Travels in British Columbia, with the narrative of a yacht voyage round Vancouver's Island

Preface

. The interest which at the present moment attaches to everything connected with British Columbia and Vancouver's Island, 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, but of practical utility to the intending emi_rant. Having spent two years on the Pacific coast of the North American continent, and having, in addition to numerous land excur sions, passed a considerable time cruising in a yacht round the Island of Vancouver, I have enjoyed unusual opportunities of becoming acquainted not only with the general physical character and geographical features of the country, but also with the habits and customs

PREFACE.

. VI of the different Indian tribes here located. I can, moreover, assure my readers that such information as I have to offer is of the most recent date ; a fact of no small importance in connection with colonies where everything is undergoing a most rapid transformation, where flourishing townships and settlements are daily springing up in districts which a few years back were covered with forests of primeval pine. Royal Thames Yacht Club, London, Aug., 18G2. CONTENTS.

Chapter I

Principal Routes from England to British Columbia and Vancouver's Island — Panama Route. Cape Horn Route — Voyage out — Difficulty of rounding Cape Horn — Contrary Winds and Heavy Seas — Inclemency of the Weather — We sight Cape Horn — Valparaiso — Change from Cold to Heat — Fine Run on leaving Valparaiso — Termination of the Voyage — Straits of Juan de Fuca — Size of Vancouver's Island — General Description — Pine Woods — Indian Paths or Trails through the Interior — 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 .... 1

Chapter II

British Columbia — Fraser River — First Discoverers — Drake— Captain Cook — Vancouver — Town of Victoria — When Founded — Governor Douglas— Harbour of Victoria — Esquimalt — Mail Steamers — Post Office — Wells, Fargo, and Co. — Rapid Improvement of Victoria — First Impressions — Indian Village and Burial Ground — Character of Surrounding Country — Picturesque Scenery 19 CHAPTER HI. Departure on our Cruise — A Night on the Island of San Juan — Depth of Water — Point Roberts — Fraser River— New Westminster, Capital of British Columbia — Head-quarters of the Royal Engineers — " The Brunette " — Enormous Timber — Strong Current — Nanaimo — Coal on Vancouver's Island — A Hunting Expedition—Leave Nanaimo — Uculta Village— Valdez Island — Stiff Breeze — Dangerous Reef of Rocks— Fort Rupert . . CONTEXTS.

Chapter IV

Indian Tribes inhabiting Vancouver's Island — Northern Indians visiting the Island periodically — Enmity among the Different Tribes — Indian Warfare — Weapons — Canoes — Treachery of the Ucultas — General Appearance of the Indians — Artificial Flattening of the Skull — Use of Paint — Indian Women — Dress — Indian Village — Huts — Fishing Season — Salmon — Articles of Food — Whisky — Carving— Construction of Canoe — Indian Burial - Ground — Mysteries of the Kluquolla — Gambling — Indian Superstitions .... 39

Chapter V

Indian Servants — Mode of Dealing with Indians — Misconduct of the Hydahs — They fire on the "Rob Roy" — Prompt Measures taken by the Authorities to Redress the Outrage — The Hydahs are brought to Reason — Captain John — His Capture and Death — Adventure of the Cowichin Indian — .Northern Marauders — Lieutenant Robson sets out in Pursuit — Insolent Defiance of the Indians — Effect of the Great Guns — The Ucultas — Fort Rupert — Excellent Garden — Kindness of the Chief Factor — We leave Fort Rupert — Round the North-west Point of the Island — Carried by the Tide past our Destination — Quatsinough Harbour — Koshkeemo Village — Our Indian Host — The Interior of a Hut — Domestic Life — Indian Apathy ..... 59

Chapter VI

Weather changes for the worse — Heavy Rains — Time consumed by Indians in striking a Bargain — Religious Chants — Ancient Carvings — Salmon Weir — We leave our Anchorage — Heavy Swell at Sea — Dangerous Rocks — Difficult and Hazardous Navigation — Bay of Klaskeeno — Cogwell Trader — Want 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 CONTENTS. IX

Chapter VII

Heavy Seas after Recent Gales — Freshsets from the Coast — Mocuina Point — Escalante Reef — We drift out to Sea — Thick Fog — Make Friendly Cove — Nootka Sound — Strange Sail on the Horizon — Indians come alongside — Cooptee, Winter Quarters of the Mowichats — Noise made over a Kluquolla — Mocoola, Chief of the Mowichats — Takes a Fancy to our Dog — Indian Opinion of European Garments — Pe-Sha-Klim, Spouter of the Mowichats— Indian Presents — Tomahawk and other Arms — Narrative of an Adventure on our Former Visit — We ascend Guaquina Arm — Hostility of the Matchelats — Indian War-whoop — They fire on us — We parley with them — Peace Restored — We go on Shore with the Chief — Encampment — Fresh Symptoms of Hostility — Satisfactory Explanations — Fail to reach the Object of our Expedition — Arrival of Pe-Sha- Klim 91

Chapter VIII

The Wreck of the " Florentia" — -Sufferings of the Crew — Resolution Cove — Perilous Adventure in an Open Boat — Bocca del Inferno — Misunderstanding between the Shipwrecked Crew and the Indians — Dress of an Indian Woman — The Use of Paint — Primitive Poste-Restante — Captain Cook . . . .111

Chapter IX

We leave Nootka Sound — Variable Winds — Bajo Reef— We part our Cable— A Favourable Wind — Our Prospects brighten — We fail to make Clayoquot Sound — Our Former Visit— Summer Village of the Clayoquot Indians — Their Warlike Character — Murder of Esquihat Chief —Narrow Escape of a White Man — A Battle in Canoes — Midnight Attack — We re-enter Juan de Fuca Straits — Return to Victoria— Christmas in Vancouver's Island — General Improvements X CONTENTS.

Chapter X

We revisit British Columbia — The Fraser River and Gold-Fields — New Westminster — The Harrison Lillooett Route described — Skaholet Indians — Harrison River and Lake — Port Douglas — Encampment of Royal Engineers — Strong Current — Chinese Gold-Seekers — Fort Hope— Romantic Scenery — Turn Sioux Indians — Religious Ceremony — " Tumanas," or " Medicine Man " — Route from Fort Hope to Lillooett, on the way to Cariboo 139

Chapter XI

General Remarks on British Columbia — Its Soil and Climate — Agricultural Prospects — Its Natural Productions — Mineral, Vegetable, and Animal — Suitability of its Chmate to rearing English Stock — Encouragement to Farmers to settle here — The Gold Fields — Prospects of Miners — Advice to Gold Seekers — A Miner's Narrative — Different Methods of seeking for Gold — Other Branches of Industry — Packers — Effect of the Discovery of Gold on British Columbia — Geographical Features of the Country — Its Mountains, Rivers, and Lakes 153

Chapter XII

Idea of an Inter-Oceanic Line of Railway — United States Line — Importance of such a Line of Railroad on British Territory — Circumstances favouring its Adoption — Great Advantages attending it — The Splendid Future it would open to British Columbia 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 passes — Probable Expense of the Journey — Routes followed by Mr. M'Laurin, in 1858 and 1860— 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 CONTENTS. XI

Chapter XIII

New Routes through the Interior of British Columbia — The Bentinck 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 through British Territory — Captain Venables on the Bill-Whoalla Route— Route through American Territory — Probable Rush to the Gold 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 Habits — Columbia River — Portland — We strike on a Rock — The Water gains on us in spite of all our Efforts — Critical Situation of the Steamer " Pacific " — We 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 the Gold- Fever — Japanese Embassy — American Driving — Race-course — American Opinion of a Fox-Hunt — The "General" Drinking Bars — Theatres — Union Club — The " 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 — Probable Effects of the Present War in the United States — Its Causes — Tariff to protect the Manufacturing Interests — Hatred between the North and South — Results to be anticipated at the Close of the CONTENTS. War — Present 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 aud Vancouver's Island — Influence of the Gold Discovery — Neglect of many Important Branches of Industry. — Discovery of Copper Mines — Prospects of Immigrants — State of Industry — High Rate of Wages — Inconvenience caused by a Former Want of a Circulating Medium — Despatch of Governor Douglas — Establishment of a Mint and Assay Office — Banks in Victoria — Import Duty and Tariffs 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 ..... 2G8 Appendix

Chapter I

Principal Routes from England to British Columbia and Vancouver's Island — Panama Route. Cape Horn Route — -Voyage out — Difficulty of Rounding Cape Horn — Contrary Winds and Heavy Seas — Inclemency of the Weather — We sight Cape Horn — Valparaiso — Change from Cold to Heat — Fine Run on leaving Valparaiso — Termination of the Voyage — Straits of Juan de Fuca — Size of Vancouver's Island — General Description— Pine Woods — Indian Paths or Trails through the Interior — 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. Intending emigrants and visitors to British Columbia and Vancouver's Island have at present the choice of two routes, the ordinary one by sea, via Cape Horn, which involves a sea voyage of some 20,000 miles, and the so-called overland route, via Panama, whereby the distance and duration of the voyage are greatly abridged.

Of the true overland route from New York to St. Joseph's, B 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 climate 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 necting 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 for a long voyage should be provided by those who CAPE HORN ROUTE. 3 adopt it; they should, moreover, bear in mind that the extremes of latitude they will have to traverse are sufficiently great to cause a double alter nation of winter and summer during the voyage. Ere they reach Cape Horn they will have ex changed the North Star for the Southern Cross, and long before they arrive at their destination, after having doubled that Cape of Storms, the Southern Cross will have disappeared below the horizon, and their old acquaintance the North Star will again be high in the heavens.

We would therefore advise every one, intending to take this route, to provide himself with a wardrobe sufficiently varied to meet the exigencies of tropical heat and almost Arctic cold. Isee 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 only will the duration of the voyage be abridged by the increased speed of the mode of con veyance, but its actual length will be considerably diminished by enabling them to make their passage through the Straits of Magellan, thereby also avoiding the dangerous storms and icebergs round Cape Horn. That the reader may be able to form some idea of 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, b ] 859, and, after a fine run, found ourselves off the Island of Madeira — the weather deliciously balmy. We crossed the line on the 20th October, with the thermometer, perhaps, 120° on deck, one day, followed by a perfect 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 vessel bound for London, thus giving us an opportunity of sending our friends at home some tidings of our whereabouts in the 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 hitherto 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 visible.

This singular phenomenon is well known to seamen, and even animals on board ship testify to their consciousness of it by unusual excitement. A favourable breeze springing up from the E. and N.E. sent us on our w*ay rejoicing, through the Straits of Lemaire, between the Falkland Islands and the mainland of South America. Some vessels touch at this group of islands on their passage out. Indeed, their so do ing may happen to be compulsory, through stress ROUNDING CAPE HORN. 5 of weather, and it is not unfrequently the fate of the unhappy voyager in these tempestuous seas to sight these islands periodically, for weeks together, when detained by adverse winds. One of the 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 the 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 vessels from Australia to England return round Cape Horn. As for ourselves, we must confess that we had no special grounds for dissatisfaction, as we were not detained more than three weeks on this part of our passage. It was also our fate to pass much closer to the actual shore of the island than is usually the case, so close, indeed, that we were enabled to obtain a distinct view of Cape Horn itself, the most southernly point of these w*ild, rugged, and inclement regions. To continue my narrative, however, we found ourselves, after running through the Straits of Lemaire, off Statten Island, one Sunday morning, the weather growing rapidly colder. Steering in a westernly direction, we doubled 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 about five miles, we were compelled to run down as far to southward as latitude 60°, to enable us to beat sufficiently to the westward to clear the southernmost extremity of the great American continent. We experienced the usual gales which fall to the lot of all voyagers outward-bound who attempt to double this " Cape of Storms," a name 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 latitudes — 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. INCLEMENCY OF THE WEATHER. 7 When in latitude 60° south, the region of keen winds and icebergs, of fur coats, warm wraps, and red noses, we found the cold sufficiently severe, although near Midsummer, to be very unpleasant — what it may be in winter, when innumerable icebergs 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 a Cape fowl, both of which are sufficiently difficult shooting. After being baffled for some time by contrary winds and thick foggy weather — with driving rain and sudden squalls, to which 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 inhospitable 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 exchanged for light summer garments ere we reached Valparaiso, the chief port of entry on the Coast of Chile. Here we were as pleased as a parcel of schoolboys turned out for a holiday, to get a scamper on shore. The town of Valparaiso stands on the shores of a bay forming a natural harbour, at the entrance to which a good light-house has been erected. The British Government maintains a store-ship here for the use of the Royal Navy. The appearance of the town is not particularly striking, the majority of the houses being built of wood or iron ; the warehouses are, however, very handsome buildings. As it was the 26th of December when we landed — the Midsummer of these latitudes — the place had a very dry, hot, and dusty look, and the heat was in reality quite as great as we cared about, even after the cold winds of Cape Horn.

A further acquaintance with the place revealed to us several buildings of a more sub stantial character, as w*ell 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, the trade being chiefly in the hands of English and French merchants ; and as a proof of the normally unsettled condition of politics in those regions, I may mention that every house has a flagstaff 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 TERMINATION OF THE VOYAGE. 9 enclosed in an amphitheatre of hills, and from the harbour may be obtained a fine view of the distant Andes. I cannot take leave of this place without recording an indignant protest against the ineffi ciency of its postal arrangements.

Notwithstanding the kindness of the consul, who spared no trouble on my behalf, I was unable to obtain several letters and papers, which I knew ought to have been awaiting me here ; nor could I hear anything of them when I wrote for them months afterwards from Vancouver, although backed by the influence of two consuls. A day or two after leaving Valparaiso, the breeze that took us out carried us well into the zone of the south-east trade winds, and we had the good fortune to make a run of some 4,000 miles on our course, almost without having occasion to trim our sails. This was succeeded by contrary and uncertain winds, which continued for some time to baffle and delay our course. At length, to the delight of all on board, we sighted the light on Cape Classet, which heralded the termination of our lengthened cruise.

After being some hours balked 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 Race Rocks, on which a lighthouse has recently been erected. Two hours after we had passed them we took our pilot on board. The narrow entrance to the Harbour of Victoria itself, however, only revealed itself at the very last moment. Before actually setting foot on shore, and intro ducing my readers to the little wooden town of Victoria, as it then appeared, I propose giving them some idea of the general character, natural features, and climate of the country I have under taken to describe. The island of Vancouver itself — in length about 250 miles, with an extreme breadth of 70 — is sepa rated from the mainland by the Straits of Juan de Fuca, the Gulf of Georgia, Johnson's Straits, and Queen Charlotte's Sound.

As far as my observations up to the present moment would lead me to conclude, this large island is one vast rock, in most places but thinly covered with a virgin soil, the result of vegetable decay, highly productive wherever it is to be met with of sufficient 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. Let not the European reader imagine, however, that these THE PINE WOODS OF VANCOUVER. forests are like anything which he may have seen in the Old World.

With the exception of an occasional Indian trail, these woods are, owing to the thick, jungle-like undergrowth, wholly impene trable. The trees composing them are forced up to an immense height, and are, as a natural conse quence, remarkably straight and upright in their growth, even when of gigantic girth, furnishing, in fact, some of the noblest spars in the universe. I am glad to find that the British public are likely to have an opportunity of forming some idea of themag nitude of these vegetable Goliaths 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 frequently 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 square miles in extent, entirely denuded of anything like vegetation — converted, in fact, into a wilderness of scorched and blackened ashes, in the midst of which the gaunt, charred stems of the former monarchs of the forest stand, at intervals, like sen tinel mourners over the graves of their kindred. In speaking of Vancouver as one vast forest of pine, 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 wdiatever point of view it has been my lot to behold it.

At the same time I feel bound to men tion that the Indians persist in stating that extensive open plains exist in the interior, and that there is a water communication, by means of a chain of lake and river, from Nittinat, Barclay Sound, on the south-w*est coast, to the village of the Nimkish Indians, at the mouth of the Nimkish river, flo .ving into Johnson's Straits, on the north east side of the island, within thirty miles, by sea, of Fort Rupert. How far this assertion of the Indians will be verified by future research, remains to be proved ; that a communication, also chiefly by water, does actually 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 CLIMATE. 13 Nanaimo, the coaling station on the Gulf of Georgia, and the new settlement on Alberni canal, Barclay Sound, Pacific. From the foregoing description of the island, my readers will, no doubt, be prepared 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 Pacific coast, are mere naked rocks, but in the channel we meet with habitable islands many square miles in extent. As the latitude of Vancouver, lying between 48° and 52° N., corresponds with that of a portion of Canada, on the opposite side of the North American continent, we might naturally be prepared to meet with something like a corresponding 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 than that of corresponding districts on the Atlantic coast, How this fact is to be accounted for on natural grounds — whether any inter-tropical ocean current, flowing along this coast, performs the same good office for it that the Gulf Stream is supposed to do for us — I leave to savans to deter mine ; suffice it to say that the extremes of cold and heat are seldom felt to be at all inconvenient, and there are, I apprehend, few parts of the world in which the Englishman will find a climate more resembling his own, even to the amount of rain that may be expected to fall in the year. There is one fact, however, to which 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.