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i||iJ|H«WWiM

The second Paper lead was —

2. British Columbia. Joitnieys in the JJisfricts horderiiig on the Firiser,
Thojnpson, and Ilavnson Rivers. By Lieiits. Mayne, k.n., and
Palmer, r.e., and Chief-Justice M. Begdie.

Communicated by the Duke of Newcastle, Colonial OfBce.

The above coininnnications are written at considerable length,
and are so laigely occupied with the description of nnnierons but
essential details, that it is impossible to do justice to them in so
short an abstract as the following, especially without the assistance
of a map.

Lieutenant IVdnier was ordered by Colonel Moody to make an
engineering reconnaissanoo of the neighbourhood of Fraser l^iver.
He reports minutely on the steps that should be taken at each point
of his route in order to make a good ct)mniunicatit)n for cart or boat
traffic. ITe has fixed the geographical positions of numerous places,
and he gives a detailed account of all the patches of land available
for cultivation which fell under his n(itice. His report is accom-
panied by six explanatory plans and three photographic views.

Lieutenant Mayne was detached Irom J I. M.S. Plumper by order
of Captain Eichards on a somewhat similar errand to that above

VOL. I v. n

MAYNE, PALMER, AND BRGBIK

[Dec. 12, 1859.

mentioned. Ho also has brought back a large amount of local in-
formation, numerous mineral specimens, and an explanatory map of
the country ho visited.

Mr. Justice Bcgbie, who had held a circuit in those same districts,
and had .seized the opportunity of making a reconnaissance of them,
also reports the results of his observations as to the capabilities of
the country for transit, the groimd suitable for cultivation, &c.

In speaking of some mutual complaints between whites and
Indians tliat were made to him at a village on the Upper T j-aser, he
goes on to say : —

" On the other hand, many cases of cattle stealing were alleged by the
whites of all nations against the Indians, and stealing, indeed, of anything
which could by iiossibility be eaten. For even the cattle which Indians stole
they did not attcnijit to sell or make use of otherwise than as food, i;n<l it was
admitted on all hands that many hundreds of Indians had died of absolute
starvation during the winter. The Indians said tliat the salmon had Aided
them now for three years together. The whites alleged, what is obvious to
everybody, that the Indians are extremely averse to work, except under the
]n'essure of immodiate hunger, and that they are so improvidont as rarely to
look beyond the wants of a day, and never to consider the wants of a winter
befoi'ohand. If I may venture an o]'inion, I should say this is much more
true of the savages who have never been brought into contact with civilization
than Avith those who liave had even a little aciiuaintauce with the whites. Wo
found almost everywhere Indians willing to labo'.ir hard for wages, bargaining
acutely for them, and perfectly acquainted with gold dust and the minvite
weights for measuring one and two dollars' worth. The circumstances are
inconsistent with an utter heedlessness fur next day's rc([uirements, for in all
cases we had to find these Indians in provisions as well as wages ; and the
amount for the most abject drudgery to which human labour can be \n\t, viz.
carrying burdens, being 8s. per day and pirovisions, pretty imiforndy wherever
Ave went, shows of itself a A'ery high average rate of profit as the wages of
labour in British Columbia. If this is the average remuneration of the most
unskilled, Avhat ought skilled labour, sup])orled by capital, to earn ? It was
the uniform jiractice of storekeepers to entrust these Indians with their goods,
generally 100 lbs. of flour, beans, or jjork, and provisions for their own sub-
sistence. Tliefts were said to be imknown, and great care taken of their
burthens ; and these individuals who work I found extreniely fleshy and
hearty. My impression of the Indian population is, that they have far
more natural intelligence, honesty, and good manners than the lowest class —
say the agricultural and mining pojndation — of any Eiu'0[tean country I ever
visited, England included."

Mr. Justice Begbic's recapitulation of the chief points he observed

were : —

" 1st. The ready submission of a foreign population to the declaration of
the will of the Plxeeutive, when expressed cUiarly and discreetly, however
contrary to their wishes. 2nd. The great ])reponderance of the Californian or
Californianized element of the po]inlation and the i)aucity of British subjects.
3rd. The great riches, both auriferous and agricultural, of the country.
4tli. The great want of some fixity of tenure lor agricultural purposes ; and
fith. The absence of all means of conununication, except by foaming torrents
in canoes or over goat-traeks on foot, which venders all productions of the

Deo. 12, 1859.J

ON BKITISII COLUMBIA.

{

country — except such as, like gold, can be carried with great case in sniall
weiglit and compass — practically valueless."

The CiiAiUMAN, in behalf of the Society, returned thanks to his Grace the
Duke of N'jwcastle for his kindness in sending these communications, and also
to Lieutenants Mayne and Palmer and Chief Justice J'egbie, who had prepared
them, and to whom geographers were highly indebted for papers (lescri])tive of
this slightly-known country. On looking over the accompanying pictorial
sketches, it was evident that vessels of some size could ascend high up the
rivers, — a fact which greatly increased the value of I5ritish Columbia. It was
very gratifying to see young officers of the navy employed in examining and
developing that great distant colony of the British empire, and he was especi-
ally pleased to find that one of those so distinguished was the son of his friend
Sir liichard Mayne. The red line on the map indicated the separation between
the mainland of the United States and that of the British territory ; and in
carrying the line eastwards down the river Columbia to the island of San Juan,
it must be obvious to every one that it was of the highest importance to Eng-
land that she shoiild possess a free transit of her auriferous and other products
from the Fraser Kiver and its affluents, by the mouth of the Columbia, to the
Pacific. In looking at tlie map suspended before tliem, the attention of the
Society was also naturally called to those passes of the Kocky IMountains
which Captain Pallisor and his associates had traversed, and also to the point
(Fort Cnlville) at which they had recently arrived; and it was to be hoped
that, before this session closed, geograjjhers would be in possession of much
valuabhi information respecting the interior of this vast country, apparently
so rich in gold, Ke regretted tliat the engineer officer, the chief of the survey
along the British frontier. Colonel Hawkins, had been prevented from I'cing
present.

Siu Epward Belcuer, r.n., f.r.o.s., on being called upon, said that he
regretted he could not afford any information about the district in (juestion,
and little even about the coasts of Vancouver Island, as he had not touclied
on the coast beyond Nootlca Sound. When he was there, in iHoH, he Ibund
the natives were cultivating potatoes, and he alterwards learned that they sold
them at very low prices to the whalers : further, that they were imported by
these vessels to the Sandwich Islands, where they were in gi'eat demand.

The point, however, which caused him much concern was the limiting
boundary on the 40th ]iarallcl.

In tlie year 1H38, by direct instructions from the Homo Government, as
well as confidential instructions from the naval Conmiander-iu-Chief in the
Pacific, it became his duty to rejtort on the Oreuou question, and at that period
so little was our Goveriunent aware of the true state of affairs that in his
instructions he was taught to exjiect that he wimld find the En.nli.sli located on
the northern bank and Americans on the south, and lie was canlioncd particu-
larly not to give any ground for ofl'enco on the part of the latter. This
division at that period, it would be seen, ])ointed out the Orejjdn as our natural
botuidnry, confining us more nearly to the 4(!tb, instead of the lUth, parallel ;
but, to his surprise, he found the British colours flying on Fort George, on the
southern side of the entrance, and not a single Anicricnn located on the whole
line of the Oregon u]i to the Hudson Bay settlement at Fort ^^ancouver!
On his arrival there he learned that tlie temporary Goveruor had not only
permitted but invited American missionnrics to sctllc on the Wallamette (a
southern tributary, but in the Hudson Fay territory), and, moreover, had
provided them with seed, sheep,* and every facility for forming a settlement,

* At this period siicli supi)lies were so iiiii/,:rdl;/ trii/i/(c/d from Her Majesty'-
slnps, as to cause tlie other officers of tlie Hndi-on Hay Coinj>aiiy, at Fort Vans
couver, to opeiily reprobate the conduct of their chief!

11 2

3(3

MAYNK, PALMKH, AND BEGBIE

[Dec. 12, 1859.

At length, when a sufficient niimhcr had become located (a hody, he believes,
came across the Eocky Mountains), they petitioned the American Government
to afford the necessary protection to American citizens, and thus it was that
British rule was ousted from tlie Columbia or Oregon River,* Inniiediately
subsequent to this he visited Monterey, California, where an insurrection had
taken place, and they had declared themselves independent of Mexico. The
American Consul there had married the daughter of the then President. He
had informed him that "his instructions lully warranted him in stating that
the American Government expected the Oregon question was in my liands,
that it was to be settled that year, and that if the British Government was dis-
posed to meet the question in a fair spirit, the American Government woidd
not offer any objection to California being held by Great Britain for the
Mexican debt" (at this period the revolutionary chiefs were disposed to ally
themselves to England).

On his reaching San Bias the Vice-Consul informed him that he had been
requested by the Minister at Mexico to apply to him for the fiiUest information
on all these matters, and he was assured by him (Mr. I'arron) that the tenor
of his despatch to the Home Government — a copy of which was furnished to
him — would prove most satisfactory (this was as from confidential connnuni-
cations with the Embassy). It was subsequently intimated to him, ** That as
he was a Commander in the Navy, and had travelled out of his province in
communicating direct on such subjects, no notice would be taken of it." The
result fully verified the remark. England lost California, the Oregon, and
was, to use a nautical phrase, " fleeted up" to the 49th degree.

1 f the British Government had acted with becoming prudence in 1838, and
had viewed well the ground before ceding the Hudson Bay territory, the
i^an Juan difficulty never would have presented itself. We had literally been
shouldered out of the Oregon territory by the over-zealous desire of this Sub-
Governor of Fort Vancouver to introduce American missionaries into the rich
lands of the Wallamette.

Dr. Hodgkin, f.b.g.s., was struck with the statement of one of the writers
that the Indian population were destitute of forethought, and made no provision
for winter and coming wants. He thought that if the gentlemen employed by
Government in these distant services had previously made themselves better
acquainted with ethnology, their rejjorts would have been somewhat modified.
The early accounts of the natives of North- Western America showed that in
the construction of their dwellings and in the curing of fish, &c., they were
both disposed and able to provide for their wants. He was, therefore, forced
to conclude that their present improvidence was tlie result of their deterioration
by the more recent increased communication with whites (fur-traders and
gold-seekers). The fact that some were now employed in work proved that
they might be useful to themselves and others in this important but too long
neglected portion of the I'ritish empire.

He was glad to be able to say that the present Secretary of State for the
Colonies, and his predecessor Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, had taken a warm
interest in the aboriginal tribes in that quarter, and he felt assured that, if
properly treated and instructed, the native population would prove of great
advantage to the settlers who now, whilst seeking gold, can only obtain the
means of subsistence at exorbitant prices.

Intimately connected with this territory was the ])roposed railway passing
through British North America, and connecting the AtlanUc with the raoilic
Ocean ; and if England did not throw away her money in vifle-elubs and the
like expenses, she might easily find the means of making tiiis line, which

9
i

* \'i(lf p. 297, Voyage of Sulphur, 1837 to 1842 ; and for a compleu' history of
the Oregon, viele Washington living's ' Astoria.'

Deo. 12, 1859.]

ON BlilTISH COLUMBIA.

Hhould bo regarded an one of th« most important in the filobe. Our foUow-
nieml)cr, JaiTios Macqueon, so well l<iiowii by liis African labours, had been
loii!^ devoted to this object.

. lie would mention as bearing on this subject tliat Captain W. Kennedy, the
commander of one of the late Arctic expeditions, wlio was partly an Indian by
birth, had since the last meeting left England I'or the express purpose of forming,
in ctmjunction with one of the chiefs, of excellent probitj' and character, a
civilized Indian settlement near the Lake of the Woods, and on the i)robable
line of route. It well deserved all the suijjjort and encouragement which could
be given to it.

Mr. John Cbawfuud, f.r.o.s., would not recommend anybody to go particu-
larly to New Columbia for gold-digging. He should not like to take up a resi-
• U'uce there himself in preference to many other places in America and Australia.
With regard to the San Juan difficulty, it was monstrous to suppose that two
countries, having millions of square miles of land at their disposal, and bound
together by such ties as those of America and England, should go to war about
that paltry little island. They were respectively bound, moreover, under a
penalty of 20,000,000?. per annum to keep the peace : 20,000,000/. worth of
American cotton, tobacco, and corn, came to England every year, and
20,000,000/. worth of P^nglish manufactures went to America. It was ridi-
culous, therefore, to suppose that war would result from the little unjjleasant-
ness that had arisen about a small island. lie cud not agree with Dr. Hodgkin
about the voliuiteer (juestion. He thought the movement an excellent one,
and would observe that they did not owe it to the Government but to the
press of the country, and especially to the Timfs newspaper : in fact, it
might be said that tlie press had done it all. Me believed the whole of the
gold yearly in'oduced by New Columbia was not more than half a million
sterling — the twenty-fourth i)art of what Australia had been yielding for the
last eight or ten years. It was not tliat gold did not abound in New
Columbia, for there was not the least doubt but that it did, over very
extensive fields rich in yield ; there were however physical and he hoped only
temporary obstacles to its choai) jiroduction. At the commencement of the
Californian and Australian gold discoveries many people were in terror that
we would be ruined by the influx of gold — injiuvd by too much gold ; but
the fact was, that although gold and silver had been added to our previous
supply to the yearly amount of some 50,000,000/., it had produced no dimi-
nution whatever in tiie value of the precious metals, while commerce had
been vastly promoted by it. In reality, the new supply was so much capital
added to the previous ca]iital of the world. And it was worthy of remark
that silver had ke]>t pace with gold, so that there was no relative disproportion
in the value of the two metals, and this was principally owing to the discovery
of tjuicksilver mines in California, upon the price of which the productiveness
of the mines of silver always depended.

The Chairman said that many years ago he had ventured to express the
opinion in various writings, and in a lecture delivered at theKoyal Institution,
that there need be no ai)prehension of having too much of a good thing, by the
discoveries of enormous accumulations of gold ; and the result up to the
liresent time seemed to have proved the opinion to have been sound.

, >V(

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€9wmi flf iJsi gjofjal (StopRjyftual S^a^ui^

Thx Babl ds Out and Ripok, Ac, &o., 4to.

I'^KMif.Capt. Richard, B,N., C.a, &c.|
iixan, Cakmel Q., Bengal Arty. I

MtmoHisoN , Sir Roderick I., O.Q.StJl., &9,
Stebb, Ool, W. H., M.P., ke.

If'

BiDDULPH, Robert, fikq.

MajstBi Itiebard Monokton, Eiq., M.P. || Trbvelv am, Sir Walter C, Birt.
GAt»pKi Francis, Biq., M.A. B Hoikikim, Thomae, Esq., M.D., *c.

l^omrtU.

lV AmowsiitTH, J<An, Xsq.
' Back, R.-Adm/ Sir O. '

Bbodix, Sir Benj., Bart.

^tctoKiNG, Thomaa H., Esq.

CUua^OI^PB, The Hon. F. H. G., M.P.

CBA^inroBO, John, Ewi.

Dkhnan, Capt. the Hon. J., R.N.

FZNDI.AT. Alex. Qeo., Eeq.
t^* Hamilton, W. J., Esq.

JaMxs, CoL H., R.E.

MoKBAT, 0^>t. the Hon. Q. A., R.1N.
0|.iphamT| Laurence, Eiq.
Poanuxm:^ l(.-General J. E., R.B.
Sa»inz!, M.'Oen. Ik, %Ji,
SftTMOitt, H. jy., fiiiq.^ M,P.
SH«rnBU>, The E*t|«l.
Shith, E. Oabome, Eiq.
Stavbuet, Thomas, Baq.
STBaBXKOKi, Count P. E. de, C.B, \
Warek, J. A,, Esq., if .P.

B1DDDI4PH, OocKS, and Oo., 43, Ghairing Gross.

NORTON SHAW.

KOTAt QEOORAPHICAL SOOIETr,

15, WIUTEHAM< JPLACE, E.W.

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