of sclioolhoys turned out fjr a holiday,
to ;L!;et a seauiper on shore.

The town of Val[)araiso stands on the shores of
u bay forming a natural harl)our, at the entrance
to whicli a cood liiilit-house has been erected.
The Britisli Government maintains a store-ship
here for the use of the Uoyal Navy. The appear-
ance of the town is not particularly strikin<2:, the
majority of the houses beini^ built of wood or iron ;
the wiu'ehouscs are, however, very handsome build-
ings. As it was the 2(Jtli of Decend)er when wc
landed — the ]\Iidsummer of these latitudes — the
place had a veiy dry, hot, and dusty look, and
the heat was in reality tjuite as great as we cared
about, even after the cold winds of Cape
Horn. A further acquaintance with the place
revealed to us several buildingc of a more sub-
stantial character, as well as some neat suburban
residences on the sides of the hills in its vicinity.
There are a great number of foreign residents
in the place, thr trade being chiefly in the hands of
English and French merchants ; and as a proof of the
normally unsettled condition of politics in those re-
gions, I may mention that every house has a flagstaiF
on its roof, in order that its owner may display the
flag of his nation, and thus claim immunity from
attack, in the event of any sudden popular out-
burst or revolution. The town of Valparaiso is

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Ti:i{MINATl'()N 01-' TlIK V()V.\(iK.

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enclosed in nil jmii)liitlieatre of liills, and from tlie
liarl)onr luiiy be obtained a fine view of the distant
Andes. I cannot take l(.'ave of this phice without
reeoi'din'i' an indii^'iiant protest afrainst tlie inefH-
cicney of its postal arrani^ements. Notwithstanding
tlie kindness of the eonsul, wlio spared no trouble on
luy behnlf, i was unable to obtain several letters and
|)in)ers, which I knew ought to have been awaiting
\m; here ; nor could I hear anything of them when I
wrote for them months after uards from \^ancouver,
aUhough backed by the influence of two consuls,

A day or two after leaving A'alparaiso, tlie
breeze that took us out carried us well into the
zone of tlie south-east trade wi:ids, and we had the
good fortune to make a run of some 4,000 miles
on our course, almost without havinu; occasion to
trim our sails. This was succeeded by contrary
and uncertain winds, which continued for some
time to baflle and delay our course. At lensftli,
to tlie deliu'ht of all on board, we si<]!;hted the liuht
on Cape Classet, which heralded the termination
of our lenn;thencd cruise.

After being some hours l)alked by an adverse
wind, we at length found ourselves fairly in the
Straits of Juan de Fuca, and next morning, after a
pouring wet night, were within sight of the Kace
Rock , on which a lighthouse has recently been
erected. Two hours after w^e had passed them we
took our pilot on board. The narrow entrance

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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

proposer »^ivin;^

them some idea of the <ieneral eharacter, natural
features, and climate of the country I have under-
taken to deserihe.

The island of Vancouver itself — in len<!;th about
'2r)0 udles, with an extreme breadth of 70 — is sepa-
rated froui the mainlsuid by the Straits of ffuan de
Fuea, the (Julf of Georgia, Johnson's Straits, and
Queen Charlotte's Sound.

As iar as niy observations up to the present
mouient would lead me to conelude, this large
island is one vast roek, in most places but thinly
covered with a vir<2iii soil, the result of ve;::etable
decay, highly productive wherever it is to be met
with of sutlicient depth. The island is traversed,
apparently throughout its entire length, by a ridge
of pine-covered mountains, of varied elevation,
rising, however, in many places to a very considerable
altitude. Having thus alluded to the pine, the
staple natural production of the country, I may
describe Vancouver's Island as one vast forest of
thickly-grown pine. These primeval forests of
sombre green give a somewhat gloomy character to
the scenery of this part of the world. I-et not the
European reader imagine, however, that these

the
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jri'OV

fact,

h ,■

TIIK I'INK WOODS OK VANCOUVKIJ.

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

I (

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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
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CLIMATE,

Naiuiinio, the coaling- station on tlie Gulf of
(u'oi';Liia, and the new settlement on Alberni canal,
liarcliiy Sound, Pacific.

From the loregoino- description of the island, my
readers will, no doubt, be |)re[)ared to hear that
the coast of Vancouver is rocky and abrupt; it is,
moreover, on all sides, surrounded by an infinite
number of rocky islets. These, on the I^icific
coast, are mere naked rocks, but in the channel we
meet with habitable islands many square miles in
extent.

As the latitude of Vancouver, lyin.i^ between
18° and 52'' N., corresponds with that of a portion
of Canada, on the opposite side of the North
vVmerican continent, we might naturally be pre-
])ared to meet with something like a corres[)onding
vigour of climate. In this, however, we shall be
agreeably disappointed. The climate of the Pacific
coast of this continent, is infinitely milder and
more genial tlian that of corresponding districts on
the Atlantic coast. How this fact is to be accounted
for on natural grounds — whctheinny inter-tropical
ocean current, flowing along this coast, performs
the same irood office for it that the Gulf Stream is
snpposed to do for us — I lenve to S((V(nis to deter-
mine ; suffice it to say that the extremes of cold
and heat are seldom felt to be at all inconvenient,
and there arc, I apprehend, few parts of the world
in which the Englishman will find a climate more

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TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

resembling liis own, even to the amount of rnin
that may be expected to fall in the year. There
is one fact, however, to whicli I would direct
special attention, as it may be important to the
intending emigrant ; it is this — however warm the
day, .after nightfall, a cold wind is sure to set in
from the adjacent continent, which, coming as it
does from the snow-covered Alps of that region,
is very keen and penetrating, I may here, indeed,
take occasion to remark that the extremes of heat
and cold will be found to be greater as we advance
into tlie interior of the continent. As might be
expected in such a climate, mosi, of the vegetable
productions of the 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\
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WILD ANIMALS. — FISH.

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

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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.

ill'

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

*■'■'

-I '

;

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

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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

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TRAVT-n.S IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

Caledonia. The territory now known as Bvitisli
Columbia is situated entirely on the mainland or
continent of Noitli America, and is bounded on
the north by Simpson's River, on the south })y the
United States Territory, east by the Rocky Moun-
tains, and west by the Pacific ; being separated
from the Island of Vancouver by Juan de Fuca
Straits, the Gulf of Georgia, Johnson's Straits, and
Queen Charlotte's Sound, Its length is upwards
of 400 miles, and its average width 300.

Tlie first settlers on the now world-famous
Fraser's River date from the year 1800 only, about
which time that auriferous stream — tlie modern
IMiasis — received its present appellation. It takes
its rise in the Rocky Mountains, the great central
chain of North America, whence it flows, in its
course to the Gulf of Georgia, through the gold-
producing district of Cariboo. It is, we think,
certain that the original discoverers of the American
Continent, the Spaniards, never penetrated thus
far. There is, however, no doubt, that Queen
Elizabeth indignantly protested against the arro-
gant pretensions of the Spanish King, who, in
virtue of a Papal Cull, laid claim to these and
other territories on the coast of the Pacific. This
protest was followed by an expedition, fitted out
under command of the gallant Drake, to assert
that supremacy on the seas which his country has
ever since maintained, and will maintain in spite of

Lf:,

li .

FIliST DlSCOVEUEnS.

sill the Papal Bulls that ever issued from the
Vatican. Drake, uiulouhtedly, reached the
territory of British Columbia, and gave it the name
of New Albion. The exani[)le of Drake was
followed by Cavendish, and shortly afterwards by
Juan de Fuca, whose name is borne by the Straits
to the south of Vancouver. Notwithstanding this
fact, however, doubts have been expressed as to
whether any navigator of this name really existed
or not. Among the more modern explorers of
these regions, I may mention the name of the
unfortunate Behring, who, crossing over to the
American continent from Kamschatka, discovered
Mount ]"]lias, and eventually perished on the island
which still bears his name. We now come to the
period of the voyages of the celebrated Captain
Cook, of whose visit to these shores some of the
Indian tribes still preserve traditions. To him
belongs the credit of having first thoroughly
explored the coast-line of British Columbia and
Vancouver. The number of fur-bearing animals
he discovered in these territories naturally attracted
the attention of the Russians, as great consumers
of fur, and the result was the acquisition by their
Governmc t of the line of coast known as Russian
America. It was the pursuit of similar objects, on
the part of the United States, that led to the long
debated question of disputed boundary, known as
the Oregon question. The insular character of

'^ii;

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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.

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

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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 re<iuest for sending letters and parcels to San
Francisco, as well as into the interior of British
Columbia, as such missives, coniided to their charge,
arc not only safer, but likely to reach their desti-
nation more speedily than by means of the ordi-
nary mail conveyance.

On entering the inner harl)onr of which I have
just spoken, the little town of Victoria may be dis-
covered, scattered along its shore. At the time of
my arrival in the colony, it consisted of little more
than an assemblage of wooden houses ; at the period
of my departure, however, brick and stone were
fast replacing the original wood, some Inuidsome
public buildings had been erected, and I ob-
served several edifices of fireproof construction.

The first thing that strikes a J'^uropean on ap
preaching the shores of these distant regions, is the
thoroughly wild and even savage character of the
scenery ; nor is this impression lessened as he dis-
covers the huts of the aboriginal inhabitants, who,

Ari'KAUANCi: ol' TIIK C<»UNTUV.

in their hiziirrc, party-coloured ^'■iirniciits, nuiy hero
and there l)eseeii on the heaeli. Presently an an;:!ein
tlie bay r(!veals to him the hurial-^round of thi'se
rude I'ori'f'athers of the wildi'rness, with its (plaint
(•;n'vin;^s and uncouth devices, the^rowtii of a wild,
untutored fancy, yet h;u'nu)nl/in;,^ stran^icly with
the character of the surrounding scenery.

Tile country, in the viciinty of N'ictoria, is le^s
densely wooded than in uiany other parts of the
islaiul, and oaks of stunted growth are met with in
addition to the i)ine.

The f^cneral character of tlu; district is hilly, and
many open spaces exist perfectly sterile and covered
with a debris of rocky fragments. There is, never-
theless, a considerable amount of agricultural and
pastoral land, and numerous flourishing farms in
the neighbourhood of the capital of Vancouver.
j\Iany extensive views, over the surrounding coun-
try and channel, may be enjoyed from the different
liei;»hts about the town. Anion"; these I would
especially notice the varied and extensive prospect
to be obtained from Cedar Hill, The view over
the land embraces a vast extent of undulating,
richly-wooded country, almost destitute, however,
of any traces of humoii habitation ; whilst over
the sea, on a clear day, the eye embraces a vast ex-
tent of the blue surface of the channel, dotted with
innumerable islands gradually losing themselves in
the dim horizon. The entrance of the Gulf of

1(1

w M

T1JAVEL.S IN IJUITISll COLUMBIA.

Gooroia is a perfect ardiipelaL^o, i)rln('ipal amoiig
tlic islands composing wliicli we remnrk San Jnan,
tlie (lispntcd claim to which so nearly involved us 1
in a war with the United States.

i..

CHAPTER III.

DepartiU'o on our Cruise — A Xi::lit on tlio Tslaiiil of San Juan —
J/i'lilliof A\'ati.'r — I'oint Uoboits — I'rasor River — Now Wi'stniin-
stor, capital of ISritisli Coluniliia — llcad-qiiartcrs of the lu)yal
En_u'ini'rrs — " Tlu' I'ii unrtte " — Eiionnous TinilKT — Strong Cur-
I'ont — Xanainui — Coal on \'anoouvor"s Island — A Iluuting Expe-
dition — J^eave Xunaini i — L'eulta Village — ^'alde/. Island — Still'
I5ree/.e — D.ingeruu.^ Roof of Rueks— I'ort Ruiiert.

TiiK ynclit in Avhicli we pcrt'oriiicd our cruise round
tlie Island of \'ancouvcr, is a small vessel of twenty
tons reiiister, cutter riiru'cd, wliicli I took out with
me on the deck of the shi}) in wliicli we made our
passaiie to Victoria. On my ari'ival in the coloriy
I had her thorou<ddv fitted for sea. After various
preparat(H'y trial trips on the channel in the neiuli-
bourhoodof Victoria, to test lier sea-goinixijualities,
we started in the montli of S('pt('ml)er, ISGO, on
our cruise round the island, wliicli we expected
would take us about six weeks to acconiplisli, but

1 ■

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TRAVELS IN 151UTISII C0LUMI5IA.

we soon found that we had not made sufficient
allowance for the difficulties we should encounter
in our expedition. We got fairly under weigh one
day about two o'clock in the afternoon, and with a
fair wind and smooth sea made the Island of San
Juan tliat night, and anchored off the camp of the
Marines on the north coast of the island, in a small
land-locked bay having all the appearance of an
inhmdlake. Landing, in the evening, we were not
sorry to warm ourselves at the fire at the back of the
camp, and join the social circle of our friends the otH-
cers, assembled to enjoy their evening glass and pipe.
The island of San Juan, whose name was brought
so prominently under the public notice some time
since, in consecjuence of tlie unfounded claims put
forth to its possession by the I nited States — claims
so arrogantly backed by General Harney — is one of
the group I have already specified, at the entrance
to the Gulf of Georgia. Its strategic importance
consists in its conunanding two of the principal
channels communicating with that gulf That we
were not involved in a war with the United States
on this question I attrib-i+e mainly to the tact,
judgment, and good sense displayed by Admiral,
now Sir Lambert Baines, in his conduct of this
delicate and irritating affair. The size of this
island is about twelves miles in length, by seven or
ei^ht in width. Its general character is hilly, but
not densely wooded.

Th
wind
wind
make
with
for s(
ing, a
Avas, 1

aire:

POINT ROBERTS.

The next morning saw ns steering with a fair
wind for the mouth of the Eraser River, but the
wind was not sufficiently powerful to enable us to
make way against the tide, which was running out
with tremendous force. At length, after drifting
for some hours, we foimd we -.v^ere slowly advanc-
ing, a proof that the tide had turned ; our progress
was, however, very gradual, and our patience was
sorely taxed ere we reached Saturn a Island. Early
on this day, finding that we had made no way
against the current, we had recourse to our sweeps
and pulled close in shore, hoping to fmd an anchor-
age ; our first sounding gave ten fathoms, but im-
mediately afterwards, on letting go tlie kedge, we
failed to make it hold, though we paid out sixty
fathoms. We anchored that night in compara-
tively shallow water, but found with all our efforts
we could not get up our anchor next morning, so
we cut our cable, and left a handspike attached to
mark the spot.

The next day was calm, but night coming on
with wind and rain we anchored off Point Roberts.
The wind gradually increasing in violence, we felt
no small anxiety lest our anchor should fail to hold.
Towards morning the weather became less wild,
and during the day we landed at Point Pi^bcrcs,
on the United States territory, nesir tlie mouth of
the Fraser River. This pla^e seems, originally, to
have been destined for an extensive settlement.

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TRAVELS IX nUITISII COT.UjrniA.

Tliere fivo some twenty or tliirty houses standing,
but not more than two or three are inhabited ; we
were very |)leased to receive a supply of fresh \x\L'e-
tables here, consistinii" of pumpkins, turnips, carrots,
potatoes, and other e(|ually acceptable esculents.

Entering the Fraser River next day, we signalled
for a pilot to the Indian village near the mouth of
the river. After a deal of gesti(!ulating and waving
flags, an old Indian was induced to put off in a
canoe, "with whom we struck a bargain to be taken
up to New AVestminster. AYe were compelled to
wait some tune for wind and tide to change, and
then it was only after a long and tedious day's
work that we at length found ourselves abreast
New Wjstminster, capital of r)ritish Columbia.

The town of New Westminster stands on a
risinn- GTound on the left baidv of the Fraser.
The site it occupies — a clearing in the midst of a
dense pine-forest — was selected by (Colonel Moody,
thus shifting the site originally fixed upon for the
capital at Langley, a Hudsoii's Bay fort higher up
the river. This was done for strategic reasons, as
Langlev is situated on the Southern or American
bank of the I'ivcr. Early in 1S.">0 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

NEW WESTMINSTER.

.31

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

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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

over
ows,

FORCE OF THE CUURKNT.

■

••

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

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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.

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'III. ■•<

A HUNTING EXrEDITION.

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

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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.

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

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TKAVKLS IN lilHIISIi fOLIM lil A.

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;

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.

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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

m *l

TRAVELS IN BlllTISII COLUMUIA.

'i
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ill

,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,

INDIAN WA15FAIJK.

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 <rreatest cn-
iiiiryfre(|uentlyexistiiig aniong different tribes, some
of them being eonstantly at war with one another.
The origin of these (piarrels, in niany cases, dates
from a very remote period ; they are in fact heredi-
tary feuds handed down from generation to genera-
tion. The deadly hate existing between hostile tribes
is something almost incredible. Until quite recently
members of different tribes, at war with one another,
wonlil forthwith proceed to extremities on meeting,
even in the streets of Victoria itself, and at the pre-
sent moment the utmost efforts of the authorities
are ineffectual to prevent the frequent occurrence of
murders in the vicinity of the town. The Chickle-
ziits and the Ahazats, inhabiting districts in close
proximity on the west coast of Vancouver, are ac-
customed to wage so unrelenting a warfare that no
single meml)er of either tribe can ever be induced
for one moment to set foot on the territory of his
hereditary enemy, too well knowing that he could
only do so at the peril of his life. Treachery and
artifice constitute the base of their tactics in war.
Tliey appear insensible to anything like chivaliyor
generous feeling, killing and sla}ing with remorse-
less cruelty, undeterred by any sentiment of com-
punction. Their motto apjjcars to be, "All is fair

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TlfAVEl.S IN i;UIT18II COLLMIJIA.

in wjtr." All assnult may be expected iit any iiio-
ineiit from a hostile tribe durin;^ a period of open
warfare, midniiilit attaeks taking precedence of iiU
others, and humanity shudders in recording the
atrocities practised on such occasions. Previous to
encountering the hardships and dangers of a cam-
paign, if we may so term it, the Indian goes through
a course of athletic training. He is rigidly abste-
mious, and among the methods employed to give
tone to his muscles and strengthen his physical
constitution I may notice the practice of con-
stant bathing, even during very severe weather.
The weai)on most in vo<xue with these savnr>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}' <n lie latter a few hours after it occurivd.
Tlie fonner ti'ibe, one of the most powerful located
in \ ancouver, are n band of lawless pirates and
robbers, levying black-mail on all the surrounding
tribes, and are held in universal dread and abhor-
rence. On the occasion referred to the Stickeen
Indians, being on their journey from the North to
"Victoria in their canoes, put into a bight on the
const to await nightfall, intending to drop down
silently with the tide, under cover of the darkness,
so as to pass the village of their hereditary foes,
the Ucultas, without their knowledge. One of the
Ucnlta canoes happening to meet a couple of the
Stickeen canoes engaged in fishing, the occupants of
the former persuaded those of the latter that they
had been so far won over by the teaching of the
hoinan Catholic missionaries as to have entirely
al)andoned their old malpractices, and that perfect
confidence might therefore be placed in them, in-
viting the Stickeens at the same time to land and
share their hospitality on shore. The latter, though
far from convinced, thought it prudent not to show
any symptoms of fear, as the fact of their being in
the neighb(Mirhood would now be well known. The
whole party of the Stickeens, therefore, accompanied
the Ucultas to their village. Laying down their
arms at the request of the latter, who, while pro-
fessing nothing but friendship and goodwill, were
nut disposed to place implicit confidence in the

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TUAVKLS IN BIUTISII COLUMIUA.

Stickcons, they accompanied thv'ir hosts on shore,
leaving tlic canoes in the charge; of their women
and cliildren. They })aid, liowever, dearly for
their confidence, Jis they were betrayed into an
ambnsh and several of them killed on the spot, the
remnant oidy esca[)ing with theii lives by precipi-
tate fiiffht, two of them beiiu'" bndlv wonnded,
whom we afterwards saw lying at the bottom of a
canoe.

The general physical characteristics of these
races do not differ very essentially from those of
the interior of the mainland. We meet with the
same high cheek-bones, broad flat faces, thick but
not prominent lips, strait black luiir, sallow com-
plexions verging towards copper colour, and spare
muscular forms, with which former descriptions
have already made us familiar. The eyes and hair
nr( iniversally dark, and the latter being worn
long, its tliick, unkempt masses frecpiently form
the only covering for the head. An Indian never
cuts his hair, as short hair is a mark of slavery.
Any difference is chiefly one of degree, and, as 1
before remarked, some of the finest specimens 1
saw came from tlie ftir north. I am bound to con-
fess, however, that much of the romance with
whicli I had in youth been led to invest the wild
denizen of the vast miexplored regions of tlie
west, from a perusal of Fenimore Coo[)er s novels,
and others of a similar class, was dispelled by a

I >-

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

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TRAVELS IN BllITlSII COLUMBIA.

til

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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.

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

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I
1

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TRAVELS IN HRTTISII COU'MIUA.

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(

CAUVING I\ WOOD.

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hei"lit ainon<xtlie branclusoftlie trees, for their \is(;
on a future occasion. The true Indian method of
cooking a sahnon consists in putting it into a
wooden bowl with water, which is made to boil by
dro[)i)ing in red-hot stones. The only vegetable we
luive ever seen in use among the Indians, is the
potatoe, which is readily purchased by those tribes
that arc acquainted with it. ]\Iany imported
articles of food in use among the colonists are
rapidly being adopted by them, such as flour,
l)i,scuits, rice, sugar, and molasses, the latter being
a special favourite. Spirits of the vilest descrip-
tion are supplied them by the whisky-sellers, a
proscril)ed class, as a very severe penalty justly
attaches to selling any kind of ardent spirits, the
very ])ane and curse of his race, to an Indian.
Yet, so great is the passionate longing of the red
man for the fatal fire-water, that he will run all
risks, and part with his most valued possessions to
ol)tain it, and, to the disgrace of civilization be it
recorded, that white men can be found sufficiently
vile and degraded to pander to the Aveakness of
the poor savage, by supplying him with an intoxi-
cating alcoholic compound of the most worthless
and unwholesome description.

Tlie custom of executing quaint carvings in wood,
hone, and other substances for which the Indians
have lono; been noted, seems fallinn; into disuse.
Tiie specimens now produced are nothing like so

iijji' /ii

TIJAVKLS IN r.KITISlI COLUMIilA.

:ii

it'
M

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■ ,■!■

curious jiiid ('liil)ornte as tlio older ones. The
ludinu ciuioc has Ix'on celebrated ever since tlio
wliite man was first brou;^ht into contact with the
ab()ri<^inal inhal)itants of America. Tiie welM-cnown
biU'k canoe met with among the Indian races of
tiie interior I have never seen liere. The canoe of
this |>art 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
<lifi'er but slightly in form among the various tribes,
some few of them are cut to a point. Friendly
tribes will sometimes challenge each other to trials
of speed in their canoes. It is a common practice
of tlie Indians to bury tlieir dead in a canoe, wliich

1]
• 1

I I

TIIR KLLTiUOLLA.

I'lilly
le, till'
self t.)
Defbi'c
; p;ul-
iUlil

tribes,

ieruUy

trials

act ice

wliicli

<lis dragged on shore for the purpose, the body being
'^enveloped ill a bhiiiket and laid therein, surrounded
l)y the weapons and other articles used by the de-

I ceased in his lifetime, and tlius, that Avhieh was
nlinost his home in life l)ecomes liis sepulchre
ill death. The burial-grounds are generally situ-

lated at some distance from the viUagc, and present

In rude assemblage of the boxes and canoes •which
form the last resting-places of their dead. The
Indians never inter their dead. An ishuid is very
fre([uently selected as a place of burial, and I re-
member landing on one containing an inuneiise
mimher of Indian tombs, in fact quite a cemetery,
if I amy so term it, and which -we named " Dead-

iTiian's Ishuid" in conse(pience. Among some tribes

|the custom is prevalent of placing their dead in
boxes among the brunches of trees. I have been

liiitbnned that incremation is practised by some tribes,
Imt I never met with an instance of it myself.

Among the most singular of Indian customs,
|llnl.^t certainly be enumerated the ceremonies at-
Itciiding the initiation of a candidate into the mys-
teries of the " Kluquolla," as it is termed, which
Sseems to constitute a species of fi'cemasonry, and is
i];ra('tised by all the tribes I ever came into contact
^vitll. The aspirant to this privilege and lionour
has to submit to a very severe preparatory ordeal.

file is removed irom his own dwelling by a party of
itliose who are already Klu([Uollas, and led to a hut

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TUAVKI-S IN mUTISII Cor.UMIUA.

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set npart for liis spcciul use. The first cercinonv
consists in cutting tlie jirterics under the ton<^ue, ami |;
Jlllo^vill;T the l)loo<l to flow over his body, the face
Ix'iuir, nu'iunvhile, covered with a mask. After
tliis an opiate is administered, which induces a state I
of unconsciousness, in wliicli he is allowed to re- v.
main two davs. At the end of tliis time he isrl
plunged, or rather tlirown headlong into the water'
to arouse liim. As soon as he is fully awaked, he
rushes on shore, and, as a rule, seizes the first dog
he pe.'ceives Avith Ids teeth, tears, lacerates, an
even c'evours a })ortion of it, at least so I haves
heen crcdil)ly informed. I can only speak from
personal ol)servation as to some portions of the sin-
gular ceremonies in practice on these occasions, as
tlie Indians are very jealous of any interference on
tlie part of a white man. ITe also bites any of hi>
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<l is su[)|)osr(l dui'ln^ tlic whoh' of this

I jtcriotl to cut nothing- whiitevcr. I shrewdly suspect,

Iiowever, that lie is provided with food hy the wo-

111(11 (luring the night. At the end of the eighth duy,

' ht'ing in a thoroughly weak und exhausted state,

I food and stimulants are administered, and he is gra-

y dually restored to his n(n*inal condition, whi-n he

I afl'ects great contrition for his former excesses, and

I after passing a couple of days in a state of teaiful

1 ix'iientancc, he is from that time forward a free

I lUiJ accepted Klu«|Uolla.

Anionc" the vices of the Indians I must not foro-ct
to enumerate, in addition to drunkenness, a passion
for gambling. An Indian, when excited hy i)lay,
will stake everything he possesses, to the blanket on
his shoulders. A game is played among them-
selves, with a number of small pieces of jiolished
stick, about five inches in length, and having much
the appearance of short pencils. These are enve-
loped from time to time, by the players on either
side, in a mass of bark fibre or tow, and then dealt
out like a pack of cards with great rapidity. I do
not profess to offer any explanation of the nature of
the game in qnestion, as I never could arrive at any-
thing like a satisfactory comprehension of it. That
it possesses great attractions for the Indians them-
selves, however, is evidenced by the fact that they
will sit for hours together engaged in it.

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TUAVKI,S IN lUIITISII COLUMIilA.

Of the religious belief of tlic Indians, it is verv
tliflieiilt to speak witli anytlun<T like eoiifideiiee. I
have often taken considerable pains to <|uestioii
them on tl»is subject, but could never elicit aiiv
satisfactory exposition of their particular creed;
whatever this may be, it is of course mixed up witli
fables and su[)crstitions of the grossest kind. For
the subjoined list of Indian traditions, I am in-
debted to a number of the Victoria DniJu lh'ifish(\ih>-
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<!sess
a never-dving sohI. The l)rave, wlio fall in battle,
and those wlio are murdered, enjoy everlastiiiii |
happiness in heaven ; while those that die a natural
death arc condemned to dwell for ages among the
branches of tall trees. The world was originally
dark, shapeless, chaotic, the only living thing benig^i
Yale. For a long time he flew round and round '
the watery w^aste, until at Icnigth, growing weary
of the intolerable solitude, he determined topeoidrp
the universe. lie bade the waters recede, and the
sun shine forth and dry the earth. The effect of
this was to cause a dense mist to arise ; out of this

:=^i

INDIAN TIlADirioNS.

mist lie c'lv.itcd s:ili)ion, {indputthciii into the Inkos
and rivers. llirds and beasts were afterwards
created on land. After Yale had tinislic.d his woi'k
of creation he made a survey of it, and fcjvmd that
Jill creatures Averc satisfied "with the universe in
which they had been ])laced, with the exception of
the li/ard, -who, havinij; a stock of provisions laid
up for winter use, and beinu" moreover a great
sleeper, j)referrcd a request to be allowed live
months' winter, " Xot so," replied Yale, *' for the
sake of the otlicr animals there shall be but four
snowy months." The lizard insisted on five, stretch-
in^ forth at the same time bis five digits, for in
those days he had a hand like a man. Tlie crow
seized his hand, and cuttinf]i; ofl'ont; fin^rer cave him
to understand that tlie remaining number should
indicate the months of the seasons, four rainy, four
snowy, and four summer. Tiu' crow finding, as
winter came on, that he had no house to shelter
him, or to store the salmon he had prepared for
winter use, made 'wo men to buihl houses. IJe
then taugbt Jiem how to make ropes out of the
bark of trees, and to dry salmon. After a time,
feeling the want of a helpmate, the crow began to
look out for a wife. His first choice fell upon u
salmon, but, having treated his first spouse so
badly tliat she left him, he began to look out for a
second, and this time married a young lady l)e-
longing to the sun, who bore him a son, which

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TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

youth, evidently the Phu^ton of the Indian mytlio-
logy, attempting to guide the course of the sun, the
latter grew unmanageabk', and came so near the
earth as to parch and burn up everything. The
old crow, however, came to his assistance, and re-
stored the luminary of day to its proper orbit. One
da}^ Yale went to Nass River and asked the people for
something to eat. They replied they were too
poor to offer him anything ; he therefore created
salmon for them and put it into their river.
Another time the all-important crow miide a morn-
ing call on an old acquaintance named Cannook.
Being tired and thirsty towards nightfall, he asked
for a bed and something to drink. Cannook told
him he niinjlit lodue under his roof, but water, he
for some incomprehensible reasons of his own,
positively refused to supply him with. When all
had retired to rest, the crow seized the opportunity
of assuaging his thirst, but Cannook's wife per-
ceiving liim, called out to her husband, who jumped
up and threw some wood on the fire. '^Flie crow
tried to escai)e by the hole in the rtiof for letting
out the smoke, but Cannook kept [)iling on fresh
wood, and the result was that, before the crow
could extricate himself, he was as thoroughly black
and smoke-dried as a London s[)arrow. From the
period of this notable adventure tlie great crow and
all his descendants, from having been white before,
became perfectly black . A long time after the crea-

■S

':'i

i the use
have he:
expouiu

MISSIONARIES IN VANCOLVKU.

liV

tion of all things by Yale, a serious misunderstand-
inn- arose between the crow and the inhabitants of
the worhl he had made. To punisli tlieni he there-
fore sent a deluge. The clouds grew dark and
lowering, rain fell in torrents, the rocks opened an<l
poured forth streauis of water. At length the waters
rose until the face of tlie earth was hidden, and all
people took refuge in their cjuioes. Higher still rose
the flood, until all but the suinniits of three very
lofty mountains were covered. To tliese numbers,
who had no canoes, fled ; many of the latter were
upset, and their occupants drowned. Finally, the
waters began to subside, and the earth was once
more dry and habitable.

The missionaries of the Romish Church have lou";
laboured assiduously among these different Indian
tril)es, and with considerable apparent success in
some instances, especially amimg the Cowichins, a
good many of whom attend mass in the little chapel
of the mission. There is now a very effective staff
of Protestant missionaries in Vancouver, equnlly
zealous in the task of conversion. A seliool, exclu-
sively for Indians, has been established at Victoria
on the Indian reserve, which is attended bv both
children and adults, wlio receive secular and reli-
gious instruction. They were beginning to learn
the use of written characters when I left, and I
have heard a chapter in tlie Bible translated and
expounded to them in Chinnook, as well as the

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TRAVE1.S IN I5UITISII COLUMHIA.

Deciilo^iic witli the vc'ry appropriate introdiu'tion
of an eleventh eorniiiandment — ' AV^ike kh^sh muck-
a-muck whisky : " " Thou shalt not drink whisky ;''
or as it stands in Chinnook, " It is not f^ood to
drink whisky." ^luch of the success of this insti-
tution is due to the tact and energy of the master.
a clergyman of the Church of England, who, to liis
other undoubted quidifications for tlie post lu
fdls, is addinfj a knowled";e of several Indian
dialects.

! . ; I :

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.«'

/■ y

CHAPTER V.

-liil

liidiaii Servants — Motlo of l)oalin<j: with Indians — Misconduct of the
llydalis — They Firoon the "lloli Hoy" — I'lunipt Measures taken
by the Authorities to lie(h'ess the Outrajro — Tlie Ilydahs are
lprou;;lit to rciuson — Captain Jolin — His Cajpture and Death —
Adventure of the Cowieliin Indian — ^Jortherii JNTarauilei-s —
liieutenant llobson sets out in Pursuit — Insolent Defiance of the
Indians — Etfert of the (ireat (!uns — The Ucultas — Fort Rupert —
Excellent Garden — Kindness of tho Chief Factor — ^^'e leave
Fort llupert — Round the North-west I'oint of the Island —
Carried by tho Ti<le past our Destination — (iuat.siuough Harbour
— Koshkeonio Village — Our Iiulian Host — The Interior of a Hut
— Doniostie Life — Indian Apathy.

^Ly long sojourn amonj!: the Indians of different
trii)cs inhabiting the coasts of Vancouver's Island,
did not tend to impress me with a liigh opinion of
the morality of the untutored savage. I regard
tliem as being, generally speaking, treacherous and
deceitful, and cannot help looking on every Indian
as more or less a thief at heart. In common with

i !

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I' I I

■'i'i

. I

TUAVKLS IN r.HITISII COLUMBIA.

all tlu'ir race, they possess the savage attril)utes of
a wonderfully passive endurance of hai'dship and
sufferin^^, and a stoic indifference to torture and
death when inevitable, which amounts to a kind of
rude heroism. Of their natural courage there can
be no doubt. If they can be preserved from the
curse of drinking, they are frugal and abstemious
in their way of living, and, although not fond of
work, they can be taught to acquit themselves
creditably of any ordinary task that may he
assigned them, and make in many cases very fair
household servants. At the same time, an Indinn
docs not willingly take service among the white
men, or, at least, only does so with a view ^f
amassing sufficient money to buy blankets and
other coveted articles wherewith to astonish his
kinsfolk, and increase his own dignity when he
returns to liis native woods. To this period of
emancipation ho looks constantly forward during
the whole time of his service, and, however settled
and domesticated he may appear, he is sure to
startle his employers some fine morning with the
announcement that he is about to return to savage
life. At the same time, whatever may be my
opinion of the Indian himself, I would strongly
impress on all colonists to observe strict veracity
and perffct good faith in all their dealings with
Indians, who are accustomed to look upon the word
of a white man as a bond. The credit of the

I
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I • •

MISCONDUCT OB' THE IIYDAHS.

entire commnnity would therefore be imperilled
by anything like dishonest practices. As a proof
of the implicit confidence placed by Indians
inliabiting the moi'c remote districts, in the white
man, we may mention that they are always willing
to accept his promise in writing to pay for any
connnodities they may have furnished him with.

By way of giving my readers a few practical
illustrations of the different traits and characteristics
of Indian life and manners, I subjoin the following
anecdotes, for the veracity of which I can vouch.
The Hydah Indians, whose camp was in the
neighbourhood of Victoria, liad for some time been
very troublesome to the authorities. Becoming
gradually bolder and more insolent, they at length
brought matters to a climax by firing on tlie " Rob
Roy," a small trading schooner, as slie was leaving
the Hjirbour of Victoria. A boat was forthwith
sent back, and Mr. Pemberton, Chief of Police,
was informed of the outrage committed. A body
of policemen were soon in readiness, and were at
once despatched to the Hydah camp, to demand of
tlie chiefs that the ofi^enders should be given up to
justice, and that the entire tribe should surrender
their arms. This wjis peremptorily and even
insolently refused ; the Hydahs seeming to be
possessed witli tlie idea that they were sufiiciently
numerous and powerful to measure strength with
the white men. After a second incft'ectual applica-

'i
!

J ■

(

i' ■

!''^i

':K:i

•■: I

i: Ml

! !i i

i'.,

TRAVPILS IN mUTISII C'OLr.MHIA.

tion, the CJovcrnoi', actiii;^ in concert with the
Admiral of the Meet, took such measures as lie
thought wouhl be efleetuiil in rc^'icing the Il3'djihs
to reason, without unnecessary bloodshed. A
couple of launches, with their crews, were
despiitched fi'om Ks(|uimalt to make a demonstra-
tion in front, whih' a body of marines was sent
overhmd to take up a })osition in the rear of tlie
Indian encampment. On the a])pearance of the
launches a final application Avas made, giving the
Ilydahs ten uiinutes to consider their answer.
They held out doggedly until a bugle call
summoned forth che uiarines from their ambush in
the rear of the cauip. At the sight of the red-
jackets they at once changed their tone, and tlic
delinrpients "were given up barely a moment before
the time s[)ecified ; all arms in the camp were at
the same time secured, with the understanding,
however, that they were to be given u[) again to
the Indians on their (juitting the colony. The
offenders were taken to Victoria, tried, and then
publicly flogged in the midst of the Ilydah camp,
a great disgrace in the eyes of an Indian. A few
days afterwards another misunderstanding arose
between this tribe and the police, the exact origin
of which we forget; it ended, however, in the arrest
of two of the Ilydah chiefs, the so-called Captain
John, whom we had known well in A'ictoria, ard
his brother. As soon as they reached their destina-

tion — tl
attempt
and Ca]
hoth pn
onslaug
Ilvdah.^
equally
second (
wounde
I among 1
; the nort
■ the whit
I ill whic
: island v

I Indians

I posts for

I iaet of 1

I the coas'
I they me
I on the o
;f received

I that it M

: of the ni

I that sta

i the deat

Ueiieralh

As a

Indian i

iniswerv

; {I

DKATII OF CAPTAIN JOHN.

tioii — the police station in Victoria — and it was
attempted to incarcerate them, they showed fight,
aii<l Cnptuin John giving a signal to l»is brotlier,
l)Oth [H'oduced their knives, and made a desperate
onslaught on tlie police. (^uick as were the
Ilyduhs in producing their knives, the police were
equally ready with their revolvers, and, at the
second or third shot. Captain John fell mortally
wounded. The report of this event spread rapidly
among the Ilydahs, and it was soon known far to
the northward that an Indian had been killed by
the white men at Victoria. The very rapid manner
in which news of any kind travels through the
island would almost lead to the belief that the
Indians had established something like a chain of
posts for the conveyance of intelligence. The real
fact of the matter is that news is conveyed along
the coast from the crew of one canoe to another, as
they meet on their diiferent fishing grouiids; and
on the occasion of our first visit to Nanaimo we
received a strong hint from some friendly Indians,
that it would be prudent for us to leave on account
of the number of Hydahs in the neighbourhood of
tliat station, who might be disposed to avenge
the death of their kinsman on the white population
•,aMierally.

As a proof of the coolness and courage an
Indian is capable of disphiying, as well as of the
unswerving constancy with which he adhei'es to the

Ji[

TRAVKLS IN HRITISII COLUMHIA.

»■'■

!.; i:

I'll

'!l !

1 n

i !"
■ t

, 1; i

realization of a desi;:!! once conceived, I may relate
the followin<i: trait as I I'eceived it from the mastir
of the principal actor in the adventure I record,
A boy of the Cowichui tribe, inhabiting the vicinity
of Victoria, was cai)tured by a pai-ty of ITydalis
going north. They took liini with them to thoir
home, distant some seven or eight hundred mil(>
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<ul
on his long and perilous journey. Thus, unltf.
friended and alone, without chart or compass, did
this poor savage paddle forth in his fi'ail bark on a
voyage of many hundred miles, over the rolling
waves of the mighty Pacific. After encountering
innumerable dangers and hardships, and after
many hairbreadth escapes from death or captivity

among
tion, an
Duri
a couji
Viftorii
ji party-
had l:ii
jdnnder
tliL'ir joi
some fif
was at
rc'ad\' IV
Indians-
late Lie
into exe
intcrprei
at Ciipe
torthwit
deliver
rctVised,
nothing
tluy CO
clarini; t
and evei
the nies
had no (
affected
thinkinn
them by

}

•i 1

• ■ ■■>

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

!! 'lit

1 : ^^ ..

TUAVKLH IN HKITISir COMIMIWA.

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;oin<r on, the ueiy;hboin'i!ii; tribe of the Ucultiis
gathered in their canoes like a swarm of bees
rouiul the gunboat, perfectly delighted at the
turn umtters had taken, and oll'ering their services
to the white men, in die event of an assault being
made on shore, eager to seize the opportunity of
avenging themselves, with the aid of such powerful
allies, on their hereditary enemies, the Xortherii
Indians, an offer which I need not say was refused
The latter being now convinced that they liml
to deal witli a much more formidable foe than tlicv
had anticipated, a party of them made their np-
])earance on the beach, displaying a white flair
of truce. A i)arley ensued, which ended in the
surrender of the chiefs, who were taken to
Victoria for trial and punishment. Lieutenant
llobson insisting that all armsshould bedelivered up,
the order was com[)lied with ; but on representa-

FORT Rrri:iiT.

i •

i ^" , .

tioii having been made to Iiim that by so doing those
unhfippy Indians would hr placed entir -ly at the
incny of the Ucudtas, of whose deadly hatrrd
towards theni the; white nn'ii had iveeivcd a proof
diirinn' the fight, he eonscntcd to restore them.
From that day t'oi'th the highest possible respect
was felt for the " iireat «;uns" hv all the Indian
tribes iidiabiting the siirroun<ling districts.

I'ort Rupert, called after the i)rincely founder of
the Hudson's ]>ay 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 tradin<i: with the

F 2

' 1
\- ■ 1 j

i :

• ,1

f i

1 I

i ■ \ '\

TRAVELS IN lUtlTISIT COLUMIUA,

Indians, for stores, for worl^sliops, labourers' cot-
ta<^c's, and other purposes, topfether witli the
residence of the cliief olHcrr in coniinand.

Fort Rupert is situated on a natural harbour of
a v'cry iin))erfeet kind. Such insecure anchoriiLTo
does it afford that, in consequence of the hif,^h
wind, whicli continued during the whole night
after our arrival, no one on board the cutter got a
wink of sleep, but she fortunately held to her ancliors
gallantly. The fort itself is situated in the centre
of tiie village of the Cogwell Indians, having, of
course, a clear sea froiitaire. The country round it
lias been partially ^(.'arcd of tinil)er, as a considerable
(juantity hns been cut for the \\!ic of the " Beaver,''
the "Otter,"and the "Labouchere "steamers en »ia<2:c(l
in the Hudson's Bay trade. I believe that steam
nnviff.ation was introduced into the North Pacific
by tile Hudson's liay Company, — their steamer,
the "Old Beaver" as she is termed, being the first
ever seen on these cojists. We witc much struck
with the high state of cultivation, as wedl as the
extreme neatness of the garden of the fort. I had
seen nothing to e(jual it since we left JMigliind, and
nijiy even go so far as to siiy that I have seldom
seen a gentleman's garden in the old country
bett(M' kei)t. We were nHiHMVcd on landin<2; hv
" Willie Mitchell," «ms he is famuiiirlv termed
throughout the colony — tlic chief trader in com-
mand of the fort — to whom I w.'is favoured with

i,''i

INSI'KCTION OF TIIK FOI{T.

0!)

a letter of introduction, mikI from whom we re-
ceived every kindness during- our stay. We
tiior<)nn;ldy ins[)eeted the fort, with its rooms for (hy-
ii)«,^ and storing' furs, its different worksliops, foi'^es,
liihourers' eotta_ues, and other huihlin<^s — a Hud-
son's Bay foi't Ix-ing a perfect little community in
itself. The house of tlie chief trader in conunand
was really a comibrta1)le and spacious residence,
contahiing some ten or twelve roonis, with the
a(kliti;,'nal advantage of having no taxes to pay.
After a couple of days' sojourn here, we again set
sail, taking with us a supply of fresh vegetables
and a line buck, for ^\hich we were indel)te(l to
the kindness of the commander of the fort. Many
of tlu' turnips and carrots out of the garden were
among the finest we had ever seen anywhere. It
was a case of at once welcomin;' the comin"j and
speeding the parting guest, as, well knowing, from
long experience, the dangers of the navigation of
the Pacific during the winter months, our friend
Willie Mitchell urged u[)on us to h)se no time in
})rosecuting our cruise, it being now the l(>th 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,

ilH

^*l.(

' I

• ' ' .

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-

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-

a run

™

>ur.

with

here

1- T^

di all

ed to

isk'ts

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

(

) I

I'i

''I' t

I I

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.<es foi* their trouhlc.

At len;^tli, after a loni:', but in no sense of thu
term eitliei" a steady pull or a pull alto;i;elher — a
thin;:-, indeed ne\ er attempted hy the Indians in

addling: — we found our>el\es iiiichorcd off tin

Kosl

iKcemo \ illaiic

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 </f
iMjuivale

INDIAN HUT.

\ I

I.'

wliicli ^iivc first si'Vi'iitceii and a iiioiiiciit ut'tor-
wiu'tKs seven faflioins. IJeijig now afraid of goin;;
iisliore wu dr()|»i>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

: I

•If'

f':

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 <ienerally made in the centre, the
smoke escaping throu;:li tlie chinks in the rodf,
the planking of which is Ldd on lo<jse, with inter-
vening spaces when the weatiier is fine, and ovei-
lapplng eacli other in bad or wet weather. In
spite, however, of a!iy niean^. of egress it may
chance to find, there is geni-rally a vast deal nion
smoke in an Indian hut than is at all agreeable to
tlie eyes and nose of a wliite man, and 1 have fn-
queiitly Iteen obliged to leave after a few minuto
stay, my eyes smarting and blinded with tciU'^.
'i'he fire, which is made of wood, serves the douMi
]»urpose of cooking and wai'ming the apartment
in winter. In a hut of the size 1 am describiiii:
there will generally l)e found several I'amilio
located, each with its own fire or domestic heartli,
On the present occasion, cooking of the most
primitive description, and according to the most
ap[)roved rides of the Indian culsim', was goini:
on, everything being cooked in wooden bowls, in
which the Wiiter is made to boil by hot stoni^
being droppi'd into it with a wooden pair of tongs.
Having been received with due honour, ami
motioned to a sear on a platform niised a few
inidies above the soil, and ct)vered with mattiii,i:,
we proceeded to make ourselves at home. And,
truth to say, our entertainer gave us ample

<:rouiids
our visit
(•(iiulbrt,
liaiid to
coiisistec
iiai'incnt
the cleai
a l)(t\, 1
curious
(oiiiinon
received
saliaon,
iiiiprovet
we fouiH
wc felt ii
as tlie I
iiuaginin
s.,iially il
was a j'c
not cxpei
not eat, ;
Iviit aino
f.\plaine(
Kiiglish I
iiiij)lied I
sciited t
occasion,
that port
to rcpres

INDIAN IIOSriT.VLITY.

T.')

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

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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.

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"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

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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, dnrin<jf the day. We were
iiiikIi amused at the way their 0{'cu[)aiits would sit,
tor hours at a stretch, placidly gaziiif^ at us, appa-
rciith- wholly indifferent to the pouriiiL'- I'aiii, winch
iicvci" ceased for one nionieiit. They did not seem
>M 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 su<rar-loaf-.shaped
licad. Two <rirls who had been alon^j^side every
lay since our arrival, had skulls of this shape.
This siiiu'ular deformity is, of course, produced
artificiallv, and is considered a mark of hifjli dis-
tinction.

Finding that we were likely to be detained
some time, we had made uj) our minds to a trip
iij) the river that here flows into the I>ay, 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

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season — but could not purchase any rock-cod, wliich
rather surprised us, as we had found plenty at our
last anchorage. I am sorry we cannot compliment
our Indian friends on their business I'nbits, but
the time they waste in making up their minds to
strike a bargain is amazing. At first we found tliis
rather annoying, but at length we got accustomed
to it, and allowed them to sit in their canoes, or
on our deck, while they turned the weighty matter
over in their minds, now exchanging a few remarks
among themselves, now relapsing into silence, and
thus frequently spending whole hours before they
came to a satisfactory conclusion. They were also
much in the habit of striking up a monotonous
chant as they lay alongside. Tliis chant somewhat
resembles those in use in the Roman Catholic
Church, and is no doubt an imitation of somethini:
they have been taught by the missionaries of that
creed. I do not know if these latter ever pene-
trated thus far, and apprehend that, in most cases,
the Indians learn this chjmt from one another,
being given to understand that it is good for them
to make use of it. It is very monotonous, consist-
ing of little more than the repetition of tlic
syllables " () sa say, ma nay ! " though not
wholly unmusical, especially when heard from a
distance, as they accompany themselves in paddlinn.
On one occasion, after they liad been chanting, 011
and off, all day, till late in the afternoon, they

each.
villao:e t

flowiiiir

QUAINT CARVIN'(jS.

were summoned on shore by an old wliite-liaired
InJiiin, who hailed them from the land. On asking
one of them where they were going, he made the
sifii of the cross, but wc could not understand
what he said.

We observ^ed that the custom of placing the
dead among the branches of the trees, is generally
pnictised aniv^ng these tribes.

The weather cleared up after we had been here
al)oiit a week, the wind also falling, but the sea
still continued too high for us to venture out. We
managed to shoot a few duck, and bought some fine
geese of the Indians, for two match-boxes of powder
each. We thoroughly inspected the Koshkeemo
village the same day, especially noticing the quaint
carvings with which they decorate their liouses,
many of them being fixed on the end of poles.
They are evidently, in many cases, of great anti-
quity, being frequently quite discoloured by long
exposure to the elements. j\Iany of the principal
huts belonging to the chiefs and great men of the
tril)e, are decorated inside as well as out.

During our stay here we ascended a small river
flowing into the south of Koshkeemo inlet, until
al)solutely hindered from proceeding f '.rther by a
cascade, which formed a very i)icturesque object,
(lasliino; over a mass of broken rock. Long before
rcacliing this point, however, we found the course
of the stream much impeded by fallen tind)er. At

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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

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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

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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

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UNSETTLED WEATHER.

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

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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

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IIAZAllDOUS roSlTloN.

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

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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

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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.

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-

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east wind springing up, we feiiould iuive had great
difficulty in standing clear, we did not bargain to
be carried out a; far as eighteen or twenty miles,
reducing the app( arance of land to a mere blue
ridge in the distance. This was no doubt caused
by the freshsf^ts, issuing from the various arms of
the sea in Nootka Sound, and finding an exit in
Esper<:.nza Inlet. As all things must have an end,
on the third day we got a nice breeze from the
westward, and, as the moon changed, we hoped to
have kept it all day. No suc-i luck, however, was
in store for us, and towards evening we found
ourselves close to Mocuina Point, at the entrance
to Nootka Sound. Could I have foreseen tlit
weather tliat was res^-rved for us, I should havj
endeavoured to make the harbour that night. As
it came on very dark, however, and none of ib
being very well acquainted with the navigation of
these waters, I deemed it more prudent to lay to
and await daylight. Scarcely had we turned in,
hoping to n)ake ourselves comfortable for the niglit,
when the gradually increasing motion of the vessel,
and the rati i.e anel clatter of the cordage, told u;*
unmistakably that tlie wind was getting up, and
sure enough from about one t'U four a.m. it blew
haif a gale. The proximity of Escalante lleef to
leeward would alone have been sufficient to keep
us awake and watchful, if the violent pitching to
which we were subjected hael not produced this

MAKE FRIEND! A' COVE.

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effect. As the sun rose the wind went clown, and
\yp found we had drifted considerably out to sea.
This must have been caused in a great measure by
the combined action of the sea and tide, after the
wind failed, which was the case about five in the
morning, though a tremendous sea was still running.
About nine, a sliglit breeze springing u]), we had
some hopes of getting round the Point by midday.
The wind, however, proved light and we drifted to
the northward, the tide setting us up in that direc-
tion, and about one p.m. we "were fast approaching
the Bajo Reef, a very ugly ledge of rock running
out from Nootka Tslaiid, to whicli I shall have
occasion to draw the attention of my readers here-
after. I will not now, therefore, tax their pptience
bv relatin"- the difficulties we had to contend with
on the present occasion. After taking turns at the
sweeps at interval?, we got a breeze from the
southward and westward, and were enabled to
make a fair wind of it about nine at night. As a
very thick fog came up, we kept her close round
the rocks, leading into Friendly Cove, Nootka
Sound. We ran her round the point into Friendly
Cove just as the fog was at its thickest, and got our
anchor down about ten p.m., all on board bein"-
very glad to exchange a sea-watch for an anchor-
watch. As we could see neither fire nor light of
any kind on shore whei> the fog lifted, we felt sure
that the Indians had '^ft their village at ^Focuina.

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TRAVELS IN THiTTISII COLUMBIA.

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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

THE CHIEF OF THE MOWICHATS.

•f:i

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

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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,

AN INDIAN HERALD.

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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

■ \\4 ?

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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-

VISIT TO TE SUA KLni S TENT.

^'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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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-

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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<f,
By showing that we placed implicit confidence in
the Indians themselves, we hoped to inspire them
with a similar feeling, and taking, therefore.
a stock of provisions with us, we started on
our expedition. On our way up the river, we
landed at a stockade of Indian construction,
in a very dilapidated condition however. Our
chief, nevertheless, seemed very proud of it,
and fully confident in its capacity for resisting a
siege, as he informed us that he intended to retire
into it in case of an attack from any of his enemies,
Proceeding on our journey we at length reached
the Indian encampment, situated in a very sliel-

!lil

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-

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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

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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,

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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 ;

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i 1 1

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.

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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

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TUAVELS IN BUITISII CGLUMI5IA.

curiosity was once more thoroughly aroused.
About half-past one we perceived sometliinrr
coming towards us, which we at first supposed to
he a boat, but which turned out to be a canoe.
On coming alongside her Indian crew informed ii>
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. Failin<r,
liowever, to do so, we got under weigli, and after a
troublesome beat, tlie wind coming down in tre-
iiiLiuloiis puffs, Ave at lengtb got so near her that
two of our numl)er put off in tlie small boat to
'^0 on board. She proved to be the " Llorentia,'' of
("allao, l)ound for tliat port from Victoria, with a
cargo of tind)er. The crew turned out to be Ameri-
cans, not Englishmen, it being a ruse on their part
to describe tliemselves as " King George's men " to
the Indians, in order to secure their good services,
as had the latter been aware that they were
"Boston men," — the name by which alLVmericans of
tlie United States are indiscriminately known among
Indians — they would have been more likely to meet
with ill-treatment than assistance, such is the hatred
borne by the Indian races to the " Boston man."

The story of their shipwreck was one of those
toueliing narratives of suffering, toil, and danger
that so often form a terrible yet thrilling episode
ill the lives of those whose destiny is cast upon the
niiiihtv waters.

She had capsized at sea in a gale of wind fifty
miles south of Cape Flattery, just that day fort-
night, it being now the 2(>th 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

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TRAVELS TN RHITrSII COLUMTUA.

a Dr. Bailli(^ of Victoria, a passen<Tor, porishinl bv
drowning. The remainder of the crew rnanageil
to cling to tlie wreck, owing their preservation
from certain destruction solely to tlie fact of her
being timber-laden, and therefore incapable of
sinking. After a time she righted, but was, of
course, completely water-logged, and sunk to tlit
water's edge, every swell sweeping her deck.
The unhappy survivors found themselves, then-
fore, in possession of existence truly, but under
circumstances which, in the eyes of most men.
would seem to render it hardly endurable.
Drenched to the skin, almost without food
entirely without fresh water, without wariutli,
slielter, or comfort of any kind, in a water-log;:e(l
and nigh unmanageable craft, on a part of the
ocean where there was barelv the remotest chanci
of their attracting the attention of any vessel,
their case did indeed seem desperate. At first it
appeared as if death must inevitably, in a few
days, put an end to their sufferings. That tliey
survived to tell the stor}' of V-heir adventures is a
signal proof tliat men sliould never lose heart, even
when things seem at tlieir worst, but trustiiiii' in
Providence, resolutely, and at once, strive to set
them right again. " yil deqierandum " is pre-
eminently the motto of the seaman.

By dint of labour and perseverance, they con-
trived, when the weather moderated, to knock up a

PRESETIVATION OF THE CHEW.

115

riule shed of Ic^ose planks on the most elevated por-
tion of the wreck, whicli afforded them a tolenible
shelter. Without being a smoker myself, the narra-
tive of the crew of the " Florentia " has convinced
me that the use of tobacco, under certain circum-
stances, may be not without its advantages, as they
undoubtedly owed the preservation of their existence
to tlie fui't of one of their number having in his
jiockct a tin, and therefore water-proof, box of
lucil'er matches, which he used for lighting his
pipe. They were thus enabled to kindle a fire ;
;ui(l anotlier of the crew, who deserves infinite
credit tor his ingenuity and mechanical skill,
managed, with the aid of a few feet of lead pi[)e,
to construct an apparatus for distilling fresh water
from the salt sea-water. The quantity thus pro-
vided was but small it is true, yet, by careful
husbanding, it proved sufficient for their wants;
at all events, it enabled them to pi'cserve life.

The " PTorcntia " must originally liave been a very
liandsome craft, a l)rig of about 400 tons. As we
saw her she was of course a complete wreck, sunk
to the water's edge; her deck cabin was gone — every-
thiiin- ill fact had been swept away ; her lower masts
and the mere stump of her bowsprit alone remained
>tanding. 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

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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

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I'ADDLINCi FUR LIFE.

117

next inoriiin^i; we could discover no traces of lieriri
any<lirectioii ; I tlicrcfoi-u set out in our little bojit,
iRTOinpanied by ii friend and one other hand to try
and find her. I always used the paddle in prefer-
ence to the oar in these waters, having by this time
become thoroughly expert in handling it ; 1 could
thus see where we were going, and steer our craft
accordingly. We paddled round the island, be-
tween which and tlie mainland the channel known
as Ziiciarte Arm rims. Here we found it very hard
work against the ♦ule. It rained all day. We
could see nothing of the ship, and only sighted one
canoe. On rounding the island op[)osite Friendly
Cove we met a tremendous sea rolling in from the
Pacific, much more than was agreeable in so small
a boat. She was, happily, very buoyant ; but we
more than once began to think we should never see
our yacht again, and it soon became apparent
that we were in truth paddling for very life.
The entrance to Nootka Sound, as I have before
mentioned, is full of rocky islets, on wliich the sea
was now breaking with terrific violence. We had
hard work to keep her clear of them, every now and
then a gust would come down on us with a fury
that made us bow to the £i:unwale, lest it should
capsize us ; but our little boat rode the waves gal-
lantly, and at length, after working as men w^ork
when their lives are at stake, we succeeded in reach-
ing the "Templar" once more.

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TWAVKLS I\ IlKITISII COI-UMIMA.

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Early thit next dsiy Pe Shu Kliin, and seven other
Mowicliats, came aloniiside to infiiiire after tin
"Florentia,"an(l shortly after a canoe of Clayo(|iiot
Indians arrived on the same errand. This solicitiule
and anxiety respectin^^ the fate of the vessel, dis-
played by the Indians, arose no doubt fn^m the fact
tliat the moment a vessel goes on shore thiy remind
her as their legitimate spoil; as a s[)eeial gift of
Providence, in fact, to the poor Indian. At the
same time we must do them the justice to say that
they are generally willing to lend all the assistaiid
in their j)ower to a vessel in distress, so long as she
holds to her anchors. Some years ago a ship of the
Hudson's Bay Company, in charge of our friend
Willie Mitchell, having been, as he himself in-
formed us, driven ashore in Neah Bay, she was, in
spite of his most strenuous eflbrts to [)revent it,
stripped of her copper and other valuables, and
then burnt.

The next morning a canoe brou";ht us a letter
from on^board the "Florentia," informing us that slie
was safely at anchor, and telling us where to iiiid
her. We at once set sail, malring the Indians come
on board, and taking their canoe in tow. Soon after
we cleared the point round which Resolution Cove
is situated, we sighted the masts of the ship. A\ e
made for her, but the wind failing and the tide
running down, we put into a small cove in which
the Indians reported there was good anchorage. Wc

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IJOCCA DKI- INl'EKNU.

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uert' iil)()iit t(3 let go our Miichor, when, seeing tliu
imks vei'v distiiictlv under the water, we hesitated.

ft- ft ' '

and ultimately dropped it in another s[)ot; it was
lucky we did so, as these roeks were left (|uite diy
lit low water, the tide having fallen two and a (quar-
ter fiithonis since we entered the cove.

On going on board the "Fh)rentia" we found her
crew very much more comfortable ; they had roofed
in the house on deck, and were endeavouring to pimip
her dry with the assistance of the Indians. They
iiit'orined us that she had drifted during the night,
but that her anchors had at length brought her up
in that spot.

The next day we ])aid a visit to the " Bocca del
Inferno," thus named l)y the Sj)aniards in conse-
<|Uence of the violence with which the tide ebbs and
flows through its narrow rocky entrance. When
once inside, we found ourselves in a land-locked
basin of considerable extent.

One morning, while still at anchor, being detained
by the wind, which continued obstinately in the
south-east, Pe Sha Klim came alongside, and we
were not long in remarking from his manner that
there was somethinfi: amiss. On comin"; on deck
lie gave us a flurried and excited account of the bad
treatment his people were subjected to by the
white men on board the shi}) — how they had been
struck and even kicked by them, while working at
the pumps, and saying that there would be a dis-

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TWAVKLS IN MKITISII COLI.MIUA.

tui'bance it' tins wjis not put a stop to. llu if-
quested me to accoinpaiiy liiiii back to the sliij,
and expostulate "svith the white men, saying, that if
I would ex[)lain to them the proper line of eondiict
to pursue towards the Indians, he would ex[)ljiiii ti
Ids own people the steps that had been taken on
their behalf. This I willingl}^ consented to do, fed-
ino- somewliit indiojnjuit that the uood name ol
Eno'lislimen siiould be brouuht into disreinite Ia
these Yankees, who luid borrowed it tor their ouii
convenience and security.

On going on board I represented to them t\w
im[)ropriety and, indeed, tlie impolicy of their con-
duct, as by thus recklessly causing ill-blood between
themselves and tlie Indians, they ran the I'isk of
drawing down upon themselves the vengeance of the
whole tribe. PeSliaKlim also used his best endea-
vours to soothe the irritated feeHnii's of his own
people, and we left, after having received tlie assur-
ance of the crew of tlie "Florentia" that the IiHlian-
should be better treated in future. Having thus
restored mutual ""ood understandinii' between tlie
Avliite men and the red skins, J made arranuemcnts
for the Indians to su})[)ly the former with potatoes.
dried salmon, and rock-cod, fv)r which they we.v to
receive payment in tobacco, which, although niueli
damaged by sea-water, was still acce[)table.

Having had so much to say about Pe Sha Kliiii
himself, I feel it would be ungallant to take leave

xMllS. I'E SUA KLIM.

121

of him without some notice of liis spouse, who us
I wife of the spouter, wtis u [)ersou of some import-
aiice hi the tribe, ^frs. Pe Sha Klim was, uudoubt-
ctlly, iifter her peculiar style, a showy dresser, and
1 -should imagine led tlie fashion among the Mowi-
iliat belles. Her wardrobe was extensive and
I varied, and the rjally tasteful manner in which the
•railv-coloured blankets she wore were ornamented
and embroidered, testitied tu her skill with the
iK'L'dle. Strips of crimson cloth, not iiiartistically
di.s[)osed on a ground of blue, and ornamented with
an iniiuite nund)er of small pearl buttons, formed,
as I'lay be supposed, a very gorgeous article of a{)-
jiarel. The manner in which she made use of the
I viTiiiilion paint, so extensively [)atronized by all
hiditms, formed a striking contrast to that of other
women. She applied it sparingly, and really made
it produce the effect of rouge : wdiereas, all the
other women we sa\v laid it on in a thick briuht

(lal), and the wife of ^Moeoola himself had not suffi-
cient taste to lead her to ap[)ly it in any other
fashion.

Before leaving Nootka we notified to l*e Slia Klim
that we wished to leave a letter for any man-of-war
or otlier vessel that might put into Friendly Cov«'.
^ ith a view of attracting the attention of any such
visitor, we painted the word " Notice " in large
litters on the tran verse beam of an Indian hut, sus-
pending the letter itself underneath in a waterproof

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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

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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,

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TKAVELS IN liUITI.Sil COLUMHIA.

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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

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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 i<o
long!

On first feeling the breeze, we had intended to
make Esquihat Harbour and pay a visit to our old
acquaintances the Indians of that name there lo-
cated, but by the time we were off the entrance
to the bight, up which their village lies, we found
the niixht had "rown much too dark for us to nt-
tempt it, and therefore resolved to run on so as to
make Clayoquot Harbour with morning. To
effect this, finding the wind stand to us, we deemed
it expedient to heave our vessel to about midnight,
letting her have just enough canvas to hold her own.
Although the wind had someAvhat increased, and It

BEATING UP AGAINST WIND AND TIDE. 127

was now blowing all wc could desire, our little
craft l)cliaved like a duck. I kept the first watch
from ei^i'ht to twelve myself, and wlieu slie was
hove to, retired to my bunk, bent on a good niglit's
rest, and feeling more contented with myself and
with the world in general than I had done for the
Inst four or five weeks, leaving the vessel in charge
ofa friend, who had been my cornpanio:i through-
out the cruise, and who had cheerfully sliared with
me the duties and fatigues incident to a life at sea.
lie was possessed of that happy temperament that
accommodates itself readily to circumstances, and
wrapped in a pilot jacket, pipe in mouth, could make
liiinself as happy on deck in a stormy November
niu'lit, in the Pacific, as in the comfortable smoking-
room of his London Club.

On going on deck next morning, T found that we
had drifted some seven or eight miles out to sea,
nearly abreast of the Point we had to make for.
We })ut her round, and did our best to reach it ;
the wind and tide, however, proved too much for
us. By 10 a.m. we were close in shore, some few
miles to the southward, and by 12, after beat-
iuir during the interval, found ourselves still further
to the south. In justice to the sniling qualities of
our craft, we must state that she could easily have
beat up against wind alone ; it was the tremendously
powerful tide that proved too much for us.

AVe spoke a couple of canoes off Cla^orpiot, and

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128

THAVELS IN IJIMTISH ("OLUMMIA.

their crews informed us thiit there were still some
of the white men of the "Florentia" at Ks(juilijit,aii(l
that two of them had ^oiie on to All)erni, jjarelav
Sound, where there is a white settlement.

Finding it impossible to reach our harl)oiii'
against wind and tide, w^e at lengtli resolved to
make a fair wind of it, and run straight for Vic-
toria. We did not therefore visit (Jlayo(|uot on
this occasion, but, having been there before, T will
for a short time detain my readers, while I, in ima-
gination, take them on shore.

Clayoquot is a very extensive Sound, haviiiL'
several arms or inlets communicatinii' with the in-
terior. The anchorage is generally good, but the
water is much shallower, and the shores lower thnii
at Nootka. The growth of timber is less dense, and
there is some good open land in its vicinity. Tlie
summer village of the Clayo(juots is situated near
the sea, the entrance to the cove on which it stands
being surrounded with rocks and exposed to the
most dangerous winds from the sea; in fact, offering
no shelter to any vessel seeking refuge there. On
proceeding farther up the Sound, however, plenty
of places may be found in which a vessel can lit'
safely at anchor. We were much struck witli the
immense size of some of the beams of timber used
in the construction of several of the huts in tliis
village, those of the chiefs being here, as elsewhere,
the largest.

THE CLAYOQUOT INDIANS.

129

It is indeed astonishing and unaccountable how
those siiva;;es ever Tnana;ied to raise a l)eani near, or
([iiitc a hundred feet in len;2;th, and from three to
tour feet in diameter at the hiruer end, to a height
of ten or twelve feet from the ground. The sight
of these l)uildings produced much tlie same eifect of
wonder on my mind as did the iirst visit to Stone-
[xngt\ I may mention that many of these erec-
tions are evidently of great antiquity.

The Clayoquots are among some of the most
warlike tribes on the Island, and their Li(>vernment
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

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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

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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

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TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

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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

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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

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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<x sulli-
cieiitly cold to bear out the illusion.

Clu'lstmas in Australia bears no resemblance to an
English Christmas, but Christmas in this colony is
really wonderfully like its original in the old
country, and we can bear ready testimony to
the generally hospitable character of the colonists.

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We found that the Indians, who, at the time of
our arrival in the colony, enjoyed the privilege of
encamping where they pleased, had been banished
to the other side of the harbour, and on the space
formerly occupied by their hovels along the eastern
shore, Ave saAv warehouses and other tenements in
the course of erection ; everything, in fact, gave signs
of increasing prosperity. The Indians in the neigh-
bourhood of this town, seem to have learned to respect
the authority of the white man, and conform in
their intercourse with him to many of the customs
of civilization ; we have occasionally seen them
dressed like Englishmen. Those, however, who
have only recently arrived, but who have made ;i
little money by the sale of skins, &c., are very fond
of displaying themselves in public in all the gor-
geous array of savage finery. 1 have often been
much amused nt seeing young Indians of the IIv-
dahs, Bella-Bellas, and other northern tribes — swells
of the first water in their own estimation — who will
parade the streets of Victoria, two or three abreast.
arraved in embroidered blankets of various colours.
a featlier fastened by a bright silk handkerchief to
their heads, and their faces painted all the colours
of the rainbow. The strangest of all sights, how-
ever, is perhaps that of an Indian woman in crino-
line, which may also not unfrequently be witnessed
here.

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I ^ . r

139

CHAPTER X.

We revisit British Columbia — The Fraser lliver and Gold-Fields —
New Westminster — The Harrison Lilooett Route described —
Skaliolet Indians — Harrison River and Lake — Port Douglas —
Encampment of Royal Engineers — Strong Current — Cliinese
Gold-Seekers — Fort Hope— Romantic Scenery — Turn Sioux
Indians — Religious Ceremony — " Tumanas," or " Medicine
Man " — Route from Fort Hope to Lilooett, on the way to
Cariboo.

I WILL now once more ask tlie reader to accom-
pauy us to the mainland, while I describe the diffe-
rent routes leading to the world-famous gold regions
of liritish Columbia. Tlie Fraser Uiver — wliich
drains the waters of the auriferous districts — has its
source iu the llocky Mountains, and is composed
of two main streams, both of which are gold pro-
ducin<>-. 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,

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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.

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

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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<rli
Port Douglas, and by a chain of lakes and road to
Cayoshc.

On leaving Port Douglas, at the head of Harri-
son Lake, the route lies through a wild and moun-
tainous district of an eminently picturesque cha-
racter. This portion of the journey we perforiiicd
on mules, but since then stage coaches have been
substituted for these animals. The scenery here is
quite Alpine in its character, the road Ijcinu' fre-
quently at a dizzy height above the Harrison Kiver.
which flows foaming and roaring far beneath. Tlii<
road was in process of formation ]jy the lioyal
Engineers, at the period of our visit to their en-
canqnnent near Port Douglas, to which I shall
hereafter allude.

A distjuice of about twentj'-nine miles now brinps
ns to Lake Ijilooett, from wliich a voatl, about six-
teen miles in length — along wliich it was proposed t'l
lay a tramway — brings us to Lake Anderson, closely
followed by Lake Scaton ; having traversed wliieli.
a stretch of road once more lies before us, at the

SKAIIOLET INDIANS.

143

extremity of which is Cayoshe or I.ilooctt, whence
to Fort Alexander, in the midst of the gold country
and on the confines of the Cariboo district, tlie
route is comparatively easy. This route to the
<ioh\ regions of British (.^olumbia is generally
spoken of now as the Harrison Lilooett route. I
may mention that tlie wliole of these lakes are
traversed by steamers, with the exception of a very
small one which I liave not specified, and wliich is
crossed in an open boat. The scenery througliout
is romantically beautiful, and the trip in fine
weather is a very pleasant one, bari'ing mosquitoes.
At the mouth of the Harrison River a tril)e of
Indians known as the Skaholets are located. The
hilts composing their village are more than usually
distinixuislied for tlie amount of curious and
elaborate carving they display, evidently of great
:inti(iuity. These Indians make a great profession
of their adherence to the Roman Catholic faith.
They have a strong objection to perform any kind
of labour on a Sunday, and many of them exhibited
papers they had received from Roman Catholic
missionaries, stating that they were " temperance
men," and begging that no white man would, by
the otler of any kind of intoxicating drink, tempt
thein to depart from their self-imposed abstinence.
I have occasionally seen these Indians fishing in
the Harrison, suspended in a rude sort of cradle
fittaehed to the projecting bough or stem of a tree,

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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

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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('iniiiiu<j; it proportionately grcit. The steamers
sL'lilotn succeed in achieving a higher speed than
from one to two knots per hour, and T have known
tlicin not to make an inch for hours together. On
the occasion of the trip I am now describing, our
steamer made fast a rope to the trunk of a tree, to
[i:<>ist 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

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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<i- a strikii; >; 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.

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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

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THE TUMANAS, OR MEDICINE MEN.

151

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,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

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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.

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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-

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])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

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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:

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."

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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<l. I have
tVe(piently seen specimens of silver ore Ijrought by
liulians to Victoria, from districts lying adjaci-nt
to the sea coast.

Coal is known to exist in various districts of
British Columbia, but in small (piantities onl\.
Stone, suitable for every purpose of building, only
reijulres to be quarried. Limestone and sandstone

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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 <n',. •
quantities from the salt sprinLi's of Xanaimo, ^'i^l.
couver's Island. I have already alluded to tlic
coal mines at the latter place, the only spot vIkiv
coal is at [)resent worked in these colonies. Those
interested in the matter have now an opportunitv
of forniin;; an opinion of the (juality of tln'
Xanaimo coal, as a specimen may be inspected at
the Great I'xhibition.

In enumerating th(^ otherprincipal natural source
of wealth in British Columbia, I must not for<xet to
mention the different species of furd)earinir aniiiial>
"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

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 eatin<j:. Xotwithstandinii;
the spread of itsbranehinir antlers, the elk will make
its way throuirh the tliiekest woods more swiftly
than a man can follow; in so doin^r, it will i\\\\<^
hack its stately head till its horns lie level with its
liack, and bound through the crashini2; underwood
widi wonderful speed. These animals are fre-
(jucntly tracked on the snow.

There arc two kinds of bear in P>ritish 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

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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-

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

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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-

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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 an<l
(lisitppointments he m:iy possibly meet with, if he
lias had no ])r('vious exjjericnce of this kind of
labour. In the first pliice the gold fields here, as
il^ewhcre, are a lottery, in which, however rich the
atu'it'crous deposits, there must, I i'viw, always be
limn; blanks tbnn ])rizes. In the second place
the lite of a dinjier is one of considerable hard-
Ai\\) and |)rivation, such as could be scarcely en-
iliired by those accustonu'd to a sedentary and
• asv life, and have never known what it is t<i
I'oiiLih it, as it is expressively termed. They must
iH'iir in mind that their oidy shelter will be a hut
iif their own construction, or a tent ; that beans
and hacon, with the addition of plain water as a
iK'verairc are a luxury not alwavs to be com-
inaiuled. I would recommend all diggers in the

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TUAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

enjoyment of good lieultli, reli«i;iou>ly 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

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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'<rrees from the larger sort of gi'it and pebbles,
fall thro.igh, by reason of their weight, and finally
adhere to the woolly surface of a blanket disposed
to receive them, out of whi(di they are afterwards
picked.

!'or the benefit of those who feel specially intcr-
istcd in the subject of gold digging, we append the
following (diaracteristic account of the adventures
nf !i nnner, as related by himself in a letter to a
friend. The party alluded to started from Yale,
altove Kort lToj)e, on the Fraser liiver: —

" My first tri[) up the rapids nearly cost me my
life. Six of us started in comj)any. We had the
usual outfit, a canoe loaded with ]»rovislons, mining
tools, and haversacks. Four men travelled on
fliore, and pulled the boat up the stream by a rope
attached to its bow ; another man and I were in

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TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

the boat. Suddenly we ran into an eddy, th(ji)oat
was at once upset, all our traps tumbled into the
water, and we were nearly drowned Luckily wi
managed to cling to the boat, and were <lninir,.J
ashore. The loss of my haversack, with all mv
papers, I regret very much, as I cann«)t rculiia-
them again. We kindleil a fin; and dri<.'d our-
selves, then returned to Fort Yale, bouglit aiiotliir
outfit, started again, an<l reached the I pper Fi'mmt
without any other mishap. Our life on the
journey was rough cnougli. We alt'yt at niglit
round a fire kindled on the bank, ate a half-cookiil
breakfast before we started in the niori»ing, tind
then trudged along our weary road. The land lui
eitlier side of the river for ahnost the whol^ (lis-
tance, is i"ou,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

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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 an<l shoulder,
wounding him sevei'ely. We doctored him as best
we could, but it was of no avail ; he died in a few
(lays. Wii buried him in ihis wild regicMi, and ])Ut
.1 stone over his gi'ave to mark the spot. We
wrought along here till our stores were done, and
lid well. We came down and got another supply
of j)rovisions, and on ivturjiing w found our dig-
gings covered witii Chijianien, wlio, it >eems, 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,

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TRAVELS IN DRITISII COLUMBIA.

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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

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EFFECT OF THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD.

1G9

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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

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TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

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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

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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-

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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 ru<i<ie(l passes as>istin;;' 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-

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WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580

(716) 872-4503

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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

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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

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TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

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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.

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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."

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180

TPwVVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

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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<j this grand design carried to a successful
issue on liritish territorv. :rA/".>?'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

'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

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TliAVELS IN BIIITISII COLUMIJIA.

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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 <i'o bv wav of

7 7 7 O »/ •-

the Cape of (iood Hope, or by the present so-calkd
overland route, via Marseilles and Suez, woidd in
preference select the inter-oceanic railway of
Canada, as both cheaper and more expeditious.
The saving in the time of transit to China, cs[)e-
cially to the more northern portions of that

ClKCUMSTAN'CES FAVOUHL,U ITS ADOI'TIOX. IS."'

empire, and to Japan, would bu very givat, and tlie
iin'ivuntile coniniunity, l)oth in England and in the
iliist, would be greatly benefited b}' the establish-
luciit of a eonstant, sj)eedy, and safe means of eoni-
uiuiiieation passing through liritish teri'itory. ( )f
till' advantages that nnist aecrue to ou • own
ciilony of Ijritish Cobnnbia from the establishment
lit' liu emporium for the eommeree of the West,
which should not oidy vie with San Francisco,
l»ut eventually develop into the Liverpool of
North America, it is unnecessary to insist on any
further.

Another great advantage to be derived from the
(>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.

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reduce tlie extreme height to l)e crossed to .'),()<i(i
Ceet, \vlii( Ii iniLiht he iippi'oiiched })y grjidieiits 1»\
\U) iiieiiiis uiiiisiiid or excessive. Tills is im in-
(•(jiislderahle height to lie trnveised h\- a hiic ut
rail, it is true, hut one wiiieh ought not, 1
think, to [)resent an iusuperahle harrier to Kngli>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\

(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,

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... ,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

^ <i X "^expected from the latitude, herds of buffalo bL'iii;^;

'^^ >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

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> -,^'''' \-« '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

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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

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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

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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."

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TRAVELS IN milTISII COLUMniA.

A ^Ir. ^I. Lauriii, an old Califoniiiui miner, left
St. Paul, ^linne.sotii, forFrasLT liivcr, in Jnly, !Mo<^^
and, after many adventures, reiiclied his destination.
Starting again thence from the Forks of Qnesiiellc,
in the Canl)oo country, on the lotli of Auiinst.
1800, he proposed to ascend the Fraser Kiver
to its source, and rhence recross the moinitawis
to the head M'aters of the Athal)as('a and Sas-
katchewan. His i)arty consisted of four per-
sons besides himself, their conveyance heini!' a
canoe. Reaching Fort (leorge they aseeiided tlie
semi-circidar sweep of the Fraser Ifiver, wliicli 1
have already describe 1, when its course is deflcctcil
from the north-west to the soutliward, prospectin;,'
as they advanced. They were thus the pioneer
the discovery of the Cariboo country, brinuniiu
1,(!00 dollar-"^ of its ii-old with them.

S HI

Leavmg tiieir canoe, where the river became un-
navi'i^able, thev followed one of its branches, and
passed through the "Leather Pass" in the lu-cky
^[ountains, in hit. 5o° X., reaching Jasper Houst',

Hud'

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Bay fort, on the eastern side of tli

mountains, in a lew days of easy travel on foot.
From Jasper House to Fort I'dmonton on the
Saskatchewan, tlience to Fort Garry, on the IJcd
Iviver of the North, and finally on to St. Piiul on
the ]\Fississippi, was at that thne a journey of 12"
days in the French wooden carts, drawn hx tlic
oxen of the north-western plains.

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OVERLAND JOURNEY TO THE CARIBOO MINES. 193

We would advise no one to uudertidvo the trip by
[his route to the diggings, unless he can reach his
'tai'ting-point — St. Paul, Minnesota — with suitable
(lothing, and at least one hundred dollars in money.
With rigid economy, and in organizations of four
or five, or more, in a party, the overland journey
to the Cariboo mines can be acconii dished for
tlmt sum, according to received accounts.

Mr. M'Laurin — since djccased — was always
accustomed to declare that a person landing at the
mouth of the Fraser River would necessarily s})cnd
more money in reaching the gold mines of Cariboo
iliiui if St. Paul's on the Mississippi were his start-
ing-point, and his route thence over the plains of
die Saskatchewan and through the Leather Pass, in
latitude 5o°. However surj)risiiig this fact may
appear I can credit it, knowing the high price of
provisions and other necessaries of life in the gold
eountries. Assuming, therefore, that tliis is the
ca.^c, we are forced to come to the conclusion that
a great part of the expense of the V03' age out to
\ ietoria can be saved by any one who may possess
jiitHcient energy and resolution to attempt the
overland route to the gold mines of Cariboo,
i^tartin": from St. Paul in the month of Ma^^ and
following the familiar tracks of the Hudson's Bay
traders.

From the foregoing accounts I think it may safely
be concluded that no insuperable difficulties lie in

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194

TRAVKLS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

the way of the accoinplishmciit of the ovcrliind
route as far as the foot of the liocky ]\rountaiiis.
It was at this pouit I always felt the real diiKcul-
ties of the route would present themselves. In
confirmation of the above oi)inion, I would bc^f
to append a fiiud extract from quite a recent
number — April of this }'ear — of the Victoria llrlfish
(ohmist. I hope my readers will not consider I
have detained them too long in the discussion of
the practicability of this route, but it is evidently a
question in which \Qvy Li'reat interest is felt at the
present moment, and the recent discussion in the
77//^6'.v, which arose out of the fact of the advertise-
ment of a company having been formed for the
conveyance of passengers to British Columbia hy
the overland route, shows the importance that is
generally attached to this subject: —

"From Fort Garry tO tlie Kocky Mountains we re-
gard it only as a pleasure excursion for a com})any of
young men with a good 'fit-out.' Where the difficul-
ties will beencountered is in the Rocky Mountains, or
from tlie passes through them till the settlemciits of
British Cobunbia can be reached. If, for instance
a party of immigrants from Bed River strike wc^t-
wardly to Fort Carlton, then u}) to Fort Edmon-
ton, from thence to Jasper House, then up the
Athabasca to ^liett's River, and up that to Teto
Jaune, or Yellow Head Pass,* they could reach

* This is the jjass traversed by M'Laurin, and called by hini tli'
"Leatlior Pas?."

DIFFICULTIES OF THE ROUTE.

195

the latter point, matters might go along first-rato.
Even clown as far as Tete Jaune Cache, at the
heud of canoe navigation on the east branch of the
Fraser, a party could get along very well. But
from the Cache, which is clue east from the Cariboo
mines, how are emigrants to proceed on to the set-
tlements in the mines, or even to reach Fort
George ? We don't profess to be V( y well posted
in the means of getting over that section of the
route ; yet we are persuaded that it is the most
difficult to encounter by land of any part of the
overland journey. We can very well understand
that, if canoes could be had at Tete Jaune Cache,
the journey down the Fraser to Fort George, to the
mouth of Swift, or (^uesnelle Kiver, or Alexandria,
might be made the easiest part of the whole route.
F)Ut there is no guarantee whatever that canoes can
he had there ; if thev can, whether enouj»'h can l)e
hiul to transport any considerable number of im-
migrants down the riv^r. If canoes cannot be
had, as a matter of course a trail through
ii thickly-wooded country, along the banks of
the river, would entail great hardships on the
pioneers. If exhausted by the previous part of
the journey, and withal short of provisions, some
deplorable accident might occur.

" If immigrants, instead of taking the Yellow
Head Pass, were to pass the mouth of Miett's River,
continue up Athabasca River, and through the

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TRAVELS IN BUITISII COLUMBIA.

Rocky Mountains, via the Committee's Puncli-
Bowl, and so on till they reached Canoe Encanni-
ment on Cohimbia River, liow are they to rouch
the mines ? If no canoes can he had, they will be
forced either to follow down the hanks of the Co-
lumbia to Fort Shepherd or Fort Colville — wliicli
will prove a very difficult journey — or cross from
Canoe Encampment to North River or Lake Sliush-
wap. The difficulties in reaching either of the liittei'
places are doubtless very great, whilst that down
the river by land would very probably be superior
for immigrants, owing to the probability that many
miners will find their way high up the Columbia
from Colville this season. Yet the assistance thev
could afford would be very small. And if the im-
migrants did find canoes enough at Canoe Encamp-
ment — which we think improbable — they would
have a long journey befon. them from Colville to
Fort Kamloops on the Thompson, or Hope on tlie
Eraser, both of which are a long way from the
Cariboo mines. Both the entrances to British Co-
lumbia, whether by the Yellow Head Pass or tlie
Committee's Punch Bowl, are beset with very serious
difficulties in the w^ay of the overland immigrant. As
both those passes lead more immediately to the Cari-
boo mines than any of the soutucrn routes, it is
advisable that immediate steps be taken to render
them passable, or at least in the intervening country

MEANS FOR FACILITATING THE JOURNEY. 1D7

l)et\ve('n there and Cariboo a trail should be blazed *
with directions that could not be mistaken. In-
dian guides miglit be had ; yet even they could
not render a land journey from either of those
pusses to Cari])oo an "easy matter, more particularly
if exhausted a!id short of provisions. W? have a
positive interest in promoting overland (ravel ; and
us tlie primary destination of those who may come
that way is in tlie mines, it would be very bad
policy^ not to put ourselves to some troul)le to ren-
der our part of the journey as easy and short as
possible. For if an immigrant can reach Yellow
Head Pass by the first of August, with an easy
trail from there to Cariboo, he might spend six
weeks or two months in the mines before beinsx re-
(piired to push his way south to winter quarters.
Such an advantage would be a very great boon to
the overland pioneer and the country generally.

" Except the Hudson Bay Company's people, no
immigrant has yet entered British Columbia by the
Yellow Head Pass or Committee's Punch Bowl.
What immigrants have arrived, have struck south
from the Saskatchewan to the boundary line, and
have thence entered the colony either via Fort
Colville and Portland, or via Fort Colville and
Siinilkameen.

* This term signifies to open a new trail or p; i throii ifh a country.
In its original acceptation it means indicating a path through a forest
by cutting notches in trees.

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'' This southern route we believe to be tlie oiilv
safe one that can be reconnnended at present to the
overland traveller. Yet it is bad enou<i;h, iind
brin«^s the immigrant into the country so far from
bis destination — the that mines — it never can com-
mend itself to any one, except as a choice between
evils, the southern route being a lesser evil than
the northern. Even Vermillion Pass, which is be-
tween the northern and southern j)asses, to which
we have alluded, is beset, according to Palliscr,
with very great dilKculties — too great, in fact, to he
recommended — except it is improved by a tniil
connecting it with Shush wap Lake and Fort
Kamloops.

" We have expressed some anxiety about the sate
arrival of the overland pioneers this year. We feel
that parties attracted to our mines, overland from
Canada, moving for protection in large companies,
and not inured to the trapper's life, or expert in his
precarious mode of providing food, are very likely
to run short of provisions, and may suffer severely
in consequence. We have no doubt that the
whole-hearted people of Cariboo would push for-
ward supplies and assistance at any cost, should
suffering immigrants require it ; yet we think that
something more is required. A catastrophe should
be avoided, and. consequently, if reliable guides can
be sent out to intercept the immigrants, and coii-

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A MORE NOUTIIERLY KOUTE.

199

duct tlic'ia by the shortest and safest way into the
hi'st ])()rti()ii of tlie country, it ought to he done.
We feel [XTsuaded tliat wliere we have now one
person in the country who lias crv.ssed from Fort
(lurry to Fraser IJiver, there will be tens of thou-
sands within the next five vears ; and, as a matter
of course, we cannot commence too early in open-
ing the route or preventing accidents, and the Fxe-
cutive — who so well understands the merits of the
suhject — ou^ilit to commence forthwith."

1 sincerelv ho])e that the concludin<T[ hint with
ivgard to sending out guides will receive the at-
tention it deserves from the Colonial Goveriuuent.

A correspondent of the Afontrecd Gazette^ writing
on the same subject, says : —

"To the strong and bold, and such as can pad-
dle their own canoe, this route is perfectly practi-
calde. Twice I have crossed the Rocky ^lountains
at the Old Columbia Pass, between ^lounts
Hooker and IJrown Peaks, 16,000 feet in height —
a majestic portal ! "

This writer goes on to advocate a more nor-
therly route to any to which I have yet drawn
the reader's attention ; as he says, the Rock)-
Mountains dip to where the Peace River gently
winds its way across, along a break in the ridge,
where few of the heights exceed 2,000 feet, and the
country is comparatively smooth and only rolling.

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TRAVELS IX BRITISH COLUMBIA.

'• It was by this route that Sir Aloxanck-r
M'KenziL', hi caiioe from Montreal, struck the head
waters of Eraser's River, and thence by water to
the Pacific. Wliat he, seventy years afjjo, did, may
surely be done by others. However, ^reat caution
and thorough preparation would be necessary.
Beyond a certain point, say Red River Settlement,
or the mouth of the Saskatchewan, de})ots of pro-
visions — say peniican and flour, etc. — are out of
the question — impossible. Of all routes, I would
prefer that of Peace River, as overlapping from tlu'
west the broken base of the Rocky ^lountains. It
is, in fact, a canal to the Fraser — to the very head or
heart, it may be, of the gold regions there. The
route next south, crosses the mountains at a much
higher elevation, and involves a heavy expenditure
in horses — an article now of high price even there.
This route is by a northern branch of the Saskat-
chewan, and strikes the celebrated ' Cariboo di<^-
gings.' Thompso 's River — so called from our old
townsman David Thompson — may also be thus
reached. Many years ago I was there, but Avent
by the Columbia — now, alas ! no British stream I
There was an empire thrown away! No party
attempting any overland route should be of less
than twelve nor more than eighteen, or at most
twenty-four — divided into canoe crews of six to
each, with one guide, an experienced voycujew\

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SUGGESTIONS TO OVERLAND TRAVELLEUS. 201

to each canoe, and at least one in the brigades
should have some skill in surgery. No 'passen-
irers' allowable, and every man to be equal to a
three mile ' portage,' with a load of one piece — 90
lbs. — regular voyageitrs carry, yea, run Avith two
such pieces, and in short portages even more. The
route I would suggest is tlie north-west one, viz.,
by Pigeon River, Lake Superior. Say, steam to
Pigeon 1 liver, thence b}'' said route to the moutli
of the Saskatchewan — tliere, and also en passant at
the mouth of the Winnipeg, taking provisions —
say pernican, flour, grease, <fcc. — to the utmost ca-
pacity of canoes — said provisions supplied in ad-
vance from Red River Settlement. From the
mouth of Saskatchewan to Fort M'Leod, west of
the Rocky Mountains, and on waters within '317
yards ' of one of the head sources of the tree-like
Fraser, there is continuous canoe navigation.
Before me is Sir George Simpson's itinerary of
the route in 1828. This part of the route took
him — with his ' brigade ' of two canoes, nine men
to each — from 22nd Jul\^ to 11th September,
working, on an average, eighteen hours in the
twenty-four ; and that with picked men, not one
of whom in the long, arduous, and at that time
most perilous vo}^^ge from Hudson's Bay to the
Pacific, including a blind, headlong dash, in small
canoes and frailest craft, from the head to the

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TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

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mouth of the torrent Fraser — a three months'
hrush — gave up on the route, or, so far as ap-
pears from the very full journal of Chief Factor
Archibald Macdonakl, who accompanied the Go-
vernor, met with a single accident."

It will be seen from this extract that there are
great and manifold advantages* to be secured Ijy
the adoption of this northern route, as the mighty
barrier presented by the Kocky Mountains ceases
then to be formidable. Tlie fact also of there
being a continuous canoe navigation from the lieart
of the American continent to v/ithin 317 y^iu'ds of
one of the sources of , the Fraser, is interesting and
suggestive. Let us hope that fresh explorations
may soon throw additional light on the advan-
tages connected with the adoption of this route.*

The scheme of taking out a party from England
to British Columbia by tlie great overland route is
a bold one. In the present stage of its develop-
ment, however, it must be regarded as beset with
difficulties, but at the same time as deserving our
best wishes for its ultimate success. The route
selected by this company, as set forth in the adver-
tisement, is by steam from England to Quebec,
thence by the Grand Trunk Line of Canada and

• Tliose who may lie interested in the question of the overland
route generally, I would refer them to a small work on the suliject,
published by Professor Henry Youle Hind, of Trinity College, Toronto.

PRACTICABILITY OF THE ROUTE.

203

continuous lines of railway to Chicago and St.
Paul's, and via the Red River Settlements, in covered
waggons, to Briti ,l^ Columbia. According to their
programme one party at least must already have
started, and are now following in the footsteps of
those seventy Canadians to whom I have already
referred, and whose arrival at St. Paul's, ^linne-
sota, is chronicled in one of its p. pers. Any in-
telligence of their movements that may reach this
country cannot fail to be interesting and import-
ant.* No doubt the passage across the Rocky
Mountains will present the most serious difficulties
they will have to contend with. At the same time,
as a proof that I do not consider any obstacles they
may present as insuperable, I can assure my readers
that I had fully made up my mind to return to
England by this route, and should have done so
had not subsequent events compelled me to aban-
don my intention. In the case of my returning to
these colonies, however, I shall hope to carry out

; 1

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* An interesting account of the arrival of this party of innnigrants
ill Canada appears in the Times of July 2S, Tlie Canadian papers
express apprehension that due provision has not been made for so
difficult a journey ; they go on, however, to state tnat about 500 of the
party have started on their distant and adventurous pilgrimage.
Let us hope the Canadians will make it a point of honour, as it cer-
tainly is one of great interest and importance with them, to aftbrd
the travellers every assistance in their power, and do their utmost to
ensure the successful issue of the enterprise.

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TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

my original intention, and I feel perfectly confi-
dent that but a very short time will elapse before
this route is fairly opened for travelling. Whether
our Government carry out the grand idea of an
Uiter-oceanic railway on British soil or not, let us
hope that they will lose no time in establishing a
line of telegraph across tliis continent. As I en-
tertain no doubt that the engineering talent of tho
present age will succeed in triumphing over the
difficulties of the Atlantic Submaririe Telegraph,
this would establisli an unbroken line of connnuni-
cation more than half round the globe, and a very
few years would probably suffice to complete the
circuit.

205

CHAPTER XIII.

, II :

New Routes through the Interior of British Columbia — The Bou-
tinck Arm Route — The Bute Inlet Route — Effect of opening up
New Routes to Cariboo — Gold on the Stickeen River — Gold on
the North and Tranquille Rivers — Gold on the Upper Columbia
River — Importance of opening a Route thr'->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-

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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

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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

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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

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

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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

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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-

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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,

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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

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TRAVELS IN BllITISH COLUMBIA.

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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

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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
re<iarded as gone by — by the Hudson's Bay traders,
or any occasional traveller whom a love of sport
or adventure may have induced to brave the
(lumbers of this then almost unknown and un-
explored route. Having, in the first instance,
procured a letter of recommendation to the diffe-
rent factors commanding the forts, on the line of
country he is to traverse, from Sir George Simpson,
the late respected (lovernor-General of the Com-
pany, wlio was accustomed himself to travel fi-oni
the eastern to the western settlements of tlie
Hudson's Bay traders on his tours of inspection,
we will suppose our party have reached their
starting-point of Fort Garry on the Red Biver.
The first ste[) to be taken would be to procure a
siiificient number of horses to convey themselves
and their baggage across the wide plains of the
west. Their horses are purchased of Indians, in
good condition, and are laden with the necessary
stores, such as food, spirits, and ammunition,
either brought with our voyu(jcars from Halifax,

222

TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMIUA.

or supplied from the forts. Guides, generally
French-Canadians, having been engaged, the party
set out on their three months' trip. At tlie end
of a week or so they would probahly reach one
of the many stations of the Companj^, where tlicy
would remain to refresh themselves and their
cattle before again setting out. At the termina-
tion of another similar period, after having crossed
several streams, been exposed to storm and sun-
shine, and encountered many of the other vicissi-
tudes of travel in these regions, they would once
more come upon one of the isolated Hudson's
Bay Forts, weary and travel-worn, and riglit ulad
to avail themselves of the generous hospitality
always proffered by the hardy tenants of these
"oases" of the wilderness. After another hair,
and after havino- exehancred their now some-
what worn and foot-sore horses for others in
better condition and more fit for service —
an exchange which is however always one
of mutual advantage, as, while it on the one
hand provides the travellers with fresh horses, it
serves on the other to introduce new blood among
the stock of the Hudson's Bay traders, a matter
of absolute necessity in these prturies, — they
would once more pursue their journey. This,
with occasional rencontres with Indians, of whom,
if proper discretion, judgment and forbearance
be displayed in our dealings with them, very little

h.i

PROJECT OF THE AUTHOR.

223

danger is, in most cases, to be apprehended,
would constitute the leading features of such a
journey. When our travellers had reached some
point where they could transfer themselves and
their effects in canoes, or any other conveyance by
water to the coast, they were accustomed to dis-
pose of their horses, and the real diliiculties and
hardships of the journey were virtually over. In
tlie event of my returning to British Columbia,
I shall endeavour to carrv out a lonfr-cherished
project of crossing the American continent in this
fashion. I should probably make for Fort Van-
couver, on the Columbia River, and on reaching
Portland, either take the first steamer to Victoria,
or make my way across to Puget Sound, whence
there is seldom much difficulty in getting con-
veyed by water to Vancouver.

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CITArTEn XIV.

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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.<T since fallen off in rail's — he was, never-
theless, not aware that there was anything at all
unusual in his appearance, so entirely had his pre-
sent mode of life become a second nature. Nor
was he impressed with this fact until the precipitate
retreat of the ladies forced upon him the recollec-

YANKEE HABITS.

229

tion that it is unusual for a gentleman to make his
appearance on the quarter-deck in a condition so
nearly approaching what the Latin poet would have
described as " simplex munditiis." In spite of liis
savage appearance and ways, he nevertheless ulti-
mately succeeded in making good his claim to
brotherhood with the white men, and was taken
with them to his original destination — Australia.

On the occasion of both my visits to San
Francisco, we had a good many Yankee fellow-
passengers on board our steamer. The greater part
of their time was spent in playing tlie games known
as Poker and Euker, accompanied by drinking,
smoking, and chewing. Of all the methods of con-
suming tobacco the latter is surely the most objec-
tionable, on account of the amount of spitting it
necessitates. On more than one occasion they suc-
ceeded in fairly spitting me out of the cabin.

Our second trip, the one I am now describing,
oil board the mail-steamer "• Pacific," was diversi
tied by {i visit to Portland, when we unfortunately
came to grief in the Cclumbia River, in the
manner I shall hereafter relate. There is always
a very heavy, nasty sea on the bar of the river, the
passage over which is, in every case, more or less
difficult and dangerous. Steamers intending to
go up this river always carry a [)ilot for that
especial purpose. There is a light at the entrance
to the Columbia River. Its current, especially

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during the spring and summer months, is very
rapid, as its waters are then swollen by the meltinfr
of the snows in the Alpine regions where it takes
■its rise. After passing Astoria, the })ort of entrv,
about ten miles from the mouth, we at length
readied Portland, 110 miles further, and situated
on a l)end in the river, very nearly at the limit of
steam navigation for sea-going vessels. Portland
is the great emporium of the inland trade of
Oregon, AVashington territory, and to a great
extent British Columbia.

AVe left Portland on a beautiful starlight niglit,
perfectly calm, but the current running strong,
and we steaming at a considerable pace through
the water. Nearly all the passengers had turned
in, myself among the number, when I wa« suddenly
aroused by being precipitated against the lower
bunk board of my bed, everything in the ca])in
being at the same time shaken out of its place by
the concussion.

Hastening on deck, I found we had struck on a
rock well known in the Columbia River, and
called the " Coffin Rock." Fortunately we had a
very small freight on board, not having shipped
more than fifty tons at Portland. Had we been
heavily laden, and consequently deeper in the
water, we must inevitably have sunk at once. As
it was, the water gained on us with sufficiently
alarming rapidity, pouring through the bows of

CRITICAL SITUATION OF THE "PACIFIC." 231

the vessel in a stream as thick ^, a man's arm.
After great difficulty, we got a sail over her bows,
which stopped the leak to some extent, but very
shghtly. The pumps, being in excellent condition,
did their work well, with the assistance of the
donkey engines, and several extempore pumps
rigged for the occasion. In spite of all our efforts,
however, we hud the mortification of findinjr the
water continue to gain upon us, and our position,
in fact, began to assume a most critical aspect,
water-logged as we were on this tremendous cur-
rent, in the middle of the night. The steamer soon
commenced to lurch and roll in a frightful manner,
and as we had a iiumber of Chinamen on board,
I made it my duty to set them to run en masse
across the deck, from side to side, to bring her to
after each roll ; using them, in fact, as so much
shifting ballast.

Soon after came a report that tlie water had
gained the " engine room;" now it reached the men's
ankles, now their knees, now their waists. Cap-
tain Staples, whose idea it had been at first to
make for some spot where she would be pretty
comfortably berthed, felt at this juncture that
matters had become sufficientlv serious for him to
put her head straight for the bank, as we must
inevitably have sunk like a piece of lead as soon
as our fires were extinguished. This actually
occurred just as we touched the bank, by which

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TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

time the men in the engine-room were working up
to their arm-pits in water. Our vessel keeled over
on the bank, until it Avas impossible to keep one's
footing on deck ; iT^ean while, Wells Fargo's agent
lost no time in landing the letter-bags and other
property in his charge. His example Avas soon
followed, the boats were got out, and we sent the
women and children on shore, a step which, in
my humble opinion, ought to have been taken
before.

Early in the morning we sent a boat up to Port-
land, informing them of our position ; meanwhik',
we liad encamped, after a fashion, on shore, and
tried to make ourselves as comfortable as we
could, under the circumstances, until the arrival of
the steamer from Portland. I forgot to mention
that we lost a number of horses, as we had to
throw them all overboard, and those that did not
succeed in swimming on shore were drowned. On
arriving at Portland, we spent our time, notwith-
standing the great heat, chiefly in shooting and
fishing. We contrived to find some very fair
grouse-shooting at some distance from the pUice,
and this, with some nice trout, provided us with u
capital addition to our hotel fare. Portkmd
can boast of possessing a very good race-course.

The scenery on the Columbia River, above Fort
Vancouver, is of the most picturesque character.
The celebrated Dalles is a mountain district through

SAN FRANCISCO.

233

which the river winds its way in many a graceful
bend, while Mount Hood, towering above all, may
be distinguished, from various points of its course,
between Astoria, Portland, and Fort Vancouver.
I have beheld its sno\v-clad summit floating like a
cloud above the distant horizon, while all below
was hidden in a shroud of purple vapour; again
have I seen it stand forth, in all its naked majesty,
a gigantic pyramid of dazzling white, relieved
against the deep blue sky.

The next mail-steamer calling at Portland
proved to be the "Cortes," on which vessel we
took our passage to San Francisco. This place,
the chief city and port of California, we reached,
after three days' passage from Portland.

San Francisco stretches along the shores of a bay
of great size ; so large indeed is it that it scarcely
offers a safe anchorage for vessels in a high gale of
Avind. It always gave me the idea of a place try-
ing to force its way into the sea, elbowing the
waves, in fact, out of their lawful domain, and dis-
puting for his realms with old Neptune. For
years past San Francisco has been steadily encroach-
ingon the water. The sea once came up to what is now
the centre of the town, and ships used to discharge
their cargoes in the midst of what is at present a
closely built, densely populated neighbourhood. A
great portion of w hat formerly constituted the harbour
has been filled up and built upon ; while in other

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TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

places, edifices of every description are pushed out
on piles. In fact, a great part of San Francisco is
built in this manner, many of its principal wharves
and warehouses resting on piles, the thoroughfares
among which are often very dangerous, on account
of the wooden pavement having rotted into holes.
As San Francisco carries on a trade with almost all
parts of the globe, vessels sailing under every flan-
are alwa3's to be seen in numbers on the bay, wliich
presents in fine weather a very cheerful and en-
livening couj) cTwil. The town is of considerable
extent, being by far the most important and popu-
lous American city on the Pacific.

The streets are all built at right angles to each
other, as is generally the case in America. A great
part of the town is built of wood, and we observed
in some of the parts first built, as, for instance, in
Battery-street, several of the old iron houses still
standing, erected by the first settlers, who were at-
tracted hither b}'^ the discovery of gold in 1848-0,
long before the present town had sprung into ex-
istence.

Herds of cattle are frequently driven through
the streets of San Francisco, as, in addition to wliat
is consumed in the city itself, great quantities are
exported. The animals are generally of the some-
what small Spanish breed I have already spoken of,
and are more than half wild. The Mexican drovers
in charge of them are all mounted, as they often

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THE FIREMEN OF SAN FRANCISCO.

235

come from great distances, and the cattle are gene-
rally too tired to be troublesome, by the time they
reach San Francisco. Should anv of them, how-
ever, prove restive, it is very curious to Avitness the
dexterous manner in which these wild-looking,
pictures(|ue drovers, with their large end^ossed
Mexican saddles and heavy stirrup-irons, will throw
the lasso, and sometimes catching them by the
horns, sometimes by the leg, will suddenly bring
them to the ground with the most perfect ease and
izracc, and soon reduce the most wild and obstinate
beast to a state of passive obedience.

Fires are of very frequent occurrence in San Fran-
cisco. During the brief period of our sttiy, at
least two fires of considerable magnitude, and in-
volving great loss of {)roperty, took place. The
organization of the different cor[)s of firemen in
San Francisco is deserving of a few words of special
notice. They constitute a really well-trained, able,
and efficient body of men, and are all volunteers.
There is another class whose office it is to attend
on the fire brifjade, following; them wherever thev
go. These are called Hook and Ladder-men, and
are very useful in protecting life and property.
Tlie city is divided into a number of wards, each of
which contains certainly one if not two engine-
houses ; these are provided with a bell sufficiently
loud-toned to make itself heard over the two or
three surrounding wards ; each one takes up the

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tocsin, and thus the first alarm of fire is conveyed
ahnost instantaneously throughout the entire city.

In the event of a large fire, the great alarm-bell
of San Francisco will strike a certain number of
times, indicative of the number of the district in
■which tlie fire is to be sought. Tiie firemen are,
generally speaking, a fine body of young men, and
their working dress is both appropriate and becom-
ing. It consists of a red shirt and trousers, a belt,
and a helmet — the latter indicating which corps
the men belon<!:to, such as "First or Second Timers,"
and other fanciful names.

The fire-engines are generally perfect models of
their kind, being beautifully light, and in many
cases handsomely fitted in silver, and the firemen
appear to take no small pride in them. The larger
fire-engines, worked by steam, are capable of hull-
ing an immense body of water against a conflagra-
tion, sending forth a stream like a column. A San
Franciscan fireman, however engaged, or in what-
ever place he may be, is bound the moment he
hears the fire-bell to don his red shirt and helmet
and be off to the scene of action, the object of the
organization being the mutual protection of pro-
perty.

During the height of the British Columbia gold
fever in 1858, people rushed in such masses from San
Francisco to the diggings, that the town appeared as
if it must be deserted, and land was sold for nliiio<t

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JAPANESE EMBASSY.

237

anvthinf? it would fetch. After the first excitement
liiid passed away, however, things soon found their
old level, and land that at that time was parted
with for 1,000, is now worth 10,000 dollars.

During the period of my first sojourn at San
Francisco, the different members of the same
Japanese Embassy who have since attracted so
much interest and attention in Europe, were stay-'
at the same hotel with me, the " International."
They had recently arrived from Hakadadi, on tlieir
way to Europe via Panama and New York. I
have frequently dined at the same table with them,
and recently recognized the features of more than
one of their number in the streets of London.

A bazaar containing a variety of curious and
often really tasteful specimens of Japanese art and
manufacture was open during my stay here. Some
of the embroidered work was very elaborate and
beautiful. I purchased several of the productions
of this singular country, the fact of whose quaint
yet genuine civilization was unmistakably impressed
on many of the articles here exposed for sale.

I have already alluded to the wooden pavement
of San Francisco. This applies not only to the foot-
path, or side walk as the Americans term it, but to
the carriage road, which consists of planks, often
rotten and loose, and giving a stranger the impres-
sion of beinor hi":hlv dan"rerous.

In spite, however, of the defective state of the

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roa(ls,thc'Amerk'ansmannge, in tlieironoortwo-liorse
buggies, to get over the ground witli eonsidern])!^
ra|)i(lity ; tlu' pace Leing, indeed, somewluit sttirt-
ling to a novice, who is ahnost shaken to pieces l)y
the continual jerking and l)uni[)ing to Avliich lie is
subjected in driving over the uneven and treach-
erous plank pavement of an American town.

The rules of driving, as regards the side of the
road to be kept, are just the i-evcrse of our own,
being the same as those which hold good in Ger-
many. The system of driving also, one woukl
imagine, is calcuhited to destroy the mouth of anv
horse in the world. An American .lehu, before
the ostler has let go the horse's head, will prepare
for the coming struggle by twisting each rein three
or four times round his wrist. When once off it
seems to be a regular tussle between man and
horse which shall pull hardest, whether the latter
shall be hauled bodily backwards into the buggy,
or whether the driver shall be pulled off his seat
on to the neck of the quadruped.

Before quitting the subject of driving in America,
I will ask my readers to accompany myself anil
some friends while we pay a brief visit to the San
Franciscan race-course, a very respectable specimen
of its kind, being a circular course exactly one
mile round. We went to Gee a trotting match, wliat
we should term a race beinj? known as a runnin<;
match. One of the chief difficulties in a race of

AMEUICAX OPINION OF A FOX-HUNT.

230

this description, is to prevent the horse from break-
ing into a cunter, uiul so making a false start. After
considerable delay, the com[)etiti)r3 known respec-
tively l)y the names of "Pacific" and "Young
America " made a fair start, tlie light buggies boiuid-
iiig after them at railway speed, their bold chariot-
eers holding on by nnght and main. Pacific took
the stakes, winning the first three out of five heats,
and doing the first mile in 2 min. 22.] sees., tlie
second in 2 min. 20 sees., and the third in 2 min.
2D sees.

On our return from the race-course, m company
with an American friend, we got from the subject
of the turf to the s[)orting field. After listening
for some time to his stories of gunning and hunt-
ing, 01 as we should simply term it shooting, he
requested us in turn to give him a sketch of a day
with the fox-hounds in the old country. Advert-
ing to an English coloured print in an hotel at San
Francisco, representing a " meet " with a good
sprinkling of " pinks," he remarked, " I guess you
chaps in the old country must have looked par-
ticular strange in those fixings," evidently believing
that the traditional get-up of an English gentletnan
in the hunting field was quite obsolete. On our
assuring him however this was very far from
being the case, and that the pink, the buckskins,
and the top-boots were still as much in vogue as
ever, he was so nmch overcome with astonishment

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TRAVKLS IN nniTISH COLUMniA.

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as to require to " liquor up " on the spot before
continuing the conversation.

After describing the meet, the find, and tlie pack
in full cry, during a twenty or thirty minutes' run,
we went on to enlighten him as to the incidents
that might possibly occur during a check, when our
fox had run to cover, and how, after some delay,
reynard would perhaps slink out again under the
very noses of our horses.

We now endeavoured to make him understand
the perfect silence that would be kept by the
initiated until "Charley" had got a fair start,
when, with a ringing " gone away ! gone away ! "
we should settle ourselves in the saddle prepara-
tory to another start, as soon as the hounds were
again on the scent.

At this point in my narrative, my companion
could contain himself no longer, but demanded,
with mingled indignation and astonishment, to
know how it was, after all our trial and trou])le,
that we allowed the fox to get off so easily, adding,
*' T would have blown his tarnation head off,"
thereby showing, to my grc at amusement, that up
to that moment he had laboured under the strange
delusion that every fox-hunter was fully armed
with a double-barrelled fowling-piece. On assuring
him that we carried no weapon more formidable
than a hunting-whip, he was again so completely
overcome, that he required to "liquor up" once

^IP

AN AMERICAN GENERAL.

241

more, ero he could sufficiently collect his scattered
senses to appreciate the full extent of our folly.

While the operation of li(pioring was going on
l)ef'ore the bar, at a place l}'ing about half-way
between the race-course and the town, and which
stood in the midst of pleasure-grounds, an ac([uaint-
ance of our American friend happened to drop in,
whom he accosted with "AVell, General, how air
you?" Our subsequent introduction to the
(leneral involved another general li<pioring, as is
universally the case on such occasions ; and on
our friend, in the course of conversation, giving
tlie General a sketch of our account of an English
fox-hunt, the Litter guessed it nnist have been a
" tall horse-back ride," but he evidently looked
upon a fox as a very poor quarry. On his subse-
quently taking his departure, having been struck
with i\io somewhat unsoldierlikc appearance of the
general, I asked our friend where he was quartered.
He did not at first seem to understand the question,
hut eventually replied that he guessed he was
lomted on Montgomery, )neaning thereby that he
lived in ISIontgomery Street. On proceeding to
inquire what troops he M'as in command of, as we
had not remarked any in or about San Francisco
— this being during the period of our first visit,
latterly we saw plenty of drilling and volunteers —
he informed us that the General was no General at
all, in the sense in which we had understood the

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TRAVELS IN BKITISII COLUMRIA.

term, but simply a " notary-general," this title
being Ix'stowed, indifFerenily, on any who lijive
the right to affix the Avord " general " to their
offieial designation, such as "attorney -general,"
" registrar-general," etc.

The habit of indulging in frequent drinking at
public bars, or liquoring, as the Americans term it,
is a national vice, which has already been com-
mented on by other writers, and whose castigation
I will leave to aljler hands than mine, simply
informing my readers that the bars are spacious
and lofty, and often handsomely got up. They
are of two classes, distinguished as " one bit " and
" two bit " houses, a bit being either the eighth
part of a dollar — a little more than sixpence — or a
dime, the tenth part of the same sum, a less coin
than which is never tendered in payment for an\ -
thing ordered at a San Franciscan bar, copper
coinage being ([uite unknown here. Luncli is
always provided gratis to all customers, from about
half-past twelve until half-past two. The bill of
fare is, of course, not very varied, but the dishes
are of good quality, especially in the " two bit "
houses.

There are various places of amusement in San
Francisco — the theatres, of which there are several,
appearing to enjoy a special i)atronage. There is
a good opera-house, at which operas are frequently
very creditably performed.

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243

A small club exists in San Francisco, called the
" Union," au»^ avc mnst do the San l^iVinciscans the
justice to acknowledge that they display great
readiness in electinir stranoers as niembei's, during
the period of their stay in the town, on the propo-
sal of one member being backed by the recom-
mendation of another — an act of conrtesy which
is also generally extended to tlie officers of the
different European men-of-war in the harbour.

Great excitement was created during the period
of our first stay at San Francisco, by the arrival of
the " pony express " from St. Joseph's, or St.
Joey, as it is more generally termed. No incon-
siderable amount of interest had long been felt in
the success of tliis undertaking, which aimed at
establishing a direct communication for the trans-
mission of telegrams* and letters across the
American continent. This important and desir-
able object is sought to be accomjdished by a
chain of posts — at which relays of ponies are kept
— from St. Joey, the last station on the railroad,
communicating with New ^ ork and the Atlantic,
to Sacramento and the Pacific. It will readily be
understood that this service is one of considerable
risk and hardship ; the principal danger to which
the messengers are exposed being the attacks of
hostile Indians. Tlie mail-bags are carried across
the saddle, and the strap fastening them togetlier

* A line of telegraph now exists all the way.

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is SO ari'p.ngcd under the rider, that the moment
the man's weight is removed, in the event of his
death, they mnst fall to the ground, and will tlicn
stand a chance of being found and recovered hy
the next messenacr that follows in his traces.

Additional rejoicings occurred in consetjuence of
the expeditious mode in which the transit had been
effected, the distance from St. Joseph's to within
fiftv miles of Sacramento havinu* been accomplished
by the expres-'. in about eight days. Since then
coaches have been established to run between San
Francisco and S*". Joseph's, which perform the
j(Mirney in three weeks.

AVe cannot take leave of San Francisco without
a passing notice of the Celestials, which singular
people form no unimportant element in the floating
population of tlie })lace. A considerable portion of
the city is devoted wholly and exclusively to their
use. Tlie greater proportion are probably on tlieir
wav to or from the different dii:uinn;s and fjold-
fields, at the SMUie time not ;i fev,' are emjdoyed in
various manual occupations in the docks, ware-
houses, and otiier waterside premises of this great
emporium of the A\'est, Finally, many among
them have attained the ])osition of wealthy
merchan.ts and ti-inli'rs, to which tliev have raised
themselves by their own industry and [jcrseverance.

The celebrated " \'igilance Committee," asitwa>
called, of San Francisco, also deserves a few passing

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THE VIGILANCE COMMITTEE.

245

words of notice ut our hands. Abuses of every
descri[)tion had, some years ago, assumed the most
ahirming proportions, and the rule of the mob liad
acquired an ascendancy such as threatened to be
subversive of all the princi[)les of law, order, and
social life. The ballot boxes were tam[)ered with
to such an extent that men of the most infamous
character were returned as mend)ers of the House
of Iiepres(;ntatives. A'^illains of the bhickest dye sat
on the magisteriid bench, and the functions of
officers of justice were performed by notorious
thieves. Every law of decency and morality was
openly violated, society in California appeared to
be on the eve of dissolution, and the last barriers
to the brutal passions and unbridled licentiousness
of a mob of wretches, whose only law was the rule
of " might is right," appeared about to be broken
down.

Desperate evils require desperate remedies, and,
to the honour of humanity be it said, men were
ibund sufficiently brave and true-hearted to step
forward at this frightful juncture, and organize a
determined resistance to the progress of violence
and licentiousness. Sucli was the origin of the
famous "Mgilance Conniiittee."

Of course I need hardly iiiform my readers that
all their meetings were convened in thepnjfoundest
secrecy, and their whole plan of operation kept
carefully concealed until all was ripe for execution.

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So well were their measures taken, that on a par-
ticular da}', fixed on beforehand, they issued forth
in a body, well aruKid, and by a coiq) de nuit'ii
possessed themselves of the persons of some of tlic
more notorious among the evil-doers — ringleader;?
in acts of inicjuity — wliose hands were freshly
imbrued with the life-blood of their fellow-citizens.
These wretches Avere brouglit to trial before a tri-
bunal established by the committee, and condemned
to punishments more or less severe. I believe
only two of their number were actually hung.
Thus, by the exercise of courage and determinati(ni,
was the torrent of lawless violence arrested in its
lull course of destruction, and thei)rinci[)les of out-
raged justice once more opeidy vindicated. There-
can be no doubt that the })olitical and social
existence of California owes its salvation to the
untiring" etlbrts and exertions of the " \'^i";ilance
Conunittee."

Finding matters were going against them, many
of the proscribed made their escape from California.
I am much mistaken if I do not recognize the name
of one of their nund)er in an otlicer now holding a
good position in the ranks of the Federal army.

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247

CHAPTER XV.

Doparture from San Francisco — Benicia — Sacramento City — Its
Situation — Natural Productions of California — Row in the
House of Assembly — Use of the Kevolvcr and Knife — Opinion
of an American on American Institutions — Probable Effects
of tlio Present War in the United States — Its Causes — Tariff to
protect the Manufacturing Interests — Hatred between the
North and South — Ui'sults to be anticipated at the Close of the
War — Present Evils attending it — Necessity of taking Measures
for the Protection of Canada — Dad Feeling shown by America
towards England — Honourable Conduct of tliis Country —
Defence of American Shores of the Lakes — The Caiiadian
Militia — Speech of the Hon. John A. MacdonaM at (Juebec.

•I

We left San Francisco, or Frisco, as it is familiarly
terincd, for Sticraineiito, on board one of those huge
floatino; hotels, or almost palaces, with which later
descriptions and drawings have familiarized the
English public. Suffice it therefore to say, the
steamer in which we took our passage up the Sa-
cramento River was a type of its class, having a
cabin running its entire length, with a house for

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TUAVKLS IN IJIIITISII COLUMIJIA.

officers, a pilot house on deck fo'rard', and u
drinking Ijiir.

At the mouth of the Sacramento River is situ-
ated the foundry and factory of the Pacific Mail
Steam Ship Company — by name Benicia — the })lace
from which the doughty champion of the ring,
Heeiian, takes his well-known sohrlquet. By wluit
right the Americans lay claim to this powerfully
built young giant, and boast him as a specimen of
what theii country can produce in the shape of
muscular vigour and powers of endurance, we
never could rightly understand. Both the parents
of Heenan were natives of Ireland, and the mere
accident of his having been born on the other side
the Atlantic, cannot possibly be regarded as any
criterion of the physique the American continent
may be capable of producing.

On our way to Sacramento City, about one
hundred miles up the river, we stopped at several
places and took a (piantity of fine fresh salmon on
board. The town itself is situated on the left bank
of the river, on very low ground, which is in parts
exceedingly swampy, and liable to be flooded by an
overflow^ of the waters of the river, a catastrophe
that befell the place as recently as last winter; an
account of which, together with views of the par-
tially submerged town, appeared in the colunnis of
the Illustrated London Xews.

Sacramento is a much smaller place than San

ROW IN THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY.

249

Francisco, but is the seat of rfoverninent and ca-
pital of California State. The House of Assembly
and Senate meet in the princi[)al building in tlie
place called the Cai)itol, in which are also the law-
courts. There are a great number of Chinese in
diis place, as in San Francisco.

The quality of the soil in this part of California
is undoubtedly fine, and well adapted for all the
purposes of agriculture. Great quantities of wheat
are grown in the neighbourhood both of this pilace
and San Francisco. Fruits and vegetaljles attain
maturity much earlier in California than in the
more northern latitude of British Columbia, and
great quantities are exported to our colonies on this
coast, as they can be brought up in a few days by
the steamci's. California may be regarded therefore
as standing pretty much in the same relation to
Vancouver and British Columbia that Portugal
does to England.

During my stay in Sacramento one of those cha-
racteristic rows occurred in the House of Repre-
sentatives for wdiich America generally, and the
Pacific States especially, have obtained such an un-
enviable notoriety. It arose out of some person in
the gallery expressing aloud his approbation of the
opinions to which one of the members was giving
utterance. These on the other hand were as em-
phatically condemned by some one else, also one
of the audience. This at once provoked an angry

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TRAVELS IN nRITlSII C0LUMI5IA.

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(Hscnssion, until, having applied to oach other the
opprohrious epithet of liar, one of the disputants
drew forth his revolver and shot the other, stahbiii'r
him when he was down.

Such acts of lawless violence are unha]»pily onlv
too eonunon in America, and have come to be
looked upon with comparative indifference, or at
least as inevitable — men who have been "-niltv of
what we should call murder in l^ngland lieiiig fre-
quently ac(piitted by a jury of their countrymen, on
the score of the provocation they had receivcil. If
the injury or insult be deemed suihciently urave,
Americans ap])ear to tliiidv that a man is justitied
in wiping it out with blood whenever an opportu-
nity may occur, even by an act of cold-blooded
murder; for stabbing and shooting a man behind
his back is unhap[)ily of too frequent occurrence,
and is by no means regarded with the loathing and
execration such an act of dastardly villainy de-
serves. AVe have been horrified to hear Americans
speak approvingly of deeds of violence ])erpetrated
under circumstances that made an Englishman's
blood boil with indiijmition, nor will thev he
brought to see the matter in its proper light. Thev
will refuse to be convinced of the atrocious cowar-
dice, as well as villain}', of shooting or stabbing a
man behind his back without fiivins: him a chance
for his life, if they consider the original provoca-
tion to have been sufficiently great, and will reply,

USE OF THE UEVOLVKIl AND KNIFE.

2.51

in answer to any remonstrance, "Serve him right,
sir, serve him riglit, shoot him like a dog ! "

The habit of carrying sheatli knives, and even
revolvers in the pockets, so common in America,
and especially in thes>* conntries of the Far West,
cannot be ,t(30 strongly reprol>ated, as the fact of
always having a deadly weapon close at hand often
leads to the fatal termination of what would other-
wise end as an 'ordinary dispute.

Ik'fore T left Calil'ornia last year a meeting was
convened by those fa voural)le to Southern interests
to discuss the rights, the justice of the cause, and
the future prospt'cts of tlie then recently seceded
States. Before opening proceedings it ^vas unani-
mously agreed that the discussion should be car-
ried on in the most perfectly frieiidly and impar-
tial maimer, and that s[)e:ikers who might profess
Union sentiments should be allowed to state them
as freely and as fully as those of Southern pro-
clivities. Alas! for these oood intentions! The
assend)ly soon waxed noisy and disputatious, argu-
ment degenerated into recrimination, and the op-
posite parties were on the point of proceeding to
back their opinions by the bullet and t\w bowie-
knife. Several revolvers had actually been pro-
duced, when some one possessing more discretion,
if not more valour, tlian the rest, bethought him-
self of the happy expedient of turning off the gas.
By thus putting a sudden stop to the proceedings,

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TRAVELS IN niHTISII COLUMIJIA.

and pluiiginp; the entire assembly into totiil dark-
ness, a disgraceful scene of riot and bloodshed was
in all probability prevented.

The notoriously boastful disposition of Americans
generally has already been sufficiently often coia-
niented on by all writers on this people; I shall
not therefore trouble the reader by relating how
often I was compelled to listen, ad nauseam, to
windy arguments that were intended to prove that
America was not only the most favoured l)y nature
of all regions under the sun, but that all her institu-
tions, political and sociid, were such as might well
excite the envy of every other nation. Recent
events must surely by this time have opened their
eyes to some of their weak points, and convinced
them that perfection is as difficult of attainment on
their own side the Atlantic as on this. The wild
buffeting of wind and wave to which the model
Itepublic is at present subjected must, by this time,
have discovered many a rotten plank and loose
screw^ in the vessel of the State. Let us hope that
they will so far profit by their present ex[)erience
as to learn at least a lesson of humility. In justice,
however, to the penetration and common sense of
the Americans, I must state that I am fully con-
vinced that many among them, even while [jrofess-
ir;g to participate in a senseless admiration of all their
customs and institutions, hold at heart very different
opinions.

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AMKRICAN INSTITUTIONS.

2.13

T will, ill conclusion, repeat a few observa-
tions let fall by a tViend of mine in San
Francisco, "svho was himself from one of the Eastci'ii
States, and stronn;lv in favour of the Tnion. " Our
liberty, equality, and fraternity, sir," he would say,
"are all moonshine, our boasted freedom is a snare
and a delusion. My countrymen want to travel
more, to correct their intolerable vanity and self-
*!iifficienev. I have travelled a 'jrreat deal, and have
come to see that there are a vast nund)er of shams
and abuses tolerated in this country whose existence
I mi^xht perha])s never have suspected if I had not
liad the opportunity of becoming accpiainted with
the political institutions of other countries, 'i'alk
of universal e(|iiality — universal humbuf:;! sir,"
lie would say, " no, no ; there is less of the genuine
article to be found in this very State of California
than in any other countr3'^ under the sun. The
fact is that a man with money, friends, and interest to
back him, may do almost anything, even to com-
mitting manslaughter, with impunity. The influ-
ence of money is paramount; wealth is but another
name for political power, social position, and even
judicial imnmnity. Our magisterial bench is not
free from the taint of venpdity, and our trials are
too often disgraceful mockeries, both judge and jury
having previously made up their minds as to the
verdict to be given. The despotism with wdiich we
are cursed, sir, is the despotism of the dollar, and

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TllAVKLS IN URITISII COLUMUIA.

ji grliidiii',^, (Icgi'jid'm;^ dcspofisjii it is. Yon iimv
(Ic'pL'iid n[)()ii it," lie jiddt'd, " I .sludl not rcimiiii a
day longer in the plaeetlian T can help," — idlndin<r^
of eonrse, to Calilondsi. The reader will niider-
stand that I do not oiler these remarks ns tlie
result of my own observation and experience, hut
give them just as I received them from the lips of
a born American.

Lest I should be thought, however, to have
borne rather hardly on Ameriean manners and
customs, I am prepared to acknowledge that I
have known nnuiy Americans who were not onlv
men of enlightened and liberal views, but gentle-
men in every sense of the term.

The terrible struggle now raging between the
North and South, or, as they call themselves, the
"Federals and Confederates" of the formerly
United States, must exercise so important an in-
fluence on the future, not oidy of this people, but
on that of all other races inhabiting the American
continent, that it may well claim a few passing
observations at our hands.

Into the (piestion of the justice of the present
war I will not pause to inquire. The British
public has already listened to sufficient arguments
in favour of Secession on the one hand, and vindi-
cating the coursetaken by the Federal Government
on the other.

From all I know of America and its inhabitants,

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CAUSES OF THE PIIESENT WAR.

25.5

I am convincc'd that the causes that have led to
Mie present outbreak are various and of h)iiL:stai»d-
\\\il', that tlieir ;jeruis have in t'aet existed I'roni
tlie moment the ^i'reat ltej)ul)lie was established,
and have gone on increasing and developing ever
since, and gradually undermining the political co-
hesion and integrity of the Federal Republic, that
boasted itself the model of such institutions and the
(.'iivy of the universe. Kver since the very founda-
tion of the State, after the War of Independence,
elements of discord have existed between the
Northern and Southern portions of the Ite[)ublic,
^iich as must, in the oj)inion of all enlightened
Americans with whom I have discussed the ques-
tion, have eventually i)roduced the present rup-
ture.

The question of slavery is but an accidental cir-
cumstance, surrounded by a host of olher clashing
interests, complicating the situation indeed, but not
in itself the real cause of difference. I feel assured
that, had the institution of slavery never existed on
the American soil, there are sufticient other causes
lor the present war, both political, geographical,
and social. One of the chief elements of weakness
insiy be traced to the want of cohesion among the
different States of the Union, and the absence of
any powerful centralizing influence. Each State
possesses an independent political organization,
an Executive of its own, and aims at a separate

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TRAVELS IN lUUTISII COLUMBIA.

ami individunl existence. Devoted exclusively to
the pursuit of its own interests, even to the preju-
dice of those of the couiniunity at lari^e, each State
is anil)itious of leadinix, mid a s})irit of rivalry,
dangerous to the ])olitical integrity of the Federal
lJe[)ul)lic, is, as a natui'idconsecpience, engendered.

Again, the system of taxation, levied exclusively
for the benefit of the North Eastern States of the
T'nion on all foreign produce, has long been a
source of bitter heart-burnini!; and recrimination on
tlie part of their Southern and Western fellow-citi-
zens, wlio are forced to pay a high duty on all im-
ported articles, exclusively to fill tlie pockets of
tlie Xorthern manufacturers. ' •■ . . ,

The Southern States, not unreasonably, object to
l)av a hijilier ])i'ice for everv article thev receive
from abroad tluui wliat they could obtain it for
direct through tlieir own ports.

A great proportion of the electors of the Northern
and Eastern States are either manufacturers them-
selves, or in the manufacturinLr interest, and beiiiir
unable to compete with Kuropean manufacturers,
have establislied a high protective tariff for their
own especial benefit, to the detriment of the com-
munity at large.*

* 'riio Tariff rocoiitly pri'scnfod liy Mr. Stovoii.s tit tlio IIoiiso of
lJ('|irosi'iitiitives wouM sci'in to iinlicati' thnt this infatuitoil pi'opK' ai'i'
jMvpaivil to ;^i> to ovun ;ireater lonji'tlis in tho inattor of iirotcctii'ii.
awd to pursuo the suicidal jioliry of c'uttiiij;' theiiisolvos off from tiif
ooiimu'rco of tlu" uiiivu-.se for tho sake of voiitiiiy thuir .'^jtlceu on
England and France.

RELATIONS OF NOKTII AND SOUTH.

257

Independently of all causes of political difference,
I am convinced that there lias long existed a deep-
rooted natural antipathy between the Nortli and
South. This hatred, bitter and rancorous as one
of race and creed, it would perhaps be difficult to
trace to its origin ; that the events of the last few
years liave served to foster and develop it will l)e
readily understood. AVhatever be the cause of it,
there can be no doubt that the contempt and exe-
cration in which the " Yankof; " is held by ;i]l
classes "down South," is such as no description nf
mine would enable aryone who has never been i;i
the country, to realize.

That the Southern planters and landownci-s,
mimy of them men of good family and breedinu' —
scions not unfrequently of an old and honourable
stock in the United Kingdom — should object to bow
their necks to be trampled on by the roughshod
mobocracy of New York, is not to be wondered ;it.
A democracy may be a very good thing in its w.w.
if only carried out in the spirit in which such :i
form of Government was originally framed ; but, of
all Governments under the sun, a mobocracy is the
most odious and intolerable.

From all I saw and heard during my stay in
America, especially in tlie Eastern States, in the
autumn of last year, I never doubted tliat the
present dissolution of the Union was final. A\'Iial-
ever be the future political organization of this

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TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

vast region, there can be no doubt that the North
and South will still be suffieiently powerful, suffi-
ciently large, and suffieiently favoured b}' natui'e,
in the varied productions of their soil, to maintain
a separate and indiv'dual political existence. Each
will still possess, for ages to come, a vast outlet for
its surplus ])opulation. What is to be regretted is,
uot so nmch the dissolution of the Union, as the
present frightful fratricidal war, the effect of whicli
must not only be to tiirow back the material
j)rogress of the United States some half century, to
burden a young country with the incubus of a
national del)t and a greatly increased taxation,
but must, inevitably, leave behind it fatal memories
of deeds of violence and blood, that it will taKc
ages to efface. Let us hope that, as there is no
evil without its concomitant good, the American
character may, in passing through the ])resent
terrible or<]eal, be purged, as by fire, of many of
its faults and imperfections, and that both parties
may awake from theii' freiizied dream of conijuest
and bloodshed, not only wiser but better men.

Whatever be the is.>ue of the present conflict, its
results must be fraught with importance to tlie
whole North American continent. The preponiK'r-
ating political influence of the United States will
be divided among the other countries and States
forming portions of it. There can be no doubt
tliat nuuiy will be driven by the present war from

THE FUTURE OF CANADA.

259

the United States, to seek, under British rule, for
that stiihle iind secure government which the hitter
country, in its present disorgjuii/ed state, cannot be
expected to afford. Capitalists settled in New
York and the other ^reat centres of American
conunerce, will naturally he disposed, especially if
they be of English ori<^in, to transfer their fortunes
and persons across the Canadian f'- )ntier.

At a moment when it appears ])ossible that the
future government of the United States may be u
military despotism, with an inunense armed force
nt its disposal, it is natural that we should feel, if
not anxiety, at least some solicituile with regard
to the future of Canu(hi. It may be argued that,
on issuing from her present struggle, the United
States will hardly be justified, on financial grounds,
in engaging in another war: nor am 1 myself dis-
posed to regard the ravings and empty braggado-
cio of the New York press as the expression of
the oj)inion and feelings of the better classes in
America towards England, but we must remend)er
that a mob acts without reflection, and on the
impulse of the moment. In any case, it is right
to be prepared, even while refusing to admit that
there is any just cause for alarm. T\\v. ill feeling
manifested by the Federals towards England, from
the conunencement of the present war, I I'egard as
wholly irrational and unjustifiable. I consider the
line of conduct pursued by this country towards

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TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

both contending parties, ns having been in the
highest degree honourable and impartial. To the
serious injury of our own manufacturing interests,
huvc we steadily adhered to our avowed polie\- of
perfect neutrality, Our Government has constantlv
refused to become a party to any act of inter-
vention, even in concert with our ally, the Emperor
of the Freiicli, T would ask our American friends
whether they think that any other Power, sav
Frj'.nce or Russia, would not have availed it-
self of the present oppoi'tunity of asserting its
<lominion over the Island of St. Juan, to which the
Americans put forth such an unfounded claim,
and (me so arrogantly maintained, and which is
still unsettled. We have not oidy abstained from
attempting to gain any advantage, but have
generously submitted to great inconvenience^ and
loss, rather than give them any cause of complaint.
Under these circumstances, 1 must confess to feeling
somewhat indignant at the (Mjually contemptible
and irrational ill-will that the Federals have con-
stantly displayed towards England. Let us hope that
their eyes may be opened to see matters in their true
liuht, and to recon-iiize rather the claims that this
country has on their gratitude than to take up u
party cry of senseless vituperation.

I see that the subject of the defences of the great
chain of lakes separating British .Vmerica from the
rnited States, has quite recently been brought be-

DEFENCE OF CANADA.

261

for^ the Exocutive of the latter country, at a meet-
ing of the New York delegation in Congress. The
principal topics discussed were the present unde-
fended condition of the hikes, and the great ex-
tent and rapid growth of conuneree on their waters.
The i)rincipal measures that are likely to arise out
of these discussions, to occupy the attenti )n of Con-
gress, will be the opening of adequate cliannels of
water communication from the eastern and wes-
tern extremities of the lakes ; the first to be Jiffected
by enlarging the locks on the Erie and Oswego
canals and the other by the enlargement of the canal
from the Chicago and Illinois River : thus permit-
ting the passage of vessels of war, in the shape of
}iun-l)oats, for the defence of these internal waters,*
Tiddnii' all these circumstances into consideration,
and bt-arinf]: in mind that, whiitever tlie issue of the
pi'esent internecine war, the United States can never
be witliout a standing army, 1 tliink that the
fact of our having so powerful an armed neigli-
bour on our frontier, must entail on us the neces-
sity of maintaining an armed force also in Canada,
or, at least, such a one as shall serve as the inicleu i
of a larger body. Tliis nucleus ought, in my opi-
nion, to be fnrnished l)y the active force of Cana-
dian Militia. In connection with this im[)ort(uit sub-
ject I will take the li])erty of making the following

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* Siiifo this wfifi written, the Timts hm iliiiwii jiuhiic atteutioi/ t<v
the S'une subject.

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TIJAVKLS IN niMTISir COLUMIUA.

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extract'^ from the six't'cli of tlie Ilonourablo Jolin
A. Mncdoiiiild, the Attorncy-Geiienil for (\inai1a,
(k'livercd in the Tiegislative Asseiiihly, Quehec,
duriii*^ last May, witliout subscril>iii<r^ however, to
all the opinions he expressed : —

"There is one point with re<rard to whieh I eon-
fess I am exceedin;^ly dissatisfied, and I woidd im-
plore the hononrable ;i;entlemen who eomposc tluj
Administration of the day, to pause and reeonsidur
their resolve to defer anythini^ like a preparation
for the defence of tlie country for another year.

very

idea makes me stand aghast, tliat this

country (Canada) is to stand defenceless till mid-
winter, till — no matter what the exigency or dan-
ger may he, no matter what the relations hetweeii
Kui'land and the United States — thou;:h evervex-
posed inch of our fi'ontier may be covchmI by hostile
American riflemen, we shall havenouieans of eoni-
muniejition witli Enijland — when — however
Rtroniilv Kn'2;land mav be aroused to send assis-
tanee to her liege sulyeets in danger — we shall
have no means of eomnumieation, and no means
of defending ourselves — without arms, without
organization, witliout a uiilitia force.

" I cannot conceal from myself that we are now,
in Canada, in a more (hmgerous position tlian we
have ever been before, since the period immedi-
ately pre(,'eding the surrender of theSoutiiernAmltas-
sadors. What does every mail now bring us from

THE MILITIA BILL.

263

England? Do we not receive accounts that many
of tl»e industrial population, both of England and
France, are in a state of starvation ; that thousands,
almost millions, are being left without the means
of subsistence, in consequence of tliis most disas-
trous war ; that in France more than in England
the pressure is great, increasing and imminent, so
thnt the arrival of every mail gives increasing rea-
son to apprehend a forced intervention ? And if
intervention is fon^ed upon the Emperor of France
by the starving population of tliat country, do we
not know that England also of necessity will be
dra<rjred into it? And then what will be the con-
sequence ? The Americans have declared that the
first sign of intervention by France or England,
will be a signal for war.

" I am happy to find that the present Admini-
stration admit tlie necessity of a militia organization,
and that it forms a portion of their policy. But
if we want a Militia Bill at all, we want it now. AV^e
want arms in our hands and arms in our arm-
ories. "We want them now. Next winter it may
be too late. God forbid tluit such nn event should
hai)pen, but 1 would ask my honourable friends,
the members of this Administration, to consider
the danger we incur should anv hostile feelin'T' un-
happily arise between England and the United
States between now and next winter. In such
an event, their names would go down to posterity

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TRAVELS IX BRITISH COLUMBIA.

as having betrayed the best interests of their
eountry for the mere convenience of their own
governmental arrangements; as having, for this,
run the risk of our rights, our liberties, and our
existence as a people being swept away. For
the want of this necessary prepju'ation, we may bo
whipped in — as the Nortliern States are now en-
deavouring to whip in the South — may be whij)-
pcd into a [)osition of dependence on the pe(>[)k' of
the American Union, as was the fate of that poor
remnant of Mexicans who, by force of arms, were
made the slaves of that Union.

" While I give every member credit for the vote
he gave on the ^lilitia Bill, I know what will be tlie
feeling in England when tlte news of the fate of that
measure arrives there. The people of I'^nghiiid
will not be able to understand tlie motives which in-
duced gentlemen to vote against the second read-
ing, and therefore, as will of course be inferred,
against the principle of the bill. They will sav,
we were willing to help Canada to carry out the
pledge given by the British nation that the whole
power of the em[)ire would be exerted in our be-
lialf in case of foreign invasi )n ; but what can we
think of men who will not even coiisiiler the prin-
ciple of a measure to enable them to fight for
their own liberties, their own soil, their own
country? I have no liesitation in expressing my
belief that the moment that news arrives in Enir-

INTERNATIONAL RAILUOAD.

2G5

land, our securities will fall in value, and the in-
fluence and standing of Canada will be most
seriously shaken.

"Not only will the rejection of the Militia l>ill
have the effect I have stated in England, but it
Avill be taken in the Noi'thern States as an encourage-
ment of the idea that Canada is ripe for an-
nexation. It will encourage the United States to
attack us, and will discourage England from com-
ing to our aid. Yet here we are, while this con-
tinent is in so disturbed a state — while Canada is
in danger — here we are folding oiu' hands, and say-
ing we will be ready to prepare to fight nine
months hence. Now is the time for organization,
and that man would be a traitor to the best interests
of his country, who would not urge by argiunent
and by vote, and by every means in his power, the
necessity of inunediate armament to defend our
country and oin-selves. That is the first and most
important of the considerations whicli I would
press upon the gentlemen supporting the Admini-
stration why tliere should only be an adjouriunent
long enough to enable the members of the Govern-
ment to be re-elected. I hope the election of none
of them will be opposed.

"There is another subject to which I have no
doubt that during the siiort period my honourable
friends have been in the Administration their at-
tention luis been called, and that is the gnat im-

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TRAVELS IN URITISII COLUMniA.

portuiice that, before this Parliament proroo-ncs
the question of the International Railroad should
be taken up. I have reason to believe, and I dare
say my honourable friends in the Government,
from their official position, know that the Im[)('riul
Government are now prepared to meet us half way
for the construction of that road, tliat they are
ready to borrow on their own credit, and at a low
rate of interest which their credit will secure, tlie
whole amount of money necessary to construct the
Intercolonial Railroad, receiving in exchange the
security of the several colonies. I believe that if
that is carried out Canada will be making a much
better bargain than that originally proposed.

" But we do not know how long that may last.
"We know that the able man at the head of the
British Government is old and frail, and the mo-
ment the keystone of the arch is swept away l)y
any accident, his whole Administration will fall
with him, and a new Administration will come in,
altogether unbound by this proposition or anything
like it. We may lose by delay for ever tlie chance
of an Intercolonial Railroad, and may lose with it
for a long period the chance of having a Pacific
Railroad, which would be the eventuid sequence of
an Intercolonial Railroad extondini»' from Halifax
to our Western Lakes. All this may be lost l)y
our prorogation, because the Government cannot
act without provincial legislation.

DEFENCK OK CANADA.

207

"I might point out other reasons, but those may
suffice, and 1 ho[)e the lionourable gentlemen who
compose tlie Administration will reconsider the
matter. I feel stronMy on these two i)oints — our
railway interests, which will remain involved till
we have railrojid legislation and the Intercolonial
liailroad finislicd, and the necessity, above all else,
of some legislation that will save the province from
being left till next winter bound hand and foot,
unarmed, hel[)less, and without the means of de-
fence. But I imidore them again — I ask them as
Canadians, as men whose reputation may be for
ever lost if a sin^-le shot shouhl be fired, or a sin^rle
foreign soldier advanced on our frontier, whether
they will not stand inculpated, if such a tiling should
happen, as luiving in a time of great hazard been
faithless to the best interests of their country? "

The recent debate on the defence of Canada,
in the House of Lords, hiis again drawn public
attention to this important (piestion. It is grati-
fying to find that the speech of his Excellency
Governor-General Alonck, at Montreal, was re-
ceived in the best possible spirit, and I think we
may venture to hope that the well-known loyalty of
this important colony niiiy assume the jjractical
form of a sufficiently numerous and well-armed
militia to render it, comparatively speaking, inde-
pendent of the assistance of the mother country.

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268

CHAPTER XVI.

fieneral Remarks on the Origin and Present Condition of tlic
Colonies of British Cohirabia and Vancouver's Island — Influence
of the Gold Discovery — Neglect of many Important Branches
of Industry — Discovery of Copper Mines —Prospects of Im-
migrants — State of Industry — High Rate of Wages — In-
convenience caused by a Former Wani, of a Circulating
Alediura — Despatch of Governor Doughis — Establisument of a
Alint and Assay Office — Banks in Victoria — Import Duty and
Taritfs in British Columbia — Protection claimed by the Farmers
of Vancouver's Island — The Charter of the Hudson's Bay
Company — Debate in the House of Lords on the Subject —
Speech of the Duke of Newcastle.

The rapid groAvtli of the colonies of British
Cohimbia and Vancouver's Island, the energy dis-
played in opening up routes into the interior, the
sudden influx of population, the startling way in
which towns have sprung up in the midst of the

INFLUENCE OF THE GOLD DISCOVERY.

209

pine-covered wilderness, and isolated Iludsor's Bay-
Forts expanded into flourishing settlements, will
ever be remarkable among the achievements of our
age. At the same time, this very rapidity of
growth has developed certain princi[)les of internal
policy and legislation, to the exclusion of others of
perhaps e(|ual or greater importance. The disco^ ery
of gold has imparted a stimulus and energy to cer-
tain special branches of industry, to the prejudice
or neglect of others of possibly more vital import-
ance to t]ie real interests of a new colony. Doubt-
less these are merely temporar}- evils, inseparable
from a state of things so extraordinary and
abnormal as attended the birth and early growth
of British Columbia and Vancouver's Island. At
the same time I think it right to advert to one or two
points of domestic policy and industry which have
perhaps been oveilooked or neglected in the excite-
ment caused by the discovery of gold, and at the
same time partially to indicate what, in my humble
opinion, will be the safest course to be pursued
with a view to the future prosperity and well-being
of these interesting colonies.

British Columbia, at the era of her gold dis-
coveries, differed from both Australia and California.
She was nothing but a pathless wilderness when
the gold excitement commenced in 1858. Hound
a few of the scattered forts of the Hudson's Bay
Company there were isolated patches of cultivation,

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270

TRAVELS IX TJRITISIl COLUMBIA.

but the amount of labour devoted to tlic eultuiv of
the soil was Avholly unimportant. The white mcMi,
ecjually with the Indian tribes inhal)itin^^ tlie
country, may virtually be said to have subsisted on
the produee of the chase. AVith tlie influx of
immigrants came an increased demand for sn[)pHes
of food, and as nothin<x but fish or game could be
had, of necessity, with these exceptions, everv
article of food had to be brouglit from a1)r()a(l.
The search for gold occupied industr}- so exclusiveh-
that but very few persons found time to engage in
agriculture. As a natural consequence, a large
pro[)ortion of the gains of the colony went to enrich
the foreign agriculturists who supplied its inhabi-
tants with the necessary articles of food. Thus the
mineral wealth of British Columbia became in the
end beneficial rather to her neighbours than to
herself. I am awm^e that this is a matter to which
I have already drawn the rearl-r s attention, but I
regard it as one of such paia junt importance, in
connection with the future prospects of the colony,
that I venture to extract the following remarks on
the subject from the Victoria British Colonist: —

" The town and country begin to swarm with
men ; most of them are inured to labour. The
majority, perhaps, are better acquainted with agri-
culture than with any other art. Yet all profess
to be bound for Cariboo. Agriculture seems never
to be taken into account. Elsewdiere the aiiricul-

."r t

AGRICULTURAL TROSrECTS.

271

tural Inljourcr has bcru so poorly paid that there
seems to be a prevaiUng idea that agrieulture can
never pay as well as gold-digging. AVe regard this
as a popular error. It is a fallacy — a perfect
fallacy so far as British Columbia is concerned.
We are persuaded that by digging no deeper than
six inches from the surface the farmer may realize
as handsome a return in gold as the miner who
delves in the creeks of Cariboo. We may find it
extremely difficult to persuade those who are n.jst
competent to engage in it that such is really the
case ; yet it is none the less true. It is not only
true that a farmer on the route from Lytton and
Lillooett to William's Lake, Alexandria, the mouth
of Quesnelle or Swift River, can be rewarded for
his labour, but there is a positive certainty that he
will be well paid into the bargain. Were there
such a thing as apositivecertain^y that every miner
who would go to Cariboo would be successful,
make his pile of one, five, ten, or 20,000 dollars, it
might be useless with our present population to
recommend farming. But there is no such thing
as a certainty of making a fortune in gold mines
anywhere, whether in Cariboo, Salmon liiver,
California, or Australia. In all gold-diggings there
are a great many blanks, and few prizes ; and
although we are persuaded that Cariboo is fabulously
rich in gold, yet we have no idea that the majority
who may go there this }ear can return w'ith a

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272

TRAVELS IN BKITISII COLUMBIA.

fortune Wo want, then, to impress upon some of
our readers that tliere is one way in wliich a for-
tune ean be made in British Gohimbia witliout
breasting the snow on the Bald Hills, or pnckino-
beans and baeon on their back from creek to creek
in Cariboo. Tliat way is simply by taking up
farms on the road to Cariboo. That way is by
raising hay, oats, wlieat, barley, potatoes, beans,
pork, beef, and mutton. These are the commodities
that can be most easily exchanged for gold. One
hundred and sixty acres of good land anywhere from
Bonaparte River to liie mouth of the Quesnelle will,
on the average, prove a far better claim than the
average of claims m the mines. Such, would l)e
a claim that can be worked every year for the next
century, and within the next five years make any
industrious man's fortune. Thei'e is not a countrv
under the fair face of heaven that now offers sucli
brilliant inducements to the farmer as British
Columbia. The climate is healthy and invigorating,
the soil fertile and yields abundantly, and a market
at star\'ation prices at every farmer's door.

" Foreign produce can never compete ; or only so
long as the domestic supply is inadequate to the
demand. At the present moment the supply of
farm produce consumed, or to be consumed this
year in the mines, has to be brought from Oregon
or California. It has to be carried from 500 to
1,000 miles before it is landed in British Columl)ia,

ini)UCemp:nts to parmers.

273

some of
1 a for-
without
pack inn;
to creek
dng up
y is by
, beans,
modities
I One
ere from
elle will,
than the
ould he
the next
ake any
country
?rs such
British
oratinof,
market

:■ only so
; to the
ipply of
led this
Oregon
500 to
]uml)ia,

and then it traverses the country from 200 to
400 miles before it reaches the consumer ; and,
v/hat is still more worthy of notice, before it can
be brought into competition with those who
may take up a ranch* anywhere on the road to
Caril)oo.

" If a farmer in any other country could only
save the cost of transportation on produce between
San Francisco, or Portland, and Lillooett, and
Lytton, he would enjoy an unequalled market.
But besides the cost of freight, the farmer in the
sister colony has the protection of ten per cent,
duty. Over all, he can get a high price for what-
ever he may raise, and sell it at his door. Let any
one who understands farming, make a calculation
of what it will cost to live and grow a crop on the
Cariboo road this year ; then deduct the cost from
the probable value of his crop, and he will be con-
vinced that farming in British Columbia is no
second-class business.

" Were farms -taken up along th j new lines of
road from Lillooett and Lytton to AVilliams' Lake
and Alexandria, every pound of hay and barley
that can be raised this year v ould find a market.
For next winter we expect to chronicle the trans-
portation of merchandise on sleds to Alexandria,
and other points in the direction of the mines.
The animals engaged on the route will consume

* A settlement, whether white or red.

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274

TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

all the fodder ; and this time next year we antici-
pate clironid^ng such a supply of provisions in tlie
upper country, carried there over the snow, as will
render it unnecessary to move any more in that
direction till the trails become perfectly good.
The quantity of merchandise will, no doubt, be
very great, for whatever tlie mining population
may need this year, it will certainly be far greater
next spring. Let every farmer then take into
account the quantity of fodder required, and the
amount of agricultural produce necessary for tlie
mines, and he v/ill discover a veritable Pactolus iu
the stream of immiorants runnin"; winter and
summer to and from Cariboo. Let farmers also
recollect tha' those who take up farms early on
the route, will have an excellent chance to add to
their finances by keeping wayside inns, providing
' accommodation for man and beast.' "

I regret to find that since I adverted to the
probability of a scarcity of provisions at the
diggings my prognostications have been fully veri-
fied. According to the latest advices from British
Columbia, not a single pack-train had left Lillooett
up to the 2nd of May, owing to the bad state of
the roads, resulting from the late severe winter.
The total want of oil the necessaries of life had
compelled many miners to return from the gold
districts. I entertain no doubt, however, that
this evil has long since been remedied.

ft'

fOlTER .MINING.

275

that

Frc'sli (liscoveric's are daily l)riii";iii;r to liulit the
fact that the Cok)iiiL'S of J>ritish Columbia and
Vancouver's Island, with their dependencies, are
rich not only in gold, but also in silver, copper,
iron, lead, tin, coal, etc. Hecent accounts would
seem to indicate that copper n.lning will, ei'e long,
become an important branch of industry in both
colonies. Indications of copper are everywhere
found in the extensive Archipelago that com-
mences at the entrance of the Gulf of Georgia,
and stretches northward to the islands that skirt
Russian America. It will no doubt take a^es
fully to explore the mineral wealth of the coast
of British Columbia. One especial ad\ antage to
be derived from these mines would be the fact
of their affording winter employment to the gold
miners, the want of which has long been felt to be
a serious drawback to the industry of the colony.
In the absence of winter difr2;in""s — tunnel-dio-frinffs

CO O OC O

— that can be worked longer than those of Cariboo,
that is to say, during five or six months in the year
only, the copper mines of the coast become doubly
important and valuable. They would not only
provide employment to numbers all the year round,
but might, I think, prove a profitable market for
labour after the gold-mining season had closed.

It is no doubt unnecessary to inform my readers
that in the colonies of British Columbia and Van-
couver's Island, as elsewhere, the Crown owns all

T 2

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27G

TRAVKLS TN TIPJTISII roLTJMlUA.

tlie mines, wlictlicr of tlic jn'ocious metals — goM
and silver — or of ('0})per, and other base metals,
except where it has conveyed away its right to the
precious metals by a grnnt or lease, or to the base
metals by pre-emption or purchase. The ri;iht of
the Crown to the precious metals is reserved from
])re-emptioii, but no reservation is made of the base
metals; thus, to become the owner of copper, lead,
iron, tin, or coal mines in either colony, all that is
j'e(|uired is to purchase the land ; or if the land be
Crown land, any British subject, or alien who may
take the oath of allegiance, may pre-empt the land
in which these minerals are found, and by comply-
ing with the conditions of the " Pre emptio:i Con-
Sf)lidation Act " of British Columbia, or the "Pre-
emption Act " of Vancouver's Island, as the case
may be, he can become absolute owner of the land
and the base minerals which it contains.

AVithout specifying the various branches of
industry in which he might engage, the number
and extent of which must be apparent from the
tenor of my foregoing remarks, I may state in
ireneral terms, that these colonies offer the greatest
possible inducements to the ca[)italist. As a rule,
the newer the colony the higher the rate of interest,
and the more numerous the openings for invest-
ments. IMonev in Victoria can be lent on good
security, at rates ranging from twenty-five to
thirty per cent. All skilled artizans may feel sure

!'!!

WANT UF A ClkCULATINii .MKDIU.M.

277

of coinm;iiiJin<^' u very high rate of wiigcs, luid
cuiiiiot fail to do wuU ; und, finully, female servants
are at [)reiiriuiii. A\ hat a pity it is some thousands
of the yoLin<;' needlewomen and othei's in Lon Ujn,
who find it so liard, with all their toil and drnd;j;ery,
to ejii'n a precarious subsistence, cannot be trans-
portt'd to the shores of our VA Dorado oi' the
West. I subnut the idea for the eonsiileration of
those who>e pliihuitliropy and wealth might induce
them to carry it into execution.

The following remarks of the Governor, ^Ir.
Douglas, in a despatch to the Colonial Secretary,
dated November, DSlil, point out the existence of
a want which has long been felt to be a serious bar
to the connnercial prosperity of the colony : —

"Much inconvenience and loss have, ever since
the formation of these colonies, been occasioned
l)y the want of a circulating medium of fixed and
recognized value, equal to the business demands of
the comitry. The scarcity of coin has been so
great, gold-dust not being received for duties, that
importers of goods have found it ditlicult at all
times to make their customdiouse payments, and,
as is well known, are frequently compelled to
borrow money for that purpose, at exorbitant
rates of interest, from two per cent, per month,
and upwards. xVlmost all the business of the
country is transacted in gold-dust of uncertain
value, and it is easy to conceive the difficulty and

Jl ' II"

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278

TI{AVF'T.S IX I'.IUTrSII COLT'^mTA.

iiicoiivLMiicuci' of M(liustinn; pMVMiciits liv siidi
iiH'iins, ^vll('Il tlu' lioldc'i' iiiul rccfivcr jifc l)oth
iiliku subject to loss, juid IV'iirfiil ol' imposition.''

"Tliu ellL'('t> of an ovcr-rcstrictcd nionetni'vcircii-
lution iire now, liowcvcr, opcratiii^Li; so fatallv In
both colonies, thai it is indcspcnsalile to provide a
remedy for an evil that is sai)])iii<j!; the very fon!ida-
tions of our {)rosperity. To illustrate this fact, 1
would infoiMn your Grace that at this moment there
is an amount of ^old dust in the hands of miners
from Cariboo, residing at Victoria, exceeding one
quarter of a million sterlin";', and so great is the
present dearth of coin that it brings a premium of
five per cent, and over when procurable, which is
not generally the case, as men may be seen hawking
bars of gold about the streets of Victoria who cannot
raise coin enouoh, even at the hiiih rates of discount
just mentioned, to defray their current expenses.

" The miners and other holders of gold are natu-
rally incensed, and refuse to submit to this de-
preciation on the value of their property when they
know it can be converted into coin for the mode-
rate charge of one half of one per cent, at the
United States Branch ^lint in San Francisco, making
an important saving to them of four and a half per
cent. They are conse(piently leaving Victoria by
every opportunity, and it is most painful to wit-
ness a state of things which is rapidly driving
population and capital from the country.

A CHEAP AND CONVENIENT CUURENCV.

279

"As a safer remedy, jir.d one more suitable to the
actual circumstances of the colonies, I pro[)ose to
take immediate steps for the manufacture of gold
pieces equal in value to tlie ton and twenty dollar
American coins, and to brin"; them into ireneral
use, as a circulating* medium in both colonies.

"This plan does not contemplate refinin<^ the gold,
as the expense would be greatly increased by that
process ; it is merely proposed to bring it t(^ a uni-
form standard of fineness, without separating the
natural alloy of silver, winch to some extent exists
in all the gold of liritish Cohnnbia.

" The pieces will be prepared at the Government
Assay Office, and will bear the stamp of unques-
tionable character; and I am of opinion that by
making the gold contained in them of the full cur-
rent value of the piece, without taking the silver
into account, which I propose should go as a bonus
they will not oidy answer as a cheap and conve-
nient currency within the colonies, but also have
the same exchange value when exported to other
countries."

Since this was written, T am aware that steps
have been taken to carry out the idea of Mr.
Douglas. Mr. F. Claudet, of the Assay Office,
New Westminster, spent a portion of the winter in
California, engaged in procuring the necessary
machinery for establishing a Mint in British Co-
lumbia. 1 entertain therefore little doubt that by

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280

travp:ls in British Columbia.

this time tl)t! gold pieces above referred to are in
actual circulation.

I have recently noticed that a new company lias
been advertised, and probably by this time or-
ganized to carry on banking business in British Co-
lumbia and A^uicouver's Island, where l)raiich
ortices of the British Columbia and V^ancouvers
Ishuid Bankin<»; and Gold Tradinii' Com))anv are t(j
be established. AVhether the concern is likely to
prove remunerative to its originators and share-
holders, time alone can determine. I niiglit, how-
ever, remark tliat several well-established banking;
houses exist in Victoria, Vancouver's IsLuul, doing
trade with the interior of British Colund)ia, two
of the most important of whicli are the Victoria
Braneli of the l^ank of British Nortli Amei'ica,
Avhose head olHce in London is 7, St. Helen's Phice,
Bishopsgate Street, and the branch olhce of the
firm of Wells, Fargo ct Co., both situated in Yates
Street, the principal street in Victoria.

The executive of Vancouver consists of a (io-
vernor, a Council, and a House of liepresentatives,
chosen from the different towns and districts into
which the colony is divided. Victoria, its present
capital and seat of Government, enjoys the addi-
tional privilege and advantage of being the chief
emporium for the trade, not only of this colony,
but also of British Columbia. This is to be attri-
buted to the fact of its being a free port ; whereas,

I ' '

VICTORIA AND NEW WESTMINSTER.

281

every article of merchandise introduced into Britisli
Columbia is subject to an impoi c duty — the tariff
being decidedly high, in addition to whicli, every
individual landing in this colony has to pay a poll-
tax of one dollar per liead. Now, although I do
not for one moment pretend to question the wis-
dom of the policy that has led to the imposition of
these tolls, yet I must confess that it does seem to
me that tliey are levied too indiscriminately, and.
without a due regard to the true interests of the
colony.

Be tliis as it may, there can be no doubt that the
proximity of a free port like Victoria o[)erates
[)rejudicially on Xew AVestminster, tlie ca[)ital of
lU'itisli Columbia. At the former place, for
in.stance, a ship might be built ut little more than
the cost i)rice value — exclusive of lal)0ur — of every
article employed in its construction, whereas at
New Westminster an import duty would have to
be paid on every sheet of copper on its bottom.

On tlie other hand, the farmers of Vancouver
cry out for Government protection, as agriculture,
being here still somewhat in its infanc}', tiiey iind
it impossible to compete with the wealthy juid
extensive farmers of Oregon, a territory that has
now been urider cultivation for many years. At
the present moment we believe that cereals can be
introduced into the Port of Victoria at as cheap a
rate as they can be produced in the colony of Van

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282

TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMRIA.

couver. The cattle also, supplied for the use of
the Royal Navy, come almost entirely from the
United States territory of Ore<ron. As the
resources of oui own colonies are more fuUv
developed, however, I entertain no doubt thatthev
will be able to coiapete successfully witli their
neighbours.

Writing on the subject of the prospect for farmers
emigrating to British Columbia, the Victoria J^irss
says tl:at: —

" The matter of supplying this colony with stock
of all kinds is every day assuming more important
proportions. During the past year our Customs'
returns show that 7,081 head of live stock, to the
value of 313,797 dollars, were imported by us;
and as live stock only is liable to duty, dead car-
cases being admitted free, a large portion of what
was consumed here was brought in dead, and
consequently does not appear in the above returns ;
the value of which might be set down at 2.5,000
dollars, making the total for the year 338,597
dollars. When we remember that the greater part
of this stock is brought from Oregon, and that this
colony is at least its equal for purposes of grazing,
it is a matter of surprise that we should be content
to depend upon a foreign neighbour for a supply
of that which we can very well produce at home at
a lower price and with great advantage to the
colony."

CLAIM OF THE HUDSON S BAY COMPANY.

283

e use of
from tlie
As the
)re fullv
that tliev
itli their

r fanners

>'i(i Press

ith stock
nportant
C!ustoms'
^ to the

by us;
ead car-
of what
ad, and
returns ;

25,000
338,597
iter part
;hat this
q:razino\
content

supply
home at

to the

I cannot take iL-ave of my subject without a
passing alhision to the question of the indenmity
chiimed by the Hudson's Bay Company for the vast
possessions lying between Canada and the Rocky
Mountains, which they hold in virtue of a Royal
Charter granted to this company in the reign of
Charles II. The territory conveyed to them, in fee
simple, comprises the whole of the fertile districts of
Central America, on the Red Rive*' and the vSaskat-
chewan, as well as the auriferous regions — if any
be found to exist — on the eastern slope of the
Rocky Mountains, a tract of country which, in
point of extent and natural resources, as also on
account of its future prospects, might well excite
the envy of many a potentate.

In connection with this important question,
therefore, I venture to make the following extract
from the able speech made by the Duke of New-
castle in the House of Lords on the evening of the
4th of Julv last : —

" The claim of the Hudson's Bay Company was
to an entire fee simple in the soil over a district so
vast, that at the rate of only Id. per acre it would cost
700,000/. The company said that if the Govern-
ment took the Saskatchewan from them it ought to
buy them out entirely ; and they spoke of a million
and a half sterling as the price they would require
for the surrender of their riji-hts.

" Of course it would be impossible to ask the

284

TRAVELS IN B'UTISII COLCMHTA.

House of Commons for any such sum for any sueh
purpose. lie doubted whether the company's
charter ever was legal, but he was scnsiljle how
daugerous it would be to attempt to set it aside
after it had been in existence 200 years. He did
not deny that a necessity miglit arise for doing so,
but he did not think that he was at present called
upon to propose so strong a measure. He could
not help hoping that some arrangement might be
come to. At present he did not see his way, but
he assured the noble lord and the house that he
thought it a matter of paramount importance, and
tluit he should not lose any opportunity of arrang-
ing with the company, if it were possiljle to do so.
He w )i Id not undertake to offer either the larn;c
sum he had mentioned, or any other large sum to
the company, as he thought it was out of the (jues-
tion that any large sum should be paid to them.
The company could no more prevent men from
settling in that district than they could prevent
men f.n m sailing on the ocean. He had no objec-
tion to lay the correspondence on the talde of the
House. He could only hope that by further
negotiation some satisfactory progress would shortly
be made towards coming to an arrangement, and
he thought that the company should give facilities
for a full postal and telegraphic communication
between Halifax on the one hand and Kew West-
minster on the other."

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OVERLAND ROUTES.

285

J-

In allusion to the question of overland routes to
British Columbia, the Duke also makes the folio w-
inn; interestincj remarks : —

" He thought it would be possible also for an ex-
penditure of 100,000/. to form a communication
through Canada, and he believed that the journey
might be brought within thirty days. He thought
that the colony itself might be properly called upon
to contribute to the expense, and also that Canada
would not only provide the roads within its own
territory, 1)ut would likewise assist in extending
the line towards British Columbia."

While fully acknowledging the justice of the
observations made by the noble Duke on the
subject of the monopoly possessed by the Hudson's
Bay Company, and, at the same time, expressing
my hope that the question may meet with a speedy
and satisfactory settlement, I can heartily endorse
the following remarks at the conclusion of a leader
in the Morning Post of the 5th of July, which, in
fact, but embody a similar tribute to the various
good qualities of the Hudson's Bay traders, paid
them by Lord Taunton in his speech on the pre-
ceding evening : —

" Although we cannot look with favour on a
company which possesses so gigantic a monopoly,
and are lords of so vast a territory, still we must
do them justice where justice is due. They have
been the sovereign rulers for two centuries over a

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TRAVELS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

territory peopled solely by the red man. They
have exereised their sway with humanity, forbear-
ance, and moderation. To their eternal credit be
it spoken, they have neither brutalized nor exter-
minated the tribes of Indians which inhabit their
hunting grounds. Without on any single occasion
calling on the aid of the Government, they have
succeeded in maintaining tranquillity, and enforcing
respect for human life, amongst the wilds of the
Y'dv West. For having pursued this policy they
have already earned the gratitude of the aborigines,
and are not less entitled to the favourable considera-
tion of the British nation."

):.'

They
forbear-
•edit be
^ exter-
it their
)ccasiou
!y have
[forcing
of the
cy they
rigines,
•a-

APPENDIX.

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APPENDIX.

KULES AND REGULATIONS FOlt THE WORKING OF GOLD
-MIXES, ISSUED IN CONFOHMITY WITH THE GOLD
FIELDS ACT, 18-59.

Whereas it is provided by the Gold Fields Act,
1859, that the Governor, for the time being, of
British Columbia, may, by writing under his hand
and the public seal of the colony, make rules and
regulations in the nature of by-laws for all matters
relating to mining.

And whereas, in conformity with the said Act,
certain rules and regulations have already been
issued bearing date the 7th of September, 1859.

1. The mines in the said level benches shall be
known as "bench diggings," and shall, for the
purpose of ascertaining the size of claims therein, be

f.it

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290

Ari'FA'DIX.

oxceptod out of the class of "dry di;(giiin;s," ns dc-
liiied ill tli(! rules and regulations of the 7tli of
September List.

2. The ordinary claims on any bench digginn;s
shall be registered by the gold commissioner accord-
in;!: to such one of the two following; methods of
measurement as he shall deem most advantawous
on each mine, viz.: One hundred feet s(piare, or else
a strip of land twenty-five feet deep at the edge of
the cliff next the river, and bounded })y two
straight lines carried as nearly as possible, in each
case, perpendicular to the general direction of
such cliff across the level bench up to, and not
beyond the foot of the descent in the rear ; and in
such last mentioned case, the space included
])etween such two boundary lines when produced
over the face of the cliff in front as far as the foot
of such cliff and no farther, and all mines in the
space so included shall also form a, part of such
claim.

3. The gold commissioner shall have authority
in cases where the bLiiches are narrow, to mark
the claims in such manner as he shall think fit, so
as to include an adequate claim. And shaU also

AI'J'KNDIX.

291

have power to decide on the cllfTs wliich, in his.
opinion, form the njitural bonndaries of benclies.

4. Tlie gold commissioner may, in any mine of
any denomination where tlie pay dirt is thin or
chiirns in small demand, or where from any circum-
stance he shall deem it reasonabh , allow any free
miner to register two claims in his own name, and
allow such period as he may think pro])er for
non-working either one of such claims. But no
I person shall be entitled to hold at one time more
than two claims of the legal size. A discoverer's
claim shall for this purpose be reckoned as one
ordinary claim.

»5. All claims shall be subject to the public
rights of Avay and water in such manner, direction,
and extent as the gold commissioner shall from
time to time direct ; no mine shall be worked
within ten feet of any road, unless by the previous
sanction of the gold commissioner.

G. In order to ascertain the quantity of water in
any ditch or sluice, the following rules shall be
observed, viz. : —

The water taken into a 'itch shall be measured
at the ditch hciid. No -water shall be taken into a

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292

AITENDIX.

ditch except in a trough whose top and floor sliall
be horizontal planes, and sides parallel vertical
planes ; such trough to be continued for six times
its breadth in a horizontal direction from the point
at which the water enters the trough. The top of
the trougli to be not more than seven inches, and
the bottom of the trough not more than seventeen
inches, below the surface of the water in the re-
servoir, {dl measurements being taken inside the
trough and in the low-water or dry season. The
area of a vertical transverse section of the trouuh
shall be considered as the measure of t'

quan

of water taken by the ditcli.

II.

TIIK LAW OF LANl) SALES IN THE COLONIES.

1. That from and after the date hereof (January
4th, 18G0), British subjects, and aliens who shall
take the oath of allegiance to Her Majcary and
her successors, may acquire unoccupied and un-
reserved and unsurveyed Crown land in British
Columbia (not being the site of an existent or

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AITKNDIX.

21)3

)or slinll
vertical
ix tiniL's
lie point
e top of
ics, and
iventeen
the re-
side the
n. The
J trench
qiiantity

proposed town, or auriferous land Jivailable for
mining purposes, or an Indian Reserve or Settle-
ment), in fee simple, under the following eon-
ditions.

2. The person desiring to acrpiire any particular
plot of land of the charaeter aforesaid, shall enter
into possession thereof and record his claim to any
quantity not exceeding IfiO acres thereof, with the
magistrate residiu"- nearest thereto, navinor to the
said ma";istrate the sum of eijzht shillinss for re-

a Co

coi'ding such claim. Such piece of land shall he of
a rectangular form, and the shortest side of the
rectangle shall be at least two-thirds of the longest
side. Tiie chiimant shall give the best possible
descri])tion thereof to the magistrate with whom his
claim is recorded, together with a rough plan there-
of, and identify the plot in ([uestion l)y placing at
the corners of the land four posts, and by stating
in his description any other landmarks on the said
160 acres which he mav consider of a noticeable
character.

3. Whenever the Government survey shall ex-
tend to the land claimed, the claimant who has
recorded his claim as aforesaid, or his heirs, or in

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204

AITENDIX.

case of the grant of certificate of iiiiprovenient
liereinai'ter mentioned, the assigns of such claimant,
shall, if he or they shall have been in continuous
occupation of the same land from the date of the
record aforesaid, be entitled to purchase the land
so pre-empted at such rate as may, for the time
being, be fixed by the Government of British
Columbia, not exceeding the sum of ten shillings
per acre.*

4. No interest in any plot of land acquired us
aforesaid, shall, before payment of the pur-hase
money, be capable of passing to a purchaser unless
the vender shall have obtained a certificate from
the nearest magistrate that he has made permanent
improvements on the said plot to the value of ten
shillings per acre.

5. Upon payment of the purchase money, a con-
veyance of the land purchased shall be executed in
favour of the purchaser, reserving the precious
minerals, with a right to enter and work the same
in favour of the Crown, its assigns and licencees.

G. Priority of title shall be obtained by the per-

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* Tlio price of laud in these colonies htis recently been fixed .vC
4s. 2d. per acre.

APPENDIX.

295

^^■

son first in occupation, who shall first record his
claim in manner aforesaid.

7. Any person authorized to acquire land under
the provisions of this Proclamation, may purchase,
in addition to the land pre-empted in manner afore-
said, any number of acres not otherwise appropri-
ated, at such rate as may be fixed by the Govern-
ment, at the time when such land sh.'dl come to be
surveyed, not to exceed ten shillings per acre ; five
shillings to be paid down, and the residue at the
time of survey.

8. In the event of the Crown, its assi'^ns or licen-
cees, availing itself, or themselves, ot' the reserva-
tion mentioned in chiuse 5, a reasonable compen-
sation for the Avaste and damage done, shall be
paid by the person entering and working, to
the person whose land shall be wasted or damaged
as aforesaid, and in case of dispute, the same shall
be settled by a jury of six men, to be summoned by
the nearest magistrate.

9. Whenever any person shall permanently
cease to occupy land pre-empted as aforesaid, the
magistrate resident nearest to the land in question
may in a summary way, on being satisfied of such

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APPENDIX.

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perniiineiit cessation, cancel the claim of the per-
son so 2:)ernianently ceasing to occupy the same,
and record the chdm thereto of any other person
satisfying the rerpiisitions aforesaid.

10. Tlie decision of the magistrate mn}^ be np-
pealed l»y either party to the decision of the Judge
of the Supreme Court of Civil Justice of British
Columbia.

11. Any person desirous of appealing in mnnncr
aforesaid, may be required, 1)efore such appeal be
heard, to find such security as may be hereafter
pointed out ])y the rules or orders hereinafttf
directed to be published.

12. The procedure before the magistrate and
judge respectively, shall be according to such rides
and orders as shall be published by such judge,
with the approbation of the Governor for the time
of British Columbia.

13. AYhenever a person in occupation at the
time of record aforesaid, and he, his heirs, or as-
signs, shall have continued in permanent occupa-
tion of land pre-empted, or of land purchased as
aforesaid, he or they may, save as hereinafter
mentioned, bring ejectment or trespass against any

ArrENDix.

297

intracler upon the land so pre-empted or purchased,
to the san;e extent as if he or they were seised
of the legal estate in possession in the land so pre-
empted or purchased.

14. Nothing herein contained shall be construea
as o'iving a right to any claimant to exclude free
miners from searching fci any of the precious
minerals, or working the same upon the conditions
aforesaid.

15. The Government shall, notwithstanding any
claim, record, or conveyance aforesaid, be entitled
to enter and take such portion of the land pre-
empted or purchased as may be recjuired for roads
or other public purposes.

16. Water privileges and the right of carrying
water for mining purposes, may, notwithstanding
any claim recorded, purchase or conveyance, afore-
said, be chumed and taken upon, under or over the
said land so pre-empted or purchased as aforesaid
by free miners requiring the same, and obtaining
a grant or licence from the gold commissioner, and
paying a compensation for waste or damage to
the person whose land may be wasted or damaged
by such water privilege or carriage of water, to

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298

AITENDIX.

be ascertained in case of dispute in manner afore-
said.

1 7. In case any dispute shall arise between per-
sons with regard to any land so acquired as afore-
said, nny one of the parties in diiference may (be-
fore ejectment or action of trespass brought) refer
the question in difference to the nearest magistrate,
who is hereby authorized to proceed in a summary
way to restore the possession of any land in dispute
to the person whom he may deem entitled to the
same, and to abate all intrusions, and award and
levy such costs and damages as he may think fit.

Referring to the quantity, quality, and price of
land, a correspondent of a local paper says : —
"Tiie price of surveyed Crown land is 4s. 2d.
sterling per acre — one half down, and the re-
mainder in two years. Unsurveyed land can
only be obtained by actual settlers. Any British
subject can pre enipt IGO acres, and if he settle
upon it in person or by proxy, he is allowed to
purchase as nuich more in the same locality as he
desires ; and as soon as he makes improvements
equal to two dollars and a half per acre of the whole
he has located, he can get a certificate of title from

APPENDIX.

299

the resident u.agistrate, which is equal to a quit-
claim deed. Tlien, so soon as he is prepared to
pay for the survey of his land and one dollar per
acre, he gets a regular Crown deed. Improve-
ments that would be valued at 100 dols. in Canada
would be reckoned at about 500 dols. here, and.
at 1,000 in the region of our gold fields."

III.

ANNO VICESIMO PRIMO & VICESIMO SECUNDO.
VICTORIvE REGINiE.

CAP. XCIX.

AN ACT to provide for the Government of
British Columbia. [2d August, 1858.]

\YiiEREAS divers of Her Majesty's subjects and
others have, by the licence and consent of Her
Majesty, resorted, to and settled on certain wild
and unoccupied territories on the north-west coast
of North America, commonly known by the de-
signation of New Caledonia, and from and after the
passing of this Act to be named British Columbia,
and the islands adjacent for mining and other pur-

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300

AITENDIX.

poses ; and it is ck'sira1)le to make temporary pro-
vision for the civil government of such territories,
until permanent settlements shall be thereupon
estahlished, and the inimber of colonists increased :
Be it therefore enacted by the Queen's most ex-
cellent ]\Iajesty, by and with the advice and con-
sent of the Lords spiritu'il and temporal, and
Commons, in this present Parliament assembled,
and by the authority cf the same, as follows: —

I. British Columbia shall, for the purposes of
this Act, be held to comprise all such territories
within the dominions of Her ^Injesty as are bounded
to the south by the frontier of the United States
ofx\merica,* to the east by the main chain of .the
Rocky Mountains, to the north by Simpson's Kiver
and the Finlay branch of the Peace River, and to
the west by the Pacific Ocean, and shall include
Queen Charlotte's Island, and all other islands
adjacent to the said territories, except as herein-
after excepted.

II. It shall be lawful for Her Majesty, by any
order or orders to be by her from time to time
made, with the advice of her Privy Council, to

* The 49tli Parallel of K Latitude.

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APPENDIX.

301

make, ordain, and establish, and (subject to
such conditions or restrictions as to bcr shall
seem meet) to authorize and empo^ver such officer
as she may from time to time appoint as Governor
of British Columbia, to make provision for the
administration of justice therein, and generally to
make, ordain, and establish all such laws, insti-
tutions, and ordinances as may be necessary for
the peace, order, and good government of Iler
]\Iajcsty's sulijects and others therein ; provided
that all such Orders in Council, and all laws and
ordinances so to be made as aforesaid, shall be laid
before both Houses of Parliament as soon as con-
venientl}' may be after making and enactment
thereof respectively.

III. Provided always, That it shall be lawful
for Her Majesty, so soon as she may deem it con-
venient, by any such Order in Council as aforesaid,
to constitute or to authorize and empower such
officer to constitute a Legislature to make laws for
the peace, order, and good government of British
Columbia, such Legislature to consist of the Go-
vernor and a Council, or Council and Assembly,
to be composed of such and so many persons, and

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302

ArPENDIX.

to be nppointed or elected in such inanner and for
such periods, and subject to such regulations, as
to Her Majesty may seem expedient.

IV. And whereas an Act was passed in the
forty-third year of Kin?]!; George the Third, inti-
tuled "An Act for Extending the Juris-
diction of the Courts of Justice in the Pro-
vinces of Lower and Upper Canada, to the
trial and punishment of persons guilty of crimes
and offences within certain parts of North Ame-
rica adjoining to the said Provinces : And wliereas
by an Act passed in the second year of King George
the Fourth, i}itituled an Act for Regulating the Fur
Trade, and Establishing a Criminal and Civil
Jurisdiction within certain parts of North America,
it was enacted, that from and after the passing of
that Act the Courts of Judicature then existin": or
which might be thereafter established in the Pro-
vince of Upper Canada should have the snme civil
jurisdiction, power and authority Avithin the Indian
territories and other parts of America not within
the limits of either of the provinces of Lower or
Upper Canada or of any civil govermnent of the
United States, as the said Courts had or were in-

APPENDIX.

303

vested with within the limits of the said provinces
of Lower or Upper Canada respectively, and that
every contract, agreement, debt, liability and
demand made, entered into, incurred, or arising
within tlie said Indian territories and other parts
of America, and every wrong and injury to the
person or to property committed or done within
the same, should be and be deemed to be of the
same nature, and be cognizable and be tried in the
same manner, and subject to the same consequences
in all respects, as if the same had been made,
entered into, incurred, arisen, committed or done
within the said province of Upper Canada ; and in
the same Act are contained provisions for giving
force, authority and effect within the said Indian
territories and other parts of America to
the process and acts of the said Courts
of Upper Canada ; and it was thereby also
enacted, that it should be lawful for His ^Majesty, if
he should deem it convenient so to do, to issue
a commission or commissio. s to any person or
persons to be and act as Justices of the Peace
within such parts of America as aforesaid, as well
within any territories theretofore granted to the

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APPKNOIX.

company of adventurers of England trading to
Hudson's Jiay as witliin the Indian territories of
such other parts of America as aforesaid ; and it
was further enacted, that it shoukl be hnvful for
His Majesty from time to time bj' any commission
under the Great Seal to authorize and em-
power any such persons so appointed Justices
of the Peace as aforesaid to sit and hold Courts
of Record for the trial of crimiujd offences and
misdemeanours, and also of civil causes, and it
should be lawful for His Majesty to order, direct
and authorize the appointment of proper officers to
act in aid of such coiu'ts and justices within the
jurisdiction assigned to such courts and justices in
any such commission ; provided that such courts
sliould not try any offender upon any charge or
indictment for any felony made the subject of
capital punishment, or for any offence or passing
sentence affecting the life of any offender, or
adjudge or cause any offender to suffer capital
punishment or transportation, or take cognizance
of or try any civil action or suit in which the cause
of sucu suit or action should exceed in value the
amount or sum of two hundred pounds, and in

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APPENDIX.

SO.I

every case of any otrence subjecting the person
connnitting the same to cai)itjil punishment cr
transportation, the Court, or any Judge of anysujh
Court, or any Justice or Justices of the Peace l)efc re
whom any such offender slinuhl be brought, sliould
connnit such offender to safe custody, and cause
sucli offender to be sent in such custody for trial
in the Court of the province of Upper Canada.

From and after the prochnnation of this Act in
British Cohunbia tlie said Act of the forty-third
year of King George the Third, and the said recited
provisions of the said Act of the second year of
King George the Fourth, and the provisions con-
tained in such Act for giving force, authority and
effect -svithin the Indian territories and other parts
of America to the process and acts of the said
Courts of Upper Canada, shall cease to have force
in and to be applicable to British Columbia.

V. Provided always, That all judgments given in
any civil suit in British Columbia shall be subject
to appeal to Her Majesty in Council, in the manner
and subject to the regulations in and subject to
which appeals are now brought from the Civil
Courts of Canada, and to such further or other

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APPENDIX.

rcgnliitions as ITor ^Fajesty, with the advice of
Her Privy Council, shall from time to time ap-
point.

VI. No part of the colony of Vancouver Tshuid
as at present established, shall be comprised within
Britisli Columbia for the purpose of this Act; but
it shall be lawful for Her Mnjesty, her heirs and
successors, on receivinfj at anv time durinnj the con-
tinuiince of tl.is Act a joint address from the two
Houses of the Legislature of Vancouver Island,
praying for the incorporation of that Island with
British Columbia, by order to be made as aforesaid
with the advice of her Privy Council, to annex
the said island to British Cobunbin, subject to such
conditions and regulations as to Her ]\Iajesty shall
seem expedient ; and thereupon and from the date
of the publication of such order in the said Island,
or such other date as may be fixed in such order,
the provisions of this Act shall be held to apply to
Vancouver Island.

VII. In the construction of this Act the term
" Governor " shall mean the person for the time
being lawfully administering the Government of
British Columbia.

S ' if:

APrKXDIX.

307

ice of
le ap-

VIII. Tliis Act shiiU continuo in force until tlu'
thirty-first day of December, one thousand ei;L:ht
liunch'ed and sixty-two, and thenceforth to the end
of the then next session of Parliament; provided
always, that the expiration of this Act sliidl not
affect the l)oundaries hereby defined, or the right
of appeal hereby given, or any act done or right or
title acquired under or by virtue of this Act, nor
shall the expiration of this Act revive the Acts or
parts of Acts hereby repealed.

THE END.

R. BORN, PUINTEIt, GLOLCESTEK STREET, UEGENT S I'AIIK.