A SKETCH OF BRITISH COLUMBIA IN 1868.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2406, 8 September 1868, Page 2

A SKETCH OF BRITISH COLUMBIA IN 1868.

(BT AN OCCASIOHIL CORBEBPOSDEST.)

When the rush from this colony and Australia set in towards the Cariboo goldflelda in '6l and '6a, British Columbia and Vancouver Island were two distinct colonies the Governor of British Columbia residing at New Weitminiter, on the Frazer river, and the Governor of Vancouver Island at Victoria. It seems to have been a strange proceeding, that of having two Governments for so insignificant a portion of the world, and it is, doubtless, to this red-tapism and mismanagement that the present depressed and stagnant condition of the country mar be mainly attributed. British Columbia extends from latitude 49 to 55 North, being abont 420 miles long, and from 300 to 400 miles broad, and is estimated to contain 180,000 square miles. It is bounded on the south by the frontier of the United States, on the eait by the rocky mountains, on the north by Simpson's river and on the west by the Pacific. Vancouver Island (separated from the mainland by the Gulf of Georgia), is 250 miles long by 70 broad. Dp to the year 1858 the colony was under the control of the Hudson Bay Company, who monopolised the whole country, making it more like a huge private preserve than anything else. They had established numerous stations, called forts, where their traders purchased furs and skins m large quantities from the Indians, with whom they carried on a brisk general trade. The Governor, Mr (now Sir James) Douglas, who had formerly been chief factor to the Hudson Bay Company in 1856, wrote to the Home Government reporting the existence of gold on the Frazer, but it was not till the autumn of 1857 that diggers from' California found their way overland into the upper country, where they at onc» met with great success, and remained until the cold of the ensuing winter drove them to Victoria and San Francisco, where the news of the discoveries caused the utmost excitement. Br July TSSB it wasestimated that 20,000 people had left the latter place for Cariboo. And of course, as isj usual on all new rushes, the greater portion were unsuccessful, but the vast difficulties of the route to the new El Dorado, deterred thousands from attempting to go up at al> and they returned to California denouncing as a swindle Britith Columbia in general and Cariboo in particular. In U6l the colony of British Columbia was separated from Victoria, and a new seat of government was established at New Westminster; the Hudson Bay Company's monopoly was upset, and Colonel Moody, with a strong detachment of engineers, was sent out from England to open up the country. In 1866 the governments were again mergei into one, and the seat thereof fixed at New Westminster. Sir James Douglas, having previously declined the reins of Government, had taken up his permanent residence in Victoria. It has always been a matter of surpriie that such a place could have been selected as the seat of Government in preference to so suitable a spot as Victoria, whichhadlongbeentheport of the colonj.the headquarters of merchants and banks, and already had assumed a position of considerable importance,. Governor Seymour, it ap- ; pears, considered himself treated in a rude mannw by the Victorians on his arrival, and went on to New Westminster, whose residents gave him a "cordial and loyal welcome." The selection of the seat of Government had been left with him, and on this account he chose the latter place. It is moßt inconveniently situated on a river where ships cannot obtain a sufficient depth of water, even should thoy have succeeded in getting through the dangerous channel leading thereto in safety. No merchants have gone into business there; in fact, the town is well termed the " city of stumps." The Government buildings are mean and paltry in the extreme, being 'ompoied of the old log huts built for the engineers. This act of the Governor's has all along given the greatest diisatisfuction, and has made Mr Seymour excessively unpopular. Victoria has, however, at last gained the day. Petition and counter- petition, address and counter-address have beeu forwarded time after time to the Home Government, and the matter has been continually dallied with by the Governor; but a despatch came out last February desiring his Excellency to lay the matter before his Council without delay, and leare it to their decision. The Council, which is composed of twenty members, part of whom are officials nominated by the Governor, and the remainder popular members elected by certain districts, was accordingly summoned, and on the 2nd of last April, after a sharp debate appointed, by a large majority, Victoria as the seat of Government, but up to the latest dates Mr Seymour had taken no step towards its removal thereto, while rumour had asserted that, declining to live m Victoria, he had tendered his resignation. °

It would be difficult to imagine a more beautiful climate than that of Vancouver Island The spring and summer are magmHcent, but the winter is sharp and cold. The harbour of Victoria is small and somewhat intricate, but with plenty of water for large ships. There are numerous wharves along the water front, the finest, of course, being that attached to the warehouses of the

Hudion Bay Company. All business seems to be under the control of this company, and they appeir to act as a sort of damper on n\ost private business transactions. In addition to their wholesale trade, they carry on a TflUil busineis and generally manage to undersell the other tradespeople. You can buy anything in their store, from a string of glass beads, or a pound of sugar, to a steamboat. The Government buildings are situated on a reserve, a short distance from the main street, and are substantial red brick buildings, of neat architecture, being an ornament to the town. The great proportion of the buildings in town are of wood, though some few fireproof buildings have lately been erected. In 1862 and 1865 business was most flourishing, steamers coming in three or four times a week from San Francisco, all full of passengers, numerous hotels always full, and two theatres in full swing. The river steamers towards ('ariboo were literally crammed every day, gold was coming down in vast quantities, and everything was prosperous; but now see what a contrast I A steamer (with but few passengers) once a month from Frisco—and even that would not be a certainty were it not for the fact of the Government having to send a regular mail to their new possessions at Alaska, and tho boat calls in en route to coal. Now, there are but two hotels (the three best being closed after having ruined all their proprietors), and only one of these, the " Colonial," does much business. But two steamers a week go towards Cariboo. Only one theatre, and that opened but occasionally through the winter. Everybody appears hard-up, and a visitor hears scarcely my thing but complaints. The town supports two volunteer Are brigades, whose services have luckily been but little wanted, and there is a volunteer rifle corps, whose band turns out in greater strength than the effective rank and file. The funds of the Government are to bad that they have been unable to pay the salary of the adjutant, a moßt efficient officer. The gaol is in the centre of the town, and is under control of Mr Pemberton, who is alio P.M.and Chief of Police, as well as Coroner and County Court Judge. The police are also gaolers, and though few in number, are an efficient force, reflecting much credit on Mr Pemberton. Mr Needham is Chief Justice of Victoria, and Mr Bigbie Judge of Columbia. And here again arises confusion. When the colonies were united the law courts were overlooked, so neither judge can sit in the other colony; there is no Court of Appeal, and in cases of insolvency (and their name is legion), it is nothing uncommon for an applicant, fearing his chances before one of the judges, to file his schedule and get his certificate before the other.

Some short while ago, I believe, Victoria used to boast three or four newspapers; but time< have changed with them too. The press it represented by a daily sheet, the Colonist, a good little paper, well conducted, and does its utmost to get the best and earli et news; bat there is scarcely enough enterprise in the town to advertise properly, and the subscription list is naturally small. There is also an insignificant sheet published every Sunday morning. New Westminster boasts two journals, which cannot be better described than b? saying that they have been faithfully established after the famous Dickens' celebrities " The Eatanswill Gazette," and "Independent." There is a fine Masonic Hall in Victoria, and the craft is well represented both by the English and Scotch constitutions. Three miles from Victoria, and connected therewith by a capital road, is the harbour of Esquimalt. This is the rendezvous of the fleet, and a splendid harbour. The Great Eastern could easily moor in it. The township is small, consisting of five publics and a few small stores, of course all dependent on the men of the navy. The Admiral has a small house at the head of the harbour, and near it is the Officers' Club house, a nice place. The Navy yard is across the harbour. During the winter the Zealous (ironclad), bearing the flag of Admiral Hastings, was stationed here, as well as H.M.S. Reindeer, Chanticleer, Cameleon, Scout, and gunboats Sparrow Hawk and Forward. Of course the ships are a benefit to the place, and a more quiet lot of men it would be" difficult to find on any other station. The scenery around Victoria is very magnificent, more especially when viewed from the Racecourse, situated about a mile and a half from the town, at Beacon Hill. It would be impossible to find a better nataral Course in any part of the world. From Beacon Bill one sees at one moment the whole straits of Fuca, backed by the magnificent Olympian range on the American side. The moßt noteworthy of this range is Mount Baker, which greatly resembles Mount Cook is shape, being about the same height, and invariably covered with snow. There are some nice churches in the island; the largest being the iron building presented by Miss Burdett Coutts. Bishop Hills is the Prima e; and the other religious denominations are more or less strongly represented. The Theatre is a plain building (converted out of an old fort of the Hudson Bay Company) in the main street, and is under the leiseeship and management of Mr B. 6. Marsh, who was in Australia and New Zealand from '59 to '62, with the Juvenile Company, known as the Marsh Troupe. These young people, in the due and natural course of events grew older, and are now divided over the face of America. Many of your readers will no doubt remember " Little Jennie Amot" and " Little George," who used to create such roars of laughter as Mr and Mrs Toodles,—l saw them in Victoria —the former is married to a young man in good business, and the latter has so grown as to have lost the soubriquet of "Little George," but still stands by the stage, and is one of his father's company.. Victoria boasts the best Amateur Dramatic Club I have ever had the pleasure of seeing—its mainspring and Treasurer is an old Australian who owns an hotel, which, out of regard to his old colony, he has named the " Boomerang." This Club numbers among its members all the leading young men of the town, They give half-a-dozen performances every winter in aid of the local charities, and I can safely say I never saw auy people so generally turn out to support these objects as Vancouver Islanders do. On Amateur nights, every seat in the house is engaged days before, and the charity always receives £IOO clear. The members of the club are the leading spirits of Victoria. All amusements emanate from their body, and they are responsible for all races regattas, midnight serenades, Aunt Sally, &<:, &c. In the winter, paper hunts are t!>e fun for Saturday afternoons, in which the officers of the Navy come out greatly. Once it was my good fortune to see a stag hunt. A n unfortunate fawn had been caught in a lake and was brought to the meet at the Bee Hive hotel, one afternoon in an old crockery crate. Everybody that could raise a quadrupcl was out, and the little animal was vncarted before fire or six hungry looking beagles, just landed from an English ship. In a moment, the fawn went one way, the hounds the other, and the horsemen all ways. I never saw such fun: but no other stag hunt was attempted. In the winter, skating and sleighing form the chief amusements. Last winter the ice was good for over six weeks, and the sleighing was remarkably smooth. To an Australian, there is something very novel about sleighing, and a drive behind a couple of good grexs, in a well appointed sleigh, is one of the vaoit exciting amusements a man can meet with. The Queen's birthday is the great race day of the year. Boating, cricket, &c, fill up the time of the pleasure hunters in summer. Wheiher it is that business is so slack I cannot attempt to say, but a body of people so thoroughly devoted to pleasure as the Victorians are it lias never been my lot to fall among. T!ie mines are towards the extreme north Of the colony, comprising Cariboo, Williams' Creek (the richest field at present) and others. It is a matter of great difficulty and hard work to reach these diggings, and they are too small to support anything like a number of people, '('here is now a good road from Yale (the terminus of the steamers) to Cariboo, and a coach runs regularly during the summer at a large fare, and a sleigh very irregularly during the winter at a still higher fare. The stage line is owned by Mr Barnard, a Canadian, who deserves immense credit, for bis pluck and energy in opening up sacli a difficult and so unprofitable a route. All stores and provisions are fearfully high on the mines, and so, by the way, are all

accommodations on the road thereto. But the greatest drawback is that the claims cannot he worked for more than four or five months in the year. They are frozen and snowed in by November, and cannot be opened again before the end of May or the beginning of June following. The greater proportion of miners and others leave the diggings and come down to Victoria, as do the Gold Commissioners and other officers, and most of the former go to San Francisco for the winter. Some of the diggers go' in small parties into the country, establish log huts, and devote their winter to shooting and fishing, by which pursuit they are enabled to make a little money, as well as live very cheaply.

Just as I was leaving the colony, the annual exodus, Cariboowards, had commenced, but in a smaller degree than known heretofore. The truth is that the goldfields are limited in extent, and the country is of so inhospitable a nature thatgold-diggiug can only be prosecuted at an immense expense, and willi great wear and tear of health and constitution. These are the grand difficulties that, as an auriferous country, British Columbia has to contend against. I met a good manv New Zealanders while there. They were mostly miners down for the winter. Their story was that they had been out since 1862, having gone from Dunedin after meeting with illluck at Gabriel's. That they had done nothing any summer as yet, that they meant to return to Cariboo this summer, as their claim was promising better than it had hitherto done, when, winter setting in, compelled them to leave it j but that, whatever luck they met with this year, the meant to return to New Zealand in the fall. Flumes are used altogether for mining purposes, and are the best paying property on the diggings. There are a good many Australians and New Zealanders scattered through the colony, but judging from their own accounts, they will shortly be returning.

The Hudson's Bay Company have, in some places, gone in for sheep farming, but it has not proved a paying speculation. The sheep require such an amount of attention, that labour becomes a most serious item. The severity of the winter renders it indispensable that all flocks should be enclosed during the cold season, and fed on hay and roots, and close shepherding is always necessary in consequence of the numerous panthers and wolves abounding in the country, to say nothing of the bears who are now and then troubled with a weakness for coming down from the mountains and doing immense damage, The same difficulties extend to the raising of all descriptions of stock, which is an expensive, hazardous speculation, and, with but few exceptions, a money-losing one. The diggings are supplied with American beef and mutton, driven overland from Oregon and Washington territories; and to the latter territory are the inhabitants of Victoria also bound for their commissariat department. The butchers of the town are supplied by steamers which run regularly between the two sides of the Straits, and retail meat at an average of 30 cents per lb. Farming is being more generally undertaken now, but the labour of clearing the thick heavy timber is immense, and it is a long time before a farm can be brought into anything like good order. There are not many farms as yet in lucrative work, though all farm produce commands a long price. Most of the flour used in the country is imported from Oregon. An attempt has lately been made to grow hops, with results promising considerable success. The colonial beer, by the way, is remarkably good, being better than any I have met with in Australia or New Zealand. How is this fact to be accounted for?

The gardens of the colony grow anything in profusion—fruit and vegetables most abundantly—of course not including grapes, &c. Chinamen in numbers work gardens in the outskirts of the town with profit. Potatoes, in particular, are ra'sed in large quantities.

One of the most important productions of the colony is undoubtedly its timber, which is magnificent in the extreme. Thennst frequented saw mills are those belonging severally to a London Company, managed by Captain Stamp, and Mr Moody, at Burrard's Inlet in the Gulf of Georgia. The most valuable of the timber is the pine, which grows straight, frequently attaining the height of three and four hundred feet, with a diameter at the base of ten and fourteen feet. In San Francisco, a large trade is carried on in lumber from Paget Sound, for which a large fleet of vessels is employed, the timber of Burrard's Inlet is reputed finer than that of the American side, and it is hy no means uncommon to find an American ship loading at the Inlet for t-'an Francisco, though, of courte, the lumber there obtained is charged with the extra expense of duty. Several American vessels that have lately freighted with lumber for Australia had, in preference to their own, loaded on the English side. The pine forms splendid spars, and it may be worthy of remark that two vessels were waiting "to load—one, an American, with spars for the French navy, to be discharged at Havre, aud the other for the English navy, to call at Spithead for orders. The spars for the Great Eastern were obtained in this part of the country. Another sawmill was established by a London company at Alberni, Barclay Sound, but this has been cloted up in consequence of its inconvenient tituation, A large number of ships are continually loading at the Inlet for Shanghai and Hongkong, &c, where lumber is comnnnding a very high price. Coal is found in large quantities at Nanaimo on the island. It was some time before this coal was believed in, but it has now established a good footing in the Californian market, to which considerable quantities are shipped, and where it fetches from .twelve ,to fourteen dollars a ton. This seam is proved to be very extensive, and coal exists in many other parts of Vancouver Island. The animal resources of the colony are numerous and good. Among them may be mentioned the black and grizly bear. Thtse fellows are found chiefly in the mountains, and generally give much trouble before they are killed. Their hides always sell well. Inland, and on the coast, deer of all sorts are plentiful. The most valuable specimen is the elk, but it is a matter of hard work and risk to get near them. They keep bo much to the dense woods and rough ridges that they are hard to stalk, and when they are killed it is not often that the hunter is able to bring out of the bush more than the hide, head, and antlers. The flesh is particularly good, The other varieties of deer are good shooting, and their hides are worth money. On the coast, the sea-otter is often met with.. His skin is very valuable. Seals and beavers amply repay a man for his labour in catching them. Martins, minks, silver foxes, racoons, and ermine, and other fur-bearing animals are trapped in large numbers, and their skins always meet with a ready Bale. In 1862 £50,000 worth of furs were exported, and more than tbatin 1864. The Hudson Bay Company regularly load several of their own vessels with this cargo every year. I had some fine sport among the elk and deer, using a Honry rifle, the most handy tool under the sun. Wild fowl of all descriptions abound in plenty, as well as grouse and snipe. Grouse shooting is much gone into on account of the high price of butchers' provisions. It sounds rather startling when you are told that the cheapest living in British Columbia consists of venison and salmon; yet such is the case. The flsh obtained are of great variety, and in immense numbers. Salmon of many sorts are caught easily, nearly all the year round, running sometimes as high as 60 lbs; and trout are found in almost all lakes, streams, and even pondß. Cod and herring abound in vast quantities, | and doubtless, with the introduction of capital, a large business in curing fish would be established. Considerable quantities are shipped to .San Francisco fresh, being sent down by the steamers, packed securely in ice. One sort, the halibut (which is a splendid flsh, sometimes weighing 150lbs or lftlbs) fetches bs much as from 35 cents to 50 cents, (2s) per lb in that market, and is easily obtainable in Victoria at 5 cents. The Indians are the principal fishermen, but the greater and best quantity of the salmon comes down from the The Indians, or Siwashes, are strong-built able-bodied men. Their numbers are decreasing rapidly, either from the process o civilization or the introduction of whisky, of

which thty are excessively fond, and of which a most vile description is sold to them by unprincipled men.' They live.in rancJeras close to the town. These rancheras are rather' like the pahs of New Zealand, only they are not fortified, or so neatly built. The Siwashes are of a most indolent disposition, and, as a rule, of a vagrant nature. The women, or klootchmen, are tall fine people, but as fond of whisky and doing nothing as the men. The old blanket has gone out of fashion, and they dress in the «' loudest" style imaginable. The Natives are a most treacherous class, and will rob or murder any white man without the smallest compunction. Their native language is not generally used, but Chinook (a sort of jargon introduced by the old Hudson Bay Company's employes) bears some resemblance to it, and is used as a general language. It is quaint and decidedly expressive. All domestic house and hotel labour, as in San Francisco, is performed by Chinamen, who readily get from 30 to 35 dollars a month.' No female labour is employed. Viewed as a whole, British Columbia, at present, does not hold out any inducement whatever for new comers; in fact it can scarcely support all those already there. It may eventually improve, but I cannot see what is to make it a prosperdus country. The climate is too much against it, and the form of government at first, and the monopoly of the Hudson Bay Company, have greatly paralysed all its energies. For the past few months great exertions have been made to confederate the colony with Canada. Vast results are anticipated from such a step, which is favourably entertained by the Canadian Government. Among expected benefits must be mentioned, first of all, the proposed railroad between Quebec and the Rocky Mountains via Lake Superior. This is a scheme promising great things. The line would pass through some of the most splendid territory in the world—infinitely better than the country traversed by the Grand Pacific trunk line, so soon to join California and the Mississippi together, and by some sanguine friends of Confederation it is confidently expected that British Columbia would become the important Jerminus of the Pacific. An unprejudiced mind might doubt this, more especially as such a remit must be the work of a number of years, before which time San Francisco will undoubtedly have rendered its position as the seaport of the 'Pacific, almost, if not quite, invulnerable. The Canadian Government offer to assume the debt of the colony, and it is of course eipeeted that the most expensive part of the present government machinery will be dispensed with. Some portion of the British Columbian population are still agitating for annexation to the stars and stripes. Coußin Jonathan would doubtless be glad to obtain the country, which would be a much better investment for him than St. Thomas, and infinitely superior to that "pig in a poke" he bought last year—Russian America. This last-named country is not proviig a succesß. Last August there was a small stampede towards it from San Francisco, and a few Americans went also from Victoria, but they nearly all returned after remaining there for some months, during which time they never saw the sun nor did any business, and Sitka now appears to be left in the hands of a few American soldiers. A company has been formed by some go-a-head San Franciscans, who have purciased the Russian-American Telegraph Company's vesseU and stock, They are established as a fur company, and will no doubt make all the dollars that are to be made in that country, for they have the monopoly, and, as a country, Alaska is second to none.

In conclusion, let me add one word of advice to your readers, and that is, on no account to leave Australia or New Zealand for California or British Columbia, Nothing is' open for them in either place. Whan I last saw San Francisco, it was estimated that over 9000 men were lying out of work. Misery and viee were rampant. Yet hundreds more were pouring in daily, and why? Simply because a stnrag opposition line of steamers has been put on against the Pacific S.S. Co., from New York via Panama. For several months the fares have been reduced,' and now a passage costs only 20 or 25 dol-' lurs, steerage, and a saloon passage can be obtained for from 40 to 80 dollars. Out of this the companies have to pay 35 dollars for the fare by the train across the Isthmus of Panama; bo, really, they are carrying passengers a voyage of three weeks for less than the bare cost of two hours and-a-half run in a railway train. In April last, it was expected that the fares would be still further reduced. Every steamer was bringing over from New York, hundreds of the very worst class of thegenus "loafer" of that place. Things are desperately bad there, so they rush at the cheap fares across to California, where they find things worse. Wages are higher, but no work to be obtained, and the necessaries of life are, of course, far higher than in the Eastern States. The Pacific-' Hailway Company employ thousands of Chinamen on their works, thereby doing away wich the necessity of employing expensive and independent white labour.

Looking at all these facts, and, having for ten months carefully, and in a thoroughly unprejudiced manner, examined personally the Eastern States of the Pacific from theGoldeu Gate to British Columbia, I must unhesitatingly assert that Australia and New Zealand hold forth better inducements than either of these countries in every way. If those who may now be making up their minds to leave for California could only have had my experience aud seen the passengers from Australia who have landed there, and the disappointments they have met with, I think many of them would be found wavering, and the ships from Sydney would leave for Sau Francisco with fewer passengers and more coals.