EXPLORATION OF VANCOUVER ISLAND.

Press, Volume VII, Issue 797, 19 May 1865, Page 3

EXPLORATION OF VANCOUVER ISLAND.

[From the Atkemamn.'] Hasx-S-CEBk, Feb. 1,1865. I have, received by the last mails from Vancouver 1 "" Island some letters from my V brother, Mr. Frederick Whymper, iiarrating . the results of the late, exploring expedition, to which he was attached as artist; and as their discoveries appear to mc to be of pubJBc importance, I forward a summary oi -- ftem to you for publifiation.

The expedition was formed in last May. in order to obtain better knowledge of the interior of the island, but also with a view to the discovery of agricultural land and minerals. It started from Victoria, on the 7th of June, in H.M. gunboat Grrappler, and commenced its work at the Great Cowichan Lake, returning by the same vessel from Nanaimo, on the 21st October. As to describe minutely the country over which they passed during these five months would be to fill your columns with a catalogue of names, unintelligible without a map, let it suffice to say, that they crossed the island in several directions, and made lateral deviations at numerous points, passing altogether over 1340 miles of new country, and cxi ploring, in a tolerably complete manner, the southern half Of this distance nearly 600 miles were travelled on foot, more than 700 by canoe, and the remainder by rafts. In the discovery of minerals the expedition met with great success, finding almost immediately valuable veins of copper, apparently inexhaustible in extent ; gold was found on all bars of the Cowichan Eiver up to 3 cents, per pan, with indications of richer diggings; and this was followed by the discovery of very rich ironstone in large quantities. In the neighborhood of the Cowichan Eiver they found open tracts of agricultural land, from 300 to 500 acres in extent, ready for the plough ; in other districts yet larger spaces, and altogether many thousand acres. Traces of nickel and plumbago were met with ; but probably the most valuable of all thfe discoveries was that of bituminous coal, on the coast, close to deep water, and the outcropping of which showed a seam more than a foot in thickness.

Many tracts were thinly wooded with scattered maple from twelve to twenty inches in diameter, and others more heavily with forests of the most magnificent spars of Douglas, hemlock, and white pine, the latter, from its rarity on the coast, being of great value. Dr. Brown, the leader of the expedition, discovered an entirely new pine; and they brought down to Victoria, for carving purposes, a fine log of arbutus, which, in the interior, attains to considerable dimensions. To quote the words of Dr. Brown, " the spare and lumber alone, with their capabilities of being floated to the sea, would prove a certain fortune to any man with capital enough to buy an axe and a grindstone."

Many edible wild fruits were found, and a large collection of interesting seeds was made. Of the largest kinds of animals they saw and shot deer and elk, the latter being in great droves; bears, beavers, and wolves were very numerous; martens and racoons were also plentiful; grouse and wild ducks are described to be found to any extent.

The number of lakes in the interior is very considerable; at one place, from Comox to Alberni, a chain of seven reach nearly across the island—the largest of these is 22 miles in length. On Barclay Sound two rivers yielded good prospects of gold, paying at the rate of two or three dollars per man per day, and which, if worked by the usual machinery, would yield to a much larger extent. The most important of the discoveries, in its immediate effect on the colony, was the finding of gold on the Stoke and Leech Rivers; this almost depopulated Victoria for a time and within a few weeks of being known, these diggings had yielded 40,000 dollars; the Government alone recieved _£900 from the sale of licenses. The gold from these rivers sold at 20 dollars per ounce.

Towards the end, the expedition experienced considerable hardships from being imperfectly supplied with provisions, and near Barclay Sound had a narrow escape from coming to grief, owing to the recent chastisements of the Indians in that part by some of our gunboats; they, however, happily escapecb-all accidents, and arrived in safety at Victoria, having in their discoveries surpassed their expectations.

Prom a paragraph I find in the British Colonist of December 1, the colony would appear to be prospering. At a sale of some ground in Victoria, belonging to the Hudson Bay Company, a lot, 70 xSO feet, realised 11,500 dols.; another, 73 x 49 feet, 12,250 dols; but after a few others had been knocked down at about the prices, the remainder of the lots were withdrawn, in consequence, it was said, of the above amounts being insufficient. Edwaed "WirrMPEB.