The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-23 00:00:00

The British Columbia Massacre,

A letter from Vancouver Island, dated June 6,
gives the following particulars of the recent mas-
sacre of settlers in British Columbia by the natives:
On April 30 the man in charge ce the ferry on the Ho-
mathco River, on the Bute Road, was murdered without
provocation by a small party of Chilcoatens, who had been
engaged to carry provisions for the workmen to the front.
The news reached Victoria early in May, but was disregarded
as an Indian runeour,and no steps were taken in consequence.
On May 11 Victoria was startled by the arrival of three men,
two of them badly wounded, who had been picked up by a
steamer while making their way in a canoe to this place.
They brought the intelligence that the Chilcoatens, on the
day after the murder of Smith, had surprised and killed all
the workmen except themselves. Tim Smith, the ferryman,
was an Englishman, who has been moving on this coast,
since 1810 ; he was murdered at his owe place, many miles
from any other white men. After he was shot the Indians
dragged the body down to the river, and destroyed a part of
the provisions which were stored in ha house, and con-
cealed the remainder in two caches. They also cut a large
scow adrift, and chopped a small boat in pieces, thus cut-
ting off all communication with below. They next pro-
ceeded eastward 12 miles, to the place where the main body
of the men were at work, and coming up with them on the
next day, spent the evening round their camp fire singing
Indian sings. Four of this party had been detached the day
before by the foreman, and gone with him three or four
miles further, where they camped again, for the purpose of
blazing the line for the road makers to follow. At daylight
the 12 sleepers were attacked by the Indians, three escaped.
The man who got away unwounded was Edward Mosely,
who was saved by his tent pole and canvas falling upon
him while lying on the ground. He eventually crawled
out, and under the shelter of some bushes reached the
river, by which he allowed himself to be carried down
until he was far away from the horrible scene. Peter
Morrison, a Dane, was shot through the left arm, but
escaped in a similar manner to Moseley, and joined him
two or three miles down the river. Philip Buckley, the
third survivor, had been struck while asleep in his tent,
by an Indian, with the butt end of a gun, and, jumping
to his feet, knocked his assailant down with a blow from
his fist and rushed to his tent door. He was confronted
at the entrance by a couple more savages, one of whom
stabbed him as he raised his arm to defend himself. The
wound was severe enough to cause him to swoon, and
the wretches left him on the ground while they went
into the tent to despatch a man named IJoffmeyer, a
well-known hun'er on the Paget Sound, who has been
roused by the scuffle. Buckley, whom they had left for
dead, on reviving, succeeded in getting into the brush-
wood, where he lay until after noon. He then, with
great difficulty and pain, made his way to the foreman's
camp, Creeping on his hands and knees after nightfall,
he got near enough to see the murderers crouching round
the fires, feasting upon the provisions they had found.
Giving up all hope of anyone but himself being left alive,
ho retraced his steps and turned his face westward, on
the bare chance of reaching the coast, At the ferry,
to his great joy, he fell in with the other two sur-
vivors; and at last, after great difficulty, they managed
all three safely to cross the river. Ultimately, with the
help of one or two friendly Homathcos who took pity on
them, they arrived at Nanaimo, on this island. The
killed in that massacre were fourteen, without the ferry-
man. Their names were William Brewster, foreman, from
Cornwall; Joseph Fielding, Derbyshire ; James Openshaw,
Lancashire; Charles Butler, formerly of the Boundary Com-
mission, and at one time a broker in this city ; James Camp-
bell, Scotland; John Newman, England ; John Clarke, Eng-
land ; Bapteste Demarest, French Canadian, James Gaudet,
a half-breed; John Hoffmeyer, Bavaria; Robert Pollock,
Scotland ; Alex. Milan, Scotland, a blacksmith ; and George
Smith, Scotland. Some et the bodies were dragged down to
the river, and have not been recovered ; but Gaudet, Clarke,
and Brewster were found horribly mutilated. Brewstoe's
lett aide had been opened, and his heart and liver torn
out ; and, it is said by the friendly Indians, eaten as a mark
of their hatred and triumph over him as the chief of the
party. The Chilcoatens, after these murders, went towards
Benshee Lake, and more. than a fortnight after the first
murders, and some days after the disaster was known here,
viz,, on May 17, murdered four settlers, with whom they
had hitherto been on the friendliest terms, at that place.
Their names were Win. Manning, an Englishman, whose
wife and children aro believed to be now on their way to
this country; Malcolm M'Leod, a Scotchman; Mac-
Dougal, a Scotchman; and Frederick Hamilton, an Eng-
lishman. The murderers having whetted their appe-
tite with blood, took the Bentinck Arm road for the
purpose of- meeting Alexander M'Donald, another set-
tler at Banshee Lake, who was known to be on his
way to his own place with eight companions. These men
were met on the 20th by two friendly natives, who warned
M'Donald, whom they knew, that his friends had been
murdered and his house destroyed. His experience of the
peaceable character of his Indian neighbours led him to
disbelieve the story, and he continued his journey. Tue
next day he was met at a place called Sutledne, 11 miies
east of the Summit Ridge, and himself and his party (nine
lives in all) murdered. M'Donald was a Scotchman, about
35 years of age, and had be .n hero since 1858, and was
one of the most act;ve pioneers we had. The Chil-
coatens, after this deed, continued their course towards
Bella Coola, where, there is reason to fear, every living
being would be put to death some days before these lines
were written. The names of the settlers at or near Bella
Coola were Mr and Mrs Hamilton, Scotch settlers; their
daughter, aged 14; the son, aged 11; Mr Taylor, Scotch ;
Ignatius Noble, American; Barney Johnson; Mr Wallace,
Scotch, the inspector of customs ; Mr Maddox, American;
and Major Robinson, and one or two others uncertain.
The writer believes that these frightful excesses can only
be regarded as the commencement of a regular native cru-
sade against the whites.