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?41

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ONAL EXHIBITION,

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VANCOUVER CONTBIBUTION,

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LONDON INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION,

1862.

OF THB

VANCOUVER CONTRIBUTION,

WITH A

SHORT ACCOUNT

VANCOUVER ISLAND

AND

BRITISH COLUMBIA,

London, June, 1862.

(il

KUtb

International Exhibition Commission

for 1862.

Honorary President.

His Excellency James Doxjglas, C.B., Govethor and Commander-in
Chief of Vancouver and British Columbia.

Executive Committee in Victoria.

Alfbed Waddington, Esq
Mb. Bdenabt.
De. Wood, R.N.
Me. Tbutch.
Major Fosteb.

Db. Tolmie.
Mb. Pidwell.
Rev. Db. Evans.
Mb. De Cosmos.

Secretary.
J. T. Pidwell, Esq.

Commissioners appointed in London.
Db. Lindlet, F.R.S.
Captain Matne, R.N.
A. J. Lanolet, Esq., M.L.C.

CJklJkhOQ:'&m

VANCOUVER CONTRIBUTIONS

TOTHB

INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION

1862.

A lofty spar, several tons of coals, large sections of trees
and other bulky contibutions, arising from detention of
the vessel, have not arrived in time for exhibition, the
specimens exhibited were forwarded by steamship via
Panama. A sample of the Douglas Fir may be seen at
Kew Gardens where it forms a flag-staff 150ft. in height
—a section from one which was 309ft. in height is in the
British Columbian Court.

Pacific N. W. History Oept

.10 ^010 PROVINCIAL L.IBRARV

VICTORIA, B. C.

EXHIBITED BY THE

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

Small Samples of Woods.

1 — White Pine {Pinua monticola) slab and plank from the mill of E.
Stamp and Co., Alberni.

2 — Oak (^Quercus garryana). See 69 to 63.

3 — A walking cane of the same.

4 — Douglas Pine {Abies Douglatit) slab, joist, and flooring from the

mill of E. Stamp and Co., Alberni.
6 — Yew ( Taxu» baccaia).
6— Siver Fir {Abies alba glauca).
7 — Spruce {Abies alba).
8 — Yellow Cypress {Thuja gigantea),
9— Ditto ditto a slab of.
10 — Ditto ditto * ox made of.

11 — Ditto ditto ., polished section of, in frame of yew— [see
also 18, 19].

12— Red Cedar. See 20.

13 — Hemlock {Abies Canadensis).

14 — Maple {Acer macrophyllum).

15— Dogwood {Comtts alba) — [superior for gunpowder charcoal].

le^Alder.

17— Arbutus {Arbutus proceray

18 — Cones and seeds of Thuja gigantea. See 8 to U.

19— Bark and twigs of ditto.

20— Cones and seeds of Red Cedar, a tree abundant on the N. Pacific
coast — larger sections are exhibited by B. Columbia.

Gold.

21— A case containing specimens from Frazer River and its tributaries.
A great variety of B. Columbian gold is exhibited by
tbat colony.

Cereals.

22— A case containing 4 samples of Wheat, 3 of Barley, 2 of Oats,
2 of Field Peas, and 1 of Timothy seed from farms in
the vicinity of Victoria.

23— A case containing 52 varieties of Kitchen Garden Seeds from the
garden of Mr. Henley, at Clover Point, on the coast,
two miles from Victoria.

Ship Building.

24— Model of a stem wheel steam boat for Frazer River.
25 — Model of a side wheel steam boat for ditto.
26 — Model of a centre board Schooner for coasting.

Oils.

27— Whale oil. 28-Seal oil. 29— Dog-fish oil.

30 — Oolachan oil.

Articles made of Native Oak, to shew quality of Wood and

Workmanship.
31, 32, 33— Three small kegs. 34, 35— A claret jug and cup.

Minerals.

36— Copper ore from the outcropping of a vein at Barclay Sound.

37^ 38 — Copper ore from Cowitchin district.

39— Copper ore from Queen Charlotte's Island.

40— Magnetic Iron ore from the north of Vancouver containing 70

per cent, of Iron and a little copper.
41— Coal from the Douglas seam at Nauaimo, 6ft. thick, dip 1ft. in

5ft., 60ft. from the surface.

mmm

42— Coal from the Newcastle scam at Nanaimo. 6ft. thick, dip 1ft. in
6ft.

48 — Cement stone.

44 — Granite (only found in detached boulders).

46 — Limestone.

46 — Sand-stone (good for building).

47 — Water rounded pebbles of coal from the Douglas seam

48 to 61 — Jaspar.

52 — Slate, much used by Indians for carving dishes, pipes, figures,
&c. &c.

Miscellaneous.

53— -Stems of the weed, Hemp nettle (Urtica cannabinaj.

64 — Leaves of ditto.

55, 56 — Indian made hemp from ditto.

67 — A net— the string and net made by Indians from ditto.

68 — Rope from the nettle hemp.

59— Labrador or Jame's Tea, (the leaves of Ledum Latifolium), used
as a beverage and for smoking — it possesses narcotic
properties.

60— Bark of the Yellow Cypress.

61 — Rope made of ditto.

62 — Mantle made of ditto.

63 — Indian hats.

64 — Ditto baskets.

65 — Indian mats.

66 — Ditto Whaling Harpoon.

67— Distended seal-skin buoy attached by rope to the harpoon when
used in whale killing.

68— Halibut and other Indian fish hooks.

69— Antlers of the Wapiti Deer.

70— A stuffed Buck.

71 — Indian carved Slate.

72 — A case of Vancouver Birds.

73 — A Bunch of Barlr^r raised from one grain.

74 — Bunch of Timothj grass 5ft. Sin. in height.

75 — Kelp, partly prepared by Indians for rope making.

76 — A very peculiar Rock Crab, presented by O. Nias, Esq., Victoria.

77 — Cypress cones and twigs.

78— White pine ditto.

79 — Bricks of Victoria clay.

80 — A case containing a sample of wool.

81 — Masks worn by the natives at their festivals.

82 — Salt from the saline spring at Nanaimo.

83 — A map shewing the various routes.

84 — A map of Vancouver and B. Columbia. (The most correct map
of Vancouver and southern part of B. Columbia, drawn
by E. J. Powell, Hydrographic Office, Admiralty, is
exhibited in the B. Columbian department.

84a — A design for a building in Yates Street, by Messrs. Wright and
Sanders, Architects, Victoria.

PHOTOGRAPHS EXHIBITED BY MR. G. R. PARDON,
PHOTOGRAPHER, VICTORIA.

85 — Portrait of His Excellency, Gov. James Douglas, C.B.
86— Portrait of W. A. G. Young, R.N., Acting Colonial Secretary.
87 — Enlarged and untouched portrait of a lady.
88, 89 — Portraits of Indians.

90 — Panoramic View of Victoria from Hospital Point.
91 — Shops in Victoria.

92— A Suburban Residence of the most popular description— cost,
about £400.

93 — Portraits and Views on patent leather. [On this material they
are finished in a few minutes after exposure to the
camera.

94 — A Fire-engine House.

95 — The Town Prison.

96— Hudson Bay Company's Old Warehouses [now removed].

EXHIBITED BY A COLONIAL AMATEUR,

97, 98, 99— Frames containing nine faithful water colour sketches of
Victoria and its vicinity.

100— A frame containing preserved wild flowers and fern leaves from
Fernwood (about three miles from V^ictoria;.

PRESERVES EXHIBITED BY MR. S. DRIARD.
101— Beef. 102— Pork. 103— Venison. 104— Concentrated Soup.
105— Sardines. 106 — ^Anchovies.

Fruit

107— Apples. 108— Cherries. 1 09— Peas. 1 10— Cranberries.
1 1 1 — Cranberry Jam.

Vegetables.

112— Carrots. 113— Peas. 114— Turnips. 1 1 6— Tomatoes,
i 16— Mushrooms. 1 1 7— Red Cabbage. 1 1 8— French
Beans. 119— White Beans. 120— Gherkins.

121— Pickles.

EXHIBITED BY MR. FOUCAULT.

M2— Smoked Salmon. 123— Halibut.

VANCOUVEE,

(A BRITISH COLONY),

Length, 275 miles— Breadth, 25 to 75 miles,

Superficial area, about 13,000 square miles.

Harbours numerous — that of Esquimalt the most important, and is
a magnificent one in all respects — no good harbour for 800 miles south
of Vancouver.

MOUNTAINS, a chain near the coast and covered with pine forests
through its whole length, highest about 2000 feet.

Interior, varied with fertile plains, lakes and streams (generally
small), grass or fern covered plains, rocky ground, and park-like oak-
land.

Rivers — none navigable, but deep arms of the sea indent the coast,
these vary from 50 to 120 miles in length, and are from 1 to 6 miles
wide. Roads to the interior have been commenced this year.

Proximate population —

White Males 5000

White Females 700

Coloured People 500

Indians 10,000 to 15,000

The Aborigines are submissive, peaceable and useful — they fish, trap,
carry, boat and work for the Whites, when so inclined. They are
divided into small tribes jealous of each other, and their villages are
on the coast, fish and potatoes being their staple food.

Soil — rich in places but generally light, the latter is productive
of fair crops.

CLIMATE — very similar to that of England, a little warmer in
the summer, and a little wetter in the M'inter — much less fog — exceed-
ingly salubrious — usual length of winter, from two to three months,
snow seldom remains a week. Thermometer rarely above 80° in sum-
mer — the nights are always cool — 5 degrees .above zero has been
known, but the mercury seldom falls below 15 degrees above zero
during the five or ten cold days of winter. On the whole, the climate
is more salubrious, invigorating and agreeable than that of England.

DISEASES — None peculiar to the country —epidemics, seldom and
mild — small-pox has been confined to Indians;

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS— all such cereals, fruits, vcge-
tables and roots as thrive in England. Wheat sown in October,

I >

V ''

( 2 )

February and March yields 36 bushels to the acre, average weight
64 lbs. Barley, Oats and Peas sown in February and March — Barley,
56 bush., weight, 54 lbs. — Oats, 50 bush., weight, 40 lbs. Harvest in
July and August. Potatoes very superior — have been known to yield
600 bush., and Oats, 72 bush, an acre. A Fruit Orchard matures in
three years. Turnips of 50 lbs., Cabbages of 60 lbs., Pumpkins of
160 lbs weight, and other vegetables proportionally large are produced ;
Tomatoes, Melons, Cucumbers and Maize come to perfection in the
open air.

MINERALS — interior but slightly explored — found, gold, silver
with arsenic, rich copper and iron ore, coal abundant near the surface,
excellent sand stone, plumbago, lime stone, marble white and black in
blocks of any size, cement stone and roofing folate. 'J'he coal of Na-
naimo is similar to Newcastle. Extensively used for steam, hous<^ and
gas purposes ; it is the best found on that coast, and its deposit is
considered inexhaustible. The coal seams of Nanaimo are the only
ones worked, and they rudely. A little sand stone and lime stone are
used for local buildings. Copper Mining Companies are being formed.
Magnetic Iron ore containing 60 to 70 per cent, of metal, with a small
quantity of copper is abundant, and near water, coal and wood — it is
not worked. All iron is imported from England and the States. No
iron has been found on the North Pacific coast but in Vancouver.

Three or four feet of soil around Victoria covers clay suitable for
bricks, below this are beds of white Lnd blue clay equal to any in
England, 20 to 60 feet thick, suitable for the finest crockery ; the brick
clay only is worked, from want of capital and skilled labour.

TREES — Douglas, pine, spruce and white pine, silver fir, oak of
three kinds, maple, yellow cypress, willow, hemlock, crab, dogwood,
poplar, alder, yew, juniper, arbutus, cedar, &c. The Douglas pine is
very superior for masts, and the cypress for boats, cabinet and joinery
work, close in grain, light and elastic.

There are but two or three saw-mills in the colony ; to clear the
land, bonfires are made of the magnificent Douglas pine, and the
principal use for the cypress is to burn the Indian dead. Great Britain
annually imports some 20,000,000 cubic feet of pine from Canada. A
small specimen of the Douglas pine may be seen at Kew Gardens, it
forms a flagstaff" 150 feet high ; 175 to 200 feet is a common height.
The French Government engineer at Cherbourg, M. Serres, says this
wood is superior for its almost complete absence of knots, its resistance
is nearly equal to, and its weight a little less than the best in use, and

( 3 )

awing to its great size there is some gain in weight and much
saving of material an J cost.

Raspberries, strawberries, gooseberries, elder, myrtle, hawthorn
and roses are indigenous — also several varieties of agreeable berries
and flowering shurbs not generally known in the United Kingdom.

FISH — whales, porpoise, dogfish, salmon, salmon-trout, mountain-
trout, sturgeon, halibut, cod, smelt, haddock, lamprey, herring, rock-
cod, carp, mullet, oolacban, clams, cockles, muscles, periwinkles*
whelks, limpets, cray-fish, crab, prawns, shrimps, oysters.

OILS — The Indians extract hundreds of gallons of oil annually from
the whale, porpoise and dogfish. They master the whale with a harpoon
attached to a distended sealskin. The quantity of salmon is most enor-
mous ; the cod and halibut are abundant ; the herring during its season
can be scooped into boats with rakes. The oolachan is a fish very similar
to smelt, it comes in myriads, is excellent food either fresh or preserved,
a gentle heat extracts an oil abundantly, which is far more palatable
and possesses all the medicinal properties of cod-liver oil ; the Indian
use it as butter, and could not live without it, its collection and use
are entirely confined to the natives, arising from its virtues being
unknown to the civilized world. Since the discovery of gold, curing
of fish for export has been neglected. Italiim fishermen supply the
daily wants of the Victoria market.

GAME — elk, deer, grouse, snipe, ducks, cranes, partridges, pigeons,
swans, geese, and a variety of wild fowl.

There is a great variety of the feathered tribe, from eagles to
humming-birds, beautiful plumage but little song. Bees have been
intioduced and they thrive well.

PRINCIPAL TOWN— Victoria (not incorporated), it is the largest
town north of San Francisco ; popiilatiou, 4000 to 5000, or about
four-fifths of the entire population of the colony. Four years ago it
was a trading post of the Hudson Bay Company, and contained about
250 people.

It would be difficult to over-estimate the service which the presence
of VLvv Mjosty's vesse'j has rendered in fostering this now prosperou'^
town ; the Admiral's advice has been most valuable to the local
government, and the officers have been distinguished for their courtesy
and abilities. Judicious employment of the vessels has surveyed the
neighbouring waters, prevented serious outbreaks of the natives, and
established a perfect moral supremacy of the whites over them ; at the
close of 1858 and during 1859, when the greatest gloom prevailed in Vic-

;>'

( 4 )

toria, hope was buoyed up by their presence, and supplying the wants
of their numerous crews sustained a great number of its tradesmen.

COST OF LIVING— at Hotels, 30s. to 50s. a-week; self-found
and occupying a room or a shanty, 12s. a-week.

PROVISIONS — cheaper on the average than in England. Such
dinners as are given in Paris for 5 francs may be bad in Victoria for
48. 2d. ; the ordinary eating houses give soup, fish, a cut from the
joint, vegetables, bread, and pudding or pie, for 2s.

Wholesale prices in February, 1862 — Flour, £2 for 200 lbs ;
Brown Sugar, 5d. to 9d. ; Co£Pee, Is. 2d; Bacon, 8d. ; Beans, 4d. ;
Potatoes, Id. to l|d. ; Onions, 2id. per lb.

Horses — Native Scrubs, small and hardy, £10 to £30 — Superior
American, £30 to £100.

Oxen, £20 to £30 a yoke. Cows, £6 to £8. Sheep, 16s. to 20s.
Hoffs on foot, 2^d. to 4d. per lb.

WAGES — Mechanics, 12s. to 20s. a-day ; Labourers, £10 per
month ; FemaleDomestics (much wanted) £4 to £6 per month and found.

Advertisements for 1800 men to work on new roads, are in the
Victoria papers of April 1862.

RENT — from £l to £10 per month, for shanties of two rooms to
cottages of 6 or 8 rooms, with detached kitchens and gardens.

RENT OF SHOPS — from £3 to £30 a month, according to
quality, size and location.

GOVERNMENT PRICE OF LAND is 4s. 2d. per acre payable
in three yearly instalments. If not surveyed it can be pre-empted and
paid for on its survey — 244 pre-emptions recorded up to March 1862.

VEGEl ABLE MARKET— good— not sufficient produced at present
to supply it, much imported.

Agriculture is in a very backward condition from want of settlers ;
the floating population is large, but it is composed of foreigners who
return with their earnings to thei" own countries. Cattle, sheep,
butter, flour, barley, oats, hay, eggs, fruit, poultry, and almost every-
thing eaten, drank, worn or used is imported.

CHURCHES -Church-of- England, Wesleyan Methodist, Catholic,
Congregational, Presbyterian, Hebrew — all self-supporting.

SCHOOLS — excellent, numerous — charges very moderate, some all
but free ; from elementary to highest branches taught.

In Victoria there are Gas Works, an Iron Foundry, Machine shops,

. .iO i iafc'g 'M .■^wM»*'>°-»

C 5 )

iuch
for
the

a public library and reading room, two newspapers, two fire com-
panies, a St. Andrew's society, a Freemasons' lodge, a horticultural
society, a philharmonic society, a gymnasium, billiard rooms, bowling
alley, a jockey club, theatre, and a rifle corps is being formed.

VICTORIA IS A FREE PORT— Vessels of 16 ft. displacement
can enter its harbour, those of greater, discharge at Esquimault. Im-
ports in tv;elve months, ending July 3 1st, 1861, were £463,935.

Entered, in six months ending June 30, 1861, 550 vessels, tonnage
53,443, crews 3,523.

Cleared 609 vessels, tonnage 57,398, crews 3,725.

Gold export in 1861, about £500,000 — this was the product of
British Columbia — very little gold has been obtained on Vancouver.
Other exports than to British Columbia, coal, timber, dried fish, furs
and assorted merchandise, probably £75,000 to £100,000.

Imports in nine months ending Sept. 30, 1361, £293,502, of which
£53,285 were from England. About five-eighths of the imports would
be provisions, &c., most advantageously supplied by the neighbo. mg
continent until raised on the island.

Imports during March 1862, were £52,350.

Revenue derived from sale of public lands, a tax on real estate,
licenses to trade, harbour dues, supreme court and police, &c. —
revenue in 1861, £25,291 ; expenditure, £22,912.

A reciprocity treaty with the United States would be a great benefit
to the people of Vancouver and the continent — the island gives all she
has to offer, and asks for some return from her populous neighbour.

A line of economically worked auxiliary screw steam vessels, of
about 500 tons, to ply between San Francisco and Victoria, likely to
be well supported and subsidized by the colonial government.

Were the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company's boats connected
with a line of north Pacific boats, it would tend much to increase the
business of merchants at home with the colony.

ng men beginning life with a small capital may feel as sure of
attaining independence in this colony as at home they are certain to
have a hard struggle merely *' to make both ends meet." It must be
evident that either in coal, copper or iron mining, in farming, fish
curing, lumbering, the manufacture of crockery, brewing, or in other
branches of industry, Vancouver offers an almost certain reward. Its
climate is unsurpassed for invigorating qualities, it possesses a highly
productive soil, and what some may deem considerations, it has

( 6 )

most picturesque scenery, and the lakes, streams and woods abound in
sport for the angler or shot. The explorer may ramble without dread
of wild beasts, nor is he annoyed by mosquetoes, those pests of most
new countries.

The Indians can be and are, with a little management, used as
labourers at comparatively low wages — that they are ingenious may be
seen by their works on exhibition. As the colony is at present too
poor to pay the passages of labourers from home (a thing it w^ould
gladly do if able), the natives will occupy their place in a measure.
Other sources of probably great profits not yet examined, the collection
of turpentine which exudes freely from the Douglas pine — obtaining
of sait from numerous strongly impregnated saline springs. Hops grow
luxuriantly, but they are not cultivated, all those consumed are im-
ported from California. Manufacture of iodine from unlimited quan-
tities of kelp on the coast. The manufacture of hemp from the abun-
dant hemp nettle, its quality is superior to Russian. There is no
tannery, the leather is all imported and the hides exported — as is also
the wool, for there is no loom although the consumption of blankets is
enormous.

Cost of reaching Victoria by steam from Southampton or Liver-
pool, 45/., 75/. and 100/. — length of passage, 4 5 days. By ordinary
sailing vessel, 26 guineas ; length of passage, about 1 50 days.

Columbian Emigration Society, for assisting the emigration of in-
dustrious women — apply, by letter, to the Rev. John Garrett, or to
W. C. Sargeaunt, Esq., 54, Charing Cross.

Its comparative shortness is the principal advantage of the Panama
route ; as gold mining in the richest districts is only carried on from
June to October, the emigrant should endeavour to arrive during the
spring or early summer. — Firsi class clipper ships are likely to make
the passage in 100 days.

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

Superficial area about 200,000 square miles, 500 miles long and
400 miles wide (that of England and Wales is 58,320 square miles).

Johnstone Strait, separating on the south west this colony from
Vancouver, resembles a fine river studded with islands which are
covered with trees.

Interior — extremely mountainous, but there are hundreds of thou-
sands of acres suitable for agriculture and grazing — vast forests —
numerous lakes, rapid streams and swamps.

( 7 )

Soil — On the prairies, a rich sandy loam. Price of land, 4s. 2d. an
acre, payable when surveyed. ,

In 1861 the population of Whites was about 6000.

Estimated population during the summer of 1862 —

Whites— 20,000 men, 500 women.
Chinamen— 4000 to 10,000.
Indians— 10,000 to 15,000.

There are about 50,000 Chinese in California, who expend about
£2,800,000 per annum in that country — its labouring population are
endeavouring to expel them. The miners of Columbia have been
mostly foreigners who naturally prefer their own country, therefore do
not settle, and this colony has been nearly depopulated every winter,
minus the large amounts of gold obtained by them every summer.
Another great cause for this migration is the scarcity of women —
nothing appears to settle a man so quickly as a wife, and in this
country she is not to be had.

CLIMATE— very salubrious, of various character owing to diflfe-'
rencc in altitude, latitude, and surroundio^^^eculiarities — raining is
carried on in Cariboo from June to October; when tunneling com-
mences, it may be pursued through the winter ; on the lower Frazer
many places have been worked all through the winter months at
intervals ; at Beaver Lake, in Cariboo, last January, mercury it. ther-
mometers congealed whilst exposed to the setting sun.

Agricultural products are similar to those of Vancouver, and com-
mand a higher price than in any other country, arising from the
paucity of farmers and the high price of freight, duties, &c.

Prices, at a good farm, 60 miles from Cariboo, in summer of 1861 —
Vegetables, 4d. ; Hay, 4d. ; Barley and Oats, Is. 2d. per lb. — in Ca-
riboo, Vegetables, Is. ; Barley, Is. 8d. ; Hay, Is. ; Oats, 2s. ; Butter, 6s.;
Beef, Is. 8d. ; Flour and Bacon, 2s. lid. per lb. The nearer to Vic-
toria, the cheaper to live.

Port of entry — New Westminster, 80 miles from Victoria and 15
miles from the mouth of Frazer River — population, 300 to 500 — it
contains the custom-house, a bonded warehouse, the mint, treasury,
and a pretty episcopal church ; three or four miles higher up the
river there is a village, which is the head quarters of a company of
Koyal Engineers under Lieut.-Gov. Col. R. C. Moody, R.E.

A Simple Fact — Gold Digging in this country " a lottery without
blanks and the prizes are indeed splendid." Five men in two months

( 8 )

obtained 20,000/. One claim yielded 1,700 oz. (about 5,430/.) in
three days. The average yield of gold to each miner was, last year,
10/. a-week, this far exceeds that of any other gold-minin<; population.
Extent of the gold fields unknown. It should require but little
consideration to cause any one to believe that want is absent in
these colonies, where labour is so handsomely remunerated, and the
demand for it is almost unlimited, neither does it seem reasonable to
doubt, that with industry and ordinary prudence, a young man may
render himself comparatively independent in a few years.

During the past year there were two routes to Cariboo, both from
New Westminster, distance about 500 miles, and the cost was £8 to
£10. This season there will be two others, each of them apparently
preferable to those used hitherto. One of the new roads commences
at the Bentinck Arm and its length to Alexandria is estimated to be
232 miles — 54 river navigation and 178 land travel. On the Bellacola
River, which empties into this Arm, a town called Bellacola is forming
rapidly. A Miner walked on snow shoes from Cariboo to this Settle-
ment in 1 1 days during last February.

The other new road leads from the Bute Inlet, it is stated to be nearly
20 miles shorter than that from the Arm, and has only 158 miles of
land carriage. The distance of Bute Inlet from Victoria is about 222
miles whilst the Bentinck Arm is some 500 miles. A few months will
decide which of these routes is the better one. Indians were packing
100 lbs. each at 4d. per lb from the Bentinck Arm to Alexandria, and
the whole freight from Victoria to that town was reckoned at 5d. per
lb., this will materially lessen the cost of living in Cariboo.

The government and people of this colony have shown extraordinary
energy in forming roads to its interior.

Cost of living in the richest mines — 8s. to 12s. a day (if cooking for
yourself.) Restaurant keepers charge from 4s. 2d. to 8s. 4d. a meal.

WAGES in them, 20s. to 40s. a day. In peculiar cases double or
treble these amounts may be paid — most men prefer working for them-
selves — no other qualifications are necessary for a miner than ability
to work and live on coarse food — no want of appetite likely.

Capital — safely and most profitably employed, 12 per cent, per annum
regarded as is 3 per cent, in England (small but secure).

For further information, see " Cariboo," published by Darton & Co.,
58, Holborn Hill ; " Handbook to B, C. and Vancouver Island," by
F. Algar, II, Clement's Lane, Lombard Street, E.C. ; and especially
" The Gold Fields of British Columbia," by the Correspondent of The
Times^ Rixon & Arnold, 29, Poultry ; his letters in its issues of Sept.
20, 1861, and 5th and 6th Feb. 1862 ; and the Blue Book for British
Columbia, part 4.

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